The Dragon's Distrust by Eva Weston

Tania held her breath. Patryck had arrived and he was standing
proud and erect in front of them.
    Tania quickly darted into a standing
position, allowing Aristo to slip from her. She was embarrassed
Patryck had seen her like this. Yes, they were adults and they were
all lovers, but this was not modest or how a lady should be. Her
cheeks flushed and she tried to hide herself within the
bushes.
    “Don’t be shy, Princess,” Patryck spoke
softly and evenly but there was a note of anger in his voice. His
bright blue eyes looked stormy under the shadowy canopy of the
forest. A storm was brewing under the cool surface of
Patryck.
    Tania slunk further into the bramble.
She knew a confrontation was on the horizon. She had been the
center of abuse all her life and the feeling was her sixth sense.
She did not wish to get in the middle of a dragon fight. She always
listened to the warnings in her heart.
    Aristo stood his ground and crossed his
arms over his chest, “Good to see you alive,” he said at Patryck
but Aristo was clearly thinking otherwise. Although Tania and
Aristo had a conversation regarding her betrayal, Aristo had not
spoken to Patryck about the situation and Tania was positive there
would be no more words—only flung fists, kicks, and maybe
fire.
    Patryck held Aristo’s death glare,
“Good to be alive.”
    Silence passed awkwardly for several
moments. Each dragon measured the other one. Each dragon was just
waiting for the excuse to pounce.
    Aristo broke the stare. He moved toward
Tania and stood in front of her, keeping her further away from
Patryck. As much as he said he had no issue with Tania sleeping
with Patryck, he had an issue.
    “What do you think you’re doing with my
mate?” asked Patryck.
    Aristo chuckled maliciously, “Your
mate? Tania is mine. Always has been and always will.”
    “You may have claimed her first, but
she loves me. She claimed me as her dragon partner. The child she
is carrying is mine.”
    Aristo looked at Tania sharply then
whipped his head back toward Patryck, “What did you just
say?”
    “The dragon in her belly is mine. She
claimed me when I gave her my seed. Her womb will not deny
me.”
    Aristo growled low and deep, “Is this
true?” The question was directed at Tania but she could not answer
him. She had barely the time to consider being pregnant. There were
so many other things being thrown in her path that the very thought
of carrying a baby dragon was too much for her to handle. She had
been ignoring Patryck’s words, wishing they were untrue. She wanted
them to be a lie not because she didn’t wish for children—she
did—but she was torn as to who she wanted the father to
be.
    Aristo walked toward her and held her
hand. He lifted her chin and searched her face, “Tell me, Tania, is
this true?”
    Tania fell into his arms and wept,
“Please forgive me. Please…”
    Aristo remained stunned. He had
recently been tortured but nothing hurt him more than to know his
lover, his claimed mate, his Dragon Mother, was with another man’s
child. He stepped back and turned to face the forest, unwilling to
show his hurt and betrayal.
    “Please, Aristo,” Tania whimpered,
tears streaming down her face.
    “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” he
asked, his gaze looking out into the dim forest.
    “I…” she paused, “I didn’t wish to hurt
you further. I love you so much.”
    “I know you love me. I would have found
out eventually. To find out like this…to have Patryck spy on our
intimate moment and then rub this monstrosity in my
face…”
    Patryck chose the wrong time to join
the conversation. He was young and immature, “The Princess is mine,
Aristo. She has my child. She carries on my legacy. You should
accept that and know I will allow you to play second fiddle every
now and then.” Aristo wasn’t the only dragon hurting. Patryck’s ego
had been bruised because he thought Tania had shunned him, ignored
him, and didn’t wish to have his baby. He was