The Little Star

The Bet

Drogon’s POV:

My flight with Askook had ended shortly after the sun made its appearance over the horizon, and after a quick shower and throwing on adequate clothes, I’d headed straight for breakfast with my father. Only it wasn’t the family breakfast and friendly conversation I was expecting. It was a trap.

Upon arrival in the dining hall, the sight that had met my eye was my father sharing breakfast with the Queen of the Fae and two of her daughters. This was not an uncommon occurrence. After all, royals often visited one another to discuss treaties and alliances. What put me on guard was the fact that it was only my father and the three Fae. The hall was only ever kept private for breakfast if it was a meeting of the utmost importance.

My father, being the straightforward king that he was, wasted no time in jumping straight to the point. I’d barely taken my seat at his right hand with a plate I filled at the buffet before the attack began.

“It is about time you joined us.” He huffed, placing his fork on his plate and bringing a napkin to his mouth to blot away an invisible smudge. Father’s lips were pursed into a thin line, hinting at his displeasure. “Now that you are here, it is time to speak of your future, of our future.”

“Our future?” I froze, my fork in midair as I focused my full attention on my king. “What exactly do we need to discuss, father?”

“Your marriage and the production of the next heir to this throne, of course.” The way he spoke gave the impression that he believed this to be obvious. The Fae queen watched the two of us, following the conversation carefully while she sipped her tea. Meanwhile, her daughters both seemed to focus entirely on the meager morsels still lying on their plates, clearing wishing to be anywhere else but here. “This aversion to marriage has come to an end, you will wed.”

Had he finally gone crazy? It wasn’t as if I had made a vow to never wed because no woman had ever struck my fancy. I’d found my Treasure, I’d held Celeste in my arms, breathed in her earth-shattering scent, and watched as desire stirred to life within her eyes. There was no other on this planet who could replace her in my heart or in my arms. There would be no other who could hold a flame to her beauty and elegance.

I wanted more than anything else in this world to marry, but my heart and soul would only accept her. As was right and planned by fate.

“I plan to marry, father, as soon as my Treasure is found and returned to my side.” I stated simply with a shrug as I began to eat, the matter was at rest in my mind, though I knew my father was going to argue his case.

“That woman has not been seen for three years.” Father growled, slamming one meaty fist on the table with a thunderous c***k. The two Fae princess’s squeaked in surprise, the smaller of the two began to shrink into her seat, seeming to think if she was tiny enough my father's anger wouldn’t reach her. Regardless of the fact that it wasn’t aimed at her in the first place. “Heaven only knows where that woman is now, hiding out in some far-off location if I had to guess. Hiding from her responsibilities and mate. A weak woman, not meant to rule.”

“Do not speak of Celeste.” I stated with a calm I was far from feeling. The blood rushing through my veins was pounding in my ears. Glancing up at my father, I knew my eyes would be glowing bright orange, how could they not when my father decided to play such a dangerous game?

“I will speak of whomever I want, however I wish.” He growled, his own gaze beginning to glow dangerously. The difference, though, was that while he may be the king and older than me, my dragon was more powerful, and we both knew it. After a brief stare down that ended with my father smirking like he’d won some grand prize, he lifted his hands in a peaceful gesture. “I have a bet for you then, son.”

“A bet?” I grumbled with an eyebrow raised in sardonic question. “And what, pray tell, is this bet?”

“I am ready to retire, there for my crown must go to my heir. But according to our laws, a king cannot rule without his queen-.”

“I told you I would not marry someone who is not my Treasure. It will be Celeste by my side, no other.” Glaring at my father, I made my words ring with iron , because every word was a promise.

“As I was saying before you decided to interrupt me. A king cannot rule without his queen, so, I will give you one month to find this woman and bring her here.” My father stated with a short nod of his head as if he had just given me the easiest task in the world.

“We have been searching for three years, how am I supposed to just find her in a months’ time?” I demanded in disbelief. The fae queen was raising her teacup once more to her lips, reminding me that we were not alone. Clearing my throat, I pushed my chair back and waved towards the doors. “Perhaps this is a conversation we should be having in private.”

“All who need to know are present.” My father stated, sharing a secret smile with the visiting queen. He was up to something, and I had a feeling I was not going to like the outcome.

“At the next full moon, you will be wed. Either to this Celeste, or to Princess Leilei. Or you will be removed from the line of succession, and I will name my brother's son the next king.”

“You wouldn’t.” I scoffed, sneering at him as he rose from his chair and placed the palms of his hands on the cool smooth surface of the table.

