51

B E A U

✿

Our lips had found each other as quickly as we stumbled into the bedroom. Our breathing was hectic and ragged and our hands were everywhere. Georgie stroked my chest hair, clawed her hands into my arms and then already unbuttoned my pants.

A growl escaped me before I could stop it. Fuck, my cock was already throbbing when I felt her hand over my crotch.

"Don't worry, you're in good hands," she teased coquettishly, and then my jeans were gone, as was the shirt she had pulled on.

My wolf calmed down when she stood naked in front of us. I let my gaze slide over her full curves, stayed on the panties and then on her breasts. Shit, I was in heaven. And I was hard as granite.

She sensually rose on tiptoe and kissed me. I allowed it, wrapped my arms around her and was about to carry her onto the bed when she objected, "Wait." Then she pushed me onto the mattress and slowly, and fucking seductively, stripped off her panties.

I had to pull myself together not to grab her right away and put her on me. "What are you doing?" I spluttered, gazing openly at the pink folds between her legs.

A lascivious smile graced her lips, then she came lithely towards me. "It's my turn this time," she whispered, straddling me.

My hands immediately grabbed her ass and pulled her to me. fuuuck. "You want to stay upstairs?"

She leaned over and bit my neck. "You guessed it right."

"My wolf won't like this."

"It will, trust me." She licked my skin, then sank onto me. She groaned. "Let me."

Such a simple request, easily said words it seemed and yet there was so much more to it. No dominant werewolf would just give up control and surrender to someone inevitably. But she wasn't just any woman, she was my woman. So I let her.

I was inside her with a jerk. This time we loved each other passionately, deeply and for a long time.

"I'm yours," she whispered against my lips. "I am yours."

"Yeah damn it," I moaned. My hands gripped her hips and moved with her with every thrust.

She pushed me back onto the mattress and took complete control. "I will never hurt you."

"It's okay, little one."

Then she picked up a faster rhythm and I raised my pelvis to follow her. Our gazes were anchored in each other.

How she was above me. Her black hair hung down, her breasts bounced with every thrust and it was so hot and sensual that I almost came. The way she moved... shit that girl was so mine I couldn't think straight.

A little later, we sank exhausted into the sheets and I watched the cute fucking smile on her lips as she snuggled into me. She gently placed her hand over my heart and looked up at me tenderly. And then I knew.

Every bit of my heart I kept to protect the girl I had to protect at all costs was gone. Once and for all. At that moment, she could have asked anything of me, I would have done it.

✿

Even before the new day dawned, I suddenly woke up. First I smelled the foul-smelling scent, then I opened my eyes. Dense fog surrounded us like a second layer of skin. I couldn't see a meter away. I instantly jumped out of the pillows and reflexively pushed Georgie behind me.

"What's wrong?" she murmured sleepily, touching my back.

Highly concentrated, I listened for the smallest noise. "Stay here," I instructed her, then got out of bed. My foot started to tingle.

"Wait Beau! I can't feel my legs anymore!” Her raw panic swept over me and my fur rose in alarm.

I was already with her again when the tingling took over my whole body and suddenly everything in front of me went black. I fell over and didn't feel the hands that were pulling me away from Georgie and dragging me out the door.

What a fucking shit.

G E O R G I E

✿

Suddenly Beau was gone and there was nothing I could do about it. My body was paralyzed and shortly after, I lost consciousness. As soon as I woke up, the fog was gone and my frozen limbs with it.

"Beau?" I called as I searched our entire bedroom, but he wasn't there.

My heart stopped.

I quickly rummaged through the clothes we had brought with us and pulled on black pants and a dark, tight-fitting black top. As soon as I finished lacing my boots, I was about to sneak out of the room.

There were two options. Either the kingdom was attacked or Shiyan and Reyna betrayed us. But then why did they only kidnap Beau?

