The Dragon's Mate

Chapter 3

Emerald soon stirs as she eyes opens and her vision clears; she feels her heart in her chest; she looks around to see herself in the castle and dozens of Dragon shifters stare at her. Emerald wonders, 'oh my god, where am I?.' A woman says, "nice catch, Hunter, she looks delicious." Emerald soon remembers being taken as she tries to run however Hunter grabs her and slings her over his shoulder tightly as he brings her down the hall. He drops her to the bed as she gets up angrily saying, "you won't keep me here, you can't!." Hunter says, "I can, and I will." Emerald pushes Hunter and tries to run past however Hunter comes in front of her saying, "stop! What do you think you will accomplish by going out there?!." Emerald replies, "I'll escape this place and finally be free." Hunter says, "freedom? There's no such thing, not for you or for me, Emerald." Emerald takes a deep breath saying, "who are you? How do you know my name?." Hunter replies, "I know more than that." Emerald feels something on her arm as she notices the bandage wondering, 'when did he bandage this? Was it when I fell unconscious and blacked out?.' Emerald asks, "what is this?." Hunter replies, "the reason I know your name, the reason I can't ever let you go... the mark on your arm is a Dragon's Mark, a mark left by an Alpha Dragon when he takes a mate, for life." Emerald was stunned thinking, 'what... when he... mates for life?.' Emerald feels anger and fear in her blood, and she steps back from Hunter and tries to move away as he says, "it's done, you can't run from this! You can't escape me!." Emerald thinks, 'if I back down now, he'll think he can do whatever he wants to me.' She closes her eyes and pushes her fear away as she stares directly into Hunter's eyes. Emerald boldly says, "you're not taking me as a mate, try it and you'll lose a limb."

Hunter was impressed by her words asking, "you're no ordinary human girl, are you?." Emerald answers, "no, I'm not." She glares at him and then folds her arms saying, "listen, I don't know why you chose me, but this-." Hunter sighs saying, "I didn't choose you; I had no say in this." Emerald was stunned by his words as she moves forward to take a closer look at him and thinks, 'behind his hard look lie something dark and trouble.. he almost looks lost...' Hunter says, "I didn't do this on purpose, I didn't choose you, I just touched you and it.... happened." Emerald feels Hunter's hands move slowly towards her throat as he squeezes her eyes shut. He says, "none of this makes any sense, it wasn't supposed to happen, but we will survive it." Emerald feels something cold and heavy on her neck with a small click. Emerald opens her eyes shocked saying, "what- what is this?." Hunter replies, "a slave's collar."

Emerald feels the blood drain from her face as her heart pounds so hard feeling the locked collar around her neck. Emerald says, "no... please don't do this! I'd rather die!." Hunter says, "If that's true, I'll remove it, you won't survive here without it, this is the only way to keep you safe." Emerald says confused, "safe from what?." Hunter replies, "the mark, no Dragon has ever marked a human before, it should be impossible." Emerald doesn't dare move as she is stunned by Hunter's words; He comes closer and touches her arm softly saying, "no one can know, keep this hidden." Emerald asks, "and if I don't?." Hunter says coldly, "you don't know what they do to humans here, do you?." Emerald answers, "I have heard rumors and I can take a guess." Hunter says, "You can't begin to imagine what they'd do to you if they discovered this secret, you'd pray for death long before it comes." Just then an unknown guy comes in with red hair and yellow eyes saying, "Hunter, I- oh..." Hunter turns as Emerald thinks, 'this Dragon looks cruel with an evil grin.' He says showing his fangs, "what do we have here?." Emerald soon realizes something and panics thinking, 'OH MY GOD! The mark, it's exposed.'