THE DRAGON'S MATE

Chapter 1

Izuku gasped as his body was unceremoniously shoved to the cold ground of the altar. And to make matters worse, he was only clad in a thin silk dress, ill-prepared for the biting chill of winter as the first snowfall fell.

Desperate to find some relief from the cold, Izuku tried to curl into himself, hugging his arms tightly to trap all the warmth he could muster to his body. But alas, the two alpha guards standing beside him were having none of it. They swiftly straightened Izuku's shivering form, forcefully pulling his hands away from his shivering body to bind them behind his back.

Izuku tried to fight back, but his attempt was prevented by the guards who tightened their holds on him. His feeble attempts at punching and kicking only earned him harsher pushbacks, resulting in his head being roughly slammed onto the altar ground, and a booted foot pressed into his back, forcing him into a submissive position.

A hoarse groan escaped Izuku's parched throat as he felt his limbs being twisted and tied up with heavy ropes, pulling them so tightly that it felt as if his limbs might detach.

Grubby hands groped and crawled over his body, causing Izuku to flinch, as he attempted to push them away despite him being bound. But his actions were met with retaliation in the form of a forceful kick delivered to his right side. The impact resonated with a sickening crack, inflicting searing pain upon his ribs and a hoarse scream to finally teared its way out from Izuku's mouth.

The hands continued to roam around Izuku's body, forcing pounds and pounds of heavy golds and gems, forcefully putting rings, bracelets, and necklaces onto him, uncaring if they were breaking and twisting Izuku's fingers and bones in the process.

The added weight only served as another reminder of his restraint from freedom.

As the hands finally ceased their assault, the guards started to lit up the fire around the altar. Flames engulfed Izuku, their scorching heat enveloping him in a suffocating embrace. The smoke billowed around him, making it increasingly difficult for him to draw breath. The burning fumes stung his eyes, causing hot tears to well up, yet he steadfastly refused to let them escape. He would not grant those monsters the satisfaction of witnessing his tears. Never.

Izuku shivered as a wave of chills washed over his entire body. The biting chill of the winter air paled in comparison to the weight of the greedy and unwanted eyes raking over his nearly bare body. The chills only served to keep him further awake in this living nightmare.

Oh, how he wished it was just a nightmare.

The resounding chants and cheers of the townsfolks rised in volume. They kept chanting their ritual song, swinging their blazing torches near Izuku's face and body, forcing him to inhale the smoke that was slowly corroding and eating up his lungs. The sound of gleeful laughter pierced the air, as if Izuku's torment and despair was nothing more than entertainment for them.

Through hazy gaze, Izuku saw the townsfolks dressed in beautiful attire crafted from the finest quality leather and fur. Their bodies adorned with opulent golden garments and exquisite jewelries and Izuku couldn't help but feel a sense of mockery in their appearance as they lead him towards his undeserved death.

The townsfolks chattered animatedly amongst themselves, their happiness palpable. This was the first time they had the opportunity to have a human as an offering, and not just any human, but a pure and untouched omega at that. The mere thought of it filled them with anticipation and excitement. The dragon would surely love it, they thought. Surely, their act of generosity would earn them the dragon's favor, and they would be blessed with abundant prosperity for not just the next four seasons, but for tens or hundreds or even countless seasons to come.

The roar from a monstrous creature in the sky reveberated loud and clear, rattling everyone to the bones. The townfolks instantly silenced as they immediately stopped their chants of ritual songs and fire dance.

As the beast roared once more, Izuku felt his whole body freeze in fear.

This was the roaring of the creature that he had been warned about since childhood, the roaring that his mom always told him to hide and run away from. Yet, the terror he had felt all those years paled in comparison to the horrifying shouts of joy and delight from the humans.

Izuku closed his eyes, accepting his fate as he heard the frantic voices of the townsfolks scurrying for safety, desperately seeking shelter to avoid being crushed by the mighty beast that was about to descend upon them. Left alone, Izuku teetered on the edge of death.

With renewing tears welling up behind his closed eyelids, Izuku could only waited with bated breath as the thunderous flapping of wings drew nearer.

Silence engulfed him, and he dreaded the feeling of being alone.

It made him miss the noisiness of the townfolks right now. He would gladly endure their mockery rather than face his impending demise in this desolate state.

Izuku felt a breath brushing against his face, and he found himself paralyzed with an overwhelming fear he couldn't comprehend. It didn't take long before his body gave in, succumbing to unconsciousness.

And everything faded into darkness.

(to be continued)

***

Author's note:

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