The one

*Amara*

I wouldn’t be able to hold the shield for much longer I was getting weaker by the minute. I looked around at my family who all lay dead around me. Tears filled my eyes at all the wolves waiting for me to finally drop the magical forcefield around me.

I fell to the floor exhausted sweat beading on my forehead. Blood trickled from my nose at the energy I was using.

We knew that one day someone would come for me. My parents had prepared me well for this moment. Everyone wanted my magic, but I could only share it with one.

The wolves paced keeping their eyes trained on me.

“Come on now little witch, we are not going to hurt you.” He said shifting into his human.

“Liar,” I spat angrily.

“We both know why you’re here and why you want me.” I said refusing to cower.

“You’re only hurting yourself. Eventually you will be forced to drop this shield. When you do we will be here waiting.” He grinned sadistically.

“Our Alpha is very excited to meet you.”

My eyes burned with tears I was breaking down. I was angry, devastated, and afraid and all those emotions were drowning me. Death was better than what I knew would happen to me if I dropped this shield.

A tear ran down my cheek and I chastised myself for giving them the pleasure of seeing me broken.

I clutched my necklace in my had and prayed that everything my father told me was true.

Simone my oldest sister had fought hard. Using all the magic she had to hold them at bay. We all knew that we couldn’t hold them forever. One by one each member of my family had given their life to protect me.

The dragon charm that hung from my necklace glowed spreading heat through my body. A burst of energy hitting me hard.

I quickly chanted under my breath calling the wind to me. It whirled around the room knocking the wolves off their feet keeping them pinned to the ground. . I took advantage of the distraction and ran to the door.

I ran as fast as I could knowing that I only had a few minutes before they recovered.

Our farm had over a hundred acres and I knew every square inch of it.

The moment the last of the borrowed energy depleted I fell to the ground my legs refusing to take another step.

I pulled my knife out and waited the darkness and silence unnerving me.

I heard them before I saw them. My heart beat hard in my chest as they got closer and closer. I clutched the knife tightly and prepared myself for what I was about to do.

“Did you honestly think that you could outrun us?” The man from before said angrily.

I knew there was no way out of this for me. Help had not arrived and I refused to let them take me only to violate me to get some of my magic. They were never getting my magic.

I looked him in the eyes and brought the knife to my neck and slit my throat.

“No.” he yelled reaching for me.

Blood gushed out my body as I hit the ground with a thud. Bright orange flames were the last thing I saw before there was nothing.

*Daxton*

I felt it the moment she pulled her necklace off. All the air left my body like someone had punched me in the stomach. She was in trouble. I could feel it.

I quickly jumped out the window shifting into my dragon midair. I shot into the air Roman and Vincent right behind me.

The charm on my necklace heated up against my skin. I could feel some of my life force leaving me.

When her farm came into view I breathed a sigh of relief. We spotted her in the open field surrounded by hundreds of wolves. I watched in horror as she lifted a knife to her neck. When she ran that blade across her neck I lost it.

I chanted the spell that would protect her from our fire.

“Burn them all. No one gets away. I growled through the mind link.

I watched as a man picked her up and then putting her back down. He knew she wouldn’t survive.

The fire burned hot as I cooked him alive. He deserved the ugly death he got.

I swooped down and shifted into my human running as fast as I could through the flames and burning wolves to get to her. I pulled my shirt off and pressed it to her neck desperately trying to stop the blood. I let my magic flow through her body slowing closing her wound.

She was breathing but barley.

“Who is she?” Vincent asked.

“I’ll explain it all to you guys after we get her back into the house.”

“She made it pretty far. I’m impressed.” Roman said as we reached the house.

My stomach dropped when I saw her family lifeless on the floor.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered in her ear my voice cracking.

I laid her on the couch and sent Roman and Vincent to take her family into the other room.

I gently pulled the necklace from her clutched hand and attached it around her neck. Both of our charms lit up at the connection.

“No freaking way,” Vincent said looking at my identical one.

“She’s your mate?” Roman asked shocked.

I nodded falling to my knees beside her. I took her hand in mine and let my magic flow through her. I would give her all of it if I had too. She couldn’t die. It would destroy me if I lost her.

This was the first time I was seeing her since that day all those years ago. I always knew where she was and got a monthly report on her.

I refused to go anywhere near her. I knew the moment I laid eyes on her again I would never be able to walk away from her.

“We meet as kids. Our mothers came from the same coven. Her family had been passing through and stopped to visit. She was six and I was ten. The memory is still so vivid in my mind. Witches do not have mates like us dragons do. So, it could have gone either way for me. But when I saw her I knew. Despite our age there was no denying it.”

“With the blessing of her parents our necklaces were spelled by both our mothers.”

“What spells did they put on them?” Vincent asked curious.

Before I would answer the doctor came through the door.

“Her pulse is weak. She’s lost a lot of blood,” he said looking grim.

“Give her my blood.” I said standing up.

“We don’t even know if you have the same blood type she will die if you don’t.” He said looking at me worried.

“She’s my mate it will take. Do it.” I said sitting down on the bed next to her.

I carried her onto the plane and took her to a back room and laid her down. I pulled up a chair and sat next to her.

The next few days were going to be hard for her. We planned to have her family flown over. She would want them to be buried close to her.

“Do you need anything before we land?” One of the stewardesses asked from the cracked door.

“Another shirt and a drink. A strong one.” I said sending her on her way.

For the second time today, relief spread through my body when her eyes fluttered open and Amara sat up. She stared at me in shock a look of fear crossed her face before she threw her hands out throwing me across the room.

She ran to the door and opened it. By the time I recovered she was downstairs Roman and Vincent hovering in the air like rag dolls.

“A little help here,” Roman said looking over at me.

“Amara,” I yelled getting her attention.

She looked over at me and zeroed in on my necklace. A look of relief crossed her face and she set Roman and Vincent down.

She met my eyes and my breath caught. Never had I seen anyone as beautiful as her. Even covered in blood she was stunning. Piercing blue eyes held me hostage. I couldn’t look away.

“I’m sorry,” she said tears in her eyes.

" Don’t be. Most people couldn’t stand a chance against us. In our case we didn’t stand a chance against you.” He said a smile on his face.

“I’m Roman this is Vincent and that” he said pointing at me is “Daxton.”

*Amara*

“All my love Daxton?” I whispered reading the back of my charm. He met my eyes but said nothing.

I swayed as the last of my energy faded.

Strong arms caught me before I could hit the floor.

“Are you okay?” Daxton asked concern on his face.

“It hurts so bad,” I said wrapping my arms around his neck ugly sobs racking my body. Lighting crackled outside. The harder I cried the harder the rain and thunder came down. He sat down on the bed with me in his arms trying his best to comfort me.

It wasn’t fair. Why did they have to die and leave me alone?

“You should have let me die,” I whispered before I drifted off to sleep.