The Dragon Mate

Alpha Levi

Levi’s POV

I wake up unsure what had happened. I recall being doomed to die, betrayed by those I had trusted most. Then there was a goddess, a beautiful maiden of snow white hair and ice blue eyes, like the season of winter had been born to walk among mortal men. She had looked so kind and her concern for me had warmed my heart in a way it hadn’t been in over a decade. I know this goddess cannot be real, such beauty would not have been missed by my sight. She wore the clothing of the fae yet was not herself. The fae did not trust easily and I was certain I would have heard of a goddess being taken in by them.

Turning my head though I found the goddess standing not far from the bed I had been placed in. Her focus was entirely on her work at a potions table, a mage then it seemed. She was singing to herself, a soft melody sung in a heavenly voice. A small smile on her lips as though this task was not just a necessary job for her but one she enjoyed. She was indeed dressed in the clothing of the fae, the earthly colors and soft material unmistakable. I had heard fae made cloth was the softest thing one could feel. The green material had short sleeves that did not cover her shoulders and neck with a long flowing skirt. She had a slender frame with the ample breasts and a perfect ass. She wore a flower the color of the sky in her hair where it was tied into a bun likely to stay out of her way while she worked. She didn’t appear to notice I had awakened yet.

I could not stay here though, I needed to return home to my pack. I needed to deal with the traitors. The punishment for their crime was death, I was going to have to kill my own brother and my closest friends. That idea pained me but as alpha, no matter the criminal, the punishment must be delivered. These thoughts caused me to growl finally drawing the winter maiden’s attention to me.

“Oh, you’re awake. How do you feel?” She asks moving quickly to my side.

I stare up at her surprised that genuine concern was there again. Even the few healers willing to work with my pack did show such concern and care.

“I am…healed?” I finally look over my body finding no sign of the attack or ice.

“Are you feeling any pain or feeling ill?”

“No, I am unharmed. How did this happen? I should have some scarring or at least…” My voice trails off as I reach up to my eye.

“Well you must be well blessed by the gods as I was the one to find you. Healing is a specialty of mine.”

I look at her surprised, she singlehandedly healed my injuries? That shouldn’t be possible. I know I had to have been in the snow for a significant amount of time to at least have suffered frostbite. Yet there was no sign. Even to heal that kind of damage a fraction would take more than one healer.

“My name is Mana but everyone calls me Frost.”

I look at her surprised by the introduction.

“I am Levi, alpha of Luna’s Blessed pack.” Luna was the goddess that the wolves worshipped, we were gifted with her blessing granting us our shifted forms and abilities.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you Levi. Would you like something to eat? You’ve been asleep for a little over a day.”

My eyes widen, that was far too long. My brother will no doubt had already done damage to the pack during that time. I rush to my feet only to tumble forward, the only reason I didn’t hit the ground was Frost catching me. She was strong, stronger than a fae should be. I didn’t know what she was, I could not scent her properly though she did smell of both a wolf and fae.

“I need to return home. The traitors must be dealt with.”

I hear her sigh heavily.

“Another stubborn wolf. Sit, I will return shortly and then I will take you home. If there is a battle to be had you cannot go alone in your current state. I will bring aid to ensure your safety.”

Surprised by her offer I couldn’t voice a protest before she was gone. I look around in her absence. The room was rather large, the bed a material I don’t recognize but it was softer than anything I have felt before. There were bookcases full on nearly all corners of the room, a very knowledgeable mage it seemed. She seemed too young to be so knowledgeable. In her early twenties at the latest. A vast difference in our age as I had recently turned forty-five. The only sign of my age was the silver beginning to streak my jet black hair. The pack females had seemed to only grow more attracted to me with them.

My body had not weakened with my aging, still well built with muscle, no matter what I didn’t let up on my training. I needed to protect the pack and without an heir if I were to fall the pack would fall into chaos. That causes me to clench at my chest, an heir had always been a sore topic. My beloved mate, my destined mate had never been able to recover from learning she was unable to have children of her own. We could have adopted but she had found fault in herself for not being able to bear her own pups.

When I heard Frost return, I looked up finding an impressively large wolf following her. It took a moment before I recognized the wolf, every alpha memorized the wolves that had been labeled rogue. I should attack upon seeing him but he was standing at Frost’s side. Even knowing her only a few moments I knew without a doubt she would not be at ease with someone unless they were safe. A strange concept to accept when rogues were dangerous and without honor or value of the pack.

“Let me grab a few things and then we can go. You’ll need to tell me where your territory is located.” Frost tells me drawing my gaze away from the wolf.

“My territory expands from the base of the mountain you found me on.”

She nods in confirmation as she gathers a basket of supplies.

“May I ask why you need supplies for simply taking me home?”

She didn’t look my way as she answered.

