Taming Her Beastly Mate
Chapter 42

Brian leaned against the cool wall staring at the door in front of him. He was waiting for Bella to be done with Grandpa Sage. He couldn’t stand not being around her and wanted to see her as soon as she was finished. Finally, when it was late at night the door creaked open. Bella walked out cautiously, and her grey eyes immediately met with the hazel eyes across from her.

“Thank you for waiting for me.” Bella stepped out with more confidence after seeing his familiar face. She wasn’t sure why, but she felt better seeing him. She only managed to take a couple of steps before Brian reached out and plucked her into his arms. His head came down to rest in the crook of her neck where she could feel his hot breath beating against her skin. Unlike before, this time she felt her body shudder slightly. Her beast stirred uncomfortably seeking Brian’s heat. Subconsciously she leaned into his embrace.

“Are you alright? Are you hungry? You must be tired? I’ve been so anxious out here waiting for you.” Brian suddenly felt a calming warmth wash over him and a faint smile spread over his lips. He leaned his head into her shoulder and sighed with her calming comfort. “Thank you for that.”

Bella had her eyes closed as she felt her own beast relax next to Brian. Maybe this was the start of her recognizing the mate pull? Whatever it was she was enjoying his heat and being close to him. Where she lived before it was also cold. But it felt like Brian was the perfect temperature for her. She was disappointed when he stepped away from her. The warm cocoon of his embrace was instantly missed.

Bella watched him, keeping her expression neutral. She took in his dark silky hair, his finely sculpted well-conditioned physique, and his captivating hazel eyes. Eyes that she now noticed were studying her curiously. She had been eyeing him openly but didn’t look guiltily away. She held her gaze with his, knowing that her blank expression gave nothing away.

Bella could feel her body reacting oddly. She could feel something deep inside of her responding to the lack of his touch. Like she was a flower twisting and seeking out the sunlight. Her slim hands curled into little balls as she rubbed her thumb over her fingers. She felt a bit scared of the feelings that were building up inside of her. She didn’t understand the sensual excitement that was now making her heart beat faster. She felt like she was struggling for her breath as her body shudder slightly.

Brian stood there watching her curiously. Her silver eyes gave away nothing but they were glued to him. She had no idea what she was doing to him. Just her looking his way made his beast squirm and beat against him. He wanted to claim his mate who was looking so vulnerable in front of him. There was a powerful need to protect her and hold her tight. But he didn’t want to scare her off. These emotions were intense, even for the mate pull which she wasn’t feeling. He watched as she shivered slightly, and he stepped towards her.

“Are you cold?” He wrapped his arm around her bringing his body temperature up as he did. He felt her body lean into his and listened to her content small sigh. “There, is that better?”

Bella closed her eyes as she tried to control her own emotions. The mere sound of his voice was submerging her into so many boiling needs and feelings that she didn’t understand. She felt lost with no hope of sorting them out. She was told Brian is her mate, but she wasn’t sure what she was sensing. Maybe her mind was playing tricks on her making her think she feels something. And Brian was an attractive man, so she didn’t trust herself.

She kept her eyes closed as she felt her insides clench. Her fingers began to tingle, and she bit her inner bottom l*p. She never admitted this out loud before but deep down she was terrified of having a mate. For reasons that haunted her mind since she was young.

“Bella?”

She listened to the slight concern in his voice, and she realized that she had been quiet this whole time. “I’m sorry. I guess I am tired.” She listened to his agitated sigh, and she glanced up from his chest as his eyes were fixated on the door.

“Are they pushing you too hard? Bella you—”

“No, they aren’t. It’s just been a lot for one day is all. A lot of firsts. A lot of excitement. And then preparing to remove the glass from Alexis’ eye… It’s a lot for one day.” Bella’s lips curled upwards as she tried to give him a reassuring smile.

“I’ll walk you to your room.” Brian looked at her with a bit of uncertainty before he gently corralled her down the hall. He kept her tucked in his arm allowing his warmth to wash over her. Her body was still leaning into his in a more familiar fashion than she had before. His beast was growling in contentment as he tried to manage his flame that burned for her.

