Page 11 of Dragon Awakened

"I'm so sorry," Malik rumbles.

"It's okay." She pats his hand, like she's comforting him, and maybe she is. But then she refocuses. "I, um. Need help."

"Anything you need," I promise, but I've promised that before.

Shaking her head, she says, "I need a specific kind of help. From my mates."

She glances around.

And then it dawns on me.

"You mean--" I begin.

"I'm a Shadow Dragon," she says, and each time she claims that identity, she does it with more confidence, "with bits of Water, Fire, Stone and Air inside me, and I need..." Her throat bobs, and she glances from one of us to the next. "I need a mate of Water, Fire, Stone...and Air."

Of course.

The truth of it is so obvious.

My stomach sinks, though. Possessive instincts rear up inside of me.

From the moment I laid eyes on Ember, I have wanted her for my own. She was made for me, meant for me.

But she also made for Rafe and for Malik.

And for someone else.

"I'm sorry," she says, rubbing at her eyes. "I know this is a mess, but--"

I interrupt. "Anything. Anything you need, Ember."

Every time she's taken another mate, it's torn at my heart, but I can feel it in my bones that it's right.

"Even if it's another man," Rafe agrees. Our gazes meet, a silent understanding passing between us.

We all look to Malik then.

He looks a little queasy, but he swallows, and resolve settles over his features. "So where do we find this fourth man?"

Some of the tension in the room finally breaks, and Ember breathes out a sigh of relief.

"Uh." Rafe scoffs. "I'm going to go out on a limb here and say the Air Dragon Kingdom?"

"There are two princes there, are there not?" I ask.

Because it can't be a coincidence. She is the heir to some dragon throne, meant to bring light to shadow. She's mated with three dragon princes already. Surely her fourth mate will be of a royal bloodline as well.

"There are," she allows.

"But..." Malik prods her.

Dark guilt sours the air, and I sit up straighter. "Ember..."

Darting her gaze from me to Rafe, she asks, "You remember me telling you about my really terrible, shitty ex?"

My stomach sinks. "I do."

I wanted to tear the man limb from limb at the time. He broke my mate's heart. Rejected her and made her feel unworthy, leaving scars that haunt her to this day.

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