I was in our royal garden where one of our gardeners was showing me how to plant different types of flowers and such. She was like a mother to me ever since my own had been murdered when I was only 5 years old. All the gardeners were like mothers to me in a way because they treated me like their daughter whenever I was around. Unfortunately, I don’t have one close mother figure. My father did remarry, and my Stepmother was always kind to me nonetheless, but she treated me as she treated all her subjects and nothing more.

A guard approached me. "Princess Carissa. Your Father, the king would like to have a word with you." I stood up with a nod and walked into the castle.

My father looked at me with his cold light brown eyes. Soon he noticed how my clothes were wrinkle and I was covered in dirt. "You are a lady and almost eighteen so you shouldn't be playing in the dirt." He scolded me as usual.

I curtsied. "Why yes Father, although half our gardeners are female and over twenty years of age, so your point isn’t exactly valid," I smirked.

He glared at me. "They are commoners while you are royalty. It’s their job to tend to the garden while it’s going to be your job to rule one day. You need to act like it." He sighed. “I am only worried for you. You're becoming like your mother, more adventurous each day. I have one request of you, my daughter.”

I tapped my fingers against my side as he spoke. “Yes, father?" And here it goes, he was going to tell me not to go into the dark forest. He was going to tell me of all the dangers as usual.

"The Dark Forest." Knew it. "It's a dangerous place, no one in this kingdom can venture near it. Not even royalty." He warned while waving his hands lightly as he spoke. "Hundreds of years ago there was a war. Dragons attacked the villages and cities of our elven kingdoms. So, we put together armies to fight back. We thought we killed them all but there were survivors. They knew then that we were not weak creatures like they thought, and they went into hiding to repopulate. They reside in the dark forest. Since the war, they've evolved to be stronger, bigger, faster, and they've learned to breathe fire. They have become our greatest threat. If we got into another war our magic will prove to be weak against them. I lost your mother I don't want to lose you too." He placed his hand on my shoulder. "So, stay out the Dark Forest." He spoke with a serious tone.

The thing is he wasn't scaring me. His speech made me more curious. Were these Dragons as bad as the stories behind them? Were they even really in the Dark Forest? It's been a long time so they could have left. With these thoughts... I kept them to myself and nodded to my father. "Yes of course Father I promise." He smiled which was rare then left to his office to do work. He was always so busy being king and all. I walked to the east end of the castle and ran to my best friend to hug her tightly. "Bailey!" She was surprised by my sudden appearance but wrapped her arms around my torso as mine were around her neck.

"Princess." She was my aid who was supposed to keep me out of trouble and make sure I went where I was supposed to be. She was skilled in fighting and in elven magic so basically my personal guard. She was nineteen which was two years older than me.

"Carissa," I corrected. "Call me by my name please." We unwrapped our arms and pulled away from each other.

Bailey nodded. "Yes of course Carissa." She smiled. "Where were you this morning? I called your phone, and you didn’t answer.” I was going to text her, but I forgot. “You can't be out my sight. Do you want me to lose my job?" She chuckled but was still serious.

I shook my head in response. Of course, I saw her like an overprotective big sister if I were being honest, but most best friends were. "You missed my lecture, 'Don't go into the dark forest my daughter for there are many dangers.'" I laugh after imitating my father.

Bailey didn’t find it very funny. "Don't make fun of the king like that. I mean he's right Carissa you're too careless."

It wasn’t my intention to worry anyone. "I wouldn’t go past the border but... Bailey when I am near it, I feel like it is calling for me. I think to myself that maybe something is waiting for me there as if I belong there..." I spoke will a sort of passion in my words. I had to tell her since she was my closest confidant. Well, she was my only confidant.

Bailey's eyes widened. "You're not supposed to be near it!" She yelled then took a breath to calm herself down. "Anyway It's not calling for you. You sound like you have few screws loose or you’ve been watching too much tv. Let's go riding to get your mind off it?" She suggested. “Or we could drive around in my car.”

