The whisps in the air surrounded Nicholas and Amora. Their bodies continued to tangle with each other through the night. The softness of Amora's hair, the feather like touches she traced on several of his tribal tattoos had Nicholas' dragon purring. Nicholas was over the blue moon. He had long awaited for his mate and here she was.

Nicholas couldn't understand how his mate was right under his nose the entire time. He had spent many years with Amora, always thought of her as attractive, and wanted to give her more than her supposed mate ever did. Adam was a busy Alpha, always putting the tribe first, but when his demands for Amora came to a head when he needed her most, she complied, almost hesitating.

Nicholas saw it from the very beginning. The light colored dragon head on her shoulder should have been his first clue, but he shouldn't question his alpha, so he let it be. Now her shoulder was covered with his mark, the light colored mark from Adam's fangs now washed away with his stronger venom for his mate. Now, a beautiful tattoo of his dragon's head laid on her shoulders.

Nicholas traced him with his finger. He wasn't able to see Amora's bite on him, not being around surrounding water to see its glorious reflection, but he knew it was there. The radiant warmth he could feel with his palm was enough evidence for him.

Amora stared in his eyes lovingly. For the first time, her smile was genuine. It held no hesitation, no question in it. For that, he was thankful, for she was the light source in his life and he would do everything he can to avenge the life she suffered under the hands of Adam.

"We should head back to the palace," Amora whispered, laying her head on Nicholas' shoulder, tracing his chest with her claw. "It isn't safe to be out here with,..." Amora paused, too upset to say the Alpha's name.

"I'll protect you, I will keep you from him," Nicholas growled. "Besides, he is feeling too much pain right now to come for us tonight. I would rather spend it with you under the stars." Amora hummed. She had forgotten Adam would feel the bond break. Amora didn't feel it at all. In fact, she felt better. Her dragon didn't feel weak any longer.

As the minutes passed, her dragon moved within her body with powerful movements. She was bursting with excitement, able to feel her true mate just beside her.

"I forgot," Amora nuzzled closer to Nicholas. He pulled her close, their naked bodies covered by the overhanging leaves. Many humans would find it strange for anyone to lay naked in the woods, but to dragons and shifters and of the like, this was all but natural. They were part animal, their bodies comfortable with their nakedness and their oneness with nature.

"Yet, it is not near enough pain he will suffer later for his brutality against you."

....

Earlier, Adam strode back into his Tribe. Many eyes lingered on him, watching their alpha's dragon blaze with fury. His body felt weak after dealing with Duke Mortus, which put him in a foul mood. His jagged movements didn't go unnoticed. Many whispered in each other's ears as Adam stomped to his tent to drink the black magic potion laced with dragon's blood. It was his only source to keep up the façade of being the fiercest dragon on this side of the mountain. "All warriors and elders, gather in the meeting hall!" Adam thundered as he drank the last bit of the flask. His body strengthens in an instant, his dragon roaring loudly in his chest. His dragon wanted blood, and it didn't matter who. He was going to kill someone this night, and he was hoping it would be Creed.

The elders gathered in the hall's front, while warriors of the tribe sat behind. Adam stomped to the front of the stage that held him so much higher than the rest of the tribe. "My mate is missing." he rubbed his chest, feeling a twinge of pain. "The vampires of the south are out to find her and want to kill your Alpha female. They are angry that my warriors have not found the human girl that the Duke wants so badly." The warriors murmured, several shaking their heads. The warriors had searched high and low, their dragons had no clue where the girl could have gone. It was like she lived as a ghost in the mountains or there truly never was a human girl. One warrior grunted, looking around. "Where is Nicholas? He is her personal bodyguard. Wouldn't he know here where about?" Adam growled noisily. Nicholas was her bodyguard. He pledged his life to protect her after he had the Elders cast a spell with dragon's blood to block their bond. Once he saw the both of them look at each other, the elders immediately threw the memory powder to their faces, since that day they never knew the difference.

Adam didn't mind this too much. Even if Amora somehow felt the bond, she would have been repulsed by the idea of cheating on him. Adam was her mate, and he had been completely devoted to her even with the lies he's told. "Well?" Adam growled. "Where is he?" The warriors all shook their heads, the elders sat quietly in their corner. "I don't appreciate..." Adam grabbed his chest. His heart felt like it was cutting in two. Unbearable pain ripped through his body, his mark set ablaze. Steam flowed upward from his shoulder, screaming for someone to help him. Elder Naho, the elder who had started all of this mess with witches, magic and vampires, put his hand to Adam's mark. Adam screamed again, pulling his legs up to his chest, trying to hide from the pain. Elder Naho's fists gathered tightly, his claws puncturing his palms.

"She will know," he hissed. The other elders gathered, the worried looks upon their faces. Adam's body cracked, his dragon trying to heal him, but the combination of black magic and the bond breaking had Adam half shifted and unable to go to a more permanent form. The smoke that tried to arise around his body, to keep the pain of the shift at bay, slumped to the floor.

Warriors looked on in confusion, the elders stood back, unable to help their alpha. "What is happening?" His teeth lengthened, only to pierce through his jaw, causing his own blood to pool to the floor.

"The bond is broken," Elder Naho spat. "Not only that, she has found a mate to erase all traces of you."

Howling, Adam screamed, 'no,' in protest. His claws lengthened, digging deep divots into the platform. "She is mine!! Find her!" His dragon forcefully used Adam's vocal cords too harshly, blood spilling out of his mouth.

