Page 22 of Thrilled By Her Protector

“Take them to the grocery store on senior discount day she said,” he muttered, stripping off his clothes and tossing them in one of the empty lockers they kept outside for such purposes.

“Did something happen at the store?”

How he did not scent her approach, Zircon would never know. The second he noticed her, it filled his senses. She was all cool mountain air, sweet honey fresh from the hive, and ripe berries on the vine. She was temptation and sin. She was light and hope.

Jennifer. Mine.

“Oh, the usual,” he replied nonchalantly.

Fuck. When did he learn to be a liar? Probably the second he’d met her. That was when he’d started to hide his true feelings and nature. The monstrous need inside of him to possess, claim, and completely fucking own this woman.

It was a dark, primal instinct to claim and assert dominion, and fuck knew that was more his beast than the man. Yes, he wanted her. But he wanted to be with her as equals. Zircon did not really want to own Jennifer, but since she already possessed him already, mind, heart, and soul, he figured a little of the same was not unwarranted.

Fine. He was obsessed. Completely and totally obsessed with the female. Still, he continued to undress and acted like it was the most natural thing in the world. Like he was completely unaffected by her presence. His boner, however, that was a dead giveaway.

As if she could hear his thoughts, her gaze dipped to that part of him, and the fucking thing throbbed of its own accord.

“Something I can do for you, Jenn?” Zircon asked, fisting his dick, and giving it a long hard pull.

Hell. He should be used to it by now. Seeing as how the only woman he wanted wouldn’t come near him, Zircon had spent many a night jerking himself off just so he could get some shuteye. Jennifer’s eyes darkened, and he smelled her arousal from there. Fuck. If he didn’t stop, he was going to come all over the place.

“Oh, um, fuck, Conny, really? I mean, I was just taking a walk,” she said, trying to look composed and making a gallant effort to meet his gaze.

He licked his lips, noting the increase in her arousal, then abruptly stopped working himself. Jennifer moaned involuntarily, trying to cover it up with a cough, but he just grinned. Knocking her off balance might be the way to win the cautious Owl’s heart.

If being naked around her disturbed her, he could use that to his advantage. After all, they were both Shifters. Nudity was not all that uncommon. Zircon kept that thought foremost in his mind and went back to putting his clothes in the locker.

“Okay, so you went for a walk, but what about a flight?”

“Sorry?”

“Fly with me, Jenn. What have you got to lose?”

The sounds of others coming reached both their ears and Jennifer’s eyes narrowed. He scented the Drakein as they neared, and something about that seemed to spur Jennifer on.

“Fine. Good idea,” she growled, removing her clothes in angry but precise motions.

“Greetings! We thought we would go for a fly. Mind if we join you?” Kizzy called to them.

She’d stopped in front of another row of lockers they’d recently installed for their guests. Flying was safe over Wessex lands since they had the whole place under a powerful illusion cast provided by Draco Fortis.

“You know the boundaries of our land, yes?” he asked.

“Indeed. Thank you, my prince,” Kizzy replied, and nodded.

She was with two of the other females, Aliza and Luna. Zircon frowned, wanting no replay of the other night, but the blue haired female barely acknowledged him with a tight nod and that was fine with Zircon. Jennifer, however, looked pissed as hell.

“Then, by all means, we’d love the company,” he replied jovially.

Zircon’s Wyvern scratched at his skin, the beast demanding to know what he was doing pissing his mate off. But he had a plan, well, one his brothers had advised. Now, he would not go as far as they’d suggested, since deceit and jealousy were not his favorite things. But a little misunderstanding might lead to something he’d been waiting years for. It might just be the thing to get Jennifer moving.

“How about a race?” Luna asked.

She and the other women were already disrobed, but no, he did not look at them. Had no desire to, plus it would be rude. He turned his back, nodding at Jenn.

“Fancy a race?”

“I fear the bird will be no match for us,” Aliza said.

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