I smiled big because horse riding was my favorite pastime. "Yes! Horse riding, please. Let's go now!" I grabbed her arm impulsively and start running towards the stables.

Scorch's POV

The Dark Kingdom

I was in my human form with my hands stuffed into my pockets as I walked around the large city. The city was surrounded by The Dark Forest, and it was known as The Dark Kingdom or better known to us as The Dragon Kingdom. I walked into my parent's home to sit at the table for lunch with my family since they complained I don't visit enough and well I didn't.

"Mom. Dad. Scorch." My younger sister addresses us with a bright smile plastered on her innocent face. "I found my mate." She was so happy her face glowed. I have never seen her look that happy. She was sixteen so I suppose it wasn't too early an age to find your mate since it was the earliest you could. “Look, this is him.” She pulled her phone out and showed us a picture of him.

When I heard her news, I lightly growled because I was protective of my sister. I was also kind of jealous because she found hers before I found mine. I'm nineteen and impatient. I've met so many female dragon shifters and none were my mate. "That's great Diamond," our mother congratulated her with a kind smile. I could tell she was worried since her daughter found her mate so soon. "When can we meet him?" she asked in her soft voice.

I got up and left into the living room before I heard Diamond's answer. I knew my mate wasn't dead I would have felt it. I mean I haven't met every female in The Dragon Kingdom. Not all of us lived in the city, some lived in the forest. To be completely honest I was giving up on ever finding her, maybe for a few hundred years anyway. I knew it was possible not to find your mate, maybe she was trapped somewhere or in a coma, she would never awake from. I'm not sure if I'd even feel that.

I decided to get my mind off mates because if I didn’t, I'd torture myself. I was about to leave, but my father stopped me by placing his hand on my shoulder. "Scorch."

I sighed as I turned to him. "Hm, Dad?" I asked while ready for a speech.

"Don't leave the Dark Forest." He warned me which was strange cause he never told me something like that before.

I raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Elves," was his answer, but why warn me now? "They’re horribly hateful creatures so don't go near them." He had a serious look on his face.

I shrugged. "Elves are weak creatures, so why would I have a reason to fear them? We could invade their land, take over and kick them out if we wanted." Maybe even kill a few. “With the small amount of us, we could do that to all four of their major kingdoms.”

My father nodded in agreement. "Yes, and we have every right to, but we are still not to interact with them. You should fear what they can do in groups but mainly they are not worth our time our Queen says." The Queen had nothing but our respect. Respect didn't stop some dragon shifters from attacking trespassing elves, but it stopped most.

I shrugged slightly at his words. "They had their chance to live in peace with us. We were living in peace, but they ruined it." We did live in peace with them until one of us accidentally fell asleep while flying and crashed into their village so they stupidly thought we were attacking. They put huge armies together and started murdering our people. Our numbers decreased by a lot because we were still such a new species that were still evolving. We should have wiped their entire race out, or maybe I was overreacting. Yeah, I was, but that’s what they attempted to do to us. They should stay away after that kind of history.

My Father sighed. "I understand how you feel because we all feel the same way. Groups of Elves still venture into the dark forest trying to kill us. They succeeded a few times only because the few they murdered were caught off guard, and/or alone otherwise, they would have killed them all. Trust our Queen and don't get involved with such low beings."

I left the house. I’m too old for a lecture. Of all creatures, elves were especially terrible since they hated, feared, and killed us for no good reason. They didn't try to communicate. No, they resorted to killing people so maybe if I decided I wanted to leave the dark forest and kill a few elves then my father’s words sure as hell couldn't stop me.

I shifted into my dragon form, flew up, and out of the city. I got closer to the border and landed in a cave. It was my relaxing place.

I froze once I smelled a delicious scent of vanilla-laced with the smell of a freshly bloomed rose and a hint of blood. It made me shiver with pleasure. I heard a loud yelp, and the sound made a static shock in my being. I felt it coming closer and closer until the smell was driving me crazy.

Mate.

