Chosen by the Beasts, Claimed by the Dragon-Chapter 21: The Truth

— ZORYN —

Ren ate the food I couldn’t finish, and now we’re sitting beside the fire together.

The mark on my hip has a simmering warmth emanating from it, and I’m idly playing with the new piercing in my tongue. My stomach is bursting at the seams, and I feel satisfied—but I’m aching for something else. Something I... don’t quite understand.

"You were incredible today," he says after a few minutes of comfortable silence. The flames are reflected in those bottomless violet eyes when he looks at me. "After observing all day, I can say without bias, your technique far surpasses any of the other beasts."

"I know," I say with a smirk, but something soft has built its home in my ribcage. Something that makes me say, "but... thank you, Ren."

...I don’t really thank people—not when it comes to compliments on my sparring skills—but whatever. I’m in a good mood after a long day of fighting and a full belly.

"I’m looking forward to your inevitable victory against the cat tomorrow," he chuckles.

I can’t help but snort, "I think I’ll give him a broken nose as a souvenir. His attitude bothers me—he’s too cocky. There’s only room for one cocky bastard in the valley, and it’s me."

Ren laughs at that—a real laugh, one that rumbles from deep in his chest and livens the night like fireflies.

... 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Gods damn it.

Why do I think shit like this? Who cares what someone’s laugh sounds like? Is this just part of being a girl?

"...Do women naturally have strange thoughts?" I end up asking. He’s the only one besides Dad who knows our people, so he’s one of my only hopes.

"...Strange thoughts?" Ren cocks a brow. "Elaborate."

"Like... thinking about other people?" I start, furrowing my brows as I try to find the words to describe my dilemma. "I’ve always had an eye for physical attractiveness, I know what it’s like to be aroused, but I never used to... think about it so vividly."

The young lord sits up a little straighter, but nods at me to continue. "Like what?"

"How I found Sylas so beautiful it almost made me nauseous," I say the first thing that comes to mind, but that seems to bother him a little. His lips thin and his jaw tightens, but he doesn’t interrupt me.

I continue, "...Mostly, I find your face so handsome and have been thinking about when we kissed earlier, all day. And every time I see it, I instinctively think your smile is devastating, and your laugh makes me feel... hot?"

That seems to lighten his mood, because his expression softens again. He’s quiet for a moment, contemplating his words, "Now that your heat has activated the rest of your body, you have the instinct to mate. Since you haven’t... completed the heat, you’ll probably experience waves of arousal and attraction like that more often than you normally would."

I frown slightly, both irritated and comforted by the new knowledge. I know what attraction is, and I’ve witnessed it several times between women and men back home (sometimes between men, too), but I never thought it was such a powerful feeling.

"Attraction, then," I echo. "If that’s all it is, then it isn’t just a woman thing."

Ren nods, "Correct. We all experience attraction, but heat intensifies the natural feeling... for everyone."

Right, I guess that makes sense. I knew that a beastwoman in heat attracted males; that’s common knowledge, but I never learned what it was like from the woman’s perspective. "I see. Thanks for telling me."

"Of course," he murmurs.

I lift my eyes from the fire, which I’ve been staring at intently while I get lost in thought. I meet his gaze, which hasn’t left me all evening, and see myself mirrored in it. "Ren?"

"Hmm?"

"What exactly is this mark you gave me?" I finally ask the question that’s been on my mind since yesterday. "How does it work?"

"It’s just a seal infused with my magic," he answers, his voice quieter than I expected. "My energy soothes yours, so it keeps your heat in check."

I frown. "I don’t know a lot about magic, but... how could you soothe a heat with a seal? Runes of such complexity can only be used by grandmasters, and you’re not one—uh, I don’t think?"

"You’re right. I’m not." Ren’s lips purse momentarily, but he heaves a defeated sigh. "I’ve been reluctant to bring it up, but you deserve to know. Let me ask, first—Zoryn, do you feel it?"

"Feel what?" I echo, confused.

Ren leans toward me, his scent washing over me. "You’re drawn to me."

