Aura [bxb]

Seventeen

Tristin P.O.V

I had panicked mentally when Laken told me of the scenario that knew held no lies. He had run from home to protect himself from mermaids. It made sense, considering that he was a siren, and mermaids have made it their job to eliminate all sirens. I had been hoping that it was all just some made-up scenario that Laken had been pondering over. That wasn't the case.

If only everything he had said was said being hypothetical.

I tensed at the thought. I know that mermaids hate Laken, but he shouldn't have been hunted down. He's never shifted before, so he was little to no threat to them. They even sent by the king. I didn't let that small fact slide. Having met the king, I knew that the man seemed nonchalant towards everything that happened at that meeting. Then again, I was indifferent towards it as well, only being there to be shown off as a little trophy that my parents thought would boost their image.

I hadn't been lying; if the king thought it was important, he'd send his men in a heart-beat. What made Laken important to the king? Other than the whole siren thing, which didn't make a lot of sense. How could anyone have known that Laken was a siren? I didn't even know until he accidentally revealed himself, even then, no one else would have been around to notice such small slip-ups. Very few people in the mortal world have even the smallest amount of contact with the king.

Heck, I wouldn't have even met him if it weren't for that meeting. I was glad that I have went now, as it has given me some insight on the situation. I wouldn't let them take Laken, while he was in this mansion, he was safe. Even royal guards and soldiers wouldn't be allowed onto the grounds without permission from the masters of the estate, my sister, and me.

I didn't realize I was doing it, but very slowly, my dragons energy began to form outside of my body in the element it knew best; Ice. Ice dragons were different than the average fire dragons. Dragons born with the elemental of ice were rare, thus why my parents showed me off like a new dress or car. As a child, I loved being different because it got my parent's attention. As I grew older, I started to resent my icy abilities, being excluded from things only normal dragons did.

Arena fighting being one of the more important ones.

Noble or not, when dragons hit puberty, they were allowed to compete in a supervised fight in dragon form or otherwise. I was never allowed. Normal fire dragons were immune to flames, as it was unable to burn through their thick hides. My skin was resistant to the chillest temperatures, but I would easily be harmed by the burning fires.

The chilliness of the air had gone unnoticed by me until I felt the touch of a warm hand against my arm snaps me out of my lost gaze. My head snaps towards Laken, a shocked look appearing on my face as I froze. I hadn't even realized I was making the room an unbearable temperature for Laken, and instantly felt guilty.

Why was I so reactive towards his kid? Anyone else and I wouldn't have wanted anything to do with them, and yet, I cared so much . . . Too much. Things didn't make any sense when it came to Laken.

I couldn't look away from Laken as his eyes slowly drifted across my face before his eyes reunited with my own. He looked mesmerized.

He attempted to lift his hand and remove it from my arm, but my dragon wasn't having any of it. Without giving me a second to process any of it, my body worked against me, my hand reaching out and pulled him back, wrapping tightly around him.

My free hand reached up, and I gently ran a finger around the edge of his face, fascinated. My dragon was making a . . . purring noise? He was acting strange, being clingy with Laken. When I first met him, I couldn't help but be annoyed with him, but the more I got to know him, the more tolerable he seemed to be. I have never opened up to anybody this quickly before.

Unknowingly, my body began to lean towards Laken, my eyes subconsciously glancing down at his lips.

Without thinking, without pondering why I felt the urge to kiss this boy, I leaned forward and our lips collided together in perfect harmony. After only a few seconds of kissing him, I realized he wasn't going to pull away from me. He wasn't rejecting me. He was kissing me back. I pushed my lips against his harder. My hand removed itself from near his face, and I wrapped my arms around his lean waist to keep him close to me.

When we finally moved away from each other, I realized something crucial, something life-changing. That this boy, the siren who I once disliked, the boy who ignited something unique and new inside my soul, was my mate.

"Mate," I hadn't meant to say it out loud, my subconscious overjoyed with the new information. That was until I realized the scenario was the worst. Laken was being hunted down by mermaids. My family would protest in every way.

None of that matters at the moment. Inside my room, no one but us knew. We were at peace.

"Mate?" Laken asked, a semi-confused look on his face. Just glancing at him, I could tell that he somewhat knew what a mate was, but wanted some confirmation. I was going to give him some proof if it was the last thing I ever did.

I placed another kiss upon his lips, noticing his shock at the reoccurrence of a kiss. It seems like he wasn't expecting me to kiss him again. I should make a note to kiss him more often, I wouldn't want him to think that I had accidentally kissed him in the first place.

"You're my mate," I whispered in his ear, feeling him being to move in place awkwardly. "Your the person made for me made for us, you're my soul mate, Laken," I said quietly to him, wanting him to know how important of a thing mating was without explaining the history of how mates work.

Laken you have no idea what is awaiting you, I'm going to protect, love, and cherish you for the rest of your life, which trust me, will be a long time.

I may not love you yet, Laken, but trust me, I will.

And you'll love me.

Please don't reject me.