CHAPTER 18 - COLLAR - AIDEN'S POV
1880 Words
''ALPHA!'' One of the guards shouted into my mind, as I was sitting in the tavern with Ryker. I froze, ''A Dragon is hurting Lady Casidy.''
''WHERE IS SHE!?'' I shouted, as I threw my glass onto the table and ran out of the tavern, before I shifted.
''We're outside her wing.''
I flew off instantly and sped home to the castle.
''Alpha, it's Prince Nolan!''
''WHAT?!'' I roared. I could see them now.
My girls were huddled together, Casey crying, which she rarely did in public, and Ava was shouted at my brother, who had the nerve to be half naked in front of my girls, and then I smelt it, Caseys blood, and I saw red.
''F*CK YOU!'' Ava was shouting, as I landed on the roof.
I went straight to my girls, and breathed my heat over them, hating how much Casey was shaking in pain and fear. I turned to my brother, locking eyes with him.
''WHAT DID HE DO?!'' I linked everyone on the roof.
''Lady Casidy, what happened?'' The guard asked her.
Casidy cried as she relived the past few seconds, as Ryker landed on the roof and stared at my brother. The more I heard, the more rage I felt. I roared in fury, and Nolan lowered his body.
''Take me girls inside, now!.'' I ordered to the guards ''Get Ava to heal Casey's injuries.''
''The King wants you to go back inside, and requests that lady Averly heal your arm.''
''Come on Casey,'' Ava helped Casey, but she was trembling terribly, and Malcom rushed over.
''May I, my lady?'' He asked before picking her up. I suppressed the urge to rip him apart for touching my girl, as he carried her to the window, and put her down on her feet.
''Thank you,'' Casey said, her voice shaking, before climbing inside ahead of Ava.''
Once they were out the danger zone, I roared at my brother, ''SHIFT!'' The second he'd shifted, I attacked.
We fell from the roof, my brother hitting the ground first, and I heard a satisfying snap of one of his wings, before I began slashing at his body, while I heard my mates shout my name, most likely worried I'd been hurt.
''YOU DARE HARM MY MATE!'' I shouted, as the other Dragons landed in a circle around us, ''I SHOULD KILL YOU!'' Another s***h of my talons ripped at my brother's chest, while he roared in pain ''IF YOU EVER TOUCH HER AGAIN, I WILL RIP YOUR SCALES FROM YOUR BODY, ONE BY ONE!''
Once my temper had subsided, I climbed off my brother's bleeding body, and shifted, before one of the guards tossed me some pants, that I quickly pulled on and walked over to my brother, bleeding and shaking on the dirt.
''SHIFT!'' I ordered, and my brother quickly shifted and rose to his feet, ''Ryker, get me the Xema collar,'' I ordered, and Ryker flew away again.
Nolan looked horrified. This collar prevented a Dragon from shifting.
''You're really going to use that collar on me?'' My brother asked, as he spat up blood, but I walked over and punched him hard in the face. He fell back, holding his jaw, as he glared at me, ''I was never trying to hurt her! I was just messing around. I was trying to show her, it's not the end of the world if she fell. Besides, I heard she can control air. She would have been able to use the wind to stop herself from falling!''
''YOU THINK DROPPING MY MATE FROM THE F*CKING SKY IS JUST MESSING AROUND?!'' I screamed and kicked him in the chest, that was already ripped open. ''YOU COULD HAVE KILLED HER!''
I noticed lights from the surrounding castle rooms start to flicker on, no doubt everyone was hearing the commotion and wanting to know what was going on, but I ignored that.
''I'm sorry,'' My brother groaned as she got back to his feet, shaking slightly, with his face twisted in pain, ''I shouldn't have done it. but please don't don't collar me.''
''TOMORROW, YOU WILL KNEEL BEFORE HER AND APOLOGIZE, OR SO HELP ME, I WILL KILL YOU ON THE F*CKING SPOT!'' I continued to shout, ''IF YOU WEREN'T MY BROTHER, YOU'D ALREADY BE DEAD!''
''You want to kneel to her?! She isn't even Queen yet. I'm a Prince'' He spat up more blood onto the ground.
''SHE IS MY MATE!'' I shoved him, ''Queen or not. She is still MINE, and you could have killed her. Not to mention, she's a Celestial!'' I ranted, as Ryker returned and shifted next to me.
''Kneel.''
''Brother, please, I'm sorry, you can't be.''
''KNEEL!'' I shouted, cutting him off, and this time my brother lowered himself, ''Put the collar on him!''
Ryker glared at my brother, as he locked the collar around his neck, and I heard the satisfying click of the gold lock.
''That does not come off until I feel you've learned your lesson,'' I continued, ''Take him to his wing, he is under lock-down until I'm ready for him to appear before my mate and apologize!'' Once he was being led away, I turned to Ryker, ''I am going to check on my mate, goodnight.''
''Goodnight, your majesty,'' He bowed as I marched off.
I went straight to their wing, and walked into their room, where Nanny was stroking the fire.
''Where is she?'' I asked, and looked around.
