The Tiger and The Dragon (BxB)

Chapter Twelve

Today was the day. It was Saturday, which meant Asher would be picking me up at about four for the picnic. I told Jenny I wasn't sure exactly when I'd be home, and she gave me a curfew of eleven, which would be plenty of time for a date, with my mate.

I got up at ten, finally dragging myself out of bed for some coffee. I grabbed a mug of it, my phone, and let Maxwell outside. I sat down on the outdoor swing that sat on the porch, content to sit here for a while.

After about half an hour, Jenny came out and sat with me. "So what time is he picking you up?" she asks, sitting next to me on the swing.

"About four." I say, keeping my answer short. I trusted Jenny, but I was still scared of a repeat of what happened with Trent and Brin. It all came back when I smelled him.

"Well, have fun, okay?" she says, and it makes me want to chuckle. Showing him I was a tiger wasn't going to be fun, and it was giving me anxiety. However, Cole was very calm about the entire thing.

He won't do anything, he rumbles inside my head.

"I will." I tell Jenny, ignoring Cole. She goes back inside, taking Max back inside with her, and soon afterwards I start to get ready. I felt like stupid because I couldn't decide what to wear, but after a while I decide on black skinny jeans and a gray shirt. After waiting for what seemed like forever, I finally hear the doorbell. "I'll get it!" I shout to Jenny.

I open the door and look at Asher, he was dressed in blue jeans and a white shirt with a colors dripping from the shoulders. He looked really pretty, and seeing him made me wish I had put more thought into my outfit.

"You look gorgeous." Asher tells me, causing a faint blush to adorn my cheeks. I felt like a girl, being called gorgeous.

"Thank you." I stammer out. "You look really good." I say.

"Are you ready to go?" he asks me, smiling at me softly. I nod my head and call out to Jenny that I was leaving. He turns on the radio, once we get in the car and he starts driving. He tells me we're going to be about a mile onto pack territory, but that the nearest house would be about five miles away from us.

We got out of the truck and walked for a few minutes until we reached a very small clearing that was surrounded by trees, making it a little dark. The clearing held a blanket and a picnic basket. There were strands of fairy lights hanging down from the tree behind the blanket. It looked beautiful, and they reminded me of stars twinkling in the night.

"It's so pretty." I exhale while speaking, making me sound breathless.

"I'm glad you like it." Asher replies, smiling widely at me. We sat down, and he opens up the basket and pulls out a lot of stuff. There was different kinds of pasta with a couple sauces, vegetables, fruits, and desserts. It all looked really good.

"Wow, that's a lot of food." I say, chuckling a little. I couldn't believe how much it was.

"Don't worry, we don't have to eat it all." he says, passing me a plate and utensils while keeping a set for himself as well.

There are a couple of bottles for us to use as cups, I assume so we didn't have to worry about spillage. All in all, it was really sweet and thoughtful, the whole picnic thing. I didn't expect it all go be so beautiful, and Asher looked handsome in the glow of the lights.

I leaned against the tree, Asher sitting right next to me as the tree was pretty big, and started eating.

"Do you wasn't the last one?" Asher asks, holding the box of chocolates out to me.

I waved him off, "Nah, I've already eaten so much." We had talked for so long, and I really liked him. He was really sweet, and caring, and I could tell he was protective of those he loved. However, I was getting really nervous as more time passed, which brought us closer and closer to him learning what I was.

He must've sensed this, because he grabbed my hand, squeezing it before letting go. "You don't have to show me." he murmurs softly.

I stood up, steeling my resolve, I walked a few paces away before stripping. I could hear Asher's quick intake of breath.

Okay, show time, I say to Cole. I fall to my knees, bones breaking and reforming. I let out a roar as my fangs grow in, and after a few painstaking moments, I got to my paws, but give the reins to Cole.

"Cole?" Asher asks, and he chuffs in affirmation. Cole tentatively walks over to Asher, and he rubs his cheek against Asher's shoulders, scenting him.

Asher brushes through his fur, running it through his own fingers. "You're beautiful." he murmurs. Normally this would make me blush, but all I feel is happiness from Cole that our mate accepts us, a happiness I share.

"Okay," Asher says nervously. "My turn. Warren, his name is Walker." Asher directs at me. He starts to strip, making Cole chuff, which makes me want to die from embarrassment. Them, his chest starts to convulse as if it was going to explode. I was taken aback, as Asher started to grow and shift into something reptilian.

A dragon, before my eyes. I honestly had no idea if they were real before this moment in time. Walker's scales shine in the light. He's got a wingspan of about 30 feet easily, and his scales are obsidian, save for his crimson underbelly. As he swings his head around to look at me, I see the silver eyes pierce my soul, as if seeing every secret I had.

Cole chuffs, letting Walker and Asher know we were okay. I didn't feel threatened by him, I couldn't stop looking at how the light danced on his scales. I know it's stupid to not to be afraid of something that could literally squash me, but I truly didn't. I wasn't scared of him, and I trusted my mate not to hurt me. That's when it hit me; I trusted him.

Cole walks over to Walker and rubs against his leg. His skin was hot, but he was a dragon, so it made sense to me.

Walker let out a snort, smoke escaping his nose in the process. I wondered if he could breathe fire. Was that possible?