Dr. Luna
The Fairy’s Forbidden Mate Chapter 58

arms.

Titus led Rhea down to the hall where their rooms were before they moved upstairs. He entered the one across from her room, which was Lee's room. Lee looked up the moment they entered the room. Once the door was shut, he pulled her from Titus and into his "I'm sorry Rhea. I'm so sorry... are you okay?" Lee didn't mean to be so forceful with her. He let his anger get away from himself. His inner beast was so enraged over another male touching his mark that he was no longer able to hold in his composure. When the opportunity came, he used it to lay claim over her lips.

Rhea rested her head against Lee. Her hands were sprawled over his chest. He was apologizing to her. There was nothing to apologize for. She had craved his urgency. She was glad he showed the intense desire for her in front of everyone. And he was able to do it in a way without causing suspicion. She tilted her head up to him and smiled. "Lee..." She reached her hand up and rested it on his face. He closed his eyes and leaned into her hand. "I'm fine. Don't apologize for that... please."

"No, you should be apologizing to me for embarrassing me back there. Man, now I have to think how to play this all off." Titus rubbed his temples. They would be expecting him to have some animosity with Levi over what had just happened.

"This is your fault first Titus. You are the one who made him mad on purpose to mess with his head. And what is with this whole mate acceptance kiss? I'm not okay with this." Rhea pulled back and looked between both men. "I'm not okay with it either." Lee snarled angrily.

"What am I supposed to do here Levi? If I refuse to mark her publicly then it would be like refusing her. I'm at a loss as to what to do." Titus raised his hands and dropped them to his side.

Rhea understood what was at stake here. They need the dragon's acceptance. And if Titus doesn't publicly mark her she wouldn't get it. Then there is the whole problem of him marking someone not his mate. But if he doesn't claim her as his mate then the question would arise who her mate was. On top of that there was the emotional struggle for her and Lee to allow Titus to mark her neck. It wasn't really marking it since he can't mark over Lee's mark. But it would be the same act as marking. Rhea rubbed her hand over her forehead and groaned quietly. She had to choose a poison.

"So now what?" She looked up to Lee and pursed her lips together. None of the choices here were going to be good ones.

"There is no now what. We continue on with what we have been doing. You have to keep playing the role as my mate for now. We can't risk it the other way." Titus's voice whispered out quietly. Lee winced and clenched his fists.

Rhea reached out and grabbed his hand. He tugged her into his hold and rested his head upon hers.

"I can't. We will just have to call off the charade because there is no way I can allow you to touch her." Lee kissed the top of her hair. How could he possibly let him intimately touch her like that?

"Levi, man you can't risk it. It won't mean anything. It is just an act. It's acting. One moment and it is done. And we can keep this going until you can get things worked out. Rhea..." Titus looked at Rhea hoping to convince her. "If we don't do this you could lose him." "Maybe there is another way to get the deities to accept us if Lee is unable to convince them." She knew there was but she was fishing to see if Lee would even bring it up.

"No, we need their acceptance." Lee said quietly.

"So your options are you either go through with this charade. Or you don't. Then you have to keep trying to hide who your mate is while everyone will be wondering who I was protecting. Or they think you are my mate but I don't accept you." Titus shook his head. "It's obvious. There is only one solution here unless you want to risk it."

Rhea was frustrated. Did Lee not even think about the Ocean's Tear or was it really something that was out of the question for him? Was it because of how dangerous the merrow queen was? Or did it have to do with losing his immortality? She wasn't afraid of the merrow queen. If only she could just talk with him over it. She knew Grandpa Sage was right though. If he suspected Rhea knew about the Ocean's Tear he would make certain she couldn't go after it. He should know that the merrow queen would be no match for her... right? Or did he really think she was that weak? She let out a sigh. Lee was not giving her any other option right now. She couldn't risk losing him. For just one moment... she would have to put up with something uncomfortable.

"Okay... I guess there isn't a choice then." She tilted her head up to look at Lee. "I'll just close my eyes and pretend it's you."

"I can't be here then... I can't be here to see it. I won't be able to handle it. I'm sorry Rhea. I'm not strong enough to be here for you. I just can't." His voice was pained as he spoke.

"Levi... it is a royal mate. Your presence will be required." Titus said very quietly.

"Then I'll come afterwards to bless the union. Trust me... you don't want me where I can see you or you might not live through it." Lee's voice dripped with a lethal threat.

"I don't know how to say what I am trying to say... I promise it will be done tastefully...." Titus looked down unable to make eye contact with Lee. In all honesty this moment caught up to him and he had forgotten about the mating kiss until earlier today. He was dumb to bring it up like he did earlier. The more he thought about it he realized how insensitive it was of him. He could see Levi was torn and hurting over what would have to happen. And that Rhea was upset as well. All he could promise to do was make it as less intimate as possible. They couldn't risk them getting found out. He couldn't risk losing Levi.

"It won't change anything Lee. I can't risk losing you, not when we have an easy way to keep us off the radar... I guess this is just another one of those stupid dragon things..." Or she could just run off and get that damn Ocean's Tear; tell the damn Merrow to cough it up. If it wasn't for Lee being able to find her because of his connection to her as a summon she could do that.