"I’m—" I want to say I’m not, but the word dies in my throat. I’ve been fighting the strange magnetism since the second he saved me from the crowd. "...I do."

"Fate," he whispers, getting close enough that I can feel his breath against my lips. He presses his forehead against mine, "Fated mates."

...

Fated mates? That’s real? I thought that was some bullshit the wolves made up because their goddess gave them mates.

I want to deny it. The idea that something other than me is deciding my destiny pisses me off—I have never been a believer in fate... but it feels so undeniable.

"You’re an inevitability."

I didn’t mean to say it out loud, but Ren sighs in response, "It would seem so."

"That makes your leaving me yesterday more confusing, though." I look into his eyes thoughtfully.

"I was scared," he answers, but corrects himself, "I am scared. It’s pathetic, I know, but I never knew I’d meet an awoken beastwoman—nor did I know she would be fated to me. It’s... a lot of responsibility to take care of someone else."

The concept of Ren being scared is outlandish to me, but... I understand. That’s sort of how I feel, after all. I guess we’re more similar than I thought.

"So your mark only works because you’re my fate," I conclude.

"Correct."

I ask nervously, "...When will it wear off?"

"I... I don’t know," he answers honestly. "It could be a month at best, a night or two at worst. This isn’t exactly a situation that has occurred before, so there’s nothing to base it on."

Ugh... so it could happen at any time.

What if it happens tomorrow during my fight?

"How do I actually alleviate the heat?" I ask. "Sex, right?"

Ren swallows, looking at me through his long lashes that are nearly brushing my cheeks. "...Right."

"If it’s that easy, let’s do it," I suggest, and his eyes immediately widen.

He asks me incredulously, "What?"

"I’ve never done it, but it can’t be that difficult to figure out, right?" I say with a shrug.

"I—" he stops for a second, "I guess?"

I close the distance between us, my lips brushing his as I talk, "Can you teach me?"

"I’m... not an expert," he says, kissing me lightly. "There aren’t many women to choose from—I haven’t done it with anyone, either."

"Oh? You’ve done it alone?" I tease. I know full well how much the men back home pleasure themselves, so I’m sure everyone else isn’t much different—but he’s fun to mess with.

He’s reluctant to respond, but when I bite his bottom lip, he groans, "Yeah, but who hasn’t?"

The heat that’s been hiding in the back of my mind and conscience since before my matches today is resurfacing. My lower belly aches with want, and my chest is warm—my breasts are throbbing a little.

"Let’s learn together," I say, breaking away from him to stand and motion toward his tent. "I think there’s room."

Strangely, Ren doesn’t move for a moment. He stares at me with a sorrowful look in his eyes, "Are you sure you want it to be me?"

I raise a brow, "You’re the only one here."

"I mean, if you let me have you right now..." Ren stands from his spot, then walks toward me. Once close, he continues in a husky voice, "No one else will be able to." His hand trails down my abdomen, causing my skin to rise with goose bumps. He gently grazes his finger over the front seam of my pants, "This will be mine."

My breath catches, and I can’t stop the shudder that runs through me. I mutter, "The fact you’re allowing me to change my mind is all the proof I need to know you’re the right choice."

Ren smiles, and I can tell he’s only a whisker away from giving in to temptation, but he pauses one last time and says to me seriously, "I am being serious. I will claim you tonight, and give you my mark—the real one."

I nod, taking a fistful of his shirt and nodding in understanding, "That’s fine."

"You cannot let anyone inside you," he growls lowly. "I don’t care about others; you can be a little intimate with them, but I’m the only one who can penetrate you, and the one who holds your heart. That is my one rule."

Warmth flutters in my ribcage—he’s... really being quite thoughtful. I’m not sure how someone can be so possessive yet not at the same time, but he’s definitely pulling it off.

And it turns me on.

"Yes, I’ll be yours," I sigh, "now hurry and make it official before I change my mind."

His last thread of control snaps, and the next thing I know, I’m on my back on the blankets in his tent.