Chapter 52

Suddenly, Kaden lowered himself onto his massive belly, his wings folding neatly at his sides. His long neck arched down, bringing his head closer to my level. His golden eyes softened slightly as he spoke, his voice deep and guttural, almost unfamiliar in this form. “ Get on,” he rumbled.

I blinked, my hands trembling. Get on? How in the world was I supposed to get on him? He was enormous. My entire body felt like it was vibrating with nerves as I stared up at him.

“ I... I don’t know how,” I admitted, my voice barely a whisper. My legs felt like jelly beneath me, and I wasn’t sure if I could even move, let alone climb onto the back of a dragon. Especially not this dragon.
Kaden huffed, a puff of hot air escaping his nostrils, causing my hair to flutter. His dragon eyes gleamed with amusement. “ I’ll help you,” he said, lowering his wing closer to the ground.

I hesitated, still uncertain. But there was something about the way he looked at me—reassuring, patient—that gave me the courage to take a tentative step forward. My heart was pounding so loudly I was sure Kaden could hear it.

I reached out and touched his leathery wing, my fingers brushing over the smooth, warm surface. His body felt solid, unyielding beneath my touch, and yet there was a certain gentleness there too. I glanced up at him, and he nodded encouragingly.

Slowly, I hoisted myself onto his wing, using it like a ramp to climb up onto his back. My heart raced as I scrambled to get a proper grip, my legs shaking with the effort. It was harder than I thought—it felt as though I was climbing a mountain—but eventually, I made it to his back, settling between the sharp spikes that lined his spine.

I was breathless by the time I was securely perched on his back, my hands clutching onto the thick scales for support. I had never felt so small, so insignificant in comparison to something so powerful. The sheer size of him made me dizzy.

Kaden shifted slightly beneath me, testing my weight, and I gripped onto him even tighter, afraid of falling. I was high off the ground now, and the idea of plummeting terrified me.

“ You’re safe,” Kaden’s deep voice rumbled, vibrating through his body and into mine. His reassurance calmed me, if only a little.

I took a deep breath, steadying myself. “ Okay...I’m ready,” I said, though my voice still wavered with nerves.

Kaden let out a low growl of approval, and before I could prepare myself, his wings spread wide. The force of the movement sent a gust of wind rushing past me, and I clung to him tightly as his powerful wings beat against the air.

Then, with a mighty push, Kaden launched us into the sky.

The ground disappeared beneath us in an instant, and my stomach lurched as we soared higher and higher. My grip tightened, my heart pounding wildly in my chest. I had never flown before, never experienced the rush of wind in my hair, the weightlessness of being carried through the sky.

The initial terror melted away as we stabilized in the air, and I dared to open my eyes, peering down at the world below. The palace looked like a toy from this height, the trees no more than specks of green. The sky stretched endlessly above us, the stars twinkling in the vast expanse.

And for the first time, I felt free.

Kaden flew with a grace I hadn’t expected from something so large. His movements were smooth, fluid, and I could feel the power of his wings with every beat. It was exhilarating, the wind rushing past my face, the sensation of flying unlike anything I had ever imagined.

I didn’t know how long we flew, but time seemed to blur as we soared through the night. Eventually, Kaden began to descend, his massive wings slowing as he brought us back down to the ground. My heart was still racing as we touched down, the adrenaline from the flight still coursing through my veins.

Once we landed, Kaden lowered himself to the ground again, allowing me to carefully slide off his back. My legs were trembling, and I almost stumbled, but I managed to stay upright as I stepped away from him.
Kaden shifted back into his human form in a matter of seconds. It was faster this time, less painful-looking than before. He stood before me, breathing heavily, his skin glistening with sweat, but he was smiling.

And then I realized. My eyes widened. Kaden was naked. Completely naked.

The realization hit me like a jolt of electricity, and my cheeks flushed a deep red. I could feel the heat spreading across my skin as I quickly turned around, my back to him, my hands flying to my face as if that could somehow block out the image. The sound of his low, amused chuckle filled the air behind me.

“ Don’t be shy, little one,” he said, his voice smooth and teasing. “ You can look at me as much as you want. I am your mate, and every inch of me belongs to you.”

His words sent a wave of warmth crashing over me, making my pulse quicken. I kept my back to him, staring at the ground as if it could somehow save me from the intensity of the moment. My mind was racing, caught between the undeniable pull of his presence and the awkwardness of the situation.

I heard his footsteps on the grass, soft yet deliberate, coming closer. Each step made my breathing quicken, my heart hammering in my chest. I didn’t dare turn around, even though a part of me wanted to—desperately. The air between us grew thick with tension as he drew nearer, and I could feel the heat of his body behind me, the sheer intensity of his presence almost overwhelming.

“ Meara,” he whispered, his voice low and intimate, sending shivers down my spine. I felt his breath wafting over my ear, warm and tantalizing. “ I promise, I would never hurt you. And I am yours. Only yours. I belong to you, just as much as you belong to me.”

His words wrapped around me, and my mind swam with their weight. His voice was raw emotion, sincerity dripping from every word. The closeness of him, the heat radiating from his skin, made it impossible to focus on anything else. I felt his lips hover near my neck, not quite touching, but so close I could almost feel the heat of them.

Goosebumps erupted over my skin, and I bit my lip, trying to suppress the fluttering sensation in my chest. My mind flashed back to the kiss we’d shared, to the way my body had responded to him despite my confusion, despite my fears. His nearness now was too much, too intoxicating.

“ We are mates, Meara,” he whispered again, his lips brushing against the shell of my ear. “ I would never love anyone else.”

Love.

The word hit me harder than anything else he’d said. My heart raced, pounding so loading I was sure he could hear it. Love? Did he mean that? Did Kaden—this fierce, powerful man—truly feel love for me? The idea seemed impossible, overwhelming, and yet…my own feelings were a tangled mess I couldn’t unravel.

I didn’t trust myself to speak, my throat dry, my thoughts spiraling. His presence behind me felt like a gravitational pull, his words sinking deeper into me than I wanted to admit. There was a warmth in my chest, a spark of something unfamiliar yet undeniable. I tried to push it away, but it only grew stronger with every second he stood there.

Kaden’s hand brushed against my arm, gentle, as if testing my reaction. He was close enough that I could feel the warmth of his bare skin on mine, even though we weren’t touching. My entire body tensed, but not from fear—no, this was something far more complicated.

“ You don’t have to be afraid, Meara,” he murmured, his voice soft, soothing. “ I’ll always be here. I’ll protect you with everything I have. No one will ever come between us.”

His words sent a strange kind of reassurance through me, but it was the way he said them—the unwavering certainty in his voice—that made my heart ache. Kaden wasn’t just saying these things to soothe me. He believed them with every fiber of his being. To him, this bond, this connection we shared, was undeniable, unbreakable.

But could I say the same?

I swallowed hard, still staring at the ground, my thoughts swirling. The weight of his feelings pressed down on me, and I wasn’t sure I was ready for it. Could I be what he wanted? Could I accept this connection, this fate? A part of me wanted to, wanted to fall into his embrace and let everything else fade away. But another part of me—stubborn, guarded—held back.