The Alpha Dragon’s Prisoner

The Lion’s Den-Xander

And can you feel the love tonight?

It is where we are

It’s enough for this wide-eyed wanderer

That we got this far

And can you feel the love tonight?

“Would you cut it out? All we did was get her to go along with us. It’s not like we got her to agree to be our mate already” I berate my dragon cutting off his horrible singing. I guess he finds it to be a sign of disrespect because he flashes me his tail and gives me his back.

I am allowed to be excited. This is the first sign of trust our mate has shown us. Besides with her holding her hand in mine, all I feel is the love.

I look down at our hands I continue to walk with her. When I notice how good it feels I tighten my hold on her hand just a little more. I could definitely get used to this. Taking a look at her I watch as her eyes repeatedly shift around the forest. I can no longer smell her fear in the air but I can still see it in her demeanor.

You know my singing might work to make her feel more comfortable. I have been studying the children movies that we are supposed to be watching to bond with Magma’s kids. The song Into the Unknown would be perfect for this.

“Oh god, no. Please don’t” I beg him before he can even start. The women in the clan have already played the song out. They have even had it on repeat in the cafeteria to torture the men. I had to ban the song from being played in certain areas just to get a little bit of peace.

“What? What is it?” she says aloud as her feet halt steps and her gaze moves faster.

Figuring that I scared her I rush to assure her. “No, I was responding to my dragon. There is no danger here. I would smell it before it even close” I tell her. As I spoke she released my hand. I wanted to reach back and grab it but I have no idea if she would welcome the touch now.

“You can smell that well?” she ask after a few moments and our walking has resumed.

“Yes, I can smell the trees, the grass, the dirt. I can smell you myself as well as all the wildlife that are near. I even know that we will be running into one of the pegasi in about four minutes give or take” I tell her as we walk.

“That the second time you have mentioned smelling me. I don’t know whether to be flattered or offended” she huffs.

“You should definitely be flattered. Your scent is the best thing that I have ever smelled. Its decadent and sweet. I have smelled so many things in my life, but nothing brings me even close to the pleasure I get from your scent” I tell her as I hold her gaze.

Great, you have broken her again. Stop giving everything away. WE have to have some form of mystery.

Her mouth forms into the shape of an O as if she is shocked by my revelation. I would say that I’m sorry that I said it but I’m not. She deserves to know how appealing she is to me. I just hope that I did a great job at conveying the want that I feel for her. The need for her that I have. Sniffing the air again on a long inhale I almost grown at how her scent has changed. I could almost describe it as the opening of the wildflowers on the first day of spring. Her scent has blossomed and caused me to go hard again. I can barely contain the groan that wants to be released from my lips.

“So, should I just schedule our meeting for later or do you want to stop making kissy faces at each other so that we can talk” A deep baritone says out of nowhere. With pure instinct I take a hold of her body and snatch her behind my back before facing our intruder. I don’t even turn when I hear the small yelp that comes from her. A growl leaves my chest as my dragon pushes forward on Maverick. My nostrils flare as I take in the rest of the scents around us looking for anyone else who may be approaching.

“Woah, easy there tiger. I was only playing around” he says holding his hands in the air. I glare at him as she starts to shift around me. My arms snake backward trying to hold her in place as my dragon is still unsure of the threat.

“Would you quit manhandling me. You were the one to brag about your superior sense of smell and look where we are now. I can at least take a look. Do Pegasus’s have laser vision or something” she shouts fighting against my hold.

I relax my stance as a chuckle leaves my lips as I eye Maverick wearily. She is right I should have heard him coming. I guess I was just too distracted by the scent that was coming from her to be paying attention to our surroundings. I will have to be more careful in the future not to let her scent go to my head like that. We could have been in serious danger if someone approached us who was actually harmful.

“Lasor vision no but x-ray vision, yeah. And let me tell you sweets, I like what I see” he says. A growl leaves my chest as he chuckles.

“He’s lying. The only thing you have to worry about with him is the pranks and jokes they play. You should also decline all rides unless you want to see one of these jokesters dead. I personally wouldn’t mind getting rid of the one in front of us if I have your permission” I tell her showing all teeth.

My sentiments exactly. I can rip him apart in seconds.

She looks into my gaze and I can tell that she is confused. My smile definitely isn’t friendly with the way that he just eyed and flirted with my mate. Before I can tell her that I can’t harm him her laughter fills the air. “Oh, wow. You really had be going there for a second. I’m gonna have to ruin your fun there Xander. I think the pretty horse man should stay” she says as she c***s her head at him.