I peered down the aisle, but there were no guards. I quickly slipped into the adjoining rooms assigned to Rowtag and Arrow, but they were also empty. My mind raced. I took a deep breath and then looked down the stairwell as a guard mounted the first step.

If I asked him about Beau's disappearance, I risked walking right into the king siblings' trap. Then again, if they wanted to kidnap me, they would have done so by now, so what did I have to lose?

I ran down the steps straight into the guard's arms.

"Where's Beau?" I demanded bluntly.

'It's the night of the games. It will be in the arena, in the center of Minkaujin."

I thanked him and then rushed down the stairs. The great palace doors slammed shut behind me and I followed the red lanterns illuminating the mountainside. As soon as I got into the alleys of Minkaujin, I plunged into the current of the islanders. They were all smartly dressed, had colorful scarves wrapped around them and the women all wore decorated hair clips, flowers or other knick-knacks in their hairstyles.

Then I saw a familiar face. I stopped the old woman at the jewelry store. "What's going on here?"

She flinched, but when she recognized me, she calmed down and then said with a big smile: “It's the night before the New Year! Today Ozuro will take the chosen ones, like every solar cycle!”

I frowned. "The chosen ones?"

"Yes of course! Every family desires the blessing of the great dragon Ozuro.' She replied brightly, although I still didn't understand what she was babbling about. She hooked my arm and told me to follow her. "Come on, kid, I'll show you the way to the arena."

With my heart beating wildly, I followed her and all the residents along the alleys until we stood in front of the entrance to the large, circular arena.

We went in, climbed up the stands and sat down in the empty seats that looked straight down onto the clay court.

"Have you seen Beau?" I asked her, keeping my eyes peeled for him myself.

"The man who came into my shop after you?"

I nodded.

"No, I'm sorry."

What if he wasn't here? What if he's already been taken across the sea? I was about to get up to continue searching for him when the doors closed and silence fell in the arena. Then each person turned to the royal siblings who were in the top box of the arena.

"Welcome to the Night of the Games!" Shiyan greeted his people, spreading his arms. “Even today, like every solar cycle before, we celebrate the evening before the New Year's festival! There will be food, drink and lots of exciting games. It is Ozuro's will that gives us joy of life and delights us with these festivities, so let's toast to the great dragon brother!"

Everyone in the arena raised their glasses and cheered. I stayed motionless in my chair, nearly craning my neck as I stared up.

Reyna, wearing a long black dress with glittering embellishments sparkling in pure gold, now raised her glass as well. “Reyna, Princess of the Fire Isles, chosen Dragonborn of Ozuro speaks to her people! I have heard Ozuro's call, and now I reveal his will to you. He whispered to me in my dreams which girls will be chosen. What maidens of our people are blessed to receive his blessing and rise up to him!' proclaimed Reyna, her tiara glittering in the torchlight. "Step forward, Ozuro's Chosen Girls!"

"Reyna - I mean - the Princess is a Dragonborn?" I whispered to the old lady.

"Oh yeah! She received the gift three solar revolutions ago. You have to know, one is born a Dragonborn, but the gift only reveals itself with time.”

"And what about the king and the younger princess?"

"The king is as blessed as his sister, but June must have been left out by Ozuro's flames."

"I see," I murmured. If this dragon really existed, then someone had to have a word with it. He had chosen the wrong two siblings.

The five iron gates of the sandy area were opened and beautiful girls in long, snow-white dresses stepped out. They all stood in a line and looked up at Reyna.

“Ah, this is my little Hitomi, do you see her? There she is!” the elderly lady next to me freaked out, wiping the tears of joy from the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief in sheer delight. “My granddaughter makes us all so proud!”

I recognized the dark haired girl at the end of the line. It was she who had explained to me the meaning of the little ornate dragon she had named Kadin, which caught my eye immediately.

