Odessa Orion gave a knowing look to Creed, who only stiffened, giving a curt nod, leading me out behind the throne to a secret passageway. Bringing me down a dark corridor that could only look like where Disney characters go to pop out at their new destination. Feeling the wall, his fingers found a seam, pounding it on it several times, it opened leading out into thick, lush bushes taller than himself.

"How did you?" I went on to say, only to see that wonderful smile he just gave me.

"I could smell the honeysuckles outside," his velvet voice had me melting. Grabbing his hand, he led me through the small unused path and into an untamed garden. It was overgrown, the vines crept up the side of the palace walls, the flowers stood out amongst the lightened brick with their deep blues and purples. Pixies grabbed the nectar from each flower, poured it into a small vial, and kept it to their chests.

We walked further on the stony path, feeling each of the small stones between my slippers of the overly extravagant dress I wore. The silk on the bottom only pulled at each small stone, fearing I would cause ripples in the silk. I held it up not to ruin Willa's sweet gestures of clothing me.

For a palace garden, I would expect to see everything immaculate, trimmed trees, bushes, and flowers, each plant to have its place, but this garden was wild and feral. It reminded me of the mountain where I first climbed to get away from the Duke.

I had missed the place that I now called home. It was silent except for the sounds of nature that thrives there. I could almost hear Fluffy digging into the dirt, trying to find a buried bone or two to bring home to dinner.

The craving for home was what fueled me. The cave that we called ours, the nest that I recently found out, he finds as his special place. Feeling honored that he would have put me in that nest when he first found me gave me those warm feelings all over again. Dragon shifters were very much animalistic, like all the shifters of this world, taking on those characteristics in their human personalities.

The fountain in the middle had a wolf and fae playing in the surrounding trough, water flying from the fae's hands as the wolf pranced around her. It was beautiful and looked fairly new with how crisp the lines were in the stone. Creed led me to the edge, sitting down, only to have me pulled into his lap. His fingers brushed the side of my face, moving my unruly curly hair. His eyes, deep and dark, had me wanting to dive into his soul. Our dragons sang to each other. I could feel the pull we had, the bond that made us so perfect for each other.

"It isn't over yet," Creed whispered. I only hummed, understanding what he meant. There was something much larger than the Duke ordeal trying to take me away. I knew it was just the last piece of the entire world I lived in to take action. The bright suns rained down on me, feeling the warmth of the light finally baking into my skin. I wished people, or any beings that lived in this world, could understand how beautiful their world was, stop the fighting, stop control and just appreciate it.

"The Duke will be pieced together this soon, and I will make him suffer for what he did to you," Creed's guttural growl had me stiffen. I didn't even want to hear about the Duke anymore. I was over it all. "That is the first step for this war to unravel. Once he tells me who is in charge of the whole rebellion, it will be much easier to put a stop to it." My heart rate quickened, feeling the heat from his chest. The fire that sat in his torso grew almost too hot to touch. "We have to stay here awhile, and I need to help them." Creed's voice now grew somber. Hands wrapping around my waist, he laid his head on my shoulder. "I'm the current Alpha in the dragon's eyes, and I have to protect the tribe until I speak with my father."

My lips brushed his cheek, giving him the confidence to continue. "Your father?" I questioned.

"Yes, I am going to ask my father to be the Alpha of the tribe. He is wise, his skills are unmatched in combat. He was born an Alpha Griffon. My mother was also. It would make perfect sense to make them the leaders, since now we are to be a hybrid race.'

"When are you going to ask him?" Creed's nose went into my neck, tickling the base of my throat.

"Tonight, after I do away with the Duke. Mother, I'm sure will force my father's talon to accept it," he chuckled. "She has experience at being the Alpha Female. She ruled the tribe well when she was in that role."

"Whatever you think is best, Creed. I don't know about this world or how things work. Whatever you ask of me, I'll do it." Taking his cheek in my hand, my nose nuzzled into his face. "As long as you are doing what you want to do, if you want to be alpha, I'll stand beside you and help." My eyes fluttered to his. Goodness, I would do anything for this man.

"I just need you to always be at my side." I smiled at his overly scruffy beard. "Always."

Broken out of our moment, Nicholas came calling into the shaded area of the garden. "Creed!" His voice was laced with haste. Even with his eagerness to find Creed, his steps were light and barely heard until we heard the call of his voice. "Creed! He's been assembled!" I snickered, thinking it sounded like a freaking Avengers movie.

Laughter behind him came. Several female dragon shifters were eating in the garden down the overgrown path. They eyed me, several waving for me to join them.

The walls had been deemed effective against the use of vampires, so many had ventured outside the palace and took comfort that they could receive some of the sun's rays.

Creed stood up, taking me with him, setting me on the ground gently. "There you are!" Nicholas huffed, his hands on his knees. Nicholas' eyes held bags under them, the corners of his lips in a frown as he glanced up at Creed.

