Wyvern Protection Unit - Chapter 19: Chapter 19

Jasper moved on instinct against the threat to his mate. There was only one possible thing he could do.
Kill whoever the fuck thought it was a good idea to attack when she was there.
He felt his Wyvern push against his skin and readily gave in to his half-Shift—a phenomenon that only he among his brothers had mastered thus far.
Among Shifters, it was a feat to be able to maintain a half-Shift. Being able to control his beast to draw on his strength without allowing the dominant creature to take over was a lot more difficult than it looked.
Protective scales rippled across his chest and arms, forehead, and cheeks. The size of his already massive body increased by half. His hands had changed, too. Fingertips turned into claws, and his wings semi-formed from his arms. The tough membranes could be used as shields or instruments of flight where or when necessary.
The appearance of a half-naked man as tall and wide as him with a nearly shaved head, some serious eyeliner, and nothing but a little knotted skirt kinda took the momentum out of his attack.
“What the fuck are you supposed to be?” Jasper cocked his head to the side.
The scent of cinnamon and spices he did not recognize filled the room. At some point it had started snowing again, and because of the broken door, snowflakes and cold air whipped through the cabin. Medjed looked past Jasper, his bronzed skin glowed in the light of the cabin, and his black eyes glittered dangerously.
“I am Medjed,” he replied in a deep, guttural voice. The power behind his words sent the roses he had sent scattering throughout the room, before he continued, “Warrior and Guard of the House of Osiris. I have been freed from my confines and will take over this puny realm, but first I shall claim my bride.”
“Holy shit! It is you!” Carolina yelled.
“I told you to take cover,” Jasper said, and moved in front of her, but his dainty, and pushy as hell mate shoved past him.
“Look, Medjed,” Carolina said—though it sounded like match-et to him. “I am flattered by the attention, but I am so not the girl for you. I will not be your bride.”
“Nonsense. You have freed me. You shall be my bride, ibib,” he growled the foreign word, and Jasper’s anger grew exponentially.
“Okay, Matchbox, the lady said back the fuck off.”
“Jasper, you don’t have to fight him,” Carolina said, her expression worried.
“He will not take you. I’ll kill him if he tries!”
“I will fight you, nfs sahalia, for the right to her hand,” he grunted.
“What did you call me?” Jasper asked.
“Ah, I believe lizard breath is the translation. I have been studying the modern world, ibib. It is a terrible place, but you and I shall bring order,” Medjed said the last to Caro.
Fucking dildo. It was so on.
Jasper tucked Carolina behind him. Then he roared and ran at Medjed. He must have caught the guy off guard because he shoved the huge male out the door.
If they were going to fight, it would not be in closed quarters. Jennifer would have his head if he ruined her cabin. And he would never put his mate in harm’s way.
Speaking of which, where was she? Fuck, she’d followed them outside, her phone in hand. Just then, Medjed grabbed Jasper around the middle, squeezing him so hard he could hardly breathe.
An elbow to the gut loosened the Demon’s hold, but they continued to wrestle, exchanging blows, and destroying Jennifer’s neatly graveled driveway.
Shit. That was going to cost him.
“Fuck, Matchbox, are you naked under your skirt?” Jasper jumped out of the guy’s hold after flipping him on his back.
“My name is Medjed, not this Matchbox, as you say. And this is a shendyt, you lowborn imbecile,” growled the Demon.
At that moment, his mate came rushing towards them. She was wielding a baseball bat and yelling for all she was worth.
“Stop, woman! Your noise rattles my skull,” shouted Medjed, covering his ears.
Jasper had to admit, Caro sure could shriek. Dayum, she was loud. But she sure was cute coming to his rescue with a Louisville slugger held high in her hands.
“Will you two just stop it,” she growled. “What do you think you are doing? It’s Christmas!”
“Christmas?” Medjed asked, cocking his head to the side as he studied her.
“Yes. It’s a time of peace and goodwill. You can’t just beat the shit out of each other over a person, by the way, who has the right and freedom to pick for herself if she wants to date a guy!”
“Carolina, let me handle this,” Jasper grunted, bleeding from a gash on his eye. He moved in front of her.
“No, I will have my say, dammit,” she demanded.
