Chapter 3

 

Freja pinpointed the location of the feminine scream and ran towards the source.

 

Her feet flew over the ground as she ran at full speed to the backside of the two story tavern they had just left.

 

Above the first floor was where the tavern’s owner and family resided, the stairwell coming into view once Zarek and Freja rounded the corner of the wooden building.

 

Before them lay quite the scene.

 

On the second floor balcony a young woman about Freja’s age leaned over the banister holding on to the tiny clawed hand of an infant dragon. Her other arm was held in a sling leaving her free arm to struggle to pull the youngling back to safety.

 

The infant creature made whimpering noises like a hurt puppy as it looked up to the woman for help, it’s silver eyes wide in fear.

 

“Help save my baby! Please! I can’t hold her much longer!” The young brunette sobbed as she struggled with the infant.

 

She was too young to have learned how to fly yet given she was the size of a house cat, her tiny wings still tried to flap by instinct despite them being too small to fly.

 

Zarek ran past her with unexpected speed and started to make his way up the stairs towards the woman, but he didn’t make it in time.

 

The woman lost her grip on the infant and Freja shot into action, dropping her pack and racing to catch her baby in time.

 

Tiny puppy-like cries came from the little blue scaled creature as she fell, her four legs flailing.

 

Using the added strength given to her from being the Dragon King’s mate, she jumped off the ground right as she caught the infant in her arms.

 

Freja lost her footing on the landing due to the slippery slush beneath her feet and fell, twisting in time to fall on her back in a snow covered pile of hay with the child huddled in her arms.

 

She gasped from the impact, the wind having been knocked out of her, literally.

 

“Oh thank you, thank you!” The woman cried in joy, the sound of her feet stomping down the stairs echoing in the small area.

 

Sitting up, Freja finally took a good look at the infant in her arms.

 

She was bundled in her arms looking up at Freja with big shining silver eyes. Emotions stirred within her that she hadn’t felt before. All at once she was feeling a maternal longing and despair.

 

The tiny cute dragon she held in her arms, its wings tucking against its back, rubbed her small snout against the soft cloth of her wool shirt. Its tiny tail curled around her wrist gently as its owner rubbed its face against her in gratitude.

 

She’s so goddamn cute but she’s also what my future is to hold.

 

Despair came to the forefront as she rose to her feet, switching the infant to one arm while she used the other to use the building for balance.

 

“My baby! You’re okay!” The young woman had reached Freja, taking the child from her arm, snuggling it against her chest.

 

Streams ran down her cheeks as she rocked the baby in her arms.

 

Zarek rushed to Freja’s side, helping her to a dry patch with no snow, relief all over his handsome face.

 

“Are you alright? Did you get hurt?” His velvety voice enveloped Freja as his hand touched hers, a tingling sensation erupting by his touch.

 

She nodded saying she was alright and not hurt, although her bum said another story.

 

The world around Freja, including Zarek, became a blurry echo in the distance as despair clutched her heart.

 

That is what I have to look forward to if I’m not successful in killing that bastard. Fuck, why couldn’t it have been a human child who looked at me like that?

Zarek stood to the side, concern etched into his face as the young woman walked away having thanked the two for their rescue.

 

She drowned out the dark thoughts and fear for her future as best she could.

 

She didn’t want a baby with a dragon, yet, when that one’s eyes gazed upon her like she was the world, reality hit her in the chest.

 

All her life she had ran from her fate but then she had caught it in her arms.

 

The infant was not at fault, a helpless being that needed saving. It was innocent. Having her, the infant, in her arms had caused all that crap to surface and she hated it.

 

“Freja, are you okay?” He placed his massive hands on her shoulders, gently shaking her out of her head.

 

Everything around her came to the forefront again as she gazed up into his golden eyes.

 

“Yes, thank you.” She muttered, shaking her head to clear the rest of the dark thoughts.

 

As she gazed at Zarek she noticed something she had been ignoring ever since she met him.

 

A tingling sensation skated across her skin as he touched her, their bodies mere inches from each other. The feeling felt like the cool caress of a creek over the skin on a hot summer’s day.

 

Her body was being drawn to him even though she barely knew him. It was exotic and addicting, this feeling.

 

Heat bloomed between her legs and in her lower abdomen.

 

Sexual arousal and need.

 

Zarek stared right back, his hands moving to her hips as he drew her closer.

 

Those bear paws of his explored her hips and waist, gently feeling her shape beneath the layers she wore for warmth.

 

For some reason she couldn’t comprehend, she wanted those hands to cup her breasts and explore the intimidate parts of her body. She barely knew him and wanted to fuck his brains out like a bitch in heat.

 

Freja flattened her hands against his wide chest, feeling the pectorals beneath his shirt.

 

He was built like a brick house, hard muscles wherever her hands went.

 

The warmth that radiated from his body was exotic and intoxicating.

 

In her head she saw herself licking every inch of this masterpiece of nature before her, including the huge dick he had hidden beneath his trousers.

 

His thick rod pressed against her belly as they were both locked in the sexual tension that boiled between them, threatening to explode.

 

With a small moan she forced herself a few steps away from Zarek, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment as she noticed a few people staring.

 

“I’m sorry. I-I don’t know what came over me.” She wiped the sweat of the moment from her neck as she cleared her throat.

 

Zarek had snapped out of it, too, a lopsided smirk on his face as he collected himself, sweeping his cloak to cover his obvious erection. His thick member threatened to tear through his trousers from being so close to his mate.

 

He saw Freja’s confusion and was glad she hadn’t figured out she was his mate, yet.

 

When he touched her the beast within roared to life, urging him to take her like a wild animal in front of the people who hung out by the stairwell drinking from their horns.

 

He wanted to fuck her until she was screaming his name repeatedly, claiming her as his mate and woman.

 

Gods she feels so good against me. Those curves were made to fit against me beneath the sheets.

 

Inwardly, he groaned that he couldn’t do that just yet. Taking back his throne was on the list before claiming her as his.

 

“It’s okay. I got caught in the moment. That was good work catching the infant in time. You’re a hero, Freja.” He commended, remembering the events that led to them almost fucking in the snow like animals, trying to distract himself.

 

“Oh. It was nothing. The poor kid wasn’t big enough to fly so it was the obvious choice. Her wings wouldn’t have held her body up.” A slight giggle bubbled from within her, those sage green eyes making his heart warm.

 

Zarek motioned back to where they came from, “Come, let us get back on the road. Let’s get some miles in before night falls.”

 

She agreed, retrieving her pack, and they both walked back to the front of the tavern, taking a left turn to head towards the exit of the village.

 

“Let’s get a move on then. Traveling at night won’t be easy.”

 

“Agreed.” He gave her a small smile and curt nod as he kept pace beside her.

 

Both of them made sure to keep enough distance from the other in case they accidentally touched.

 

If they touched again, Freja feared she’d end up straddling him in front of the village.

 

This trip was turning out to be unexpected with her mission growing closer and her libido on fire.