The way she eyes him makes my insides hurt. Does she actually find this…this thing attractive. The thought has scales flashing across my skin as I feel my talons unsheathe from my fingers. I find his burst of laughter to be shocking as he slaps his knee as he eyes my mate. I feel like by stander as they have an unspoken conversation.

“You should really keep a leash on this one Xander. She’s a keeper” he says as he finally takes his eyes off my mate. I look at her in confusion to find her trying to hide her laughter behind her hand. My shoulders drop as my body returns to normal. My cheeks flame like fire as I realize that they were just messing with me.

It would be only right if we take her over her shoulder for her teasing. She just almost had me hurt the stupid flying horse. Let’s get our business out of the way quickly before I change my mind.

Nodding along I agree with his sentiments. “What did you bring me for here that you couldn’t tell my beta?” I ask him as I reach down to grasp her hand. I see as her body tenses in my peripheral vision but it doesn’t stop me from holding her hand. Shockingly she doesn’t remove her hand from mines either.

“Right, so serious you dragons. Could we not have a cup of ale as we talk. I might be obliged to share more with you if I get a bit of drink in me. You know lose tongues and all” he says with a wave of his hand. He doesn’t even wait for us to answer as he turns to head into his clans territory. I hadn’t planned on bringing her into the territory, only to meet at the edge of it.

“I know that you don’t know much so I will warn you now. Be careful of their jokes. There are always plenty of them. Also, be sure to keep in mind my warning. If you were to ride one of them, I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from hurting whoever had the honor. He thinks of you as his whether you choose to believe it or not” I tell her in a serious undertone.

“I think I can handle a bunch of men who act like teenagers. As far as I can see, you should fit right in” she states as she starts to follow Maverick. I’m left standing there with my mouth agape as she walks off.

Ooooh burn. Now that was a low blow. Mate thinks that we are like young adolescent boys fighting over a shiny new toy. Perhaps going into the territory isn’t such a good idea.

“We need the information he has. It’s not like he has left us much of a choice right?” I question him as I follow after our mate.

Well don’t dilly dally. We need to be by her side incase all these single men try to start something. You will have no control if one of them treats our mate in a way that I do not like.

Knowing that I shouldn’t take my dragons warning lightly I pick up my pace. When I catch up to her she is still following behind Maverick. She hasn’t even looked at me and I have no idea if she will acknowledge my presence next to her. He walks right into their tavern without holding the door open for us. I reach forward and grab the door for her to enter without thought. She shouldn’t have to open doors for herself if there is a man around to do it.

When she gives a quiet “thank you” I sigh. At least I was able to do one thing right for her to appreciate. The scene that greets us when we enter has me automatically stepping closer to her as her gasp fills the air. Some of the men aren’t even in there human form as they enjoy there drinks and food. She eyes them with a look of wonder as she sees a Pegasus for the first time. There white coats are almost ethereal in their beauty. I stared when I first saw one too so her reaction doesn’t shock me.

Shit, tell them not to shift. I don’t want our mate to see a bunch of naked men. The only one that she will ever see is me if I have it my way.

The thought has a growl leaving my chest as I agree with my dragon. “If any of you enjoy having your wings and other appendages intact, I would suggest not shifting in front of my mate” I say with my dragons voice. My announcement has the room freezing as they finally eye us.

“Easy there pal. They have already been warned to behave since there is an unknown on our territory. You have nothing to worry about. We are all friends here” Maverick says. A low growl leaves my chest as I realize what he has done.

When we faced him outside his large, widened frame was covered. He still wears the leather pants but it seems that when he entered he decided to lose the leather vest that covered his chest. His entire torso and arms are now on display and my mate is taking the view in. in reflex I grasp her and pull her close as I lift her chin gently to meet my gaze. “Mine” I tell her as I mean it with every fiber of my being.

“Damn, I want that” one of the men at the bar says as he looks at us. As I get lost in her gaze I don’t even bother to pay him any attention but the comment catches my mates attention.

“I don’t belong to anyone. Yet. Now why don’t one of you guys give a lady what you have on tap. Since I’m the main attraction I might as well not be parched while standing here” she says as she leaves my embrace slowly.

Taking her over our lap sounds better than our shoulder. For that display I would like to pound our hand on her lusciously firm bottom.

Maverick steps closer as he eyes my mate once more. in a truly fan boy fashion he releases his long black locks from his hair tie and shakes his hair until it falls over his shoulders. “Does that do anything to help you princess. You know with the you not belonging to anyone bit” he ask as he bats his eyelashes.

I roll my eyes at the drama queen but her answer shocks me. She c***s her head as she appraises him and from the look on his face she takes a good long look. “Sorry, handsome. Gold tresses are more my thing but I have to say that the view really isn’t bad.” As she says the comment the entire tavern breaks into laughter while my cheeks flame.