"Ozuro, like all the blessed ones before, will carry you across to the land of the gods on his shimmering blue wings and show you the beauty of bliss." Reyna continued. “Thanks to you, your families will gain wealth. You do them honor, as well as all our people!” Reyna nodded to the guards and waved the girls up to her. "Come, little sisters!"

The gates in front of the stairs leading up to the rows of seats were opened and the girls mounted the steps. They waved at the applauding audience who threw them colorful hibiscus flowers and smiled like it was the best day of their lives.

Then, as they sat down next to the king siblings in the upper box, Shiyan called out, "Now, let the games begin!"

Then the remaining gates were opened and five men were pushed onto the clay court. They all wore different colored outfits. Blue, green, orange, yellow and...

I froze when I saw the red warrior. It was Beau.

What in the hell did that mean? What was Reyna or Shiyan up to? My eyes searched for Rowtag and Arrow, but they weren't on the court like Beau.

I stormed down the rows of seats and out into the aisle. I found a staircase that was unguarded and snuck down to the lower passages. Cages were lined up against the wall, with men and women inside, crouched on the floor like animals. I ran faster and faster until I got to one of the five gates. I saw Beau on the clay court a few yards from the entrance.

My fists pounded on the iron bars and the gate vibrated under my punches. "Beau!" I yelled softly, fully knowing he heard me with our refined hearing. "Beau, here!"

He turned around and as soon as he recognized me, he ran to me.

"What happened?"

His hands gripped the iron bars. "The mist must have knocked us out for some time, and she was able to drag me here." His knuckles turned white and he growled. "Shiyan and Reyna betrayed us."

I had already figured that out. “But why? What is this arena for?”

Beau sighed. "I don't know what her plan is, or if it's just for her sadistic amusement."

I looked over my shoulder to make sure no guard had followed me yet. Then I looked back at Beau. "How long do you have to fight?"

He didn't reply, just stared at me as if he didn't want to tell me.

I stepped closer to the gate, my face hovering right in front of his and I looked at him seriously. "How long, Beau?"

He scowled. "Until death."

Panic crept up my limbs when I saw his expression. "No." I shook my head in horror.

"Not now. Not like.” He looked at me with a determined expression. "I've only just found you, I'm not going to lose you yet."

I put my hands over Beau's gripping the wands and had to hold back tears. This wasn't going to be the end of us, I refused to believe that. "Don't you get hurt, I'll be mad at you if you come away with even one injury."

He winked at me and cracked a grin. "I can handle the four shitheads, don't worry, little one."

I gritted my teeth and whispered, "Come back to me, do you hear?"

His grin faded and he cursed. Then he pressed his lips to my hands and kissed my knuckles. "I will always return to you."

"Where's the girl!"

"Shit!" I cursed and looked back again. Three guards were approaching.

"Take care, understand?" Beau's eyes blazed and it was he who squeezed my hands. "Georgie, do you understand me?"

I nodded.

"Good," he whispered, edging between the bars. "Come here."

Immediately I complied with his request, put myself close to him, then he pressed his lips to mine. It was a desperate kiss, a kiss that longed for more.

"Now get out of here and get out of here in one piece!" he breathed against my lips.

I nodded, reluctantly stepping back and realizing too late that someone was approaching me.

"Georgie, look out!" Beau called.

At the last moment I turned around and saw the guard trying to grab me. I rammed my fist into his jaw and immediately kicked my foot into his flank. He staggered back and slumped to the floor while the second grabbed my arm and roughly digged his fingers into my flesh.

"Let go!" I slammed my elbow into his outstretched arm and spun around as he cursed and released me to ram my leg between the third's. But he caught my knee, took advantage of my momentum, and threw me against the wall.

Beau roared and the gate rattled with violent force.

"Come with me," the guard commanded as he and his cronies flanked me, each grabbing an arm of mine.

"Aaah!" I fought back with everything I had, but they didn't let go.

"Find Rowtag and Arrow!" Beau yelled, his eyes wild and panicked on me.

Then they dragged me away and the gong rang. The games began.