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Marcella didn't know what to do but remain as still as possible. Cosimo held her tight in his paw, and no one could get close enough to them to talk sense to him.
Just stay calm, Marcella. He's disoriented but won't hurt you, Bas's voice brushed against her mind.Talk to him. You are the only one who can reason with him. We will stay inside the mansion until he has worked out what he needs to with you.Valentine is contacting Taranis, but he says Dad is also an alpha and will try to fight anyone who gets too close.
Great! What makes you think I am going to be able to deal with him like this?she shot back.
He loves you, was all Bas would reply.
"Cazzo!" Marcella cursed. She had thought she would be prepared to see a dragon, but her visions were nothing like they had been in real life.
As soon as Cosimo grabbed her, his whole body exploded with magic and shifted. His scales were the deep Tyrian purple that his eyes turned, with four black horns curling up from hishead. His spine was studded with black ridges of bone, and his tail had two spikes.
If Marcella hadn't known the man inside, she would have pissed herself in fear. As it was, she struggled to believe that this creature wouldn't hurt her.
"Cosimo, would you mind telling me what this is about?" she asked, keeping her voice as steady as she could. The huge mouth in front of her revealed onyx fangs as long as her arm.
"We had a deal. Plan. I would be good and wait,"the dragon rumbled.
Marcella tried to figure out what he was talking about. "You mean Cosimo's and my agreement about finding Maria and the grimoires?"
The dragon made a frustrated huffing noise that sent gray smoke curling around its nostrils. "Big plan. Work together. Find kin. Find books. Claim mate."
"And because we just found the books…" she began.
"Shift. Dragon part of deal. Mine. My mate."
Marcella's legs went weak, and she sat down on the dragon's paw. "I… You think I am your mate?"
"Youaremy mate."
"And Cosimo didn't bother telling me?" Marcella demanded, running her hands through her hair. "Why?"
The dragon's tail thrashed irritably, destroying a garden and sending a decorative statue to the ground. "Scared. Your choice, he said. Won't force until grimoires. Deal over with you."
Marcella buried her face in her hands. "Oh, that ridiculous man. He thought he had to get me the grimoires before he talked about this? That I wouldn't understand? Has he been hurting you by not telling me about it? Hurting himself?"
The dragon made another rumbling sound and nodded. "Doesn't hurt now. Just want to claim mate. Love mate. Keep you safe."
"If this is a proposal, there are less dramatic ways to go about it," Marcella said, a small laugh escaping her. She was Cosimo's mate. She had seen the rest of his family with their mates. They were all so perfect for each other that watching them caused an ache of longing deep inside of her.
Could she really have that kind of love with Cosimo? She already knew that what had been between them had been instant and powerful. She had said it wasn't normal for them to be falling in love already, and what had he told her?
It is for dragons. It's like something flips in our head, and it doesn't matter how long we have known someone.
He had known then that she was his mate. It was why he had kept insisting every move they made with their relationship was instigated by her, because she was a human.
"My god, I must be blind. He had been trying to tell me all along," she whispered, dropping her hands from her face so she could look up at the terrifyingly beautiful dragon. "Come here."
The dragon pushed his muzzle closer so she could rest her hands on his warm scales.
"You should have told me earlier, but I understand why you didn't," Marcella began and rested her cheek against his scales. "I love you, Cosimo. I love your kindness, your brilliant mind, the way you care for your family, and how you have my back and make me feel so safe. You hurt yourself to make sure I wouldn't feel like you were trying to control me like Carlo did. I see that now, and it makes me love you even more. I was scared of the intensity of what I was feeling for you, but I'm not anymore. I am honored to be your mate."
The dragon keened softly and nuzzled her. "Mate. My Mate."
"Yes,amore mio. I am your mate, and I love you," Marcella assured him, kissing his scales.
"Time to claim my mate," the dragon said smugly.