“I told you that you’re in no shape to fight. You’re bound to get hurt even with our help. I want to be prepared to treat any injuries. You are pack alpha and the pack cannot afford to lose their alpha.” She offered me a kind smile with eyes that spoke of proper knowledge of the importance of the pack and its alpha.

I glance at the wolf, wondering if he was somehow responsible for this. He said nothing though, focused only on Frost. For a moment I wondered if he were her mate, it was his scent I smelled on her but somehow, I suspected that wasn’t the case.

Once she had finished gathering her things the wolf came to my side and aided me in standing much to my surprise. His touch was gentle for a rogue, he was being careful knowing my weakened state. He also wasn’t taking advantage of it to harm me. How strange, I would have to look into this matter. When I noticed the glowing lights around us, I look to Frost, she was using a teleportation spell! She didn’t look strong enough to withstand the strain of teleporting all three of us. Yet I found us within my territory and she looked as though this had been as simple as breathing to her. With a smile directed my way she motioned for me to lead the way.

She had been right about my state as I could barely walk. The wolf said nothing as he picked me up to carry me. I bit back a growl and simply directed them. When I noticed something being handed to me, I looked to see Frost holding out what appeared to be dried meat. I had never seen meat prepared like this before.

“Eating will help and this has been specially enhanced to restore strength. I promise it’s safe to eat and I’ve been told it’s quite delicious.”

Accepting it I ate it as she had yet to give me a reason to distrust her. My eyes widened as the taste was very good and for dried meat it was surprisingly tender.

“What is this? I have never had anything like this before.”

She smiled knowing the compliment in my tone.

“One of the promising results of my experiments. In winter finding food is often difficult. This preserves meat for a while and is useful on long journeys. I have made a few different flavors and brought a bit in case you had time to eat before we arrive at your home.”

I couldn’t help but find myself surprised by the amount of her consideration. Maybe she really was a goddess. No mortal being had this amount of kindness within them. I try not to linger on this topic and instead eat the food she’d been kind enough to bring for me. I could feel my strength returning steadily and was thankful my carelessness would not doom me to die after all her hard work in healing me. When the pack’s homes began coming into view I didn’t even need to ask to be let down, the wolf knew I had to walk from here.

“I am in your debt Lady Frost. And you,” I said looking to the wolf.

“Knight.” He gave the answer in a gruff tone while crossing his arms.

Ah, so he intended to come with even with his status as rogue. Knight…now that was a surprise. Still, he stood beside Frost as an ally. Maybe the stories of him were not entirely true then. I turn back towards my pack’s homes and begin walking. I try to hide my remaining weakness, now more than ever I need to be seen as the strong alpha the pack looks up to. My approach doesn’t go unnoticed and soon packmates begin swarming asking to many questions for me to understand properly.

“Where is my brother?” I ask speaking over them all and successfully silencing them.

“At the pack hall, he’s been talking about what was going to happen with your sudden death.” A young male wolf training to be a warrior informed me.

With a quick nod of thanks, I continue forward. My brother was to die today, I could not become weak now. Blood or not, he had betrayed me and put the pack at risk. No alpha could tolerate that, I could not tolerate that. Before I would kill him though, I just wanted to know why. What was worth the life of his own brother and alpha?

Arriving at the pack hall I push the doors open forcefully, alerting all to my entrance. My silver eyes narrow and all emotions I once felt towards my brother disappeared completely. He was a traitor, not my brother, not anymore.

“Alpha!” A young female that had been orphaned a year ago rushed to me, she had been taken under the wing of the strongest wolves of the pack and had grown attached to me as her preferred mentor. “You’re alive!”

I knew she needed comfort but it sadly had to wait, I had traitors to kill.

“Tell me Nickolas, what was worth trying to kill me? What would you gain with my death?” I demand of him, silencing the room entirely with my words.

Nickolas, my younger brother of two years didn’t even look ashamed, if anything he looked angry that I survived.

“You’re supposed to be dead.” He snarled at me, his three allies in his betrayal moving closer to him as a united front.

“The goddess Luna looked upon me favorably and granted me a miracle. Why did you betray me? Why did you betray the pack?”

“Because you’re weak!” Nickolas snarled at me storming forward. “To weak to do what the pack needs. We could have allies if you weren’t so stubborn, you could have had an heir long ago but you just can’t move on from that weak female, you are failing our pack! You needed to go away but I couldn’t remove you in a fair fight. So, I did what was needed for the pack, like a proper alpha!”

I growl at him prepared for the fight that was to come.

“For betraying the pack, I Levi, the alpha sentence you, Keith, Tom, and James to death.”

Nickolas actually laughed cruelly at my words.

“You’re too weak to take us all on, even the pups of the pack can see that.” He mocked and there was a chance he was right.

