Outcast

Chapter 17

---Lane's POV---

My fur brushed steadily against Jethro's side as I walked alongside him, ignoring the curious looks and whispered rumors being spread as we went.

I didn't care what these feeble-minded people thought of me, what twisted opinions and rumors would sprout by our passing through.

All I wanted was to make Jethro proud and happy. Already I could assume that many of the murmurs and heated looks from both men and women alike all stemmed from a single emotion.

Jealousy.

I could sense the envy in their gaze, the way they sneered and twisted their lips in disgust when they looked at me. A gaze that quickly turned to awe and lust when they looked at my master, paling when they saw him glare down at them.

Because Jethro himself had no qualms in showing just how he thought about their foolishness. His fingers were firmly woven in the soft fur of my neck, scratching my skin soothingly.

"Good boy."

A deep purr rumbled through my chest, building in strength when Jethro chuckled as I leaned against him. Even my tiger purred with delight, as I had a sneaky suspicion that it loved showing off against our onlookers. Claiming Jethro, showing that he was already mated and didn't need anyone else.

There were plenty of whispered protests, people not understanding why Jethro would find his mate amongst feline shifters. Several of them even whispered about the possibility that I somehow tricked Jethro in the mating.

Tilting my head to glance up at Jethro, I was wondering why he had told me to shift. Clearly the people in this city still held some disdain for felines, even though I couldn't blame them for that.

With the way my people treated others, I wasn't surprised by all the glares and sneers aimed my way. Undoubtedly these people have had too many run ins with the feline representative.

Even if Jethro had said it was the most amicable one of our species, that didn't mean it was amicable to the other races' standards.

A full body shiver caused the fur on my haunches to rise up as Jethro glanced down, eyes golden, flickering with barely hidden embers.

My claws sank in the soil, simply to ground myself as I realized just how close to truth my earlier statement had been. If I hadn't been in my feline form this very instant, if Jethro hadn't commanded me to shift on purpose...

The whispered disapprovals and lustful glances his way along with the instant dismissal that I was worthy enough to be Jethro's mate...

Jethro would have proven to anyone present how worthy he thought me to be.

I gulped, watching as Jethro's eyes lazily flicked to the people around us, all whom were backing away slowly, realizing in what predicament they were getting themselves into.

Not only dismissing a dragon's mate, but also dismissing the fact that said dragon chose me to be his mate. That he himself was utterly satisfied to have chosen a feline shifter...

In other words, they were telling a dragon, one of the most proud and intelligent creatures to have ever existed... that he made a mistake. That he was being tricked by a lesser being.

Questioning both his sanity and his intelligence. And if there was one thing I had learned from any book ever written, is to never, ever, insult a dragon.

I arched into Jethro's strokes as he lazily traced my spine with his warm hand. Gentle yet strong strokes, chuckling slightly when I flopped over and presented my belly for his inspection at the slightest of gesture from him.