The Centenary Dragon Hunt

True Mate

As Lightning was washing off the gore from the small battle, they just had. He was thinking of a way to tell her that they were true mates. He knew she hadn’t had an easy time with his mother and brother and, well, everything, but he hoped she was developing the same feelings for him. He still wasn't sure how he was going to be a good father, mate, and King, but he was sure with Raynes’ help he could do anything.

There's a lot more work to do because of the Hord today. He needed to have a meeting with Fire and the other kings. This was the closest the Hord has ever come to a Kingdom. There were only a dozen of them. After, he blasted the alert signal into the sky. His dragons came at once. They were all taken care of by the time Thunder got back. Except the leader. Who they kept for questioning in the dungeon.

Rayne was pacing frantically in her room while she waited for some word from Lightning. She knew he was OK. Mouse had told her as much, not even an hour after she was taken to her room. She wanted to see for herself though and she had questions. They seemed to be having a moment before they were interrupted. She wanted to know what he was going to say and who are the Hord and why does it feel like they were after her. She looked at the night sky. The sun had set an hour ago and there were still more dragons in the sky than normal.

Rayne had given up on seeing Lightning and getting answers. Right as she was about to crawl into bed, there was a light knock on the door. Her heart started racing. Mouse never came by this late. Something must be wrong. Without giving a second thought to putting a robe over her silk teddy she was wearing, she flung open the door.

Lightning stood there in silence, not sure what to say. He didn’t expect Rayne to open the door in nothing but a small silk dress that barely covered her ass or breast. His dragon came to the front and growled “Mine”.

Rayne was surprised to see Lighning standing there. When he growled “Mine” She lost it. She helplessly threw herself at him. Lightning caught her easily and brought her close. Wrapping her legs tight around him. She started kissing with everything she had. He kissed her back just as fiercely as he walked them into the room, shutting the door behind them. He laid her down on the bed and started kissing down her collarbone.

“I have questions”, she breathed heavily.

“I know” was all he said before pulling down her top, releasing her heavy breast. He stared down at her in wonder. Never had he seen anything so perfect. Lightly squeezing one in his hand as he went down slowly to put the other in his mouth. This was not what he planned. He just wanted to stop and check in on her and wish her goodnight before she went to bed. This was much better than he planned.

They both froze when they heard the baby start to cry. “Oh, my, what am I doing? How could she forget she was in the room? Ahhh I’m such a bad mother.” Rayne pulled her top back up and Lightning helped her into a sitting position.

“Here let me get her. You're not a bad mother Rayne. In fact, I think you’re a great mother.” He said as he carefully picked up the fussy baby and handed her to Rayne.

“I guess, I don’t need to worry about covering up now” Rayne said with a nervous laugh as she pulled her night dress back down to feed a hungry baby.

“No, you don’t" he said with a smile. “Would you like me to answer your questions now or would you like to wait till tomorrow?”

“Now, please.” she said, not even knowing where to start. “After a hello like that. I’m not even sure where to begin.” she took a deep breath and looked at him again “What did you mean when you said Mine at the door? What were you about to say earlier today before we were interrupted and, for the hundredth time, who are the Hord? Why is it I feel that there after me?” she asked all her questions at once.

Lightning ran a hand through his hair. “Well, what I was trying to tell you today is that. I think you’re my true mate, but after everything, I'm sure of it.” He said, taking her free hand “today when we were attacked, all I could think about was your and your daughter's safety above everything, my kingdom, myself. All I could think about was you and her. I needed, with every fiber of my being, to keep you both safe.”

Lightning waited for Raynes’ reaction to the news but she said nothing, just looked at him. She placed the now sleeping baby back into its crib. “Can we talk over here?” She asked as she sat at the table in front of the large window.

Rayne had even more questions now. “I don’t understand how you know I'm your true mate? I admit, I've felt a pull towards you from the beginning. Even when you were being a bit of an asshole, but, true mate? How do you know it's not just lust?” she asked.

“A male’s dragon always knows his mate and I’m sorry about everything. Your right, I've been an ass hole at times.” Lightning looked out the window and took a deep breath. “You see, when my father died, he left the kingdom a mess. I've been so busy trying to fix everything. I haven't had time for anything else. I haven't even had time to listen to my dragon when he’s been trying to tell me my mate was right in front of me. And you had a daughter.” he paused again."

“What about my daughter?” she asked. “do you not like children, or is it because she isn't yours.”

“She is mine. You both are mine.” he growled. Rayne couldn't help but smile. “It's just. Like I said, I've been busy. I wasn’t sure I would be a good father yet. Hell, I'm still not but, Rayne.” he took her hands, “I’m sure with you by my side I can.”

Rayn's mind was going a million miles a minute. She had to admit she was drawn to him, she felt safe with him, and she wanted him, but that also meant she would be queen. “I like you Lightning, I do, I just don’t know if I'm ready to be a queen. I mean it’s a lot of responsibility.” She stood and started pacing. It was all just too much. “I mean I don’t know anything about your people or history how am I supposed to be their queen.”

Lightning stood up and wrapped her in his arms. Happy she didn’t pull away. “You’ll learn and I will help. Just as you will help me with fatherhood. I mean I don’t even know her name.” He said jokingly.

It was all so overwhelming. Rayne couldn't help the tears. She looked up at him. “Can I have some time to think about it? Maybe we could get to know each other more and I can learn more about being queen and your people?” she asked.

Lightning held Rayne at arm length so he could look into her eyes. “Don’t you understand Rayne, you’re my true mate. My one and only. There is only you. There will never be another. We are meant to be together.” he was trying desperately for her to understand.

“If we all only had an inner dragon to tell us such things” she said with a half laugh. “Please, I just need time to process everything.”

“Fine.” Lighning said, “you have two weeks. That’s when the next hunt is. If you don’t choose, by then you'll have to run in the next hunt.”

“Two weeks? Couldn’t we have more time?” she was not ready to say yes nor was she ready to say no.

“Two weeks” he said as he walked toward the door. “This isn't something I have control over. If you don’t make up your mind at the end of two weeks, you'll have to run in the next hunt. If you want, you can take a few days off or even the next two weeks off. Whatever you think will help”. He left without another word.

Rayne was up most of the night with her thoughts. On one hand, she wanted to run into his arms, say yes, and make mad made love with him and live happily ever after. On the other hand, she wanted to hide under the bed and never come out.

Mouse came at her usual time to bring her breakfast. She was never late. Mouse could tell Rayne had been up all-night crying. “Oh. No, what has happened now” she said as she put her hand on her hips.

“He told me we were true mates and he wants me to stay and be his queen” she said with a frown.

Mouse smiled “that's wonderful. I don’t understand why you are sad.” Mouse always thought it would be nice to find a true mate but it was very rare. So, she had no hope for herself. After all, she had never heard of a maid finding a true mate before.

“Because” Rayne, threw her arms up, “I would be queen and we hardly know each other. It's just so soon. Then theirs his mother.”

Mouse understood she couldn’t imagine being queen.

“What am I supposed to do, Mouse? I like him, I do, but the queen. He said I had two weeks to make up my mind or I would have to run in the hunt again.”

“There's an old saying," Trust in the dragon”, Mouse said.

“But I don’t have a dragon” Rayne said.

“Yes, you do. His name is Lightning and he said you’re his true mate. So, it must be true. Its fate, Rayne,” Mouse said.

“But I hardly know him” Rayne said, as she threw herself on the bed and covered her eyes.

“Well, what are you waiting for?” Mouse said as she went into the closet. “ Let's get you dressed so you can go get to know him.”