book #2 Ice Queen: the snow dragon shifter ***completed***

#7 promises and secrets

her parents sat quietly for what felt an eternity. Scarlett knew there was no going back once they told her everything. her mother sighed. taking in a deep breath she started talking. " this isn't easy to start. we hid a lot of this to protect you. we thought we could keep you from all of this. maleek used to be in this kingdom. he was a great warrior second to only your father. he trained harder than any one else and he was most trusted. when we had you, he changed. he swore when you came of age he would take you as his mate. your father and I could not even entertain the idea. we wanted you to find your true mate. when you were three he tried to kidnap you. he wanted to take you and have you raised by rogues until your eighteenth birthday. he felt you belonged to him. your father was able to stop his attempt to take you from us. it's my fault your father did not kill him." she looked away, shame and sadness filling in her face. There was immense guilt lacing her voice. Her mother knew she was the reason he was still alive and that he had been there inher room. Scarlett placed her hand in hers to try and give her mother strength and courage. " your father gave maleek mercy because of me and banished him from our kingdom. that is when we decided you should marry the prince Jonathan. we thought it would give you strength and protection you needed from outside enemies. so we promised you to him when you came of age. in the process, we thought it would create a treaty between the two kingdoms and force the fire dragons to fight along side the ice dragons in case maleek came back for you. we wanted you to have the strength of both kingdoms. We just wanted you safe. we didn't realize what a horrible person prince Jonathan would turn out to be. You have to understand we just wanted what was best for you and your safety. we should have just let the moon Goddess do her design instead of picking your mate for you. Liam is your true mate and we need you to get to him quickly before maleek can try and take you again." Scarlett was flooded with raw emotions. She felt them colliding in her like a bomb exploding. Maleek had attmepted to kidnap her in order to keep her for himself. The thought was disgusting to her. She could feel the sense of urgency in her mothers voice as she encouraged Scarlett to get to Liam. Her true mate fated to her by the moon Goddess. He was her destiny. The only future she could see was with him. He was the future she wanted.

" you do realize I have been training all my life since I was four to defend our kingdom and myself? why did you think I was so weak? why would either of you think I wouldn't be stronger with my true mate?" scarlett was shocked by how neither of them had faith in what the moon Goddess had designed for her. she needed Liam by her side to help her be stronger. her true mate would help enhance the gifts already given to her. A true mate was designed to compliment the other half. They were two souls that when together made one. she was capable on her own but wanted to share her life with her true mate. maybe she had known it all her life. maybe she had always felt the pull to Liam. No longer feeling the need to tie herself to a future she did not want she feeling a sense of freedom she had only ever felt when she shifted. " we need to get to Liam. I need to tell him everything. why did maleek take Liam?"

her father cleared his throat. " maleek must have known that Liam was destined to be your true mate. by chance you saw him being attacked.Maleek has a gift of knowledge. He can see some futures. Well, bits and peices of it. it was you that saved him. you were the reason his life was spared by the rogues. maleek may be after Liam still if he knows. if he knows it must mean he has a witch helping him. possibly a witch that is a seer and can see more than he can. The witch may have helped take away his scent as well. It explains how Liam was able to just vanish without a trace."

Her parents sat quietly while she took everything in. if maleek was using a witch then he would have known about Liam and getting rid of him ensured that Scarlett would not find her true mate. it meant she was free to be mated by anyone. " so maleek thought Liam was dead? so that would open me up to be taken and mated by him? what would have happened after mating with prince Jonathan?"

my father grew uncomfortable with this. she could tell he did not want to answer the questions. Scarlett waited unrelenting. She wanted answers no matter how uncomfortable her parents were. " your true mate would have felt the bond break and he would have felt empty. the moon Goddess could have possibly given him a second chance mate. it isn't totally unheard of for a wear wolf but it has never happened for a dragon. we only get one true mate. "

Scarlett looked sadly at her parents. they were willing for her to live with half her soul missing? for a sense of safety? a false sense at that. she was hurt and angry. " my dragon is different than yours. I have never seen a dragon like mine. is there a way maleek could know this? like maybe the witch saw that my dragon is different?"

Her father looked quizzically at her. a hint of confusion washing over him. " what do you mean different?"

Scarlett looked away not sure how to explain it. " well my dragon is opaque almost translucent and she shines and glimmers and I can do things. like transform mid air and manipulate the snow and ice. there may be more. I feel there is more inside me that hasn't been unlocked yet."

" Dante!" Her mother gasped at Scarletts description of her dragon. " the moon Goddess!" Scarlett stared at them waiting for someone to speak. her mother cleared her throat. " I think I know why the moon Goddess paired you with a wolf. it is not common for our kind to be paired with other species by the moon Goddess. it is truly rare. Liams wolf is pure black except for the crescent moon. that wolf is a gift given from the moon Goddess to him. you were gifted the white dragon. dear you are both extremely rare in both our worlds. it is said that a white dragon will come and be given such rare powers. this dragon will link the beasts of two kingdoms together strengthening each kingdom. you are meant to unite the ice dragons with the lycans and wolves. you and Liam are that link and together you will fight a great battle and become stronger together. " Scarlett let go of her mother's hands sitting back on her bed. she was taking everything in and trying to sort through it in her mind.

" so you think that I am the dragon of the legends? the one sent from the moon Goddess? we need to tell Liam right away. he might be in danger. maleek knows he is my mate and maleek has to know about my dragon and liams wolf." her parents rose up from their chairs making their way to her bedroom door. " if maleek takes me as a mate, does he gain something?"

" when dragons mate some of us is given to our mate. you being a gift of the moon Goddess means some of that power goes to your mate. you would share this with your mate. if Liam is who we believe him to be, then you would both share your gifts creating a stronger ability. quite honestly it has never been done before. in our lifetimes there has never been a pairing such as this. some thought it to be folk lore others just stopped talking about it and it was forgotten all together. Scarlett, with maleek getting into your room, maybe switching rooms would be best for now. he really is a dangerous man and his dragon is even more ruthless. unfortunately his heart has turned black a long time ago. after his mate died they both turned black and cold."

" yes. I'm going to try and get a hold of Liam while the maids ready my room. maybe one without a balcony for now? it makes me nervous he came through mine."