The Werewolf and the Dragon King

Chapter 1

A FEW WEEKS LATER

–SELENE–

My cheeks ached from laughing as Lohe spun me across the dance floor. On the far side of the common room, a band played a pop hit, its rhythm pulsing through the packhouse like a heartbeat.

We were celebrating my brother Helios and his mate Pippa, newly crowned Alpha and Luna, carrying on the legacy of our parents. Outside, the autumn night was wet and cold, but inside, everything glowed. It was warm, alive, full of joy. My parents, my sister, and her mate danced nearby, and laughter spilled from every corner of the Silver Moon pack.

"Where’d you learn to dance like this?" I asked Lohe, breathless and flushed. "For an old dragon man, you’ve got serious moves."

Lohe laughed, the sound deep and rich, sending a shiver down my spine. "Wait till you see me do the Tango. Some old ladies in this pack might lose their panties on the spot."

He was joking, but the way his molten chocolate eyes sparkled made my core throb.

"I want to steal you," I whispered, lips brushing his ear, barely louder than the music.

His grin made my knees buckle. "Then steal me, little wolf."

I tugged his hand, weaving through the crowd. We ran past tables piled high with food, past pack members deep in cheerful conversation, past my father’s gaze that clung to me like a shadow. I felt his scrutiny, his silent warnings. But I didn’t stop.

Being the youngest daughter of the Titan wolves—the most powerful lineage to ever walk this earth—made me a target early on. My siblings, twin warriors nearly as fierce as our parents, have always treated me like a porcelain doll. Fragile. Breakable. Guarded.

Even at the University, where I’m working toward my pre-med degree, I’m shadowed by a pack guard. My family still doesn’t trust me to stand on my own.

But I’ve fought for strength. Trained hard. Pippa helped me a lot. She’s an incredible fighter. Little by little, my family’s started letting me in, to help them in some battles. Baby steps. Still, they shield me from the real danger.

Then came Lohe. My mate. A dragon shifter from another realm who chose love over legacy. He left his father’s kingdom with a promise to return. But five centuries have passed, and he’s never looked back.

Now that the mate curse is finally broken, all I want is time with him. While I chase my dream of becoming the pack’s next doctor, following in my mom’s footsteps, Lohe will destroy the last portal to his world. He’s staying here with me.

But my dad still hovers like a hawk, barely letting us breathe. I’m twenty, for Moon Goddess’ sake. Old enough to stop being treated like a child. Sometimes, I have to get creative just to sneak a moment alone with my mate.

The inner garden was quiet, the party just a distant hum behind us. Wall lights cast a soft glow, and the air smelled sweet scent of dahlias and azaleas. Together with the library, it was my favorite spot in the whole pack. Here, the world felt like it paused.

At the far wall, where the paneled glass looked out over the lake, Lohe pulled me close, his arms wrapping around me like his wings sometimes do. "You’re trembling," he murmured. "Are you cold?"

I let out a breath that felt like a smile. "Nah. Just anxious to finally enjoy my mate."

His lips met mine in a blur. Slow at first, like he was savoring something rare. Then the kiss deepened, his hands sliding around my waist, pulling me closer. I melted into him, fingers tangled in the soft strands of his chocolate brown hair, tugging the curls at his nape.

He shuddered, our kiss growing frantic, and together we stumbled until our legs hit the wooden bench beneath the window.

We collapsed into the cushions, breathless, limbs tangled. My silk dress spilled around me, the hem pooling over the bench, my legs bare beneath the dim glow.

Lohe’s mouth found the curve of my neck, planting open kisses that made me gasp and arch into him. My skin tingled, my core pulsed with aching need.

Every inch of my body was buzzing with an insane need, aching to have him inside me. His strong, calloused hands traveled over my body, a reverent and hungry touch. From my cheeks to my shoulder, traveling down to my collarbone, until his fingers pushed aside the thin strap of my dress and his hand plunged inside it to cup my breast. My skin exploded in tingles.

