Page 74 of The Dragons’ Eternal Mate

“You should leave,” Orsen rumbled, his voice different. Deeper and raspier, like it was his dragon speaking, not the human. He shook his head like he was trying to fight against something.

“I’m not going anywhere,” I insisted, wrapping my arms around his neck, oddly drawn to this version of my mate.

Even as he was trying to dissuade me, his hands found the back of my thighs, lifting me onto the kitchen counter, and coming to rest between my legs. “I know what I said before, but… I’m not in control.”

That much was obvious. Orsen was skirting the line between man and beast. His skin had ripples of red under the surface. His own personal dragon fire. I should have been terrified, leaving him to calm down, but something inexplicably strong was pulling me closer.

I’d seen what Orsen had done, knew the stakes, and there was a biting need to feel him, to claim him as I reminded myself that he was here and alive, with me—right where he belonged. I didn’t care about the mess or the evidence of battle clinging to him. I cared about him, about us.

I leaned forward so my lips were close to his ear. “Mark me, mate,” I whispered.

He reeled back, hard eyes meeting mine as that rumble grew to a full-bodied growl that shook me, weaving through my every nerve.

We’d briefly discussed our marks once upon a time. Before, I had one from each of my clanmates, but when I’d been burned, they’d been hidden or healed over by the scars now covering my skin. When I’d understood what the attack had done, it had become another thing I hated Cyrus for.

I wanted them back, starting now.

Orsen was feeling possessive, and I was going to let him claim me in the most permanent way. He’d done something miraculous today. We’d grown so much since the beginning. I wanted to feel my mates again. I wanted all of us, the entire world, to know they were mine, and I was theirs.

Orsen’s.

His eyes flashed red.

“Rowan…” Orsen breathed, his voice a primal snarl, all possession and need.

“Are you sure? Orsen’s not entirely… there right now,” Bastian said, watching the pair of us intently.

With all my mates around us, I glanced over Orsen’s shoulder and flashed them a confident smile. “I’m not going anywhere,” I declared, before turning to the dragon in my grasp. “Bite me, mate. Claim me, so everyone here sees that I belong to you.”

My words made him snap.

Orsen’s grip tightened around me, his eyes flaring from red to pitch-black. One of his hands fisted roughly in the hair at my nape, his lips crashing down on me. It was messy and possessive, but I was already squirming with need, my body hot and desperate.

I ran my hands over his chest, not caring about the bloodstains, opening my neck up to him with a quiet moan.

The hand that wasn’t tangled in my hair tugged at my T-shirt, ripping it open from neck to navel, exposing me. Rearing back, he admired me for a few moments, keeping me firmly in place before leaning down and lavishing my chest with deep, open-mouthed kisses, nipping at the skin. He was like a predator trying to get a taste of me.

“Jesus, fuck,” Grey whispered.

My other mates were watching with rapt attention. None of them wanted to interrupt Orsen or face the consequences, so they all looked on, eagerly waiting their turn.

“Mine,” Orsen snarled, fists squeezed tightly.

“Yours,” I repeated, throwing my head back.

He didn’t waste any time. Still holding me in place, Orsen reached down to my leggings, tearing them off. His hands were partially shifted; I could tell from the way his claws dug into my skin. They made quick work of ridding me of what little fabric kept him away from me.

His mouth found mine again, and I lost myself in us. The slight burn in my scalp heightened everything. I wanted to be possessed by him, to be owned. I wanted his knot. I wanted the man and the dragon to take everything I had to give and more.

Grasping onto my thigh, he spread my legs, pulling me to the edge of the counter and lining himself up. He thrust in with one single, firm, mind-blowing thrust that had me seeing stars, filling me up with the erection that had been steadily pressing closer since we’d gotten into the kitchen.

There was no adjustment time, no moment to steady myself. Orsen was frantic and fucked me like a man possessed. All I could do was hold on, my fingernails digging into his shoulders as his hips met mine powerfully, rocking me to my core.

Blown away, I squeezed my eyes shut before trying to focus again, looking over Orsen’s shoulder once more at the group of Alphas utterly mesmerized by the sight of us.

“Don’t look at them,” Orsen growled, gripping my throat and forcing me to meet his eyes. “Who’s inside you right now?”

“You,” I whined, my hips coming up to meet his.