Dragon Alpha's Special Mate

8. The Relief

Sophia

I’ve been here all day without any indication of anyone coming to talk to me. I only see someone when they bring me food. To keep myself busy, I’ve been pacing the room, but I can only do that for so long.

Soon, it’s 9:00 p.m., and no one has told me a thing. At this point, I think I’d rather not know what time it was. At least then, I could lie to myself about being able to go home and potentially get my dragon in the comfort of my own bed.

But, as I look at the clock roll over to 9:01 PM, I can’t help but think about my parents freaking out right now. Dad was on a trip, and he came back for my birthday. He’s only going to be in town for a few days. Then he has to go back on his business trip.

The door opens, and I stop pacing, turning to see Alpha Marina walking into the room. She looks so stressed, and I can’t blame her. Pieces of her hair stick out of the messy bun she tossed it in, and her makeup is smeared under her eyes.

Her cheeks are red from her tears, and despite her disheveled appearance, she somehow still looks stunning. Of course, she does.

“Come with me.”

I don’t waste a second following her up the stairs and through some more back stairwells, I didn’t realize this castle has. We’re able to get up to one of the higher floors without ever running into anyone or going into any public place.

It’s as incredible as it is creepy.

We walk out of the stairwell and down a hall, where I see Malakai and Damari standing in front of a door. Before we even get there, I can sense that Maxson’s behind that door. Finally, I’ll get to see him.

“Are you sure about this?” Marina asks Malakai, and he dips his head.

“No.”

“But I am,” Damari steps in, looking directly at me. “Brace yourself, okay? He doesn’t look good.”

I nod, wondering how bad it could be.

“Is it contagious?”

“No, sweetie.” Marina’s voice is so gentle, so motherly. “Just don’t touch him, and you’ll be alright.” I nod as they open the door. The lights are low, and I can barely see the figure on the bed.

I approach him, gasping and falling backward, when I see his skin coated in a black liquid covered with gold flowing through it. It almost looks like it’s moving.

“Recognize it?”

It’s just me, Marina, and Maxson in the room. I shake my head, turning to look at her.

“What is that?”

“Zinnalite. I’m sure you heard about Kai and me absorbing it.” I nod at her as she walks closer to her son. “It once coated my skin, but nothing like this.”

I know that, too. I know her entire story and everything she went through. But why is it on him?

“Maxson was born with a dragon that has scales coated in that Zinnalite. Something happened when I absorbed it while pregnant with him.”

I gasp at that. Her stories all say she was pregnant after absorbing it, including her autobiography.

“Why are you telling me this?”

“He likes you, figured you should know the truth.” It surprises me how casual she’s being with this information. “I understand it’s your birthday tomorrow?” I nod, watching how she looks at her son.

“I’m sorry to do this, but you’ll be spending the night tonight, so we can keep this information private. Tomorrow morning, we’ll make a public statement proclaiming your innocence, so those stupid tabloids shut up. I’m sorry, but I just couldn’t face a camera today. For now, the room next to Maxson is set up for you. Sleep well, and happy birthday.”

She walks out of the room, and Damari comes in to show me the room next door. Before he can leave, I stop him.

“You think I’m his mate.” His hand hovers over the door, and he doesn’t dare move it as he nods once. “Well, I’m not! You’ll see. Even if it takes two years to prove it to you, you’ll see that the Goddesses would never put someone like him with someone like me.”

I’m yelling at him, but I don’t know if I’m trying to convince him, or me. Damari just smirks at me, and I step forward, unsure where this confidence is coming from.

“What’s so funny?” I snap at him, causing a full laugh to escape his lips.

“You. You remind me of Marina.”

My mouth drops open as he leaves the room. I think that’s genuinely the best compliment I’ve ever heard.

By now, it’s only 10:00, so I decided to get ready for bed and fall asleep until I see if I even get a dragon tonight.

~

“Sophia,” Someone is singing my name, and I slowly open my eyes, waking up fast, when I realize I’m in a place full of fire.

“Help!” I scream out, not wanting the fire to get to me. It’s the weirdest fire I’ve ever seen before. There are black outlines on it, and it doesn’t make me sweat. It’s actually making me shiver. It’s freezing!

“You’re okay, Sophia. It can’t hurt you. Touch it.”

This has to be my dragon. Or, the weirdest dream I’ve ever had. Going against my instincts, I reach out, touching the fire and relaxing when I learn it doesn’t hurt me.

“Are you my dragon?”

I keep running my fingers through the fire, and when I pull it out, the fire morphs and changes shape, ultimately creating an enormous, beautiful dragon. Each scale is red with a clearly defined black outline, creating the most unique patterns I’ve ever seen.

“I am your dragon, Auriel.”

I can hear her speak to me as I watch her move her beautiful wings. She opens her mouth, and I watch a shimmering black and red fire release from Auriel and can feel the coldness that surrounds it.

“It’s… beautiful,” I tell her and feel her step into my body, overtaking me. I feel the completeness that overcomes you when a dragon fills your soul and shares its power with us. I can’t help but relish in this incredible feeling as I sense a power I’ve never known before.

“It’s all yours, Sophia. But you should know, you would not have received a dragon if it weren’t for me. There’s a dark aspect to your lineage that allowed me to enter your body as a dragon would. You have the fire element, dear. But it’s not the fire element of a dragon god or goddess. It comes from the darkness.”

“What do you mean?”

“Do you know the story of Marina and Malakai?”

My heart feels like it stops beating at her question. No. No. No!!!

“Yes.”

“Then you’ll understand my story. It’s truly fate that I found you to be at such a close age to Marina’s son and to have the genetics required to take on this type of magic. My love, Avian, was taken the day Marina and Malakai absorbed that sword. I believe he’s still alive and stuck inside Maxson’s body. We felt the disconnect when everything settled, leading me to believe he had become his dragon. I begged the other Gods and Goddesses to send me down, through someone to be his mate. They declined. He has no connection to us, and he’s not us, is what they said. I wasn’t happy with that answer, so I took matters into my own hands.”

“What does that mean?”

“We need to find my Avian. If he survived, he will be in Marina’s son.”

“Maxson won’t wake up.”

“You’ve met him already?”

“Yes, he’s been stuck in a coma since yesterday. They think I’m his mate.”

“You are mates.”

“But dragons don’t get their mates until seventeen!”

“And we are not dragons. Avian is a Dragon God, and I am a Dragon Goddess.”

I’m not given any warning when I wake up, frantic as Auriel overtakes my body.

“Take me to him.” Auriel demands in my mind.

“No! It’s not fair! I shouldn’t get my mate until I’m 17!”

“I told you, without me, you wouldn’t have a dragon. Without Avian, Maxson wouldn’t be alive. None of this is normal. Now take me to him.”

I’m out of bed in a second, listening to the new creature that I have to share my body with. I stand in the hallway and see Damari standing at Maxson’s door. He turns to me, his face unmoved as I walk over there.

“Seems I was right?” It’s strange to have someone else’s voice in my mind, and I ignore him, walking directly into his room.

I still, staring at Maxson with the full lights on, seeing the liquid coat his skin. I walk over to him, watching as Marina holds his hand.

I reach out to touch him, but she grabs my hand, staring up at me.

“It could hurt you.” She warns me, but I shake my head, looking down at him.

“My mate won’t ever hurt me.”

I touch his arm, not at all harmed by the liquid that coats his skin.

“What’s your dragon's name?” Her voice seems distant as I start to feel drained. I can’t open my mouth, so I link directly to her.

“Auriel. And his is Avian.” As soon as I finish, I feel my eyes go heavy, and I drop on the bed beside him.