The Dragon King's Hated Bride
Chapter 67: A Little Bit Of Understanding

Chapter 67: A Little Bit Of Understanding

>>Aelin

Draegon’s expression shifted, his brows furrowing as pure confusion flickered across his face. He parted his lips slightly, as if to speak, but then pressed them shut. His purple eyes studied me, sharp yet unreadable, as if weighing my words, trying to make sense of them.

It looked like he wasn’t sure what to say to me and for a moment there was only silence.

He quietly took my hand and guided me out of the bathroom. We went back to the bed where he put the blanket around me. I sat in my initial position with the window above the back of my head

Seconds stretched between us, thick with silence. The golden afternoon light filtered through the window, casting soft shadows across the room. It bathed Draegon’s face in warmth, highlighting the sharp edges of his jaw, the striking contrast of his pale eyes against his dark horns.

I couldn’t look away.

Neither did he.

Then, finally, he spoke.

"The only reason I do not stay," He said slowly, his voice quieter than usual, "is because you are afraid of me."

!!!

My breath caught in my throat. I stiffened, startled, but more than that, I was embarrassed. Because Draegon wasn’t wrong. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that he said that outright. More than anyone else, he would have noticed it.

It was true.

A part of me still feared him.

Aside from all the things that physically and emotionally happened between us, there was something else that was right there from the start. My fear for him wasn’t solely because of experience but also because he was different. He was something I didn’t fully understand, something beyond me.

He was a demon, big, strong, someone I hadn’t fully understood.

But if I was being honest with myself... the bigger part of me didn’t want to fear him.

The bigger part of me wanted to reach out.

Wanted to close the distance. Despite our differences, I want to get closer to him.

I lowered my gaze, breaking our silent stare, and whispered, "Only a little."

The words were barely audible, but I knew he heard them.

I didn’t dare look up to see his reaction. My fingers curled against the fabric of the towel wrapped around me, gripping it tightly. My heart pounded as the truth settled between us, fragile yet undeniable.

I had admitted it. Of course, there was no point in denying it.

But

Now what?

Draegon exhaled softly, his voice a quiet murmur against the stillness of the room.

"I wish," he said, his tone careful, as if weighing each word before he spoke, "that you wouldn’t fear me at all."

!!

Something in me twisted at his words.

I kept my eyes on my hands, gripping the blanket tightly over my bare shoulders, but I could feel his gaze lingering on me—steady, searching. I didn’t know what to say, but it didn’t matter, because Draegon wasn’t finished.

"I know I’ve made mistakes," he continued, his voice lower now, tinged with something heavier. "Things I can never take back. Things I regret more than I can ever say." I glanced at him then, just for a second, and saw the way his fingers curled into fists, how his jaw tensed as if he were fighting something deep within himself. "I never want to see that look in your eyes again," he murmured, his voice almost too quiet to hear. "That fear. That hesitation."

His purple eyes darkened slightly, as if the memories of the past weighed on him even now.

"I’ll do everything in my power to make sure I never make a mistake like that again." The certainty in his voice sent a shiver down my spine. I know what happened wasn’t his fault. He didn’t do anything on purpose but I can tell he regrets the fact that he even got manipulated.

I turned toward him fully now, drawn by the intensity of his presence. My heart pounded as I lifted my gaze, only to find that he was already looking at me.

For a moment, the world outside this room seemed to vanish.

The golden light from the window streamed in, casting a warm glow on his skin, highlighting the sharp angles of his face. His purple eyes shimmered like molten jewels, catching the sunlight in a way that made them almost otherworldly.

Majestic.

The thought slipped into my mind before I could stop it. I swallowed hard, unable to look away, and yet unsure of what to say—what to do.

Then Draegon spoke again, breaking the quiet that had stretched between us.

"Would you like it," he asked, his voice slow, deliberate, "if we started sharing the bedroom again?"

My breath caught.

The question sent a ripple of something unsteady through me.

I wasn’t sure if it was fear, nervousness, or something else entirely—but I felt it all the same. I could feel his gaze on me, patient but unwavering, waiting for my response.

