The Dragon's Queen

Nika

My hands shook as his silver eyes flickered open.

"Hello, little mate," a wicked grin spread across his lips as he flipped me over. My body tensed at the electric jolt of his touch. I could have easily performed a hundred counter-moves to regain control, but my mind and body betrayed me.

He knocked the blade from my grip, pinning my hands above my head.

"Nika, Alpha princess of the NightShade Pack," he drawled, his voice taunting. "What a pleasure to have you at my modest birthday party.”

“Mate!”

The word slipped out before I could stop it. My wolf growled inside me, thrilled, as the sharp minty scent overwhelmed my senses.

No! No! No!

This couldn’t be happening. There had to be a mistake. The moon goddess wouldn’t do this to me. It had to be some cruel trick.

Here I was, straddling my father’s enemy, a silver blade clutched in my hands, poised to end him for the honor of our pack, the NightShade Clan...

But somehow, he was my mate?

I swallowed hard. This was definitely not how I imagined this going. He should have been begging for mercy as I slowly drove my blade between his shoulder blades.

When my father handed me this mission, I spent two weeks crafting a perfect plan to kill him without alerting his pack.

The NightShade Pack and BlackClaw Tribe had been bitter enemies for as long as I could remember. Both sides would stop at nothing to destroy the other and seize control.

This wasn’t my first assignment. My name was well-known for bringing Alphas to their knees. I was my father’s secret weapon. So when he trusted me with this task, one that his strongest warriors had failed to achieve, I accepted it with pride, confident of my victory.

"Where great men falter, that’s where you rise, my fierce Nika," my father often said.

Maybe that’s why I thought I could sneak into BlackClaw territory, pose as an esteemed guest, drug their Alpha, and kill him. And I almost succeeded—if not for the moon goddess’s cruel prank.

My heart pounded as his eyes swept over me carefully.

"This is where I get my birthday present, right, fiery one?" he slurred, his black curls tumbling over his face.

I had never truly seen him up close before, only from a distance. Now I knew that distance was safer.

Here, beneath him, was dangerous. It was stirring feelings I never imagined. The intense heat building inside me felt almost unnatural. I could hardly take two breaths without fanning the flames roaring within me.

“W-What g-gift?” I stammered, breathless.

Another sign that I was in deep trouble. Nika Blackwood didn’t stutter. My words were as sharp as my presence. And yet, here I was, uncertain, pinned beneath a man. A quick death would have been merciful.

“You, darling. What else?” he murmured, his lips brushing dangerously close to mine.

He was still under the influence of the drug, and with the mate bond complicating things, I was doomed. I tried to break free, but he held me down. His fingers traced my skin as he searched me for hidden weapons.

I groaned softly as he moved lower. My cheeks flushed as I realized it sounded more like a moan. He smirked at me, “Someone’s enjoying this more than they should.”

I had a blade tucked behind my left boot. I needed a distraction before he found it, so I slapped him. "I don’t appreciate being touched like that."

He grinned. "Oh, I’d say you do, princess. Your mouth says no, but your body tells a different story."

“Get off me,” I spat angrily, struggling beneath him.

He pressed me down, the cold blade resting against my throat. His eyes struggled to focus, still hazy from the drug. "You’re one of the most dangerous women alive. If I let you go, you wouldn’t hesitate to decapitate me, and frankly, I like my head attached."

"Do I frighten you, little man?" I taunted, trying to prick his pride. Men often make foolish decisions when their pride is threatened.

He studied me, his intense gaze making my skin burn. I hated how I felt, and the worst part was I couldn’t stop it. It was ruining everything.

Aidan’s eyes sparkled with amusement. "Trying to start a fire, aren't we?" he teased, his voice low and rough, sending a wave of heat through me.

My face flushed with anger. "Get off me, you arrogant bastard."

Aidan chuckled, his breath warm against my ear. "Not just yet, sweetheart. I have something better for you. Guards!"

The door crashed open, and two large men hauled me off him, throwing me into a cold, damp cell. The door slammed shut behind them. I couldn’t believe this was happening. One moment I was on the verge of killing my target, securing my reputation as an elite assassin, and now I was locked up like some low-level criminal. What have you done, Nika?!

As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, a grim smile spread across my face. This wasn’t over.

I retrieved the blade hidden in my boot and began working on the lock. The mechanism clicked open, and I slipped out into the dim corridor.

As I rounded the corner, my breath caught. Aidan was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, waiting.

"Escape artist, aren't you?" he asked, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "I expected as much. You’re full of surprises."

Without thinking, I snarled and charged at him. Aidan laughed, his movements sluggish, still affected by the drug.

We fought fiercely, and I quickly gained the upper hand. I landed a series of hits, sending him reeling. Breaking his nose seemed like the perfect way to make him pay for humiliating me.

But just as I thought I had won, Aidan’s lips crashed into mine. The sudden kiss stunned me, like a jolt of lightning, and he used the moment to disarm me. I should have expected him to fight dirty, but who could have foreseen he would be crazy enough to kiss me?

He pressed me against the wall, his body trapping mine. I could feel the pressure between us, and I cursed myself for enjoying it. "You’re a worthy opponent, Nika," he whispered, his breath hot against my skin.

I tried to knee him, but he anticipated the move. I drew my second hidden blade, but he was faster, his grip tightening around my wrist like iron.

I struggled, but Aidan’s hold didn’t waver. He dragged me back to the cell and tossed me inside. I had never felt so humiliated. All of Andreas Blackwood’s teachings seemed worthless as my body refused to cooperate.

As the door clanged shut, I screamed, "Let me out, you monster! You can’t keep me here!"

Aidan’s voice echoed back, "Oh, but I can, sweetheart. And I will." He paused for a moment. "Get some rest. We don’t want those ugly wrinkles on that pretty face, do we?"

His laughter faded down the corridor, leaving me seething with rage.

This wasn’t over yet.