“I will, mark my words boy, you will marry next month, or I will sign your throne away. Make your choice.”

“I can’t believe he would dare to give me such an ultimatum.” I growled, fury, hot and pure pulsating through my blood stream even as the freezing temperatures of the night sky cooled our scaly body.

I left my father immediately, because I knew if I stayed in his presence, I would do something I would come to regret once the red haze had cleared from my vision. Not bothering to waste time packing a bag, I’d headed straight for the cave entrance and transformed, leaving immediately for America and Celeste’s family, hoping they had any idea where she was.

“We could abdicate the throne.” Askook said, though I knew he didn’t mean it. Leading our people was as important to him as it was to me and giving up on them was not an option. My cousin was an ill fit for the throne. He’d lead us straight into war with the humans, despite the fact that our numbers were so low in comparison.

“It’s not an option. Our only option is to find Celeste.”

“Then find her we must. Let us pray her family has had better luck then us.”

As we flew into the air space belonging to the Golden Crescent pack, I was surprised at the activity I saw below. It was around two in the morning when we arrived, I’d expected everyone to be asleep. Instead, dozens of people were running around, filling vehicles with what looked like supplies, guns, and lord only knew what else. At the front of it all was Alpha Vespian along with his Beta Leo, and Celeste’s brother, Alpha Orion.

Flying to the ground, I allowed Askook to give away in a puff of smoke and dropped to my feet a foot above the ground, and only a short distance from the three men I needed to speak with.

“Prince Drogon, either you have a spy amongst my people or your have the best hearing I’ve ever encountered.” Alpha Vespian stated, striding forward to shake my hand as his Beta grabbed a pair of sweat pants from a near by pack member and threw them my way.

“I’m afraid neither. I came to check in on the search for my Treasure when I found you all running around like an ant from a magnifying glass. What’s going on?” Slipping the pants onto my naked body, I glanced between the three men who seemed to be sharing a silent communication. The seriousness darkening their bows told me the matter was important.

“We did get news of Celeste.” Vespian started slowly, his blue eyes flicking to Orion uncertainly, as if he were unsure how much to tell me.

“So? Tell me.”

“We got word that Celeste has been held by an underground supernatural auction house.” Orion stated, crossing his large arms over his chest, his eyes hard as he assessed me. My mates brother was acting as if he couldn’t trust me with my Little Star’s where abouts, why was he questioning my loyalty?

“Where is this place?” I demanded, growing frustrated by the second as each of the three men seemed unwillingly to depart the information.

“You have to understand, Drogon, we also got word that who ever took her, paid to have her held in this place.” Leo spoke up, taking a step forward even as Orion glared at him.

“So where is this place? Why are we standing here instead of going straight there?”

“Because our source stated, and I quote ‘she must remain in well enough health to bear offspring’. Lycan’s can not produce children with anyone other than their mate.” Orion was practically spitting the words at me now, venom coating his tone. And though his words shocked me, I had to admit if I was in their shoes, I’d be suspecting me as well.

“It wasn’t me.” I stated, taking a step back as if I’d been delivered a blow when three of them only stared back at me with suspicions in their eyes.

“William was insured an heir.” Orion whispered, running a hand down his face, grief clear to see in the set of his lips. “Celeste agreed to give William an heir in exchange for his help against the Sirens. Why would he kidnap her when he was already guaranteed what he needed?”

“That doesn’t mean he wouldn’t still want her entirely for himself! We all saw how powerful she is, who wouldn’t want a woman that amazing to themselves?” I demanded. I felt as if my world were crumbling. Celeste had been captured and locked away by him. And apparently, he was intelligent enough to put the blame off on my shoulders. “I’m done arguing, regardless of who took her, if we know where she is we should go, now. If she wants me to leave than I will, willingly and with no fight. But it will be her decision.”

“He’s right, Orion.” Vespian muttered, running his fingers through his black hair, causing it to spike up in all directions. “We should wait to point fingers. We know where she is, lets get her to safety before we waste time playing the blame game.”

“Agreed.” Leo stated, turning to Orion as if he had final say instead of his own Alpha. “King Orion?”

That’s right, Orion had taken over leading the Lycans when Celeste had not been found. He was now the leader of all Lycans and werewolves.

“Fine, we put this aside for now.” Though the Lycan was taller than even the werewolves around him, as a dragon I was till an inch or two above him, this fact didn’t keep him from squaring up with me and somehow, he managed to look down his nose at me. “Mark my words, dragon, if I find out you had anything to do with this, I’ll kill you.”

And I had no doubt in my mind he meant that threat to the core of his being.

