Odessa

With a blink of my eyes, I woke up in yet another strange place. It wasn't the dark cave that I had now come to call home and loved. The softer bed underneath my back reminded me of the treehouse back with the elves, and that's exactly what it was.

I was back in our smaller tree house where we had been staying with the elves. The gigantic bed was sunken and a large arm covered me. Now the tingles were stronger. The hot flashes of his arm had me instantly humming in contentment. How did we end up back here? Surely not all of it was a dream.

My hand went to my shoulder, and sure enough, I felt the indentions in my shoulder where his fangs pierced my skin. Instantly I shivered. They felt so good to touch.

Creed's eyes were closed, his breathing heavy and steady as I faced him. His brows were furrowed, but instantly relaxed once feeling my gaze. I felt a wave of calm overcome my body while his body sunk deeper into the fluffy mattress like bedding. My hand brushed away some of his hair, the braids I spent so long tightening into small rows the night of the party were now loose around his face. His beard was not trimmed like he normally had it. I frowned, looking at his state. He was disheveled, not his normal self.

His chest let out a purr. My heart felt the pull. It must have been his dragon feeling that I was awake. It was the strangest feeling, feeling not only my own emotions but that of my dragon, Creed's dragon, and mine. Talk about an emotional roller coaster.

A small knock at the door caught my attention. Creed didn't even stir as Glinda walked into the treehouse with a large tray. "Thank the gods," she let out a breath. Closing the door, she set the large tray full of food with a clank. Rushing to the bed, she felt my forehead as I kept the sheets covering my body. I was still naked and I swear if another person saw me in this state, I would scream. People like being naked around here too much.

"I know you are confused, but just know you are safe. Everything is alright." I could only nod, my voice escaping me as it finally dawned on me that Creed had not woken up. Creed would wake at the slightest sound of a water droplet dropping in the cave since I've known him. Glinda, sensing my worry, grabbed my hand.

"He's fine. I drugged him." My head whipped so fast my hair slapped her in the face. She laughed, scratching her nose. "It was just a little something to take the edge off, but it looks like he was more exhausted than I realized." Glinda grabbed a tall drink filled with a pink liquid inside. "Here, drink this. It will help your body wake up from its long slumber."

"You just said you drugged my mate. Why would I drink this?" I wanted to laugh but kept my stern face towards her.

"If only you know what your mate has been through while you slept the past five days, you would have done the same," she scolded.

"Five days!?" I squealed, still Creed did not wake and my heart pained to watch him so still.

"Yes, five. Now drink this and I'll explain."

Glinda's posture became ridged and glanced out the dark window. It was as black as night outside, no lights that usually hung in the trees to keep a well lit path across the swinging bridges kept light. In fact, the entire area was quiet, no crickets to be heard and no small animals jumping on the roofs the tree cottages.

"Creed's half-brother Adam came looking for him after your mating. He came right to the cave. Luckily, Creed's only friend, Amora, spread some scent deterrent against the cave so he could not smell you inside. Adam became furious with Creed for not doing his normal patrols. He brought several warriors to help him find your mate. Creed is the watchmen and guard for the entire tribe, a promise he made to his mother before she died." Glinda gulped, watching Creed sleep. "Adam demanded he go sweep the territory, but Creed refused, knowing you were inside alone. There was a scuffle, but Creed stunned them all when Creed refused the Alpha order. Warriors retreated and didn't even listen to Alpha Adam's roars. Creed's dragon was heard all the way down the mountain. Even the Elves here were terrified. Daine and Tangle ran towards Creed's cave to find you. We knew Dragons like to mate in their own nests, so our best bet was to find you there." Glinda stood from the bed, grabbing a wet cloth to put over Creed's head.

"Adam and Creed fought, but Creed held back from killing Adam. Adam fled the scene while Amora, Alpha Adam's mate, had stayed hidden. She helped us bundle you up, bring you back here, while Creed made sure that Adam went back to the tribe."