''She is bathing,'' Nanny answered as she came over to me.
''I see,'' I said and went to walk towards the bathroom door, but Nanny blocked me.
''Your majesty, the girls are indecent right now, please wait.''
I huffed in frustration, ''Fine,''
''Perhaps you should bathe first, and come back.''
''I'm fine,''
''Sire, please look at your appearance, you'll scare the ladies,'' She pointed to the mirror, so I walked over to check, and saw I was covered in my brothers blood.
''Oh,'' I nodded and looked back at her, ''I will return in a moment.''
I quickly left, hating to leave them, but Nanny was right, seeing my like this would upset them, so I had a quick scolding hot shower, before returning to their suite, and heard the girls and Nanny in the walk-in, most likely dressing, so I went to sit on Caseys bed, noticing it was messy, while Ava's bed remained untouched. They must have been sharing the bed before the night's events, and i felt equal mix of excitement and jealousy. The wedding night couldn't come quickly enough.
When the girls came out with Nanny, Ava smiled and rushed over to me, ''Aiden!'' She squealed as she jumped on the bed, and hugged me from behind, and rested her head on my shoulder, ''Are you okay? Did he hurt you?''
''I'm fine,'' I answered, ''Nanny, please leave us, I will speak with my mates in private.''
''Yes, sir,'' She bowed, before gently touching Casey's arm and leaving.
''You showered,'' Ava touched my damp hair, ''You could have joined us.''
I smiled and shook my head, ''Behave,'' I ordered, and reached out my hands, ''Cas, come here and sit on my lap. I want to check your arm.''
''I could sit on your lap,'' Ava said as she kissed my throat.
I laughed and leaned away from her, ''I said, behave,'' While Casey walked over and sat down on my lap. I hugged her tightly and gave her a quick kiss before leaning back, ''Let me see.''
She timidly reached out her arm and I pushed the sleeve of her night dress back to reveal a scar, I exhaled angrily in response.
''I figured it would scar,'' I told her, ''Don't worry, it'll fade in time. I'm so sorry he hurt you.''
''Did you punish the b*astard?'' Ava asked.
''I did,'' I answered and looked at her, ''And he is your Prince, don't call him that.''
''He hurt my Casey, I'll call him what I want!'' She agrued.
''Our Casey,'' I pointed out, ''She's not just yours, and you will not speak about him like that again.''
''He hurt Casey, and you're defending him.'' She glared at me.
''Ava, stop, it's okay,'' Casey shook her head at her sister. ''He's still the Prince, even if he is a pr*ck.''
''He will be apologizing to you tomorrow,'' I told her, ignoring her name calling, ''And he's wearing a Xema collar until I'm certain he's learned his lesson.''
''Oh, okay,'' She nodded and covered her arm.
''On the up side,'' Ava smiled, and placed her head back on my shoulder, ''Casey's vision's come true now, so does that mean we can go flying like the other hatchlings now?''
''I'm not going back up there.'' Casey told her
''You can wait until you have your own wings,'' I told her, and gave her a kiss on the cheek. ''As for now, we should stay focused on tonight's events.''
''Are you going to scold me now?'' She asked.
''Scold you?''
''For going out onto the roof even though you'd banned me?''
''If you already know you're in trouble for it, there's no point in my scolding you.'' I asked, ''No, what I was going to say, was, if you'd like him to have a stronger punishment, then say so, and I will see it done.''
''Kill him.'' Ava snapped.
''No,'' Casey shook her head, ''The collar's enough.''
''As you wish.''
''You know,'' Ava said, ''This wouldn't have happened to her, if we were sharing your bed.''
I smiled at her, ''You are not sharing my bed until we're married,'' I reminded her, ''However, you'll be in my wing in a few days, the room's almost ready.''
''Okay,'' Casey nodded.
''Is there anything you need?'' I asked her, worried she was still in pain.
''No, I'm okay.''
''What she needs is you,'' Ava murmured, ''You could stay with us tonight. It was so hot seeing you attack him. The way you landed and everyone cowered at your power, it really excited me.''
I smiled, our kind were very attracted to power.
''Ava, you really are going to be the death of me,'' I complained, ''I know you think I've got all this self-control, but I don't, so stop pushing me. You have to be a virgin when we marry. Now, why don't you both lay down and get some rest. You'll feel much better in the morning when it's not so fresh.''
''Can't you stay?'' Ava pouted, ''Not to have s*x, but you could use my bed.''
''I want to, but I... I can't.'' I told her, ''I'm already riled up after the fight, and I might lose control if I'm surrounded in both of your scents, but I will stay until you're both asleep, now lay down.''
The girls climbed into Casey's bed, and I gave each of them a kiss as I tucked them in.
''Are you warm enough?''
''Yes, thank you.'' Casey answered as she curled up with Averly, and closed her eyes.
''I love you both, so much.''
''We love you.'' Ava said back, and closed her eyes too.
I sat next Casey, stroking her hair, while the girls drifted off, before I got up and snuck out of the room, leaving them to sleep.
- Writer
