Mated to the Dragon King

I hate my curse. My body burned from the inside out. I need to find my mate soon; only she can break my curse. Evelyn, get down here. Yes mom. I’m giving you a choice: be forced to marry or go to the dragon king. I hear he is looking for his mate to break his curse. The second option sounded better, as I was fascinated by dragons. What were the odds of me being his mate? I wonder. I’ll go to the dragon king. I pretended not to act excited. Can’t let her know how I truly feel, or she'd definitely force me to marry out of spite. Ok then, you leave today. Good riddance; I never wanted to raise my sister's children. What? You're my aunt. Why didn't you tell me before? I looked at her, but in my heart I knew the answer. That explains the abuse of me, Vincent, and Athena. Why did you abuse your children? Did you hate our father that much? Yes, he loved your mother more than me. If she hadn't died, who knows if he'd have left her? Now get out of my sight. Gladly. I turned and left, never looking back. I never knew how evil my aunt truly was. But now I do. Thank God, I thought to myself; I could escape these constant beatings my stepmother gave me since my father died, when I was ten. I packed my clothes and left and never looked back. I rode with three other girls behind me. I was glad to leave my stepmother behind, but I’d miss my sisters Danielle and Annabella. I hope they would be ok. I can’t protect them from the beatings anymore with me leaving. I’m so thankful Danielle, Annabella, and Easton are good despite their mother. When my stepmother entered the picture. I was just two; my older brother was four, and my sister was just born when my mother died in childbirth. Father didn’t blame my younger sister, but he was never the same since. I later found out that while my mother was sick and then died, my father was having an affair with my stepmother. He wasted no time marrying my stepmother. She put on a front while my dad was alive. I never knew till he died how evil she really was. My younger sister and older brother married and left a year ago. Now it’s just my youngest sister and me left. I would find a way to get them out of there. I won’t let them continue to get abused. I hope I get to meet my sister's mate. I thought to myself as I rode in my own carriage in front of the other girls. I wonder who her mate was. Brother, are you ok? No, I’m not, but you know that, Asher. You're so lucky to have found your mate. She is wonderful. She is, but she is worried about her three sisters. Why? Her stepmother is abusive. It makes me angry what she has suffered and what her poor sisters have suffered. She and her older brother are here to hopefully help her other siblings escape. I know mated to Adriana. Her brother is the same age as me. Adriana is four years younger than me and two years younger than Asher. I’m twenty-eight. Asher is twenty-five, and Adriana is twenty-four. Asher’s mate is twenty-four. Stop worrying so much, Alaric. I like your siblings think this will be the year. I believe you. Why my mate and not your siblings? She can see the future; that’s one of her gifts. Well, what if she is human? My brother and I survived the transformation; besides, the chance of dying while becoming a shifter is really low compared to her being human and surviving breaking your curse. I wouldn’t worry so much. When you say that, it means you know something I don’t. I don’t have to tell you everything. You’ll see the rest of the future for yourself soon enough. Just trust me. I do trust you, but I don’t have much time left. You’ll find her this time. I’ve seen it. Asher, let's leave your brother alone. Adriana Vincent is looking for you. I saw her quickly leave the room. Did you say that to get her to leave? Yes and no. My brother is always looking for her; he's still navigating the change and bond. Vincent is a good older brother and a good man and mate. I agree. My brothers Vincent and Easton are nothing like our father; neither are my sisters. Thank you, Athena. See you around, Alaric. Don't lose hope. I'll try, Athena. I watched Athena and my brother leave. I worry about your brother, Asher. Why? It seems like Alaric is losing his hope by the day. Don't worry, he is always like this. I also worry about my other siblings. Especially Evelyn; she regularly takes beatings for our younger brothers and sisters. I woke up to the sight of the palace. My last memory was of slapping my stepmother as she beat