At the time, she had agreed to his terms. Belle hadn’t known her life was changing, and she wanted, needed, to see him again. No longer did she have just her to think about. Surely Nikai would change his mind about them waiting to be together.
Her parents had only been part of the Royal Circle for a couple hundred years. She wasn’t sure why her mother’s family wasn’t amongst the court since Nikai’s family was very welcoming to all, but her parents didn’t welcome questions, even from her. Now, with her own problems brewing or growing, she didn’t have the energy to care.
She shivered at the memories that sprung up with thoughts of the prince. He was the most handsome male she’d ever seen. His black as pitch hair was silky soft to the touch, and his dark eyes that could melt you on the spot, but he was also compassionate and so dang passionate. Goddess, she loved him with every part of her being.
“Are you even listening to a word that’s coming out of my mouth?” her mother asked.
“We must hurry before they serve First Meal. I would hate for us to be terribly late.” She gestured toward the door, indicating for her to lead the way. Belle trudged behind her mother like a child. Listening to her mother mutter was normal for her. She’d heard how unfit she was as a daughter more times that she could count, so this diatribe was no different.
“I am well aware of the time, Belledona. Goddess, why do I even bother with you? Your father is the one who insisted—” The words were cut off as she hurried down the hall.
Oh, Belle held no illusions that she’d made the woman unhappy. A day never went by where there wasn’t a scathing remark thrown at her. Both her parents had hoped her scales would darken to that of her mother’s vibrant red as she’d gotten older, to no avail. Her father was a gorgeous royal blue. If you went by the color wheel and mixed the two colors, their daughter should’ve been purple. A dark purple, which would’ve been socially acceptable, probably. But no, Belle’s scales were light pink. An abomination that stayed the same throughout the years. She was the only one in all the kingdoms who looked like she’d been dumped in a vat of hot lava and came out different. As if all the red color had been stripped from her.
She placed her hand on her stomach, wondering who her child would take after. It wouldn’t matter to her if he or she was the same shade as her or black as pitch like their father. The constant fear that’s plagued her since finding out she was with child scuttled down her spine. Most dragons could detect pregnancy by scent, but she was using a tremendous amount of magic to hide her secret. It had shocked her when the ability came easily, but from the moment she’d discovered she was pregnant, the fear of discovery hit her like a horde of demons were chasing her. Combined with the danger it could mean for her child, knowledge flooded her mind. At first, she hadn’t been sure it was real, then shock had turned to utter surprise as if she’d always had it there waiting to be tapped into. The limits to which she would go to keep her unborn child safe knew no bounds.
*.*.*.*
Nikai glared across the table at his twin. The bastard kept looking down at where his female sat. Like she was his for the taking. Nikai made the mistake and blurted to Nadim that he’d broken things off with her, thinking the bastard would understand his pain. Instead, the asshole laughed and slapped his back, asking if he could have a go at her. It took the entire elite guards that were on duty to hold him back from killing his brother. A grin tipped Nikai’s lips at the healing wound he could see above his twin’s left eye, wishing he’d finished what he’d started and taken the fucker’s entire thing during their fight. Instead, he’d released his claw at the last minute because his mother would’ve been upset.
His twin didn’t seem to have learned his lesson or didn’t care. It wasn’t a secret that Nikai considered Belle his female, or that he’d slay any who dared to think otherwise, even his kin. The memory of what he’d said to her, as well, made his beast growl in anger. Nikai hated having to push her away in order to keep her safe, yet her safety was his priority. A hundred years was nothing to a dragon. Shit, he should’ve explained things to her better. He should’ve promised her he wouldn’t take another female until he could be with her again. His dragon hated the thought of touching anyone but their Belle, as did he. When he took the throne, he’d claim their mate and bind her to them for all time.
“Look at him, father. He’s ready to battle me for the pink one. Doesn’t he know she will never be fit for the queen? She can be your concubine, but you can’t expect her to be welcomed like a lady,” Nadim said, his lips lifting in a smirk as he hid behind his cup.
Nikai flexed his fingers, letting his claws come out slightly he scraped across the table. “Brother or not, I will end your existence, Nadim. Don’t test me. If you dare touch a single hair on her, that mark above your eye will be nothing,” Nikai growled.
Their father banged his fist on the table, rattling several glasses. One fell onto the stone floor, shattering with a resounding clatter. “That is enough. Nadim, you will stop this nonsense of trying to get a rise out of your brother, and Nikai, you will not threaten to kill your brother over a female. As princes, you two will behave accordingly.”
Their mother, Queen Shani, looked on with sad eyes. Their sister Tanith was to be married the following week to a prince. The dragon belonged to the Fire Dragons, whose land was on the other side of their realm. Both females were close since their house was a very male dominant clan. She’d made it very clear she wasn’t happy that her daughter was moving away. If only she’d accept—he pushed the thought aside in fear his father could read his mind and find out just how deep his feelings were for the pink scaled female. One of the first things he’d change when he became King would be abolishing the fucking rules regarding colors and the kingdom.
“Tanith, when does your betrothed arrive?” he asked, shifting the focus from Belle to his sister.
Tanith’s eyes sparkled. She had bright blue eyes and royal blue scales like their mother. “He’ll be here tomorrow evening, along with his entire family. I’m so nervous.”
He narrowed his eyes as she placed a hand on her stomach. He inhaled, wondering if his sister might be pregnant. A male was allowed certain liberties during the courting season but taking his sister to bed wasn’t one of them. His sense of smell didn’t pick up anything of the sort, other than his brother’s obnoxious odor. Nadim’s scent held a hint of oak where he was told he smelled like cedar and mint, while his sister smelled of cherry-wood. For whatever reason, all the royal line were a unique woodsy essence. Tanith’s sweet smell of innocence was still very present. That alone allowed the male who was coming to claim his sister to live another day. As prince and heir, he was without a doubt the strongest dragon in the realm, even more so than the king. Nikai respected the Fire Dragon clan, but they were still not as powerful as his house.
Most King of Dragons kept the throne until they died, either by natural causes or in battle. But since his father had twins, the prophecy said Nikai and Nadim would rule together. It became clear within the first couple of years of their birth Nadim didn’t have the drive. Nikai tried to get his brother to work harder like him, but his twin wasn’t one who liked to...work.