The realization stunned me because I could not recall the last time I'd felt anything other than mild interest in a woman.
But she… she was no ordinary woman.
Yes, I was enthralled with this girl who'd appeared like a bolt of lightning.
There was something about her—something sharp and untamed. That quiet defiance in those violet eyes. And the fire I'd sensed simmering beneath her skin—finally flaring to life—was nothing short of extraordinary.
No one spoke to me the way she just had—with that cutting edge of defiance, that complete lack of deference to my crown or authority. The insolence should have infuriated me. Instead, itsent fire racing through me, pooling low in my belly with a need that left me breathless.
She trembles for us. Sweet little quake.
Gods help me, her boldness only made me want her more desperately. The way she stood here, chin raised in challenge, those violet eyes blazing with unrepentant fire—it was like watching a wild creature bare its fangs. Beautiful and dangerous and completely captivating.
And the feel of her tight, wet channel. The feel of her maidenhead. It was almost too much—as if she were some celestial gift dropped into my lap.
Except that she threatens everything.
Yet, all I could think about was throwing her against my bed, pinning those slender wrists above her head, and replacing my finger with my cock. I wanted to explore every inch of that lithe body, to map the secrets hidden beneath her carefully controlled exterior. Would she fight me? Would that defiance melt into something softer, more yielding? The thought of being the first—the only—man to see her come undone nearly drove me to madness.
She is ours,the beast inside me whispered with dark satisfaction, prowling restlessly beneath my skin like a predator scenting prey.Take her. Lock her up. Let no other man ever see her. She is our treasure. Hoard her.
I wanted her more than I could remember wanting any woman.
I didn't know how or why I managed it—what force of will allowed me to overcome the overwhelming hunger clawing at my insides—but somehow I found the strength to pull my finger out of her slick heat. Her quim clenched around the retreating digit as if trying to hold me there, and I had to bite back a groan at the exquisite sensation.
At the sudden emptiness, at the loss of that intimate connection, she looked up at me with eyes wide with surprise and unmistakable disappointment. Those eyes were dark with unfulfilled need, her lips parted in a silent question that made my resolve waver dangerously. The flush of arousal painted her cheeks a delicate rose, and I could see the rapid flutter of her pulse in the hollow of her throat.
Mate her.
She was beautiful in her confusion, in her want, and it took every ounce of my self-control not to immediately reclaim what I'd just abandoned. But there was some part of me that couldn't deflower her. Some part of me that needed to understand more—where she had come from, who she was, how long she'd been in Camelot. Some part of me that strangely wanted to honor her.
My cock strained painfully against my braies, as though angry with my decision. Every muscle in my body was coiled tight. Truly, I was seconds from throwing her to the ground, tearing away her clothing, and forcing those trembling thighs apart.
The ferocity of my feelings shocked me—a conqueror of kingdoms, commander of armies, reduced to base hunger by this slip of a girl with secrets in her eyes.
It's the dragon,I thought desperately, my hands clenching into fists at my sides as I fought the overwhelming urge to reach for her again, to replace my finger with my mouth.It grows stronger every day. Its desires are becoming your desires. The beast is clouding your judgment, making you want things you shouldn't want.
But even as I tried to convince myself, I knew that wasn't fully true. The excuse felt hollow, a lie I told myself to maintain some semblance of control. Yes, the dragon wanted her—I could feel its ancient hunger stirring in my blood, recognizingsomething powerful in this woman who stood before me with defiance blazing in those extraordinary eyes.
But beneath that draconic influence, in the deepest parts of my soul where Arthur Pendragon still existed separate from the beast, I wanted her too. The man wanted her just as fiercely as the monster did.
I'd had virgins before, but I'd never felt ownership toward them. But this one—I wanted her, body and soul. I wanted to thrust through her maidenhead, mark my cock with her blood, and claim her completely. No, it was more than just that—I wanted toownher. Because if I owned her, it wouldn't matter that she'd pulled the sword from the stone. She would be mine.
My fingers twitched with restraint, my breath harsh and controlled, barely containing the growl building in my chest.
Crown, kingdom, identity—all of it faded against this tide of raw, possessive hunger. I could imagine her pinned beneath me, white hair splayed, eyes widening as I claimed what some dark part of me already considered mine.
She is ours.
The dragon's voice thundered through my consciousness, each word reverberating with ancient authority.
Take her.
The creature's hunger wasn't merely desire—it was something more. It recognized her on a level that transcended human understanding, seeing in her something that called to the deepest parts of our shared soul. The beast had claimed countless treasures over the years, hoarding gold and jewels and power with the same instinctive greed that defined our kind. But this was different. This wasneeddistilled to its purest essence.
The dragon's influence crashed over me in waves, each surge stronger than the last, drowning out reason and restraint with the roar of possession. It didn't care about kingdoms or crowns or the delicate balance of power I'd spent years maintaining. Allit understood was that she belonged to us—had always belonged to us—and that every moment she remained unclaimed was an insult to our very nature.
She could be the greatest threat to my kingdom,I shouted at myself and at the beast.