me for the last time. My stomach growled. I haven't eaten for a week. Alaric, are you ok? No, my time is running out. This curse is going to kill me. Alaric, we will find her. I hope so, Adriana. Otherwise, we need to find her or prepare my funeral. Cheer up, brother. We have some new girls for you to meet today. I got dressed and went to the throne room. I saw two human girls and three dragon girls. One of the human girls' smells was making me go crazy. Please tell me your names. Clarissa, Jocelyn, Tessa, Veronica, and Persephone. Persephone, please come forward. I nervously came over. I held his hand. No burning sensation. I knew what that meant. My name is Evelyn. I smiled. You must be Alaric. Sis, why are you here? Where have you two been? Have you been here the entire time? Yes, we found our mates here. Our stepmother couldn't know, so we couldn't risk calling or seeing you. We are so sorry. Wait a minute your Asher and Athena's sister? Yes, I'm Persephone. I'm the second-born child. How old are you, Persephone? I'm twenty-six years old. Two years younger than me. Don't let it get to your head. It's not that big an age gap. How old are your younger siblings? My youngest brother is twenty-three, and my younger sisters are twins, so twenty-one. Why do you look angry? I'm angry that you and your siblings were being abused. We will find a way to get your siblings out. Thank you, Alaric. Alaric? Are you mates? my sister asked. Yes, I held his hand. I'm so happy for you both. Me too. This is my brother Vincent. Hi, you must be my sister's mate. I thought I'd never find you. Well, you should have listened to me, said Athena. I told you not to lose hope. You were right, Athena. Now I pray to the Goddess that she doesn't take you from me. She won't. I'll leave you and Evelyn to talk. I watched her drag my brother away. Talk about what, Alaric? Your choices. What choices? You could stay human, but you'd die breaking my curse. You could leave, but I'd have to turn my back so as not to stop you. Or you could become a Dragon, and you'd survive breaking my curse. I hear a but in that. Come on, tell me I can handle it. Ninety-eight percent of humans survive the change. Two percent don't make it. Well, I think I have a good chance; my sister and brother did. That's true; they did. But it's your choice. Then it's an easy choice for me. I'm staying and becoming a Dragon. I couldn't leave you. Thank the Gods I didn't want to have to watch you leave. Don't tell my siblings, but I slapped the crap out of my stepmother after she beat me last. Good. If it were up to me, she wouldn't live. Sis, are you ok? Danielle Elodie, thank the Gods you're here. We ran for our lives. Mother has gotten worse since you left. You, my queen, will decide her fate. Queen? Alaric is the Dragon King, and I'm his mate. Alaric, these are my youngest sisters, Danielle and Elodie. Welcome home. Any family of my mate is my family. Easton, show them to their rooms. Yes, my king. I watched my siblings leave, breathing a sigh of relief that we are all together and safe. I suddenly felt a wave of pain hit me. Alaric, are you ok? No, it's my curse. I swung his arm across me and walked him to his room. I put a damp rag across his forehead. How do we break your curse? I don't want you to die. How much time do we have? We have two weeks to mate before the next full moon. We will have to have a mating ceremony before. I'm sure with the help of my siblings, we could plan one by the end of the week. How does becoming a shifter work? You're already in transition since you called me your mate in front of others. In two days, you'll be fully transitioned. I'll leave you be. It's getting late. Please stay. Alaric said. I will. I moved to lie next to him. I fell asleep in his arms. Two days later. I got up before Alaric did. I had fully become a shifter now. I was nervous for my first shift. But my sister assured me it would go smoothly and wouldn't happen until Alaric marked and claimed me. I blushed thinking about it. The ceremony was him marking and claiming me afterward. I couldn't wait to be queen officially, but I am nervous about the others in the clan accepting me. They will accept you whether they like it or not your my mate and the future queen. You're right, Alaric. Do you know I just found out today that my stepmother is my aunt? I never knew it. But it doesn't make it right; her cruelty makes sense to me now. You will never be hurt by her again as long as I live.