Page 97 of The Fallen Fae King

The scent of the roses is heady.

I prowl further into the garden, following the trail of Aurelius’ pheromones.

He is standing underneath an ancient, twisted olive tree that stands in the center of the garden. He is hugging a large tabby cat to his chest, scratching it behind its ragged ear, while it purrs.

Unable to scent me, my appearance takes Aurelius by surprise. I watch how his tawny-flecked amber eyes widen with surprise.

I want to startle him more often.

We both freeze and stare at each other.

Aurelius looks torn between dropping Five and simply pretending that he’s invisible.

Seeing my dragon petting Daire’s cat, Five, as well as noticing that Five’s coat is well brushed in a way that it never was when she lived in the dungeons, deflates some of my rage.

Aurelius has been not only taking care of Daire’s pet, however, but has rescued the stray and offered her the type of luxurious life that she has never experienced before.

He’s good at that.

One of Five’s eyes was blinded in a fight, but she narrows her other one at me like she’s assessing whether I am a threat to Aurelius.

It looks like a cat’s loyalty can be bought by whoever feeds them treats.

It’s not so easy with Omegas, although I am swayed by chocolates.

I cross my arms. “Five likes you.”

“She has good taste.” Aurelius strokes underneath Five’s chin. “I’ve learned to be careful of her sharp claws.”

“What about mine?” I stalk closer to him, weaving between the rosebushes.

Aurelius ignores me, gently lifting Five to sit in the lowest branch of the olive tree.

Then Aurelius tips his face up to the sky. The light gleams off his armor, broad shoulders, and the planes of his strong face. His golden tumble of hair and horns glow.

Why does he have to be so fucking gorgeous?

He looks like a sun god.

Instead of replying, he continues to look up at the sky. “While you were gone, I would come out here into Mother’s garden at this time each morning, before my duties began. Five would often join me, but I knew that I would be alone because this is the one place where everyone else is forbidden. It’s my sanctuary.” I shift, uncomfortable. Maybe I shouldn’t have stormed in here without permission. As if sensing my thought, he continues, “You are allowed into this garden because you smell just like these roses, even if you’re punishing me by hiding your scent from me right now. I deserve it. It is fated that you would become my sanctuary in this venomous court. And every dawn that I looked up at the sun, while we were apart, I would wonder whether you were looking at the same sun too. I felt connected to you, and it helped me hold onto my senses, rather than fall feral.”

Suddenly, I realize that fine tremors are running through him.

Aurelius is going to collapse like he once did before in his study.

A bonded dragon can’t cope without their Omega.

Does he think that he’s fucking indestructible?

Despite my anger at him, I rush across the garden. “Knotless fool of a dragon. Come here, you need my pheromones.”

I wrap my arms around Aurelius, pulling his face down to rest on my neck.

He takes a deep breath, before he snarls, clutching at my shoulders. He reverses our positions, slamming me back against the tree. Then he licks down my neck, breathing in deeply.

I shiver, purring and nuzzling him.

“I’ve missed you, Little Wolf.” Aurelius pushes his thigh between mine, and I gasp. “You’re not wearing my dress. But his crown is on your head.”