Alpha Queen is Marked by Fire

Chains & Charades

"Magician’s panel wants to see you," a guard called from outside the cage, his tone laced with a smirk.

I glanced over my shoulder at Ryvarn, still shackled but now watching me with those molten-gold eyes that seemed to pierce through every defense I had. I tilted my head slightly, letting my lips curve into a faint smile. "I’ll be back, dragon. Behave while I’m gone. They shouldn't doubt us."

His eyes narrowed, a low rumble vibrating in his chest, but he didn’t reply.

The guard snickered as he opened the door for me. “Well, aren’t you full of confidence. Tamed the great beast with just a touch, huh? Maybe you’ll survive longer than the others.”

I ignored him, stepping out into the dimly lit corridor. The air felt heavier here, thick with the faint tang of magic and damp stone. The hallways twisted and turned in a maze of dark walls and flickering torches.

When I arrived at the panel’s chamber, three magicians were seated in high-backed chairs around a polished stone table. Their robes shimmered faintly in the low light, and their eyes gleamed with that strange mix of disdain and hunger that I had grown used to.

One of them leaned forward, his voice sharp and laced with false praise. "The guard tells me you managed to calm the dragon. Just a touch, was it? Impressive."

I bowed slightly, keeping my expression neutral. “Thank you.”

"Impressive indeed," he continued, though his tone grew darker. "Succeed in seducing him, and you will be rewarded. But fail, or worse, betray us… and you’ll face the king’s wrath. He isn’t an ordinary Alpha. He is the king of every Alpha."

The mention of the king sent a chill down my spine, but I forced myself to nod, lowering my gaze in submission. “You have my loyalty,” I said, my voice steady.

Inside, though, my thoughts churned. The king… he’s the reason I’m doing this. If it means I can see him, even once, I’ll endure anything.

...

Back in my room, I sank onto the hard bed, letting out a long, shaky breath. The walls were bare, the floor cold stone. A single window high above let in a faint sliver of moonlight, but it only made the room feel emptier.

The guard had informed me that Ryvarn had fallen asleep—finally worn down by the pain of his estrus period. It was the only reason they’d been able to capture him in the first place. Dragons were at their weakest during this time, their immense power turned inward to fuel their transformation into adulthood. Well, he doesn't look 100 years old though as his appearance.

I toss my thought for a while.

My body ached, my mind spinning with thoughts that refused to settle. If I failed to help Ryvarn, he’d kill me without hesitation. The rage I’d seen in his eyes when we first met told me that much. But if the magicians discovered my deception, they wouldn’t spare me either.

And yet, I clung to the faintest sliver of hope. If I could succeed in this dangerous game, if I could earn enough trust to meet the king just once… it would all be worth it.

My eyes grew heavy as I stared at the ceiling, my body giving in to exhaustion. I just have to survive this.

...

"Get up, girl."

The voice jolted me awake.

I blinked, disoriented, as a man loomed over me, his face half-hidden in the shadows. "What’s going on?" I asked, my voice groggy.

"It’s the dragon," he said sharply. "He’s in his dragon form."

My stomach dropped. "That’s… impossible. During his estrus, he—"

"Doesn’t matter how," the man interrupted. "He’s transformed, and if we don’t tame him now, he’ll destroy us all."

My blood turned cold. This wasn’t part of the plan. Taming him before had been a charade, a delicate dance of pretending to calm a creature too powerful for any of them to control. But now? Now, he wasn’t weakened by his human form. He was a dragon—a creature of fire and fury.

"Move," the man snapped, grabbing my arm and pulling me to my feet. My legs wobbled beneath me, my heart pounding as fear took hold.

The hallway blurred as we walked, the shadows seeming darker, the air colder. My hands trembled as I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to steady the growing panic inside me.

"Why me?" I whispered, more to myself than to him.

"You tamed him once. Do it again," the man said simply, his voice devoid of empathy.

I wanted to laugh, scream, anything to release the knot tightening in my chest. But I kept moving, my steps heavy with dread.

...

We reached the cage door, and the sound of Ryvarn’s roars hit me like a physical force. The walls trembled with each thunderous cry, and I felt the vibrations deep in my bones.

"I… I can’t," I stammered, stepping back.

The man glared at me. "If you don’t, I’ll report you to the magicians. You know what that means."

My heart clenched. I had no choice.

Taking a shaky breath, I stepped toward the door. The guard unlocked it with trembling hands, clearly just as terrified as I was. The heavy door groaned as it swung open, and I stepped inside, my legs feeling like they could give out at any moment.

The sight before me was breathtaking.

Ryvarn’s dragon form dominated the chamber, his massive body radiating heat and power. His white scales gleamed like polished obsidian in the dim light, each one catching the glow of the torches. His wings, spread wide, were lined with veins of molten gold that pulsed faintly as if they carried liquid fire.

He turned his head, and I saw the curve of his neck, the sharp ridge of his spine. He was lethal, beautiful, and utterly terrifying.

For a moment, I couldn’t move.

Then his head snapped toward me, and our eyes met.

The golden irises I’d grown accustomed to were now blazing with fire, his pupils slitted and predatory. His mouth opened slightly, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth.

He let out a deafening roar, and flames erupted from his jaws, licking dangerously close to where I stood.

"Aaaaaaa," I screamed, throwing my arms over my face as the heat scorched the air around me. My palms pressed against my eyes, and my mind raced with a single thought:

I didn’t think I’d die like this.