I swallowed, my fingers tightening around the blanket as I tried to calm the frantic beat of my heart.

Did I want that?

Yes.

More than anything, I wanted to try. To close this distance between us. He was my husband and I wanted to have a connection with him.

Slowly—hesitantly—I nodded, "Yes..."

For a moment, Draegon didn’t move. Then, something in his expression shifted. The tension in his features eased ever so slightly, and his lips curved into a small, genuine smile.

And it made my heart skip a beat.

"Then," He leaned in towards me, his hand reaching for my cheek. My eyes followed the movement, to the point where his hand gently came in contact with my skin. I looked back at him, his gaze never leaving me, "Are you alright with me touching you more?"

I gulped, my pupils shook as I thought about his words

"Y-yes,"

Would we do it again?

The thought sent a shiver down my spine, and my fingers curled tighter around the blanket draped over my body.

The last time we did it—it hurt a lot. More than I expected. I had tried to endure it, biting my lip, swallowing the pain, telling myself it was normal. But neither could he stop nor could I because of the situation we were in.

Even though I wasn’t ready.

Even though I wasn’t enough...

I squeezed my eyes shut, my throat tightening. Deep inside, I knew.

I hadn’t satisfied him.

Not the way a demon—no, a dragon—should have been satisfied.

The silence stretched between us, the golden light from the window casting long, soft shadows across the room. I swallowed past the lump in my throat, unable to meet his gaze, my fingers twisting in the fabric of the blanket.

I had to say it.

"But I know," I whispered, my voice barely audible, "that you weren’t satisfied with me."

Draegon stilled.

I felt his entire body go rigid beside me, as if my words had struck something deep within him. The air between us grew heavier. I dared to lift my gaze, just a little.

His expression was unreadable. Eyes dark, lips pressed into a firm line, shoulders tense. For a moment, I thought he wouldn’t respond at all. That he would confirm my worst fears with silence alone.

Then, slowly, he exhaled.

"That is not true," He said, "And that is not the issue." I kept my eyes on him, "Because I also hurt you when we did it."

!!!

Ah

I looked away, "But you healed me too." I couldn’t meet his gaze. There was this gnawing feeling growing in my chest, "I realized that later."

"That was a given," He replied, "I had no idea how fragile human females were."

"I guess demon females are different." I asked

"It varies," He replied, "But yes, no demon is like-" he paused, "Humans and demons are different."

"I see," I got the feeling he changed his words.

And then silence followed once again.

"But," he added, "That does not mean you were not enough."

!!!

His words made my eyes go wide for a moment, and then he added another line

"I will prove my words to you."

***

Draegon’s purple eyes searched mine one last time before he turned, stepping back. Then, with a swift motion, his wings unfurled. The air shifted around us as he moved, the sheer force of his presence sending a shiver down my spine.

"Are you ready?" he asked as we stood on the inn’s roof

I nodded.

Without another word, Draegon reached for me, his arms strong and steady as he lifted me effortlessly against his chest. And then—

The ground vanished beneath us.

The first rush of movement sent my stomach flipping, but I held on, clutching onto the fabric of his shirt as he soared into the sky. The wind should have been harsh against my skin, but I barely felt it—Draegon was using a magic stone which surrounded me in a protective barrier, shielding me from the biting air.

Higher and higher we went, the inn and the city below shrinking into mere specks. The horizon stretched endlessly before us, painted in hues of gold and crimson as the sun began its descent.

I found myself staring at him, at the way his wings moved with effortless grace, at the quiet confidence in his posture.

He said he would prove it to me. What did he mean by that?

Before I could voice the question lingering on my lips, I spoke another instead.

"Draegon?"

He glanced down at me, his purple eyes meeting mine as he continued to fly. "What is it?"

I hesitated, gathering my thoughts, when—

A sudden explosion of force slammed into us from the side.

?!?!?

The world tilted violently.

Draegon’s grip on me tightened as a searing light burst across the sky, followed by the sound of something cutting through the air—fast, lethal.

Something just attacked us

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