Lee cupped her face in his hands. "Of course, it won't change anything. I'm just sorry that I have to subject you to something like this. You're the one who has to let him touch you. I am sure the idea is dirty to you." He gazed into her eyes and kissed her forehead gently. He didn't want her to even think for a moment that it would change anything between them. He wouldn't think of her any differently. He was just upset that this was going to be his fault. Because this whole situation was is his fault for marking her when he did.

Titus stood there with his arms folded over his chest and with his brows furrowed. "Subjected to this? The idea of me doing a favor for you guys is dirty? Well... I guess that says about everything. I mean it is not like I have halitosis or anything. I brush, floss and mouthwash."

Rhea turned her head and then giggled to Titus. "Sorry Titus. We don't mean anything by it. Honestly, if I do have to have someone else mark my neck or pretend to mark my neck, I am glad that it is you. But even still... the idea of anyone else touching me besides Lee... It's just not a good feeling. But I trust you..." She looked up to Lee and smiled. "We trust you."

Titus grinned and couldn't help himself. "So... you're saying I'm your second-choice mate then?"

Lee growled out in agitation while Rhea shook her head with a smile. He was always such a flirt, but she trusted him. She was comfortable with him. There was something about Titus that she couldn't explain. She always felt drawn to him and connected in a way. Not that she wanted him slobbering all over her neck. She was loyal to Lee. If she did have to have someone else touch her... it would be Titus.

"I swear you better not enjoy it at all Titus." Lee snorted out angrily.

"Well, I'm not exactly going to be grossed out by it. What about her? I can't help it if she enjoys it." Titus shrugged and then flashed a big grin towards them.

"He knows better. He knows his is the only touch I would enjoy." Rhea looked into Lee's light blue eyes as he gazed back into hers.

"Your lovey dovey stuff is making me sick." Titus fake gagged to the side.

"Yours is the only touch I want too Rhea." Lee smiled as he stared at his beautiful mate.

Rhea's eyes widened. "Oh that reminds me!" She was going to bring up what the other women had said earlier about him. "Those two women back there. They told me something interesting today." Rhea stepped back from Lee and she eyed him in fake accusation. "One of them had a t-shirt of yours and she claims that you have slept together. And that you are planning to sleep with the other one as well. They said you are picking one of them to be by your side."

"Damn, Levi you are a whore." Titus chuckled noticing that Rhea didn't take the women seriously.

Lee scoffed and stared down at Rhea. His eyes were dark and stormy. "They had a shirt of mine? And said that I actually slept with one of them?" He was snarling as he spoke now. "Rhea... I don't know how they got a shirt of mine. I would never-" Rhea giggled. "Lee... don't you know I trust you more than that? I'll always believe in you."

Lee reached out and pulled her up to him. An instant relief passed over him. "You're amazing." He lowered his head down and he lovingly took her lips. It was warm, sweet and tender. "Thank you for believing in me." He then looked at Titus. "I won't have it, Titus. I will not have rumors spreading about me sleeping with other women. I won't have them using me so that they can get their way. Have Weston deal with them... and tell him that this is his chance to handle it. Otherwise... I will." His voice was low and angry. The threat in his tone could not be missed. He was livid. Beyond angry. What if Rhea wasn't so trusting? They could have damaged his relationship with his mate. Then there was a problem with them soiling his good name. He was the deity here. How dare they degrade him by spreading rumors about him. As if he would let those nasty creatures touch him.

"I'll make sure I speak with Weston. We can't have anyone spreading rumors like that about you. It does not bode well for all of us dragons. They are lucky they are not from my kingdom. I'm sure Weston will handle it properly. Those women are his cousins and should know better. It wasn't like they just made up a lie about sleeping with one of the kings... which would be bad enough. They said it about you. How foolish." Titus agreed. Insinuating that you were sleeping with the dragon deity was a deadly offence. Their lives would only be spared because of who they are. However, their punishment would still be severe. He imagined they would be stripped of their social standing and no longer able to attend mating parties. Whatever was decided... it would be up to Weston. "Hmmm... so what happens to me then?" Rhea tilted her head over to look at Titus. "I am telling everyone that I am sleeping with you but I'm not."

Lee chuckled. "You are my mate, Rhea. That means you are immune to a king's judgement. No one can touch you once you are announced as my mate. You will be above all except me." Rhea looked up to Lee and then back to Titus. "So... I'll be above all the kings? Just because I am with you?"

"Rhea... I have never taken a mate. It is a big deal for a deity to take a mate. My mate will have an equal position as me. Which means you... you stand with me Rhea. You are untouchable."

"I see. So, I can kiss someone else's mate and not get in trouble." Rhea gave him a playful wicked smile. Since that is what he did to Titus. He kissed Rhea... who everyone thinks is Titus's mate.

"The thing is my dear. While nothing will happen to you..." He pulled her close and gripped her chin with his fingers. "I will kill anyone else who touches your lips."

"Talk about the kiss of death." Titus laughed. "Except for me who gets to kiss your neck tomorrow." Titus winked playfully. He caught the deadly eyes of Lee locked on him. "Too soon?"

"Yes... it will always be too soon." Lee sighed. He will never be able to listen to Titus talk about kissing his mate's neck. The very idea of letting him touch what is his was driving him mad. He knew he could not be anywhere near the area when he did it. He would lose control for sure.