That’s it. We are never to cut our hair ever again.

Self-consciously I reach up to finger my golden locks as I stare at her back. She never turns to take a look at my reaction and for once I don’t want her to see how she affects me. Her comment about my hair made me feel more like a teenager than I ever have. I want nothing more for her to say it to my face so that I can show her my appreciation but I doubt she would let me taste her lips. As the female bartender hands her a glass and slides one in my direction I walk back to the side of her.

Leaning down to her ear I tell her the honest truth as I grab a piece of her hair in between my fingers. “I like your hair a lot too mate. I like it a whole lot” I tell her heatedly. I might be mistaken but it looks almost as if her body trembles before me. Before I can test the reaction more she grabs both our glasses and heads to the table that Maverick has taken a seat at.

Leaning back in the seat I throw my arm around her back of the chair. I know I probably look possessive as hell but at the moment I don’t care. My body is on a total high knowing that my mate like something about me. I clear my throat as I try to focus on the problem at hand. I look at the Pegasus pointedly so that he can see that he no longer gets to waste my time.

He downs the rest of his ale and waves the bartender for another before turning back to us. “So, looks like we were the last ones to find out about our group of visitors. Were you ever going to tell us your plan for them” he ask as he leans back in his chair.

“I didn’t know I had to share all decisions with you. Why don’t you ask the question that you really want to know instead of beating around the bush. I have had enough of your games for one day” I tell him as I start to grow bored of his presence.

“Will any of us have a chance to see if our mate lies among the humans you have placed here?” he ask pointedly. The entire bar goes quiet as they all wait for an answer. It looks like this question is coming from more than just him. I sigh heavily as I answer.

“Yes but it will take time. We have the humans that they have brought us for a seven day period. Due to the unusual circumstances of where they were brought from we decided to give them an extra day of rest in our camp before bringing them to all of the clans” I tell him honestly while I hold his gaze.

Before he can reply whoops and hollers fill the tavern as his people cheer. His easy going smile graces his face once more as he places his elbows on the table to lean forward. “Now I have to know where you found someone as extraordinary as this one at” he beckons.

I don’t think that we should answer that question.

The answer to that question has me stiffening in my seat. Apparently she can feel my reaction because she slides out from under my arm. I take my gaze off of him as she rises to stand. “Prison. Each human brought here was brought from prison. If you would excuse me, I think that I need some fresh air.” She turns and almost runs out of the tavern.

What just happened?

I frown as I stare after her as I wonder why she just acted that way. What did I say wrong? I look back to Maverick to find him glaring at me. His hair has started to turn white and I know that this means that he is close to shifting. Every Pegasus with dark hair turns white when they shift. If their hair is light in color then they shift into a black one. My dragon pushes forward at the blatant disrespect before I can stop him.

“You my friend are screwing up. So many of us would die to have what you have. To keep trying to live in this existence without hope unable to run free in the world is torture enough I thought. However, to sit here and see the blatant disregard to your mate that I just saw is even worse. What the hell is wrong with you to be so ashamed of a literal gift like that?” he almost yells as the bar goes quiet.

I don’t even bother to hide my confusion but I do know that he needs to watch his tone. “ I would watch how you speak to me horse. We both know that a battle with me is one that you won’t win. What happens between me and my mate is of none of your concern” My dragon warns him as he speaks through me.

“Ha, none of my concern. Well how’s about from the view of a gentleman instead of a horse. You should never be ashamed of a mate no matter where they come from. Maybe you don’t understand what it’s like to have someone you love but the worst thing you could do is want to hide them” he states.

My dragon and I are so taken aback by his words that they give us pause before our anger surfaces again. “I am not ashamed of my mate. I don’t care where she comes from or what she has done in her past. I will accept her for who she is” I yell at him as I rise to stand. My chest rises and falls rapidly at the anger I feel. How dare he accuse me of doing such a thing as dishonoring my mate.

“Okay, looks like I may have read that wrong. However, if I did then so did she. She ran out of here with tears in her eyes so I’m guessing that she feels the same” he says as he rises to stand. He offers his hand for me to shake. Seeing that he is apologetic I shake his hand before exiting the booth. The only thought in my head is that I have to find her to clear things up.

We made our mate cry. This feels worse than making her angry.

“I know buddy. It seems like all I can do right now is screw this up. I’m going to try to fix this too.” I say in reply to my dragon. This is definitely not how I imagined the mate bond working. I wouldn’t say that I expected my mate to fall in my lap but I didn’t think that I would be watching everything I did. I thought the bond was supposed to give me a break from being alpha. It’s starting to seem like I will be fixing all the problems in this too.