His Breath of Fire

Chapter Ten

    I turned on the awning to better take in his image. His hair was unkempt, sticking in many directions like he ran his hand through it. His eyes were wide and so very vulnerable, tugging at my heart strings and making the desire to hold him in my arms hard to resist. However I persevered and stayed within my bubble.  The pain that I’ve ignored tugs at the bond and I see Easton clutch his chest at the feeling.

    “Alpha Junior Easton!” my mother called out, running into my room a moment after Easton. Her eyes went to the open window and to the bubble I erected and back to Easton. She knew I was still here but stayed silent, letting Easton think I fled through the window.

    “Where is she?” he asked, voice so quiet it was hard for even our hearing to pick it up.

    “She hasn’t gone far I’d assume,” my mother answered, glancing back at me before giving Easton her attention.

    “Why did she run from me?” Easton demanded, turning around to look at my mother. “I’m her mate!”

    “Alpha Junior, please calm down,” my mother soothed, taking another step into the room.

    “Easton,” he sighed, running a hand down his face. “Just Easton, Kaida.”

    My mother nodded and motioned to the two chairs I set up in my room. After they settled, my mother said, “Easton, she’s hurt. After seeing you at the welcoming ceremony with that girl, you can imagine how she must feel after learning you two are mates.”

    “It doesn’t mean anything with Mara,” Easton defended and my breath hitched.

    “What do you mean?” My mother pressed, knowing I’d be too stubborn to ask these questions myself and it just helps that I’m eavesdropping.

    “My father and his Delta made a pact that if neither of us found our mate after the age of twenty-one then we would have an arranged mating. I hated the prospect and never really put too much effort into it, but it was to make sure the pack survived after I took over once I turned twenty-one,” Easton explained, and my heart thumped heavily in my chest. So it was arranged? But they looked so comfortable, so cozy with each other. It’s hard to believe that it wasn’t somewhat enjoyed by both parties, especially Mara.

    “You need to explain that to her, then,” my mother instructed, eyes flickering to the bubble before meeting his gaze again. “She’s confused, hurting, and scared. She has her secrets just like you have yours. You have to prove to her you’re trustworthy and worthy of being her mate.”

    “What secrets?” Easton asked, leaning forward.

    “That is not my place to say, Easton,” she chastised, even though the secret I carry is the same as her own. “Again, gain her trust, but only because you want it not because the bond desires it. Then, and only then, will she let you in.”

    Easton sighed in defeat, slumping down in his chair and swiveling his head to look out the open window. He must be wondering how to win me over, and to be honest, I’m both excited and frightened at the prospect of being courted. Because that’s basically what it is. After a moment, he stands up, thanks my mother for her words and apologizes for bursting into her home.

    She walks him out and the moment they leave the room I get back inside, popping the bubble and sprawling on my bed. God, what an exhausting day.

    My mother walks back into my room, sparing me a glance before crossing the room and closing the window. She walks over to me and I sit up and her arms close around me, hugging me, and just being my support system. I start to cry into her arms, confused, hurt, but most of all hopeful that Easton is actually the mate that I need him to be. The one that waited for me, the one who wants only me because I am me, not because two goddesses destined us to be together.

    The next day at school is torture knowing that Easton wants to speak with me and I know I’m fidgety. I keep thinking about the sparks that fly at our contact and how embarrassed I am to say that I’m craving more. Regardless of how my body feels towards him at the moment, my heart still hurts at the knowledge of him and Mara together.  Before I know it the day ends and I’m dragging my feet towards my car.

    “Bren,” Easton calls, grabbing my wrist lightly.  Sparks fly at the contact and I suck in a breath at the feeling.  “Bren, please talk to me.”

    “What’s there to talk about, Easton?” I ask, turning to face him.  His hazel eyes look so torn and I get the feeling all he really wants to do is wrap his arms around me but isn’t for my benefit.  I’m grateful because I don’t know what would happen if he did.

    “Bren, there’s nothing going on between Mara and I,” he says, moving his hand from my wrist to my hand, intertwining our fingers together.  I couldn’t bring myself to pull away and the tingles spread from my hand up my arm.

    “It doesn’t look like that to me,” I say, avoiding eye contact with Easton.  If I looked into his eyes, I’d forgive him easily and I can’t do that for myself.

    “Mara and I were set up in an arranged mating if either of us didn’t find our mates by the time we turned twenty-one,” Easton explains, pulling me to sit on a bench by the stairs.  “It meant nothing to me.”

    “It’s hard to believe you when you both look so comfortable,” I argue, finally pulling my hand from his and scooting away so that I could think.  “Tell me, what have you done together?”

    “I mean, we’ve kissed and stuff to try and make it less awkward if we did have to be mated,” he said, rubbing his hand against his neck in nerves.

    “And?” I pressed, pale eyebrow quirked as I looked at his aura.  It was tinted gray, meaning he felt guilty about something and I knew he was hiding something else from me.

    Easton looked guilty, and I knew I wasn’t going to like what he said next.  “She, uh, got me off a couple of times.”

    Anger flared at his words and pain tugs at the bond.  Easton flinches at the feeling and looks at me with pleading eyes.  “That’s what I mean, Easton.  I waited for the one in all ways.  If this bond, this pull, means that we’re destined to be the one for each other, then why wouldn’t you have waited for me?  Why would you have just given up because it was easy?”  Tears started to well and I turned my face to hide the fact that this affected me so much.  I mean, I know he could feel it, but there’s a difference between feeling it and seeing it.

    “Bren,” Easton groaned, clutching his chest at the pain from the bond.  He gently grasped my chin, tugging my face to look at him.  The sparks were intense but I blinked to clear my head.  “I know you’re hurting and I promise to make it up to you.  Whatever happened with Mara is in the past and I don’t plan on ever touching her again.”

    “I—” I started, but jerked my head in the direction of my house.  Something was trying to get my attention but I couldn’t quite figure out what it was.

    “Bren?” Easton questioned, and I held my hand up to silence him as I tried to figure out what caught my attention.

    I strained all of my senses, extending my hearing, dragon powers, and aura searching to try and figure out what was happening.  The last thing I could think of is to open up my mind link with other dragons but the only other dragon I know is my mother.  My mother!

    Bren!