"The Duke's body has come together faster than expected. They ask for your presence as he awakens." The deep vibrations from Creed's chest had him heaving heavily. His claws had already extended and scales rippled down his arms. I knew that Creed would be safe with the Duke behind bars but I was scared stiff. The Duke was in the palace and the thought of him escaping, finding me hidden in the garden, petrified me.

Creed whisked around, grabbing me by the hips. "Stay in the garden, stay in the palace walls. Promise me." I could only whisper a 'yes,' until he stood up abruptly, kissing me on the forehead. "He will be dead by nightfall, my fawn. Then we will have a celebration of our own." The hidden meaning had me blushing. What happened to my shy Creed, who did not know what a breast was and called them teats? I giggled, my spirits lifting at his promise. "Stay within the walls," Nicholas pointed to me. "Stay in earshot of the other females," his eyes glanced down the path hidden by overhanging fruit trees. Smiling, Creed and Nicholas ran down the path as I slowly followed. Female dragons were all eating fruit from the trees, sitting down in the dirt. Several were brushing each other's hair and braiding into intricate design patterns. Several looked up, seeing me standing there fidgeting with my fingers. They all had their traditional leather's on, pants and dresses and some with crop tops just covering their breasts and legs with short skirts.

"Alpha," they all bowed. Feeling ridiculously uncomfortable, I shook my hands. "Oh, just Odessa, please." One woman beckoned me over, having me sit in front of her.

"Such luscious curls. I bet Alpha Creed loves to pour his claws into them." I laughed, "yes, he does, he just doesn't understand how to use a brush on them, otherwise I look like a giant fuzzball." The women all murmured in agreement, only to brush my hair with their fingers. Another girl came to me, asking for permission to give me a traditional hair braiding.

Taking my curly hair, they weaved the fibers together. Several small braids were intertwined with the larger one that fell down my back. I felt like a princess, having my hair not only braided but decorated with small flowers the children continued to bring.

The afternoon was held in idle chatter. I didn't see Creed, his parents, or Willa and Amora. They all had better things to do, like fight, while I sat here doing my hair. Shame fell on me, my dragon only purring for me to be patient. She even knew more than I did. I sighed, frustrated. Did these women look at me differently because I wasn't out helping? I rubbed my mark, thinking of Creed's words. He didn't want me to fight, but the thought of what others perceived me as was a concern. to me.

I did care what others thought, what human, shifter, who wouldn't? Biting the inside of my cheek, my dragon purred inside me.

She was a patient dragon. She gave me the strength when I needed it. The past few days, trying to conjure magic, she did her best to give me what I needed. Strength, she gave me that, but only I could give myself the confidence to do anything else.

"Odessa!" The women had sewn leather together, talking amongst themselves about how they were to arrange their new homes once winter was over in the mountains. My head continued to look around, hearing the childlike voice. "Odessa!" My mind snapped, thinking it sounded just like a young child, like Leaf from the Elven territory. Why would he be here?

I stood up, none of the other women taking no mind, and I walked down the path, back to where the fountain of the wolf and the fae. Another call of my name had me flinching when I saw Leaf behind the overhanging branches of the willow trees. He was unconscious and being held by a being covered in black. He was overly large, wearing black thigh-high boots, a dark trench coat with a hood covering his face. Several others, including a woman, came out from behind the trees where Creed and I emerged from the palace.

Gasping, the woman behind the brooding man brushed his shoulders and tisked with her fingers. "Shh, now, everything will be alright." Her coo sent scales pouring down my spine, a few feathers sprouting underneath my hair. "Nah, ah, let's not get carried away or your little friend will be sucked dry."

A nasty growl left my lips, only to be silenced as her long nail grazed the top of Leaf's chest. Blood trickled down and the brooding man's nose flared, pulling Leaf to his mouth and licking the blood that dared to pebble around the wound. "Come with us now, and the boy will live." Gripping my dress at the chest, desperately wanting to scream for help. The vampire that licked Leaf's olive skin held up his exposed arm. My actions and thinking proved not fast enough when two large fans sunk Leaf's forearm.

"No!" I yelled out. My hands reached as if I could touch the heat of Leaf's skin. Flashes of the Duke sinking his fangs into my arm had my vision spotted in red, but the thought of Leaf kept my consciousness. Leaf's body was let go and before I could say another word, a hand was put to my mouth. The vampire had run to me so quickly he had caught me before Leaf's tiny, lifeless body hit the ground. Biting into the cold and clammy skin of my attacker, I pulled him over my shoulder, surprising myself as he fell to the ground. My claws lengthened, ready to swipe at the Vampire's throat only until a blunt object hit me in the back of the head...

I tumbled forward, rubbing the back of my neck. Shaking my head, getting up to my knees, I crawled to Leaf until another blow hit me again, causing my vision to darken and my hand to fall lightly on Leaf's arm.