Circlet

Outside the tree house, Arel had just finished stitching the dress. Hearing Keira calling his name, which meant his mate had now woken up, he entered the house, climbed the ladder to the second floor, and found Keira poking her head down the ladder.

"Why are you doing this again?" He walked over and looked up at his mate, who didn't seem wanting to stop her favorite poking posture.

She pursed her lips. "Arel, Where have you been? I called you many times."

"I only heard you call me once," he frowned at the poorly little liar, who was now pretending to weep when her lie wasn't successful.

He hurriedly climbed up the ladder to hold her. "alright alright. I'm here"

"I thought I just had a one-night stand," she clung on him tightly, afraid he would run away.

His eyebrows shot up. "What's a one-night stand?"

"It's a mating relationship that lasted only one night and then left."

A soft laugh escaped his lips. "Are you afraid I will leave you?"

"Of course, don't leave me," she tightened her legs around his waist.

"Silly female" He patted her back, comforting her "I'm not going anywhere," and held her down all the way down the ladder to the first floor.

"I'm hungry .." she pointed her chin to the table.

Arel nodded and put her in the chair.

He took the meal onto the wooden plate and put it on the table, moving his chair and sitting down next to her.

"Huh? Why did you switch to sit here?" She arched her brows, perplexed by what he had done.

"I have to take good care of you and stay near to give you warmth. So you will be healthy and pregnant with our cub," he explained calmly, while Keira's mouth went wide open at his words.

"Am I going to get pregnant as soon as Mate?!"

"I don't know, but I'm trying my best," he rubbed her head, his tone was nervous. "You don't want to have cubs with me?"

"I want to, but I want to prepare everything before I have a cub." She lowered her gaze down the table. Not only because having a cub was a big responsibility, but she also needed to be mentally and physically prepared. After all, this was a wild forest and there was no hospital or emergency room for her if something went wrong.

Her expression made Arel aware of what was causing her worry. "There's a market outside the forest. We can go together to buy what you need"

Keira hasn't been out of the forest for months, feeling excited, seized Arel's hand "Really? I've never been to the market here."

"Yes, we'll go together tomorrow to a nearby tribe's market." He hadn't expected that his mate would be this happy. Her reacted was in contrast with his dragon habit that was less involved with other beastmen and preferring to stay alone and hibernate in his own place.

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After eating, Arel brought Keira out for a walk to digest the food and for a little exercise as well. He held her hand and kept the pace slow, as Keira's legs were still numb.

The sunset reflected a beautiful light on the surface of the transparent stream. It's so quiet and peaceful with the two figures standing there. Arel hugged her from behind, they admiring the view.

"I have something for you," He said, turning Keira around to face him.

The amethyst eyes looked up at him questioningly, "Yes?"

Releasing the hug, he searched in his pocket and pulled a necklace out. She recalled that it was the one that he had secretly held in the past.

This necklace was shorter than a normal one, with a pendant made of white crystal that shone up like a bright magical light within.

"It's yours" He carefully put it on Keira's forehead, making her realize that this was not a necklace but a circlet. As soon as the circlet made contact with her skin, the light shone around the crystal, forming a white symbol on her forehead.

Quickly conjuring her ring into a mirror, she looked at her reflection, seeing white lines spread into the shape of tendrils like a wreath, encircled the white crystal pendant.

Arel raised his finger, touching on the circlet "You are beautiful"

This was the first time he complimented her, which made her couldn't stop smiling, she tiptoe up pecking his lips "Thank you. I really like it"

Stunned by the unexpected kiss, he leaned down, and return her with a deeper kiss.

She gingerly parted the kiss, asking, "Where did you get this beautiful circlet?"

"It belonged to my mother. She told me to give it to my mate." He stroked her cheeks and continued, "It's yours."

"Your mother must love you dearly."She felt slightly gloom that she couldn't meet the owner of this beautiful circlet.

His voice grew deeper as he recalled his mournful memory. "Yes.. since I'm her only cub. If she's still alive, she must be happy to meet you."

Pulling him into a tighter hug, she said, "From now on, I promise to be a responsible wife and take good care of you. So your mother needn't worry"

A soft smile erupted on his face, but there was still something he didn't understand, "What is a wife?"

"Wife is a female who married or what you called mated here, Husband is a male who mated" she explained quickly.

"So you are my wife?" he asked, angling his head at the new, unfamiliar word.

She nodded. "Yeah, you can say that, and you're my husband."

He embraced her tightly and pressed a kiss on top of her head. "I like it"

_____

They walked back to the tree's house. Arel boiled water and poured it into a wooden bathtub, slowly putting Keira down.

Without letting he move further, she pulled his arms, halting him from leaving the room. "..Can you bathe with me?" The pleading voice invited him made him freeze in place.

His heartbeat raced, as he felt the body of his beloved mate cuddling his arm with her soft breasts, squeezing and rubbing his skin.

The snap of his control was almost audible. With a growl, he yanked off his clothes and climbed into the wooden tub.

She gazed up at his face, down to his crotch before leaning herself closer and settling on his lap.

"Are you testing my patience.." Arel whispered, smirking at how her pupils dilated as her gaze fell to his lips. When her tongue darted out to wet her pink lips, he couldn't stop groaning.

She wrapped her arms around his neck "I want it here," and gasped as she felt the rapidly erected shaft twitching on her stomach.

"Hm.. you destroy me." He flipped her over with no warning, her back facing him. Wrapping both of her wrists with his big hand, he settled them behind her back before leaning his face and kissing down her nape. His other hand, roughly squeezing on her breast, teasing her nipple with his thumb, and then sliding down to her thighs. letting the desire take control...

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