My body sank, my hand rubbing on Creed's shoulder as a tear fell down my cheek. He fought for me. I don't know why that made me feel pride in my chest, but it did. "He didn't want to kill his half brother because of his mother, isn't that right?" Glinda nodded.

"Amora has been more family to Creed than anyone, but she is the mate of Adam. Since Daine and Tangle have seen Adam's evil ways attacking his own tribe member, refusing an order or not, it has severed our ties with the Tobiki tribe and the alliance we have, since Creed was attacked without proper cause. Also, when Adam called Creed with his Alpha roar, it did not work on him."

"Wait," I rubbed my forehead. "Does that mean Creed is a stronger than Adam?" Glinda's eyes wouldn't meet mine, her hands shook.

"Promise me Creed won't harm my son once he realizes I have drugged him," she pleaded. "I did it with the best interest of him. He was livid when he came back to our territory." Her voice cracked. "His dragon knocked over tables, roaring upset that he couldn't see you. We put you in the treehouse, thinking he would return there, but he was blinded by rage. The bond is only half way you see. You need to mark him back once you can shift. Only then will his possessiveness calm. Several trees were knocked down, but I was able to throw a vile of nightshade in his throat before his fire unleashed."

"He would never hurt any of you! I'm so sorry he acted this way, I've never seen him like that!" I grabbed her hand.

"No one was hurt. We understood why he was upset. There is no blame, it's just the way dragons are." I downed the pink drink in one go, relaxing Glinda as she put it on the table.

"Tell me, is Creed stronger than Adam? Why is this so?" I pulled on her hand again, urging her to tell me.

"He is. It means Creed could challenge Adam to the right of the tribe. It also means that since he is his half-brother, Creed should have been the Alpha all along."

There was the motive to Adam never standing up for his brother for all the bullying he endured. Adam was never the rightful Alpha. It should have been Creed. "But he wasn't the son of his stepfather, right? Do royal lines follow with males instead of females?"

Glinda shook her head, slumping her shoulders. "I'm not sure how all that works with dragon shifters. The only explanation is that his mother must have been a born Alpha dragon, but I don't know how the previous alpha, Kaldran, fits in to all of this."

I slumped back onto the bed, keeping my chest covered. This was so much deeper than I ever thought it would be, so much family drama for a dragon that was exiled and should not have been exiled to begin with. My gentle dragon had gone. through so much before I had even come into this world and now he is doing everything he can to save me.

"Does Adam know I'm here?"

A stern "no," entered the room. The woman walking in held a large satchel filled to the brim with clothing. Her hair was braided on her side and her bright eyes held sympathy.

"My name is Amora, Creed's sister by spirit." Her eyes trailed over to me, barely looking at Creed on the bed. "And yes, I am the mate of Adam, but I swear to you I will hold Creed and your whereabouts a secret. Adam is not the mate I thought he was." A tear rolled down her cheek.

"I'll take my leave now," Glinda nodded to the both of us. Her arm crossing over her shoulder, bowing at Amora. "Alpha Amora, a pleasure. Let me know if your accommodations are not to your standard." Amora smiled, bowing back to her. Amora took a careful step to the bed, finally sitting beside me and away from Creed. "I was hoping to meet you under better conditions, but the gods have a funny way of changing intentions." Her solemn face finally looked at mine. "I'm so glad Creed has you. He, of all people, deserves to have a mate." A tear ran down her face until there was another knock at the door.

Heckers, how am I to remain a secret if all these damn people come up in here!

"Come in," her soft voice trailed while sniffing quietly. A large man, who I felt was another dragon, came in with swords and a shield on his back. He stepped forward, handing Amora a handkerchief. "Thank you, Nicholas." His hand grazed Amora's arm, his eyes flashed between his dragon and his blue ones. My stare at him only intensified until he caught me red-handed.

"Oh, this is my bodyguard, Nicholas. He's pledged his allegiance to me when I first became Luna. Not even Alpha Adam can deter him," she giggled, putting her hand on his. "I've told him he needed to go find his mate, but he has refused." "An oath is an oath, Alpha Amora. I shall not break it." Amora gave a grateful smile. "I'll leave. I just noticed your destress and was checking on you. We should also leave soon, so Adam doesn't grow suspicious." Amora gave a grateful nod, watching him go out the door.