"Selene... Selene... Selene..." he murmured like a prayer, his hands trailing fire across my skin, his thumb grazing the peak with maddening precision.

A moan tumbled from me, echoing in the inner garden. My body moved on instinct, leg curling around him, inviting him closer.

I wished his hands would never stop touching me.

I wanted them everywhere.

But then he paused, his hand gliding to the underside of my waist.

Lohe pressed his forehead to mine, breath ragged.

"I want you," he said, voice rough, trembling with restraint. "I want you so badly it hurts."

"Then take me," I whispered, my heart pounding like a war drum. "I'm yours, Lohe."

In my head, my wolf Mona howled desperately. She could barely wait to mate with him.

"Soon, love. Just a few more days. Once I destroy the chalice, I’ll mark you. We’ll mark each other. And then—finally—we’ll be fully bonded."

Moonlight bathed his skin, casting silver across his sculpted features. He looked like a god carved from starlight.

And he was mine.

I pressed my lips to Lohe’s jaw, trailing kisses down the line of his throat. "Why wait?" I whispered. "We’re already halfway there."

His breath hitched, hands tightening around my waist. "Selene..." he warned, but it came out more like a plea than a protest.

I shifted beneath him, my leg sliding higher, my fingers slipping beneath the hem of his shirt to trace the ridges of his abdomen. He was magnificent. All muscles and taut skin. His body shuddered under my touch.

"You said you wanted me," I murmured, brushing my lips against the hem of his shirt. "Then show me."

Lohe groaned, the sound raw and desperate. His hand tightened in my hair, pulling me up to crash his lips into mine. He kissed me again—deeper, hungrier—his other hand sliding up my thigh, fingers grazing the edge of my lace underwear.

I was wet. No, scrap that. I was dripping, my arousal running down my thighs.

"We shouldn’t," he breathed against my mouth. "But gods, woman. I can’t stop."

Yes! Finally!

His finger pushed my underwear to the side until he touched my folds, and I nearly choked on air.

He added a second finger, moving around my clit, a featherlight touch, testing my reaction. Slow, precise movements, making my thighs tremble.

My eyes fluttered shut, my fingers gripping his shoulder tightly. My body buckled against his, my pleasure building up.

Then a deep voice rang out from a nearby distance.

"Selene."

Lohe froze. I turned my head slowly, dread pooling in my stomach.

My mate scrambled off me with a speed that would make a Formula 1 driver jealous. He dropped onto the bench, fumbling with his clothes while helping me sit up like nothing had just happened.

My father entered the garden the next second and came to a halt a few feet from us. His blue eyes, normally bright, brimmed with anger. He was a Titan wolf in full form.

This was beyond ridiculous. I needed to do something.

"Lohe, can you give us a minute? I need to talk to my dad."

Lohe took a deep breath, his eyes bouncing between Dad and me, then stood up.

"I'll be at the party if you need me," he said, before leaving the room.

"This has to stop, Dad," I said as he sat down beside me. "I’m not a kid anymore. I can handle myself."

"Selene…" he started, but I cut him off.

"Please, let me finish. I need to make my own choices, even if I mess up sometimes." I reached for his hands, the rough edges comforting me as they always did.

"We love you, sweetheart. I just don’t want you to get hurt," he said, his voice softening, thumb brushing over my hand. "You’re still young, and I worry about what’ll happen if things don’t go the way you hope. I’m sorry if I’ve been too intense. I didn’t mean to cross a line."

"I know. But you’ve gotta understand—Lohe’s my mate. I love him." I took a deep breath, scraping courage from everywhere. "And I’ve been thinking about something big. I need your support."

He leaned in, brow furrowed. "Alright. I’m listening."

"The chalice is back to its original purpose. The portal is open again." I said, heart thudding. "And instead of staying here and building a life with Lohe, I want us to go through it together. I want to live in his realm."