Page 34 of Protecting His Treasure

Hanami sighed and raised her dark eyes to meet his. “Always the good boy. Do you never feel the need to be bad?” She purred.

“Never.”

Hanami chuckled. “You don’t have to lie to me. I know you feel the need to be bad. I can see right through you, Kaede Oshiro. I see the desires you try to hide. As future alpha, you’re not allowed to make love to anyone, other than your mate.”

Kaede was growing uncomfortable with where this conversation was going. “We’re in the temple, Hanami. Watch your words.”

“You dragons are so uptight about your religion. Your frown on sex outside of bonding. You act like a woman is supposed to be subservient to a man because a man is stronger. I’m a witch. I’m stronger and more powerful than most men. I’m bound to the same rules you all are.”

“You’ve married into this den. Which means you are now bound to our rule.”

“I follow the rules of no man. I am my own woman. I will forever do as I please. When and I please. And….” She moved closer to him. “With who I please.” She reached for him.

Kaede stepped back.

“You always run from me. I blame it on your experience.”

“And what should I blame your behavior on?” He asked.

She stared down toward his crotch. “Blame it on that.” A smile curved across her face. She tossed her dark hair over her slightly tan shoulder. Her eyes made their way from his crotch back up to his gaze. A cold shiver of disgust raced down his spine. “I can feel your secret desires, Kaede. I know you long for a mate.”

“Keyword, mate. All males long for a mate.”

“You’re not like all males. While your cousin and others are out here having fun with any girl who’ll let them, you’re forced to remain pure for your future mate. You’re a twenty-seven-year-old virgin with a lot of pent up sexual energy.” Hanami shivered. “You’re going to explode soon if you don’t find someone to release that energy with. I’m willing to help you with that. I’m willing to allow you to release that energy on me, in me.”

“Enough!” Kaede roared. Even his dragon was disgusted by her suggestion.

Their roar called the lights in the temple to flicker. Kaede strode forward, forcing Hanami to talk backward. A foul woman like her didn’t have the right to stand in the Temple of Alphas. He may be a twenty-seven-year-old virgin full of pent up energy. But he’d never release that energy with her.

Unlike his cousin, he would wait for his true mate. Not only because he was an alpha and it was expected of him, but because he wanted to. He wanted to bond with only one woman, the woman who was meant for him. He would remain true to his mate for however long it took him to find her.

Though he hadn’t met her yet, she already owned his heart, his body, his soul. He belonged to her. And he’d never allow himself to be lured in by a woman like Hanami. His cousin may have been seduced by her slender form, fair skin, and sultry smile. But Kaede was disgusted by it.

“I don’t know what my cousin sees in you.”

“Come with me and I’ll show you what he sees in me.”

“Do you know no shame?”

“None.”

“Women like you….”

“Women like me know what they want.”

“Women like you have no idea what they want. You’re married to my cousin, yet, you offer yourself to me. How many more men have your offered yourself to since you married my cousin.”

“I feel no loyalty to your cousin.”

“Is that why you go missing for days and have him searching for you like a fool.”

“I don’t force him to search for me.”

“You’re his wife.”

“Yes, but only because he lied to me.”

“Lied to you.”