#13 The Dragon King and his Werewolf Princess

Sweet Goddess Tiamat…..have mercy on me.

“River,” Her sweet voice choked out, “My name is River.”

How could such a name, one simple, two syllable name, nearly bring me to my knees? The same way her deliciously delicious scent nearly did a few hours ago, I suppose. This itty bitty thing was my mate.

She was maybe a few inches taller than five feet, skin and bone, with snow-like skin, and hair so red it looked like fire. Her features were so delicate and, right now, they were jagged and pointed with the lack of fat on her bones.

And that was completely my fault.

Had I taken my father’s advice, had I followed Mag and Vix’s wishes, and gone to the Tower the moment the Guardians brought her in, I would have sensed her as my mate and saved her from all of this pain.

She was covered in bruises, her ribs, her stomach, her legs, arms, even her beautiful face. Her lip was split and swollen, same with her left eye and cheek. She was naked when I first saw her in the cell, due to the strip search the guards gave her while looking for her marks. That absolutely fueled my undying rage.

They had all seen what belonged only to me.

And now she was dying because of my actions and her own stubbornness. I had to stab myself with an IV needle just to get her to take the lifesaving medical intervention that she needed. I couldn’t tell you the last time I had an IV.

Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever had an IV. Dragon shifters don’t need medical intervention, that’s what the dragon is for.

I pulled a chair over to her bedside and looked down at her pale arm and sunken veins, and I worried that I wouldn’t be able to get the IV in.

“Dr. Monroe would really be better at this.” I said, mostly to myself.

One look into her deep blue eyes and I sucked in a breath, holding it as I went back to examine her arm. Her face was so full of fear that I knew I couldn’t let anyone else touch her, no one but me.

“Thank you for telling me your name,” I said as I tied the tourniquet on her arm, “I want you to know that no harm will come to you ever again. You’ll have whatever you desire, all the proper care and necessities. Once you are well enough, you’ll be able to leave this room and have a look around.”

“Where….” I looked up at the sound of her strained voice and watched as she swallowed painfully, “Where am I?”

“The Royal palace.” I answered plainly.

The confusion in her eyes didn’t let up.

“The Royal City?” I tried again.

She blinked at me.

“Where did you come from?” I asked.

“The Royal palace,” She echoed my words,

Wait, what?

“But, I think, from another realm.” She adds.

“That’s not possible.” I shook my head.

She released a heavy sigh.

“The guard….from the jailhouse….” She was struggling to speak and her pain was ripping apart my soul, “King?” She mumbled, pointing at me.

“Oh, yes, I’m the King.” I nodded, stringing together her words.

Her eyes pinched together in confusion.

“Of what?” She asked.

“Uhm?” I was rarely left speechless, if ever, “The people?”

“What….people?” She mumbled.

“My people…..this realm’s people…..the Dragonhearted.” I was now looking at this tiny woman like she was crazy.

Her eyes widened and her face drained of what little color it had.

“Dragonhearted?” She squeaked, “As in….dragons?”

“Well….yes.” I nodded.

“I’m not…..you’re…..” She shook her head and, this time, I wasn’t able to make sense of her words.

Instead, I focused on the mission, again.

“This might hurt.” I said as I posed the IV needle and shoved it into her skin.

I felt her wince deep inside my soul, my heart seizing at her pain. I moved quickly, my giant fingers not making the delicate work any easier. I pulled out the needle, taped the tube down, and attached the saline and nutrition bags.

“Done.” I said and I wasn’t sure who was more relieved, me or her.

“What….were your people…..looking for?” She struggled to ask.

“Your mark. Why don’t you have one?” I asked, sitting back in the chair.

She shook her head,

“Kept telling them….not mated.” She whispered.

I swallowed hard. I figured that, based on her reaction, or lack thereof, she didn’t sense me as her mate. But, hearing her say it aloud ripped right through me.

“That’s not the mark they were looking for. They were looking for your House and classification.” I clarified.

“What?” She looked at me with a blank expression.

“Let’s back up. What did you mean by a different realm?” I back tracked.

“Werewolf. I’m the princess…of the werewolf realm.” She confessed.

“That’s not possible,” I said again, “The dragon realm is closed off to everyone else.”

