Page 40 of Draven
"I'm working on myself," Draven responded. "Being here, spending time with you, it takes off the edge."
"I'm glad to hear that," I said, nestling my head on his shoulder.
With my eyes closed, I felt incredibly at peace.
But beneath the tranquility, a lingering question remained: how long would this moment of happiness last?
CHAPTER ELEVEN
TOBIAS
I stirred awake,the soft touch of grass beneath me greeted my senses.
Draven’s warm leather jacket enveloped me, offering a sense of comfort.
Beside me, Draven lay, his arms securely around me. Despite the initial confusion of waking up in an unfamiliar place, the sight of Draven brought a sense of ease.
We were still in the woods, at the summit where we had arrived earlier in the afternoon.
Time had slipped away, and night had descended upon us while we slept peacefully in each other's embrace.
Draven closed his lips on the side of my neck and a smile tugged at my lips.
But then, the sharp edge of his fangs pressed against my skin, and my body tensed with a mix of excitement and apprehension.
Was Draven about to give me his mate mark? Did I even want it?
The answer was clear in my heart – yes, I longed for our souls, our inner beasts, to be bound together. But were we truly ready for such a profound commitment?
Questions flooded my mind, each one demanding attention.
Draven's past, his temper, the witch who hunted him – all these complexities weighed heavily on my thoughts.
I needed time to process everything.
Draven sank his fangs deeper into my skin, and a shiver ran down my spine – not from fear, but from the electric anticipation coursing through me.
My heart raced erratically, pounding against my chest, and for a moment, I reconsidered.
To belong to him completely, to be mated to this damaged and gorgeous dragon shifter...maybe it wouldn't be so daunting after all.
When Draven's golden-flecked eyes met mine, I sensed a deeper connection, as if his dragon half gazed upon me with recognition and longing.
But then, with an abruptness that startled me, Draven withdrew his fangs, his fists clenched with visible struggle.
Black scales rippled across his arms, and a brassy growl of frustration escaped his lips.
"Draven?" I ventured, reaching out to touch his shoulder.
He gritted his teeth, his turmoil evident in every tense line of his body.
"I'm here," I murmured softly, urging him to take deep breaths.
As he complied, miraculously, the scales began to fade away. But deep down, I knew that his dragon was stirring dangerously close to the surface and that wouldn’t be good.
I was confident Draven wouldn't harm me, but the thought of what he could unintentionally do to others sent a shiver down my spine.
He hadn't divulged much about his time under Belladonna's control, but the mere mention of it had left his voice strained and filled with remorse.