Page 70 of The Exiled Dragon

"Anytime." Nicholas' biceps bulged while crossing his arms. Looking away quickly, I went to the shelves, looking for anything to help me.

"What are you looking for?" Nicholas pressed, looking at the shelves above me.

"Anything to expose the lies." He stiffened, pulling me back from the shelf. "You believe Adam is lying about Creed too?" I nodded my head.

"I think I've known for a while, but the bond makes you do crazy things," I sniffed. Nicholas walked down the years displayed on the shelving, finally pulling a dusty book.

"I think this is where it started." The year marked was the year of Adam, and I's mating. It was held by a lock that needed a key. Instead of looking for a key to unlock the book, Nicholas ripped the spine, spreading papers to the floor. "We aren't going back. Who cares if we make a mess?" He shrugged his shoulders.

Internally, I cringed. It was becoming so real. Nicholas only looked at me, pleading in his voice. "This, read this."

Nicholas stepped away, his back facing me while I opened up the book to the date I always had mixed feelings about. It was our mating day written in one of the Elder's handwritings.

"This day marked the end of the female Dragon race. Our Alpha, whom we had hoped to use the power given to him, would use it for mating with a wolfless woman who would take the full dragon gene. She was not his true mate, but her willingness to help the species gave us hope. This would have saved the dragon species. The woman was instantaneously killed by Alpha Adam moments after she was presented.

My fellow Elders and I were shocked and dismayed by Alpha Adam's choice after promising to further our species. The wolfless woman's genes were clean enough to produce a female heir Dragon that would have secured our bloodline. Instead, he threatened to tell the secret of his parents to the entire tribe and have us all killed for our betrayal of the former Alpha if he did not mate with a Fae woman he truly wanted that was not his fated

A special memory dust was then presented to Adam, thus preserving the Elders of the tribe. Now we try to find another way to find a full female Dragon to replenish the magic of the Dragons.”

I dropped the book, my face paled, and my heart stopped. Adam was not my true mate. The Elders were nothing but sneaky, evil little shits hell-bent on saving a species the gods did not think should survive with magic. It happened to the Vampires. They lost their magic long ago, and only the royals have bits and pieces left.

Now, the Dragons are being punished for wrongful matings.

“Are you all right?” Nicholas took barefooted steps forward to me, unsure to touch me in my fragile state.

“H-how did you know? That date? How did you know to look there?” My hands shook, covering my mouth.

"Your mark, your Dragon's mark, is light. When my mother died, my father took on a chosen mate many years later with a lonely widow. Both of their marks are light, like yours." He bit his bottom lip, looking at me with sympathy. "I couldn't just tell you. You wouldn't believe me if I didn't have proof. I didn't want to sacrifice what we had."

This was why my Dragon was so weak; I could barely shift. I've only shifted four times in the time I had had her because she couldn’t break through my skin. Adam stole me away. Using a memory powder? What was that potion for?

My mind turned, and voices from the outside became louder. "We have to go." Nicholas grabbed my elbow, but my body went to the floor, picking up the papers. I needed to get this to Queen Melina. She and her mate would provide sanctuary and maybe help my spirit brother. She could provide a safety net for me until I figure out what to do.

I had been wrongfully marked. I felt so dirty.

A tear dropped on one of the papers, making the word, 'mate,' pull the ink from the page.

He forced me.

Chapter Forty-Three

Odessa

Wedidn'twakeupuntil the suns were high the next day. Creed and I had definitely missed breakfast, and I was going on day six without eating. My stomach growled angrily.

The food from the night before had spoiled, so our best bet was to make our way down our tree cottage and find some. I had done much better going down on the platform. The slow, steady way Creed would handle the ropes to keep it solid had my fear wiped clean.

His eyes never left me, his hand always around my hip or arm possessively. If any human man did that, I'm sure my body would have reacted negatively, but he was a Dragon and my mate. The new emotions swirling inside me only confirmed his loyalty and love for me, and his judging eyes of everyone to make sure I was not put in harm's way were reassuring.

As we sat around the large tables, food was being served. Many Elves looked over at Creed warily, wondering if he would shift into his gigantic Dragon. Creed paid no mind. He was probably used to the stares, but it had me feeling awkward.

"That's enough," Annabelle scolded, walking up with a tray of food. "I swear, they act like they have never seen a mated couple before." She clicked her tongue and set it before us. "Here, this will give you strength. I know it is more meat than you are probably used to, but it will help your Dragon come to the surface faster to sate your mate." I cocked my head to the side, not understanding what she meant.

Instead of sitting beside Creed, he now lifted me and sat me on his lap. I squealed, holding my arms around his neck to get my balance. "Mhmm," Annabelle smirked, walking away to talk to Zaos with a worried face. Before listening to their conversation, Daine and Tangle sat beside us. He had a significant bite mark on his shoulder.

"You-!" we both spoke at the same time. Laughing, we both pointed.

"Yes, the same night!" Daine clapped his hands wildly. "I knew we would be the best of friends, getting marked the same day!" Tangle pulled Daine closer, his nose straight to his shoulder, playfully biting him. Tangle continued to be the silent type, but Daine now paid more attention to his mate. They must have a silent communication like Creed and I had.

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