“My bride wishes to speak,” Medjed said, and glowered at Jasper before turning his almond gaze on Carolina.
“Alright, look, you want me to be your bride because I freed you, but why me? I mean, you’re free now. You don’t love me. You aren’t bound to me. You can have anyone.”
“Yes, I can. But you are young and beautiful, ibib. I have chosen to bless you in this way,” Medjed replied.
He stood and, thankfully, pulled down his skirt, which had ridden up when he and Jasper had fought. Fucking guy really was hung, Jasper admitted to himself.
He growled while the Demon smiled seductively and approached Carolina. Fuck, he hated to admit it, but he was kind of a good looking guy.
Grrrr.
“Ibib, you are strong and lovely. You will make me a good mate. Together, we will rule over this land. I will see to your every desire, beloved one. And you shall give me many sons. You will want for nothing,” he purred.
Fucking hell. Didn’t that just make Jasper want to punch his smooth-talking face until it caved in? Yes, it did.
Asshole.
Carolina exhaled. Medjed was really well-spoken, and it was flattering to hear him say such things about her. Everything he’d told her was pretty darn nice.
She felt her cheeks heat up while he rained compliments on her, but they didn’t do anything for her. She didn’t feel that awareness that sparked in the pit of her stomach every time Jasper was near. Or that pang of attraction, the constant burning desire she felt for her Wyvern protector.
And there’s the whole being in love with him thing, her inner voice added.
Caro froze. Shit. She was in love with him. Panicked eyes went from Medjed to Jasper and back again. First things first, she needed to clear this up with the Demon. She couldn’t go on hiding this way.
What good had it done? He still found her. The Demon had gone from Egypt to upstate New York in the blink of an eye.
“What are mates? Like a married couple?” she asked the Demon.
“So much more, little one. A fated mate is the one person in the universe made specifically for you alone. For my kind, and other supernaturals, a mate is the person you love and want among all others.”
“Wouldn’t a mate reciprocate those feelings?” she asked.
“Yes,” he nodded slowly, a frown on his handsome, bronzed face.
“I’m flattered, Medjed, really I am. But if that is true, then you know I am not your mate.”
“But—”
“Nope. I don’t feel that way about you. And I know you don’t feel that way about me. Besides there are other things wrong with your proposal.”
“Like what?” he looked offended, and she laughed briefly.
“First of all, you can’t reign over the world. It’s not yours. It belongs to every single being on this planet.”
“But—”
“No buts, pal, that is just the honest truth. Second, now that we know you don’t love me, and I don’t love you, don’t you suppose it’s better to just be friends? I mean, we both deserve love. Don’t you think so?” Carolina asked him, but she was speaking to Jasper, too.
Christ, it cut her to admit, but it was the truth. She deserved a man who truly loved her. Maybe now that she understood she was worthy of love, she wouldn’t be so afraid of it.
The thing was, she would never settle for less again. Jasper didn’t love her. He was a Shifter. If she was his mate, he would’ve said. No, she couldn’t do this to herself again. She had to move on.
“You are wise, little one, I am saddened that you are not for me. Perhaps this lizard breath is your mate, then?”
She saw Jasper move to answer, but Carolina didn’t want any hasty promises. Not after the sex induced bubble of lust they were both still living in. No. She deserved more than that, and so did he.
One thing she’d learned about Jasper Wessex was that he was honorable. Too honorable. If he declared his intentions now, he would talk himself into honoring them till death do they part. That would break Carolina’s heart more than anything.
“No. We just met. He’s my bodyguard.”
Carolina said quickly, cutting off the Demon who simply looked at her with one eyebrow raised.
“Caro?” Jasper called after her, but she moved out of reach.
“Medjed, people are coming. People who can help you acclimate to the times. I hope you will stay and meet with them.”
“Thank you. I think I will do that, ibi-, I mean Ms. Moore,” he bowed.
“Carolina, we need to talk,” Jasper tried again.
“No actually, I need to shower again, and pack, excuse me, please.”
She said, turning to go before he saw her heart breaking. Carolina hid her tears as she raced up the stairs to her bedroom, all the while a silly little girl’s plea repeated in her brain.
Love me. Please love me.