Dron couldn’t move.

Every muscle in his body felt as if it had melted away.

He had never felt this good and this complete in all his life.

If he died right then, he knew he would have no regrets.

That is until he started to hear Tempest crying out in pain somewhere in the distance. She was so far away but somehow still hooked into his mind. As if he could hear what she was thinking.

"Dron, please. Let me go. Get off. Stop!" She begged him.

His heart lurched in his chest. Something was wrong. He couldn’t understand what it could be, but he knew he had to figure out a way to get back to her.

"Tempest..." His voice was slurred. It felt like he was intoxicated.

"Dron, you’re hurting me. Please." She whined and her body shook as she once again tried to lift herself off her.

Hurting her. He was hurting his own heart.

"No, no..." He said over and over as he shook his head and tried to force his mind from the stupor it was in. He had to get back to her. Had to help her.

"Dron...are you with me?" She finally stopped moving; her body still shook, and her muscles were still tense.

Dron’s mind swam with euphoric pleasure, but he fought to push through it. He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head once again. This time he could hear Tempest more clearly as if he were getting closer to her. When he opened his eyes again, he looked down into her face and realized that she was crying. These tears didn’t look like happy tears. They looked anguished.

Tempest tried to lift herself off him again, but this time he held her fast. This was where the pain was coming from. She was trying to pull his knot out.

His knot.

He once again was thrust into a state of disbelief. He’d only heard stories of Alpha’s being able to knot. It was specifically only possible for those who were with their fated mates.

He wanted to scream at the top of his lungs. To celebrate and tell the world that he was the luckiest alpha alive, but he knew now wasn’t the time.

Tempest whimpered and shifted uncomfortably.

Her body had already accepted the knot; she was compatible with it. The fact that she was trying to pull it out before he deflated was what was causing her pain.

"Shh, don’t." Dron leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to the tip of her nose before he thrust in softly lodging himself deeper inside of her.

"What do you mean, ’don’t’? I can’t move. This is wrong." She tried to pull herself up again, but Dron held her still.

"There is nothing more perfect than this Tempest. We are connected. One body. One soul. Just be with me." He kissed against her cheek just as softly as before.

"Yes...connected." She nodded, and he felt her body relaxing a little bit. "But you’ll rip me. I can’t take it." She whined as if she were fighting the idea.

"No. You were made for me. Perfect in every way. Calm yourself. Be with me. Just be still and I promise you everything will be fine." He didn’t know that for certain. He didn’t know if her human body would eventually indeed tear with the pressure of his knot lodged deep inside her, but he had to hope that she wouldn’t. He didn’t know what he would do if he’d really damaged her.

"Perfect..." Tempest hummed the word, and he felt her body relaxing even more. She was giving in. Accepting what was happening. Trusting him.

"You’ve made me a new man. "Dron," he whispered in her ear as he pulled her closer and turned to his side so he was no longer crushing her beneath him. They didn’t separate, and the position still allowed for him to stay deep inside of her.

"You’ve always been this man; I’ve just been blessed with setting you free." She murmured back. Her eyes were already closing from exhaustion.

He smiled down at her. He was certain that she didn’t know how true that statement was. He was set free. There were no expectations, no one around that he had to be wary of. No danger. Just love and his personal temptation. The greatest one he’d ever had.

"Can I sleep... I’m so tired." Tempest yawned and fought to open her eyes.

"Rest, my love. I won’t let you go." Dron nuzzled closer to her, wrapping his arms around her body to keep her steady. He would protect this woman with his very essence. Even in the dream world.

She hummed once before she let her eyelids flutter closed.

Dron watched her for a few moments. The pleasant shape of her nose and soft lips. He wanted to remember every last detail of this night. It would forever be burned into his memory.

Soon the drug-like euphoric feeling pushed back to the front of his mind, and he could no longer keep his eyes open. He sighed and let his eyes close.

It didn’t take long for him to fall into a deep slumber, but there was something different about it. Something more vivid and present about his subconscious.

The world around him was awash with streaks of color and light.

His body was lighter, as if he were floating on air.

He blinked a few times to view his surroundings and realized that he was deep in a field of lush green trees and beautiful flowers. Nothing like the dreams he normally had. There was no fighting or humiliation.

It was so beautiful it actually made his heart hurt. What had he done to deserve this? He felt completely unworthy.

He walked a little further. A soft glow emanated from everything around him. He examined some of the trees and flowers that he was making his way through and realized that they were nothing like what he’d ever seen in real life. It was only things from what he’d read or been taught in his education.

This was their Elysium. What heaven should look like.

"It’s beautiful."

The shock of someone else talking brought Dron to a quick stop. He turned around to see Tempest sitting on the ground. A beautiful white flowy dress blowing softly in the wind. Her long dark hair is down and in waves down her back.

"Tempest... you’re here."

"Of course, I’m here, silly. It’s my dream." She laughed and leaned back on her hands.

"No, this is my dream." Dron shook his head as he walked over and sat down next to her.

"How could this possibly be your dream?" She tilted her head and squinted her eyes at him as if she couldn’t believe him.

He couldn’t believe it himself. This shouldn’t be possible, but then he remembered some of his teachings about fated mates. Teachings he’d long ago put out of his mind since he was so sure he would never find his. Fated mates were supposed to be more than just perfect for each other; they were supposed to be connected through their souls, their subconscious, a life bond.

With Dron still knotted inside of her in the real world, they truly were one soul.

"We’re here together." Dron reached forward and softly pushed a lock of her hair out of her face. She leaned into his touch. He would never get used to that.

"We’re dreaming together?" Tempest questioned a bit of wonder in her voice.

"We’re in heaven together."

"Yes, we are." Dron leaned in and nuzzled against the side of her face. He wanted to stay close to her. To just live in this moment.

"Are you saying we died? That’s how I would get to heaven. "Tempest didn’t seem upset by what she was saying.

Dron laughed softly, "No, my temptation, you haven’t died. We are just in a state of peace that this is the only place we could go."

"Oh, that’s good. I don’t think I want to die yet. I did before." She spoke as if what she’d just said was normal.

"What?" Dron slowly pulled away.

"Oh, it was nothing. Just a small lapse of good judgement. I tried to kill myself. Or at least I think that’s what I was trying to do." She shrugged again and looked down as if she were a little embarrassed about what she was saying.

"Why? Why would you ever want to take your blessings away from the world?" Dron turned so that he was completely facing her. He grabbed her legs and turned her so that they were lying over his own. She leaned her head on his shoulder and simply began talking.

He didn’t know how long they were there or how much time was passing, but none of it mattered. He listened to her talk about her life and the idiot that she was in a previous relationship with.

She told him about her family and her childhood. Tempest was completely at ease, and Dron was completely engrossed in her. He wanted to know it all. All the bad, the good—he wanted to know everything.

He didn’t know how long he would have in this dream world with her but he intended to appreciate every moment.