"Frigg! You conniving, merciless bitch!" his deep voice bellowed. "Show yourself!"
Bear pushed himself up from the bench, his knees wobbling. Yet his anger strengthened him, urging him to stand up and slam his sore fist into the wooden pillar of the manor. He was seething with rage, uncontrollable blood lust.
"Frigg!" he snarled again. "I know you're responsible for this!"
"Responsible for what dear?"
Berodach spun around at the feminine voice, and standing in front of him was the goddess Frigg. A woman who was the wife of Odin, and the patron of marriage. The goddess who controlled not only the lifemate's of his kin, but the soulmates of all creatures.
He wanted to storm up to her, to wrap his hands around her throat and strangle her. Yet he needed to ask her questions first.
"I cannot believe you!" he snapped.
Frigg looked at him innocently with gray iris', "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Don't play dumb with me you foul wench! Is torturing my soul not enough?"
She tilted her head to the side, causing her braided waist length copper-blonde hair to drop off her shoulder. Her slender physic draped in vibrant violet silk fabric, embroidered in gold thread. Glamorous jewelry made of gold and priceless gems clung to her thin neck and wrists.
Her pale eyes examined his furious expression, her thin lips curved into a soft smile. "Aha, so you finally found out. I was beginning to wonder if you ever would, it only took you twenty something years."
"Damning me wasn't enough? You had to drag him into this?" he took an uneasy step towards her, baring his teeth and glowering at her with a deadly expression.
Frigg looked over her fine nails, "Why don't you sit Berodach. Before you fall down."
He struck the air beside her face as he slammed his fist against the wall behind her. "Answer my question. Was damning me not enough?"
Her cool expression never faltered. "I never damned you Berodach. You damned yourself."
"Why did you have to involve him?" the deep, sultry tone of his voice almost cracked.
She smiled wickedly, "I don't know what you mean. Care to explain?"
Bear roared, "The lad is my lifemate! How could you do this to him?"
Frigg's wicked smile widened. "So you finally, really, truly realized it." She giggled and clapped her palms together. "I'm so happy!"
She took a step towards him, easily pushing him away from her and watching him stumble backwards until he landed on the bench. His expression was no less furious, yet his body grew more fatigued the longer he stood. She at least needed him to be capable of talking.
"So what happened to you?" Frigg questioned, pointing her finger at him.
"I was on the losing end of a fight."
She almost snorted. "I could figure that out just by looking at you. I meant this, your human, well sort of." Her delicate fingers pulled on the jagged horns protruding from his scalp. "How did this happen?"
Berodach sighed, "The boy used magic on me."
Frigg was almost grinning ear to ear. "I didn't take you for one who'd accept our blessing."
He glared at her from the corner of his eye. "I wasn't given much of a choice."
Frigg leaned closer to him and poked her index finger into his large bicep. "How long have you been like this?"
He counted on his fingers, "I think I was unconscious for two weeks, but I've also been trapped in a bed for another two."
Frigg's expression grew with lewd delight and a sinister smile. Her eyes beamed bright and she leaned against him while snickering. "So you two, you've mated?" she asked curiously. "How was it? Was he as good as the mortal women say? Even among the Aesir, the rumors of Bjorn as reached us. Quite the spirited little beast, isn't he? "
Bear almost slapped her, almost. "No. Of course not."
Her eyes widened. "He was that bad?"
Bear stammered, "I, no, I mean… We haven't done that!"
She pouted. "Well boo. Why not?"
His eye's glistened with years of pain as he looked at her. "What right do I have to even think about touching someone as pure as him?"
"Well he is your lifemate." she giggled. "He is meant for you to touch him. How long did it take you to figure out?" she asked, "You've had to of had some suspicion since you met him as a boy. He's always been yours."
His elbows resting on his knees and his face buried in his palms, he grumbled, sighing as his temper began to exhaust him. "I've only had my suspicions over the last few weeks."
Frigg rolled her eyes, "You're denser than I thought. Bjorn has fawned over you since the first time he met you. The way those blue eyes admired yours, that child knew he belonged to you."
"He was just a child, there is no way he could know such a thing."
"So? Even at a young age, dragons can sense their loved ones. His soul has been linked to yours since his conception."
Bear snarled at her.
"How did those suspicions of yours occur?"
Instead of snarling at her, he squirmed at her next question. He didn't want to answer, yet she continued to ask.
"Berodach? Hmmm, what happened?" she winked, "Did the sight of him naked make your loins ache? Did his lips make your mouth wet? Did his voice make you just, mmmn!"
Bear let out a serpentine hiss and she giggled. "Tell me or I'll just continue making my own assumptions."
He felt his skin crawl, "I don't want to say."