Carissa’s POV

The Enchanted Kingdom

After we got to the stables Bailey examined me, "You look like a mess... Carissa..." She sighed in disappointment because she realized I was in the garden and it’s not a princess thing to do I suppose. "Let's get you washed up first, alright? Before you start to stink."

I groaned in frustration. "Fine. As you wish Bailey." We started walking until we got to the castle's bath house. I always rather bathe here than in my own personal shower. We walked in, got undressed, and got into the water. The body wash and shampoo I used was actually made by one of our gardeners, so the smell wasn't artificial. There was actual freshly bloomed red roses mixed in.

Once we were done, I got dressed in proper riding clothes. Bailey didn't have any, so she wore her regular clothing and she borrowed one of my helmets. We walked back to the stables, and I got on my beautiful white horse I had since childhood. Bailey got on my other horse, the gorgeous brown one I had gotten from a previous birthday not too long ago.

We were racing and since I had a lot of riding lessons, I was far in front as the better rider. Plus, the horse I was riding was my racing horse. I ditched my helmet because I love the feel of the wind blowing thru my hair.

I looked down at my horse. "Come on, let us go off trail." I laughed slightly then rode my horse off the original trail because I wanted to go the long way to see if I could still beat her. Now I noticed I was close to the border, and I could see into the Dark Forest. I rode my horse in, but she threw me off. “Oof.” I groaned from the fall. Unfortunately, she was scared and left without me.

I stood up slowly and started walking, of course I was a little scared. I seemed fearless since any other elf would have ran out, but I wasn't. Sometimes teens would pass the boarder with cameras and vlog. They wouldn’t ever go very far, and they’d always run out. I looked to the right and the bats flew out a nearby cave and I ducked down dodge them. 

I looked to the left and saw goblins glaring at me. I walked to them and pet one of their heads, it was cute in an ugly way. I yelped as it bit my hand and I pulled away. "That was not very nice at all." I felt like they were gonna attack me, so I walked away, and my hand was bleeding now.

I walk until I reached a nice cave. My eyes widened once they set on a dragon, the real thing. "Don't come any closer." He sneered yet this only caused me to take a couple more steps near the beast.

"But why? I don't understand. You don't wish to hurt me... do you?" I questioned him. The dragon roared loudly in attempt to intimidate me. Probably expected me to run but instead I let out a soft giggle. "You don't cause me any fear." I now stood in front of his large head. My heart nearly raced out my chest. I never felt something like this, so I was so anxious.

He took a couple steps back. "You know the law, elf." He huffed.

I chuckle. "I do. But you don't seem like you're one to follow the rules. I am still alive am I not?" I step forward with a smirk.

He stepped back. "I wouldn't tempt me like that if I were you..." He shook his giant head slowly as spoke.

I had let out a scoff at his words. "Tempt? Law is law I do not have to tempt you." The rule was if an elf saw a dragon in the enchanted kingdom, we would kill them on the spot. I was in the Dark Forest, so he was to kill me. I took a step closer.

He snarled. "That isn't what I meant. Now leave."

I sighed since he sounded serious. I didn't want to leave him. It was weird because I don't think I ever wanted to leave him. But I know when I wasn’t not wanted so I turned around and started walking. Then I felt arms wrapped around me. I felt sparks from someone was hugging me from behind and it felt so right.

I shuffle in his arms to face him and pulled back a little to look up at him. He was gorgeous, handsome, and sexy all at once. He had long black hair that reached his shoulders at its tips. He had a defined jaw and tan skin. His light blue eyes had a hunger in them. I didn’t know him, yet I felt so safe in his arms for some reason.

I snap out of my trance and pushed away from him. He looked at me with a slightly hurt expression. I realized the Dragon was gone so the man had to be him. The only species of dragons left were shifters. They could shift from a human appearing form to their dragon form. "I-I..." I didn't understand what I was feeling at all, it scared me. "I have to go..." I turn away again, but he grabbed my wrist.

"No." Fear ran through my body, but not because he’s a dragon. Not fear of him at all but of his actions. Did he just tell me no?? So first he yelled at me to leave, now he won't let me. What the hell??