The Alpha's Unclaimed Mate novel Chapter 23

Chapter 23: Live, Laugh, Lift Karen

The moment Serena stepped out in the fitted training suit, Dex stopped mid-step, mid-breath, mid-thought.

The fabric clung with merciless precision, every seam molded to her.

He grinned, unable to help himself, and pulled her into a possessive kiss before they even made it out of their quarters.

"You are the most stunning woman," he murmured, lips brushing her ear, teeth grazing it playfully. "You steal my breath every time I look at you."

"Thank you," she said, flushing immediately. The sheer frequency of his compliments was something she wouldn’t get used to.

"You’re about to be tackled," he warned lightly, eyes gleaming. "Consider this your only notice."

Serena barely had time to gasp before he swept her off her feet.

She screamed, high-pitched and shocked—then immediately burst into laughter.

Dex’s grin softened at the sound, something warm and unspoken settling behind his eyes.

They walked with fingers intertwined as they made their way to the field where Velkaris waited.

Heads turned. Whispers followed. Serena ignored all of it.

Dex felt the flicker of her discomfort through their matebond.

A reflex she had learned long before Drakenfell.

He picked her up with one arm, catching her off guard.

"You almost tripped there," he said lightly, putting her down. "I’d hate to see you fall for me in public."

She groaned audibly. "That was horrible."

Dex beamed. "Too late. You’re already falling."

He kissed her hand once.

They made it down another corridor before he leaned in and nipped her shoulder just enough to pull a startled laugh from her.

He couldn’t help it.

By the time they reached Velkaris, he had kissed her hand three more times, nearly tripped her again purely for the sound of her laughter, and swung her over his shoulder, entirely too pleased with himself.

With her, everything felt like it was supposed to be. Like breathing.

Velkaris lifted his head the instant Serena stepped into view, massive eyes locking onto her. A low sound rumbled from his chest. Relief.

Serena felt it immediately. Somehow, instinctively, she knew. He had been worried about her.

Her eyes flashed gold at the same moment his did.

Velkaris took a step forward.

Dex moved instantly alert, placing himself between Serena and the dragon, breaking their line of sight.

Her eyes flickered back to green.

Velkaris roared in sharp irritation, wings twitching.

"Don’t look at him yet," Dex said firmly.

The dragon snorted, clearly unimpressed.

Dex mindlinked his father and Hyran.

Dex: I’m on the training field with Serena. Her eyes keep flashing gold when she looks at Velkaris.

The reply from his father came first.

King Tiberon: That is... surprising. Especially given that a Truebond Veil was performed.

Hyran’s voice came next, unalarmed.

Hyran: Let nature take its course. She’ll be fine.

Dex’s jaw tightened, already knowing what would happen if he let ’nature take its course.’

She would be flying on Velkaris. And she had no memory of flying on him the first time.

No.

Absolutely not.

Velkaris let out an annoyed roar.

Dex sighed. "I hear you."

He stepped aside.

The moment the line of sight cleared, Serena’s eyes flared gold again.

Dex moved in a blur climbing onto Velkaris before Serena reached him.

She pressed her hand between Velkaris’s eyes. Gold light flashed as soon as they made contact.

Dex jolted as images flooded his mind. He realized he was seeing what she saw, through the dragon bond or matebond, or perhaps both. He wasn’t sure.

The images were sharp, urgent, pulled straight from her vision.

She moved her hand off Velkaris, and her eyes flickered back to green.

She felt urgency in her chest, but beneath it was confusion.

The images were already slipping away, dissolving into fragments she could not quite recall.

She moved to Dex without thought.

And that hit Dex harder than he expected. Her first instinct in the face of uncertainty was to reach for him.

She trusted his knowledge. His experience. Him.

Gods, he loved it.

He reached down and pulled her up in front of him, a smooth, effortless motion.

She settled between his legs with her back against his chest. His arms closed around her.

She fit.

Perfectly.

Because she belonged there.

Velkaris took off in an instant, wasting no time.

The sudden rush of air hit them, but Dex felt her through the matebond immediately.

Just like his own first flight, there was no fear. No panic. Only awe and exhilaration.

It stunned him. He had never seen that before, not with anyone he had trained.

His arms tightened around her as a grin spread across his face, impossible to stop. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, warm and proud.

Her thick hair immediately went everywhere.

"Well," he laughed, sputtering slightly as a mouthful of it whipped across his face, "that explains why all our girl riders keep their hair braided."

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