Page 65 of The Exiled Dragon

Iwokeupinyet another strange place. It wasn’t the dark cave I had now come to love and call home. The softer bed beneath my back reminded me of the treehouse back with the Elves, and that’s exactly what it was.

I was back in our smaller tree house where we had been staying with the Elves. The gigantic bed was sunken, and a large arm covered me. Now the tingles were stronger. The hot flashes of his arm had me instantly humming in contentment. How did we end up back here? Surely not all of it was a dream.

My hand went to my shoulder, and sure enough, I felt the indentations in my shoulder where his fangs pierced my skin. Instantly I shivered. They felt so good to touch.

Creed’s eyes were closed, his breathing heavy and steady as I faced him. His brows were furrowed, but instantly relaxed once feeling my gaze. I felt a wave of calm overcome my body while his body sunk deeper into the fluffy bedding. My hand brushed away some of his hair, the braids I spent so long tightening into small rows the night of the party were now loose around his face. His beard was not trimmed like he normally had it. I frowned, looking at his state. He was disheveled, not his normal self.

His chest let out a purr. My heart felt the pull. It must have been his Dragon feeling that I was awake. It was the strangest feeling, feeling not only my own emotions but that of my Dragon and Creed’s. Talk about an emotional roller coaster.

A small knock at the door caught my attention. Creed didn’t even stir as Glinda walked into the treehouse carrying a large tray. “Thank the gods.” She let out a breath. Closing the door, she set down the large tray full of food with a clank. Rushing to the bed, she felt my forehead as I kept the sheets covering my body. I was still naked, and I swear if another person saw me in this state, I would scream. People liked being naked around here too much.

“I know you are confused, but just know you are safe. Everything is all right.” I could only nod, my voice escaping me as it finally dawned on me that Creed had not woken up. Creed would wake at the slightest sound of a water droplet dripping in the cave since I’ve known him. Glinda, sensing my worry, grabbed my hand.

“He’s fine. I drugged him.” My head whipped so fast my hair slapped her in the face. She laughed, scratching her nose. “It was just a little something to take the edge off, but it looks like he was more exhausted than I realized.” Glinda grabbed a tall drink filled with a pink liquid inside. “Here, drink this. It will help your body wake up from its long slumber.”

“You just said you drugged my mate. Why would I drink anything from you?” I wanted to laugh but kept my stern face towards her.

“If you knew what your mate has been through while you slept the past five days away, you would have done the same,” she scolded.

“Five days!?” I squealed. Still Creed did not wake, and my heart pained to watch him so still.

“Yes, five. Now drink this and I’ll explain.”

Glinda’s posture became rigid and she glanced out the dark window. It was as black as night outside, no lights that usually hung in the trees to keep a well-lit path across the swinging bridges. In fact, the entire area was quiet, no crickets to be heard and no small animals jumping on the roofs of the tree cottages.

“Creed’s half-brother Adam came looking for him after your mating. He came right to the cave. Luckily, Creed’s only friend, Amora, spread some scent deterrent against the cave so he could not smell you inside. Adam became furious with Creed for not doing his normal patrols. He brought several warriors to help him find your mate. Creed is the watchman and guard for the entire tribe, a promise he made to his mother before she died.” Glinda gulped, watching Creed sleep.

“Adam demanded he go sweep the territory, but Creed refused, knowing you were inside alone. There was a scuffle, but Creed stunned them when he refused the Alpha order. Warriors retreated and didn’t even listen to Alpha Adam’s roars. Creed’s Dragon was heard all the way down the mountain. Even the Elves here were terrified. Daine and Tangle ran towards Creed’s cave to find you. We knew Dragons like to mate in their own nests, so our best bet was to find you there.” Glinda stood from the bed, grabbing a wet cloth to put over Creed’s head.

“Adam and Creed fought, but Creed held back from killing Adam. Adam fled the scene while Amora, Alpha Adam’s mate, had stayed hidden. She helped us bundle you up, bring you back here, while Creed made sure that Adam went back to the tribe.”

My body sank, my hand rubbing on Creed’s shoulder as a tear slid down my cheek. He fought for me. I don’t know why that made me feel pride in my chest, but it did. “He didn’t want to kill his half-brother because of his mother, isn’t that right?” Glinda nodded.

“Amora has been more family to Creed than anyone, but she is Adam’s mate. Since Daine and Tangle have seen Adam’s evil ways of attacking his own tribe member, refusing an order or not, it has severed our ties with the Toboki tribe and the alliance we have, since Creed was attacked without proper cause. Also, when Adam called Creed with his Alpha roar, it did not work on him.”

“Wait.” I rubbed my forehead. “Does that mean Creed is stronger than Adam?” Glinda’s eyes wouldn’t meet mine, and her hands shook.

“Promise me Creed won’t harm my son once he realizes I have drugged him,” she pleaded. “I did it with his best interest in mind. He was livid when he came back to our territory.” Her voice cracked. “His Dragon knocked over tables, roaring, upset that he couldn’t see you. We put you in the treehouse, thinking he would return there, but he was blinded by rage. The bond is only halfway, you see. You need to mark him back once you can shift. Only then will his possessiveness calm. Several trees were knocked down, but I was able to throw a vial of nightshade in his throat before his fire unleashed.”

“He would never hurt any of you! I’m so sorry he acted this way, I’ve never seen him like that!” I grabbed her hand.

“No one was hurt. We understood why he was upset. There is no blame; it’s just the way Dragons are.” I downed the pink drink in one go, Glinda relaxing as she put it on the table.

“Tell me, is Creed stronger than Adam? Why is this so?” I pulled on her hand again, urging her to tell me.

“He is. It means Creed could challenge Adam to the right of the tribe. It also means that since he is his half-brother, Creed should have been the Alpha all along.”

There was the motive for Adam never standing up for his brother. Adam was never the rightful Alpha. It should have been Creed. “But he wasn’t the son of his stepfather, right? Do royal lines follow with males instead of females?”

Glinda shook her head, slumping her shoulders. “I’m not sure how all that works with Dragon Shifters. The only explanation is that his mother must have been born an Alpha Dragon, but I don’t know how the previous Alpha, Kaldran, fits into all of this.”

I slumped back onto the bed, keeping my chest covered. This was so much deeper than I ever thought it would be, so much family drama for a Dragon that was wrongly exiled. My gentle Dragon had gone through so much before I had even come into this world and now he was doing everything he can to save me.

“Does Adam know I’m here?”

A stern “no” entered the room. The woman walking in held a large satchel filled to the brim with clothing. Her hair was braided to one side and her bright eyes held sympathy.

“My name is Amora, Creed’s sister by spirit.” Her eyes trailed over to me, barely looking at Creed on the bed. “And yes, I am the mate of Adam, but I swear to you I will hold Creed and your whereabouts a secret. Adam is not the mate I thought he was.” A tear rolled down her cheek.

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