“Move out!” Orion shouted, turning on his heel he strode to one of the waiting SUV’s and hoped in, slamming the door behind him.

“You comin’?” Leo asked as he jogged backwards towards the vehicle Vespian had just disappeared into.

“I’ll fly, eyes in the sky can’t hurt.” I answered, pointing up towards the night sky with the full moon handing still hanging low.

“Good plan.” Leo stated with a sharp nod. As he climbed in the SUV and shut the door, I stripped the pants they’d given me and tied them to my ankle, watching as the line of vehicles pulled out and made their way to the highway.

Hours later we were approaching a mountain range. The SUV’s far below me were racing up the minding roads towards the top. Scouting the far side of the mountain I watched as a pair of headlights seemed to come from the mountain side itself. It raised my interest but not enough for me to veer off course.

I absently wondered what the car held that would pique my interest as I dove for the ground, aiming to land in the center of the semi-circle the vehicles I had followed here had formed.

Listening as Vespian gave the men and women present the break down of how they planned on entering the compound and taking out those who we deemed a threat. The main mission was to rescue Celeste, but we were told to bring any prisoners we found back with us.

Dividing up into pairs, I somehow got paired with Orion, and while I was fine with this, the glances he was sending me told me he was questioning if I would stab him in the back once we were inside.

Getting in was easy with Odin’s powers showing us where every enemy was before we got there. By time we reached the main entrance, which was built into the mountains rocky wall, ten of their guards were dead and no alarm had been raised. The entrance ended up being impossible for the werewolves and Lycans to be able to breech through pure strength, but when I went to offer my help, Orion instead transformed into his third form.

The body of a wolf with the posture of a human, I’d heard of Lycan form before, but to see it in person was a sight to behold. He was taller than me on two paws and the massive wolf fangs and claws were almost terrifying to witness. But what truly made me realize why these massive and powerful creatures were feared by all, was the fact that with one punch the door gave way, crumbling at our feet.

My Little Star could become this?

Once inside the bullets flew, but with so many super naturals against so few humans, they didn’t stand a chance. Two men injured was a small price to pay when they possessed supernatural healing.

A man in a charcoal grey suit opened a set of double doors at the end of the main hallway, holding his hands before him in a sign of surrender.

“What is this about?” He asked, seeming unphased when two wolves flanked him on either side. This man knew of super naturals, which meant we had to be in the right place.

I was ready to tear into him and make him scream out where my Treasure was when a smell hit me. It was blood but it was laced with something, a smell so intoxicating my mind could think of nothing else. It was her; it was her scent. Celeste, my Little Star. My Treasure.

It was her blood.

Fury filled my mind, rage racing through my system at the though that someone had hurt my Little Star. Striding forward, I pushed through Vespian and Orion and grabbed the human my his throat, slamming him into the wall and pushing him up until his feet were dangling.

“I can smell her blood, where is my Treasure!” I growled into his face, pulling him back and slamming his head back into the crumbling drywall.

“I’d tell him, dude, you don’t f**k with a dragon’s Treasure and live to tell the tale.” Leo quipped in, a voice of reason in the anger drowning my system.

“Dra-dragon?” The man managed to stutter in shock through the vise grip I had on his neck. “I… was… told… she… was… the mate… of the… vampire… prince.”

“You were told wrong.” Orion spoke softly, his voice low but full of deathly promise.

“Where is she? Maybe we can convince him to make your death fast if you help us.” Vespian added, ever the diplomat.

“Doubtful.” I growled, tightening my hold on his throat, his face turning purple as he struggled to breathe. Loosening my grip I let him take a few deep breaths before shaking him to get his attention. “Celeste, where is she?”

“Gone.”

“Gone? Gone where?” Vespian demanded.

“With… him.”

“Him who, you f*****g dolt. Spill it!” Orion snarled, pulling back a fist and ramming it into the humans ribs, the sound of two cracking had him gasping in pain while the rest of us took joy in his agony.

“They’re… gone.” He wheezed. “Ten… minutes… before.”

The car I saw. The one my heart told me to pursue, and I had ignored it. It held her.

“I saw the car. I saw it leave near here. It couldn’t have gotten far!” Dropping the human, I knew the others would take care of him, I raced back towards the door I practically dove through it, shifting as I did so and taking to the sky.

I raced through the air, searching the ground below for any sign of movement, when an explosion in the distance caught my ear, the sound shaking the trees. Pushing ourselves faster than we’d ever flown before, Askook and I came upon a fiery inferno below. It looked as if the car had flown off the road and tumbled down the mountain side before landing and burning in the valley.

“My Little Star!”