“Maybe but in dealing out the sentence for such a crime he can elect another to deliver the punishment.” Frost speaks up much to my surprise, she knows pack law?

She looks at me with a smile.

“Either myself or my father will be happy to deliver punishment if you’d like.”

My eyes widened, father? But I couldn’t smell their familiar bond, that meant she was not his pup by blood.

“Another weak female brother? Let her face us, you can watch another of your weaklings die because of your failings.”

I turn to glare at my brother but Frost steps between us.

“Allow me to aid you Alpha Levi.”

I glance at Knight who does not look worried for his pup.

“Very well, you may deliver their punishment on my behalf.”

The four traitors all grinned, confident they would defeat Frost. If they did, they would escape punishment. As Nickolas rushed her, I watched in awe and slight horror as she punched him sending him flying all way across the hall and through the wall.

“I prefer not to fight but your actions are unforgivable. The pack is meant to trust each other, to trust their alpha. You betrayed yours just because you don’t agree with his methods.”

The other three shifted form and tried to attack as a group. If I was shocked before I was even more so as she sent the three above average wolves flying the same way she had with Nickolas. She rushed after them and I moved to in order to see this fight through to the end. As I stepped outside a massive gust of icy wind forced me to cover my face. When I turned back to look, I’m certain my eyes had gone to an impossible size. I have never seen a dragon, no one in my pack had. They stayed to themselves, living as close to the sky as possible. They did not waste their times with lowly creatures bound to the land. To see one, an armored beast of unimaginable power was a sight unlike anything I had ever seen before. It was awe-inspiring, it was terrifying, and it sent every single one of my instincts into overdrive. I needed to protect the pack but there was no escaping or defeating a dragon, this was a truth all creatures accepted.

Nickolas and the others knew this to but still attempted to escape. They didn’t get far, for such a large beast she moved remarkably fast. In moments the four were dead, suffering the consequences of their crimes. Everyone of the pack that had gathered were staring up at the armored beast that was the color of snow. Eyes that were still impossibly kind turned towards me and somehow gracefully and smooth, Frost shifted back.

“I’m glad I was able to help prevent you from getting hurt again. If you ever need help you can always contact me. I live in fae territory east of here. You need only ask for me by name at the forest’s edge.”

I was speechless by not just her actions but her words that it took me a few moments to speak up to stop her from leaving.

“Stay, for a feast. It is our pack’s tradition to repay outsiders who protect our pack.”

She looked surprised before looking to her father.

“I do not believe they will want me here and she is my way home. It is quite the distance home.”

Knight had a point; he was a rogue. Exiled and marked with a target on his back for the rest of his life.

“Tradition is very important to us. Join us.”

Knight gave a single nod before walking to Frost’s side and handed her the basket of her supplies. She thanked him and seeing the two together I felt determined to discover the truth behind Knight’s exile.

“Alpha, I will alert the pack to the feast. Will you need company?” Samantha, his right hand and second strongest of the pack asked her distrustful gaze directed at Knight.

“No, I will be fine.” I assure her much to her shock.

With a single nod and a glare in Knight’s direction she left. I walk over to my two guests.

“I admit I’m curious how a dragon came to live among us earthbound and to be raised by a wolf.”

Frost placed a finger to her lips as she said teasingly, “I’m afraid that’s a family secret.”

I can’t help but smile, such a unique beauty I’ve encountered.

“Is it also a family secret how you came to be of your current status?” I ask Knight getting straight to the important matter.

“You wish to know why I became a rogue.”

I nod. He huffs and walks away moving to leave my pack’s territory.

“She can tell you. I will await your return daughter. I could use a run anyways.”

I watch him go a bit surprise. He’s aware of his status and the unease it causes yet he doesn’t seem ashamed of it. I wonder again what the story is behind that, what was worth becoming rogue?

“Why do you want to know about my father?” Frost asks me.

“I’ve met rogues before, ruthless killers with no regard for the wellbeing of others. Knight does not fit what I’ve seen of rogues. I wonder if maybe a mistake was made with his exile.”

I focus on Frost seeing the pain cross her face.

“Most would say his exile was for good reason.”

“Yet you do not. I would like to know the truth.”

She finally agreed but only if we could speak in private. I have never kept secrets from my pack but for her, just this once, I would make an exception. I take her to my home where we can speak without prying eyes. Before sitting down, I make tea as my mother raised me to be a proper host to guests.

“Thank you.” She smiles at me as I place the cup in front of her and sit down.

She took a sip clearly pleased with the taste; it was about all I could make unfortunately. I’ve never had a talent for the kitchen much to my own displeasure. I try not to burden my pack to much but I must rely on them for food as without them I’d surely poison myself with my own cooking.