__

Alexis pushed open the door from the bathroom. Aken and Micah were both standing right outside the door. She chuckled and stepped into Aken’s side and glanced up at his paper bag head. He was looking at her through the slits and her insides ached to see him. But she knew under that bag she wouldn’t see her Aken. Instead, she turned her head into his side and closed her eyes allowing herself to breathe in his scent and visualize his face.

“Has… uh everything settled down…” Micah asked as he cleared his throat. He glanced over at Alexis who turned her head to look at him.

Before Alexis could answer she heard the door up and Brian and Bella emerged from the stairs. The moment Alexis saw Bella’s face she knew something was wrong. Alexis left Aken’s side and walked over to them. Brian was looking down at Bella in confusion and then glanced up at Alexis.

“She said she is just tired but—” Brian started, and Alexis grabbed onto Bella’s hand.

“I’ll go and get her a change of clothes.” Alexis tucked Bella’s hand in her arm and smiled over at her. “You are tinier than I am, but I think I have some things that will fit. And tomorrow we will have to go clothes shopping for you. I’m surprised you didn’t pack anything to bring with you.”

“I really never had much to bring,” Bella whispered out. “I didn’t go anywhere anyways.”

Alexis ushered Bella into her room and shut the door. She turned and looked at Bella curiously. “Okay, talk to me. What happened?” She watched as the grey eyes widened as she shook her head slowly.

“I’m just tired is all,” Bella whispered out and Alexis giggled and reached out to put her hand on her shoulder.

“That might work with Brian, but you’ll need to do better than that with me. Trust me I use those excuses myself. You can talk to me.” Alexis gave Bella a reassuring smile.

“How did you know…” Bella whispered and watched as Alexis shrugged.

“Your eyes… they look scared, I guess. You don’t look like your normal self. Not that I am an expert on what your normal self looks like… I could just tell.” Alexis laughed and shrugged. “Maybe because I am an expert at trying to hide things. Anyways. You can talk to me. What is bothering you? Is it the stuff you are training to do for me? Is it really scary?”

“Oh no no no. It’s nothing like that.” Bella tucked her l*p in as her emotions swirled inside of her. She glanced up at the door.

“Don’t worry. They can’t hear us.” Alexis smiled as Bella’s shoulder dropped slightly.

“It’s just that…I started feeling things that I have never felt before. I don’t know if it is in my head or what it is. But I’m— I’m afraid.” Bella breathed out and clutched her chest as she took ragged breaths. “I don’t know if I want… one. I don’t know if—” Her bottom l*p quivered, and she slammed her eyes shut.

“Bella,” Alexis whispered and walked up to her. She wrapped her arms around her and hugged her gently. “Brian is a great guy. There is nothing to be afraid of. It sounds like you are suppressing the mate pull. You are willingly blocking your beast, aren’t you?”

“You don’t understand.” Bella sobbed quietly in Alexis’ chest as tears glistened at the corner of her eyes. “The real truth about why I am with Shiva.” Her breath shuddered as she gripped onto Alexis. Her emotions began to run out of her as her body trembled and the tears fell. “My mother was ripped away from me. She was taken because she was a crystal dragon. And my father was killed trying to save her. Then they came for me. Shiva saved me and took me in. She went looking for my mother, but it was too late. I was young but not so young that I don’t remember.”

“Oh, Bella I am so sorry. Thank goodness Shiva found you. But Bella, what does that have to do with Brian?” Alexis listened as Bella sniffled, she pulled away to look up at Alexis’ eyes.

“Don’t you see? My father was strong, and my mother was still taken from him. He was killed trying to protect my mother.” Bella could see the look of understanding on Alexis’ face.

“Because he loved your mother. Bella, don’t let fear stop you from being happy. Don’t live your life like that. You are safe here. And even if you don’t take a mate, we would all fight to protect you. Do you think by not accepting your mate you are protecting them?” Alexis watched as Bella shook her head.