“I didn’t know….dragons existed.” She said,

“You’re a werewolf?” I asked and she nodded.

That’s why she was so strong, that’s why she was able to break free before. The large chains they used as a last resort were made of silver. Silver is like poison to werewolves. I looked down at the wrist that was still poking out from the covers and noticed the burn marks circling her skin.

“Will your wolf heal you?” I asked.

I had a very limited understanding of wolves, but I was under the impression that they were similar to dragons in their abilities and enhancements. River nodded,

“Asleep….silver.” She mumbled.

“The silver put your wolf to sleep? And you’ll begin to heal once your wolf wakes up?” I clarified and she nodded again.

I thought about that for a minute before speaking again,

“How did you get here?” I asked, confusion and shock muddying my mind.

“I don’t know.” She mumbled, wincing.

She was in more pain now than before, her throat made raw from all the talking.

“You should rest. I’ll come back once this IV has had a chance to work and we’ll talk more.” I sighed, standing up from the chair.

“Wait,” She said, wrapping her tiny fingers around my hand.

I looked down at her fingers on my skin and bit back a gasp. Her fingertips left my skin feeling like it was on fire, like flames were licking their way up my arm and into my soul. My dragon came to life inside me, roaring at the contact from his mate and demanding to claim her. He thrashed at the confines of my mind and I felt my eyes catch fire. I pinched them shut, not wanting to scare my mate, and fought for control.

“Why…nice to me?” She asked as I struggled for dominance over my dragon.

I took a few deep breaths and ground my teeth together before I had the dragon shoved far enough done to be in control again. I opened my eyes and locked on with hers.

“I’ll tell you all about it when you’re stronger,” I said, gently pulling my hand away from hers and moving away, “But, I promise that no one will be anything but nice to you from here on out.” I swore to her before leaving the room.

I released the breath I was holding and watched as a cloud of steam came pouring out of my nose. Vix and Dr. Monroe were standing in the hallway, watching me carefully.

“Let me know when she needs a new IV bag. She needs me to test it on myself first to prove to her that it’s safe. Once she gets some of the saline and nutrients into her system, we’ll see if she’ll let you look her injuries over.” I told the doctor.

“I’m worried about some of the bruises, you grace. What if she has internal bleeding?” Dr. Monroe said, looking nervous.

“She’s a werewolf. Once her wolf wakes up from all the silver, it’ll begin to heal her,” I explained, “The injuries won’t kill her.”

Dr. Monroe and Vix looked at me in utter shock.

“How….” Vix gapped at me.

“I have no idea and neither does she. It’s why she has no marks.” I said through a clenched jaw, still beating myself up for all the pain my mate is in because of me.

“Dr. Monroe, her throat is so raw she can hardly speak, is there something you can do about that?” I asked.

“Small sips of water and ice chips. The ice will help moiston her cracked lips and sore throat slowly, without upsetting her stomach.” Dr. Monroe replied.

“Get her some ice chips, then.” I barked and Dr. Monroe scurried off.

“Cal, what’s going on?” Vix asked me as I began to walk away from the room.

“That girl is my mate.” I forced out.

Vix tripped over her own feet at my confession, staring at me with huge blue eyes that mirrored my own.

“The werewolf is your mate?” She clarified.

“That’s what I said,” I snapped, “Vix, can you sit with her? Maybe she’ll feel more comfortable talking with you.” I sighed.

“She’s only spoken to you, it sounds like. She wouldn’t even let me near her,” Vix said, her eyes pinching together in concern, “Cal?”

“What?” I bit, coming to a stop to look sideways at my sister.

“Are you okay?” She asked in a softer voice.

“I did this to her. If I had listened to you, Mag, or even our father then I would have seen her the first day she arrived here and sensed her as my mate. I would have kept her from all this pain.” My tone was flaccid, but I was dying inside.

“You couldn’t have known….” Vix shook her head.

“No, but I shouldn’t have treated anyone that way just because of something we didn’t understand. Vix, it was wrong, whether she was my mate or not.” I confessed.

Vix looked at me with poorly hidden shock.

“Shut up,” I grumbled and abandoned her in the hallway, “And send me Mag.” I called over my shoulder.