“I suppose I should start from the beginning. You see many didn’t agree with father taking me in. There are stories about taking in an abandoned dragon, that it will bring disaster. My father was the strongest member of his pack, even stronger than the alpha. He never wanted that position; said he couldn’t lead the pack like his best friend could. I think that’s the only reason I was allowed to stay. The alpha’s son hated me though.”

I watched her focus entirely on the cup before her, not looking up at me as she recalled a clearly painful tale.

“The alpha’s eldest son approached me one day, I was a child and so easily swayed by sweet words even knowing until that point he’d despised me. He made no secret of his feelings towards me, only had cold words and dark looks when I was around. But that day he was so nice, he actually wanted to play with me and promised to teach me. So I went with him. He taught me to climb and took me to the tallest tree in our territory.”

I feel my lungs freeze, unable to take in air knowing what was to come. But dragons could fly, there was no reason to worry. She is here today and alive, it has to just be the betrayal and deception at such a young age.

“His words were even crueler that day. Told me to fly away, fly far away because I didn’t belong among wolves. That I’d never be one and that I should stop trying. I had never flown before. I don’t know if my wings were too weak to or if I just hadn’t been ready to try yet. All I saw in that moment was the ground beneath me and I froze in fear. I didn’t shift, I just fell. I couldn’t hear my screams over the cracking of my bones. I could barely hear his screams over my own. Father killed him for nearly killing me, for injuring me so badly. He didn’t know if I’d survive, all he saw was blood and bone. Our alpha exiled him for killing a packmate without just cause.”

“But he tried to kill you, that is just cause.” I argue though I keep my voice calm seeing the vulnerable look in her eyes.

“I was not pack, not in their eyes. Not when it came to the alpha’s son. Father killed him over his actions towards an outsider. That was their view and no one argued it. Our pack abandoned us and with word spreading like wildfire of his exile no one wanted to help us. I don’t remember much during that time; the pain had consumed my every thought and I know more than once we were run out of town because my screams annoyed the locals. We were lucky that the fae needed the help of someone capable of fighting. They took us in and healed my wounds in exchange for father defending their boarders.”

I can’t stop the growl that echoes from me, those damned fools! She looks at me startled.

“They were idiots. You and your father deserve better than that false pack.”

A relieved look crosses her face and I realized she’d thought I was angry at her.

“Thank you. I know deep down that I was not at fault for my father’s exile but…somedays I almost wish he’d never found me. He hides it but I know he misses life in the pack. Wolves are not meant to be alone.”

I hesitate before reaching out, my larger hand closing around her smaller one. She looks startled by the action.

“You are correct, no wolf is meant to be alone. Pack is essential to our life.”

Her gaze drops again to the cup and I curse internally unsure what to say. I wasn’t use to talking this much one on one with someone.

“The fae territory, does it boarder on ours?”

She considered that for a moment.

“The two are close but there’s an unclaimed land between them. Why?”

I meet her gaze with a smile as an idea formed.

“Can you arrange a meeting with the fae queen? I wish to propose a deal to her that will be beneficial to all parties involved.”

“I can, what kind of proposal? Depending on it she will likely meet with you sooner. I can send a message now for you.”

“Joining territory, my pack will offer protection much like your father does and in exchange my pack will receive yours and the fae’s aid as healers.”

Her eyes widened.

“Wh-why ask for this deal?”

“Not many healers are willing to aid wolves. Exiled or not, they feel uneasy around us. My pack would benefit greatly of having healers we can rely on. But the main reason I thought of this is if our territories join you and your father would be considered pack.”

Before I could even blink, I had an armful of dragon. For an armored beast, she was surprisingly soft. My arms wrap around her once my shock wears off and I can feel her trembling as her tears soak my neck.

“Thank you.” I barely catch the whisper.

I hold her until she calms down and when she pulls away, I move my arms to let her. She wipes her eyes, that pale skin darkened red with a blush.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have reacted like that. I’ll send the message.”

I watch as she uses magic to make a bird of light, she whispers to it and sends it on its way. I had always been fascinated by magic but it is a talent not common among wolves. If anything, it was so rare it may as well be non-existent.

“I will let you know when I receive a reply.”

“Thank you, I know if this works out many of my pack will be relieved. We suffered greatly last season when an illness ran rampant. Many had yet to fully recover still.”

The moment my words were spoken she jumped to her feet.

“Why did you not mention this the moment you were awake? Such sickness cannot be left untreated. It may run rampant through your pack again. Gather the ill and I will treat them.”

Only the alpha’s mate could order them, all others were met with aggression. This was a fact known throughout the wolves no matter the pack. I did not stand to challenge her, I did not even growl, only obeyed. Something I hadn’t done since I lost my mate all those years ago. How strange, why did I respond this way to the dragon?