“I don’t want—I don’t want for my children to go through what I did,” Bella said in a strangled voice that hiccupped between her breaths.

“I understand your fears. I understand why you are so timid of other people. But that isn’t fair Bella. It isn’t fair to do to yourself. Listen, take your time if you need to with the mate pull. Just because you feel it doesn’t mean you have to jump into Brian’s bed—”

“But I want to!” Bella said in an almost hysterical cry. She closed her eyes and tears glistened down her cheeks. “And that terrifies me even more. I feel like I don’t have any control of my body. Like these actions aren’t my own. I’ve never had this before. It is so powerful, and I don’t understand it.”

“I know. It is like this powerful wave consumes you and takes over your thoughts. It is a bit scary, but it is also wonderful. You have this amazing connection that you don’t share with anyone else. Just being near them infuses you with a calm comfort you didn’t even know you needed. It’s safe. It’s exhilarating. It’s—” Alexis reached her fingers up touching her necklace. Brushing the tips over the warm gem. “It’s a love that promises to never leave you. That will stay with you no matter what. It’s the other half that you are missing, and you can never be complete without. It’s everything Bella. I can’t imagine not taking this gift out of fear. Because having your mate is… it is something that I would never toss aside. Bella, it’s amazing.”

Alexis smiled and reached her hand out to grab onto Bella’s. “I have known Brian my whole life. You were both blessed to get each other as mates. You are his equal and partner that was made just for him. And he is everything that you don’t even know you need.”

“I wish we didn’t have the mate pull.” Bella sighed out and looked up at Alexis. “Don’t you ever wonder about it? Don’t you ever feel like the mate pull forces two people together? I mean… without the mate pull do you end up with the same person? Look at humans. They get to pick their partner and fall in love. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could fall in love and then the mate pull connects to the one we love?”

“But I do love Aken. I loved Aken before I met him. I felt him inside right here.” Alexis tapped her chest. “Bella the mate pull is there to bring you together faster. But you still love each other. It is more deeply and more connected than on a human level. And when we mark each other we bare our souls to one another.”

“What if he didn’t want a crystal dragon as his mate?!” Bella bit her bottom l*p finally saying what was bothering her. “What if he didn’t want this target on his back? On his kingdom’s back? But because of the mate pull, he has to accept me?!”

“You are overthinking everything. For one, you can reject your mate. But Brian doesn’t want to. He wants you, Bella. So, what if the mate pull is what brings you together? It isn’t the reason you stay together.”

“If he knows I can feel this… will he let me go at my own pace?” Bella whispered out quietly.

Alexis smiled and nodded her head. “Of course, he will. But don’t be surprised if you are the one who can’t hold back. Just from experience, my beasts demanded my mate more. Aken was the one with the willpower, not me.”

“Yeah.” Bella let out a quiet chuckle. “I think I might have the same problem.”

“So, talk to him, Bella. He is your mate, not your enemy. He is the one person in the whole world who will move the stars to make you happy. He will be the one to understand you and want to comfort you.” Alexis watched as Bella slowly nodded her head.

“I will. Thank you.” Bella smiled at her genuinely. “I needed this talk.”

“Ready to go back out there?”

“Yes, I’m still a bit nervous but I think I am ready.”

“You are still nervous?” Alexis asked with a frown.

“Yeah, I am nervous I’m not going to be able to control myself.”

“Oh… sorry I can’t help you there. I still struggle with that.” Alexis laughed.

“Honestly, I’m not sure I want to anymore.” Bella took in a confident breath. Alexis was right. And maybe Brian was exactly what she needed in her life. Especially with all the pain she had gone through maybe Brian was the one to help her forget about it. She held on to that resolve as she reached out for the door handle. She wasn’t exactly sure how things were going to go. But Alexis was right, she needed to talk this over with Brian. And then afterwards… she would worry about afterwards later. It was time to unblock her beast and see if she heard that fated word. A word that would change the course of her life—forever.