Chapter 1
“Lillah, step forward.” Alpha Aaron motioned for the Omega to step forward. Blond, slender and tiny compared to the towering men around her, she stepped out into the centre. “Please, Alpha King Keegan, we offer up Omega Lillah, our tribute, for your approval.” The werewolf Alpha bowed to the Dragon Alpha King.
Alpha King Keegan nodded, motioning to his Beta to inspect the tribute. Alpha Aaron stayed in the bow while the Beta circled Lillah. Her heart was fluttering as the muscular dragon shifter inspected her, head to toe. He sniffed her hair, checked her teeth, her hands and feet. Lillah tried not to cringe but when he leant in, peering into her blue eyes, she took a little step back. The Beta chuckled softly. Lillah’s thin white dress was practically see-through. Nudity was a standard in werewolf communities; however, in front of these buff dragon shifters, she felt unnaturally shy. In her mind she said a little prayer to the Moon Goddess.
“The tribute is to the agreed standard, My King.” The Beta rumbled, stepping back to his King.
“Alpha Aaron, the tribute Omega Lillah fulfils the requirements of the treaty.” Alpha King Keegan, handsome and powerful, spoke in a deep, gravelly voice. “Proceed.”
“Thank you, Alpha King Keegan.” He stood, taking big strides into the centre of the gathering.
On the border between Alpha Aaron’s packlands and Alpha King Keegan’s dragonlands both groups watched as the requirements for the treaty were fulfilled. Long ago, beyond the living memory of the werewolves but not outside of dragon memory, a terrible war had raged. Werewolf population had exploded, and they were waging war to claim more land for their packs. Dragons had pushed back. Despite their fiery nature, it had been in defence and not rage. Eventually they had tired of the relentless warmongering and retaliated in earnest, forcing the werewolves to surrender. As part of the ensuing treaty, each pack had to hand over a fertile, female Omega once per decade.
“Alpha,” Lillah bowed her head respectfully. Alpha Aaron’s spicy scent wafted over her, reminding her of the morning she’d spent beneath him. Like all Alphas, Aaron was possessive. He hated having to hand her over.
“Drink, Omega.” Alpha Aaron growled, passing Lillah a vial of deep purple liquid. Calm yourself, bitch. He spoke into her mind. Shame that Beta Dragon didn’t check between your legs. Considering they want you as a breeder… I’d have thought they’d want to check the goods. You think they’ll like the gift I left for the Dragon King? His face was blank, but the words were vicious.
“Yes, Alpha.” Lillah put the vial to her lips and chugged the sweet concoction. Everyone stood in silence, waiting for the nightshade mix to take effect. When her pretty blue eyes dilated and her body swayed unsteadily, the Alpha King gestured for his Beta to stand behind her. Lillah could feel the heat of the Dragon’s body filling the space between them. The drug in her system made the world spin, the ground rolled like a bed sheet in a sweet summer breeze, and her fear melted.
“I, Alpha Aaron Cobalt of the South Marsh Pack, banish you, Omega Lillah Cora Straite, from the South Marsh Pack. In the name of the Goddess, I sever all your bonds to the pack and the packland.” Alpha Aaron felt the bond snap. It angered him to have to hand over any of his pack. Lillah was nothing special, just a basic Omega, but she was his; hence, he’d left his cum inside all of her orifices. As soon as Lillah had been selected, Alpha Aaron had practically tied her to his bed. He wanted to ruin her. Waste their time by filling her womb with useless pups.
Lillah’s breath left her. The snapping bond burned through her veins, ripping every connection to the South Marsh Pack from her body. While the nightshade had drugged her body, numbing it from most of the pain, Lillah could still feel enough. Prickling, sharp, stealing her breath at the same time as stripping everything she was; making her a rogue. The banishment had her falling to her knees but the Dragon Beta caught her in his strong arms.
“I shall see you in a decade, Alpha Aaron.” If he is still here… The Dragon King whispered into the minds of his Beta and Gamma. Dragons lived for centuries, but wolves had a much shorter life span – especially with all the infighting. “Next time, be more respectful. The girl should have been spending the time saying her goodbyes and praying to the Goddess; not being defiled.”
Aaron’s nostrils flared, his wolf clawed at the inside of his skin; desperate to fight.
Children… The King tutted, his beast stretching ready to shift. Not to fight but to fly. Carry the girl, Gaz. Make sure she doesn’t catch a chill. He told his Beta. Together they moved, crossing from the neutral border into dragonlands.
Beta Gaz held Lillah gently. She was their fourth pick up today; the prettiest and the youngest by the looks. The nightshade was making her sweat. Blond hair was stuck to her forehead. Lillah shivered and moaned, pained by having her pack link severed as well as the poison working its way out of her system. Werewolves ran hot. On a normal occasion the flimsy dress she was wearing wouldn’t have been an issue, but tonight it wasn’t enough.
She’s already half frozen, Gamma Darc put out his arms to take her so Gaz could shift. Dragons, the refined, magic beasts that they were, kept their clothes when shifting – unlike werewolves, who tore through their shift, ripping their clothes. They were so uncivilised.
“Here, Lillah, this will help warm you.” Gaz took off his jacket, slipping it on Lillah’s limp form while Darc held her. She sighed, momentarily comforted. In the blink of an eye, Gaz swapped places with his dragon; Breeth. Breeth shook his leathery black wings loose. He crouched, leaning back on his hind legs, taking the weight off his front legs so he could take the Omega. Darc placed Lillah in Breeth’s open palm. With great care, he brought her up to the glossy black and red scales of his chest, where she would be warmest.
Alpha King Keegan shifted next, a huge red beast stepping out of the space where Keegan had been standing. He was the largest of all the dragons. Blood red spikes adorned his spine, a huge bone spear tipped his tail, and his crimson belly was scarred from battle. Galcalar, the dragon King’s shifted form, snorted a little smoke, clawed the ground and came to sniff the Omega.
Ugh, all I can smell is the nightshade and that boorish dog. Galcalar bared his teeth in distaste. Breeth, remind me why we aren’t just biting the heads off these pathetic Alphas and taking their packs for ourselves?
It’s called being ‘civilised’, My King. Hendri, Darc’s deep green dragon, replied snarkily.
It’s overrated, is what it is. Galcalar complained. Come, let us return to the Nest before I decide to relive my youth.
With that, the three dragons, one clutching the now unconscious Lillah, took to the late evening sky.