Many warriors ran from the meeting hall, shifting and flying to the sky. Two warriors in particular held back at the front of the entrance, talking amongst themselves. "Something isn't right," one of them said. "Amora is too gracious to do this to a mate. You know how she was, how she protected Creed all these years." The other dragon looked at Adam's contorting body, Elders rubbing a salve on his aching wounds.

"I agree, and watching him attack Creed for no justification is disturbing. That could be any of us one day." Both dragons left the hall, now more conflicted than ever.

"And what of these salves the elders put on him? The potions and drinks they give him constantly?" Both dragons stood still, unsure what they should do. They did not have enough evidence, but their dragons only agreed with them that something must be done.

Adam's screams became louder, causing their dragons to wince. "We must find Alpha Amora then," one spoke, "and find out the real reason she has left."

....

Creed stroked Odessa's heavily pinked cheeks. She continued to pant, her eyes closed, but dared not fall asleep. Creed had been with her throughout the night, his rut never subsiding but for a few minutes at a time. His mate was insatiable, and his dragon wanted to be inside of her at all times, releasing more and more of his seed.

Odessa, however, was having a hard time keeping up. Her dragon had yet to come to the surface for her shift, and her body did not heal as fast as a supernatural. Creed had held off, his cock continue to swell but the thought of having his mate take more of his seed had his dragon whimper inside.

Her flower was puffy and swollen, it leaked of his essence, which made him prideful all the same. He would be the only one to enter her, to fill her with his scent.

"Are you alright?" he nuzzled into his mark. She tried to shiver, but the soreness in her body wouldn't let her.

"Yes, I'm fine," she said breathlessly. Her pants now subsiding. Creed kissed her forehead. Walking to the front of the cave, Odessa wanted to protest, but her body was not letting her move. From so many orgasms, her body shook, her hands clutched the sheets as she watched Creed's naked body walk through the thin mouth of the cave. Her eyes fluttered, only to have Creed right in front of her flushed face.

“Willa has left us a gift," Creed cooed, brushing Odessa's hair back. He rumbled through the basket. Food, lotions, soap, oils, candles and fragrances filled the basket. Creed smiled, thinking about how much he owed the little siren fae for helping him and his mate.

Creed had made many new friends in just a few weeks' time, and it was all thanks to Odessa, who showed him more of his world that he had ever known.

Pulling out a blue glass bottle with a decorative cork, it read, "witch-hazel." Instructions on the back showed it could help soothe between a woman's thighs. Creed's face flushed pink. But that did not deter him from wanting to take care of his mate.

Taking the soft towels from the basket, he coated the witch-hazel on the cloth, having Odessa roll on her back. Her mind was elsewhere. The endorphins from so much activity had her in a dream-like state. That did not keep her from constantly reaching for Creed, holding his arm or stroking his cheek.

Her embarrassment now gone being completely nude in front of her mate, she felt the soft touches around her sensitive most areas. The warmth of the liquid cooled the heat and rough feeling from his assaults. Odessa sighed blissfully, now feeling the affects of her puffy flower now calming.

"Better?" his voice rumbled. As much as he wanted to take care of his mate, his dragon continued to salivate and grin with greed. He had done this to his mate, and he loved it all the more, seeing her swollen from his cock. Odessa hummed, now pulling on Creed's arm. She needed him to be right with her, feel the warmth of his body around her, calm her and pet her cheek. Intimacy was Odessa's favorite part, even though the mind-blowing pleasure wasn't that bad either.

Creed's body melted into hers, her mouth tickling his neck as she planted a kiss. Continuing to rub her back, Creed thought it was best to tell her of the dream that had brought so many emotions to the surface.

His fawn contentedly listened, almost crying hearing he got to speak to his mother, but then tears of anger at his half brother and his tribe's elders betraying everything a tribe should stand for. Odessa wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling the pain in Creed's heart.

"We will find your father," she whispered into his neck. "I'm sure whatever spell will drop behind him since he is so strong, just like you." Odessa pecked his cheek.

"I worry about the tribe. Many of them are under either Adam's charm or spell. I worry they will not see the truth and attack my father."

"You must speak to them, Creed," Odessa pleaded. "As much as you want to hide your voice and keep it for me, which is the sweetest thing," Odessa trailed her finger over his lips. "The truth must come out and we have friends backing you. Even the Moon Kingdom will be present once everything is in its place."

Creed placed his forehead on Odessa's. "We have to avenge your mother, we have to avenge Amora and when your father returns, you can explain to him who you are. You have a father, Creed," her eyes softened, "you have part of your genuine family still here in this world." Creed's eyes warmed at Odessa's words.

His fawn always knew the right words to comfort him. His lips lowered to hers, kissing her lovingly. Creed groaned, feeling the pain between his legs, but he dared not to say a word to his Fawn. She was tired and he would not sheath his beast until the effects of the witch-hazel took effect.

"Prince Charming," Odessa's eyes hooded. "There are other ways I can pleasure you, you know?" Creed let out a harsh breath. His dragon purring loudly at his mate's touches.

"Let me take care of you as you have taken care of me, because that is what lovers do." Odessa gave Creed a peck on the lips, trailing down his torso with her hot abated breaths. Her warm tongue licked around the base of his shaft, finally engulfing him whole with her mouth.