My dragon was curious. I felt her tilting her head side to side at the interaction between the two. "What are you going to do now?" I wanted to ask if she would leave her mate for the sake of Creed, but that would have been terrible to ask. That was her mate, and if she feels the same way I feel about Creed, it would be cruel.

"My dragon wants to protect Creed, and I'm going to listen to her. She's never steered me wrong." The thin line of her lips showed creases in her skin that aged her, a hard thing to do in this world. "I am going to look in the history archives, try to find something amiss about Creed's mother. I've got a hunch, and I will not stop until I find some answers." Amora stood from the bed, closing her cloak. "Even if it means betraying the tribe that has held me dear." Her smile turned to that of a frown.

"Your dragon will shift, but I'm not sure when. You are the first human in my lifetime that has received full dragon powers." My dragon did somersaults in chest. Rubbing it tightly, Amora gave the first smile with her fangs.

"Creed will help you. Don't be frightened, Sister." Amora's forehead met mine. Clutching the sheet tightly, I watched as her back disappeared from the doorway.

Creed continued to breathe heavily. My fingers graced his beard, trying to detangle the mess of hair. Biting my lip, I headed to the washroom to clean up. If I really had been in bed for days, it would be for the best.

The cottage held that of modern facilities, except for a twist. Everything was made of natural woods, stones, and fibers that the trees themselves seemed to create. The make-shift shower held a giant leaf with holes on in the top to let water stream down like a shower. It wasn't the warmest, but it felt good to get rid of the muck off my skin.

Thankful for toothbrushes, I sighed and moaned how great it was to brush my teeth with actual bristles. My teeth were now slick, and it made me miss having a toothbrush for the last several weeks. Maybe I could grab a few to bring back to the cave.

Creed still laid lifeless, his body covered in dirt and even blood. Luckily, it didn't look like any of it was his. Grabbing a few leather cloths, I grabbed a tub filled with soap to wash him. He took such good care of me while I was sick; it was now my turn without having him wake up in the middle of it.

Each swipe of the cloth filled the bowl with dirty muck. Emptying refiling often was the only way to go until his body was completely clean. Soft groans and purring left his chest, my chest now making the same sounds, making me giggle along with our dragons.

I wondered when my dragon would make an appearance? She was so beautiful and I would love to feel the wind on our bodies making flight. Creed would have to teach me to fly, or does my dragon already know?

My thoughts continued to wander, my fingers now brushing Creed's hair and pulling it back the way he loved it. Tiny rows of braids on the top and taking a sharp blade to his beard, I trimmed it how he cared for it. Smiling that I wasn't doing a horrible job. My dragon continued to rumble in my chest, not sure if it was to comfort him or to just her own selfish desires, wanting to do more.

I felt myself becoming hot and bothered the closer of being finished cleaning him up. My dragon was all for it. The lust she felt only heightened my own. Once finished, I took the old blankets away from the bed, grabbing fresh ones to cover his naked body.

How I got through cleaning him and not jumping him while he slept, I didn't know. His body was so muscular and cut, even when he wasn't flexing trying to show off. I could see the muscle beneath his tattoos. My hand was being taken over by the devil himself, wanting to grip his muscular behind. I bit my lip, trying to remain innocent, but who was I kidding here?

Crawling into bed, the blankets covering him from the waist down; I saw he was already, ahem, ready. He was 'read' the entire time I cleaned him, and it was hard not to linger around that one particular spot. Heckers, I feel so naughty.

My hand trailed down his abs, my fingers brushing up against his hips. Little goosebumps trailed up his body as I sunk lower. A growl left his chest, and his hips moved forward. Was his dragon egging me on? I giggled again, getting closer but not yet touching the one spot he and I both really needed. I couldn't very well touch sexually like that while he was sleeping. Right?

A rough grab to my wrist caught me by surprise, my head darting to Creed's face as his black eyes bore back into mine.