“I will answer your question shortly, but first, there is more to tell. The gods took note of how well the white dragon stopped the war and restored peace, so when the next dragon conflict occurred on earth, they begged the goddess of the moon for another to help them. She agreed, and from then on a white dragon was born every 500 years; its mission was to insure peace among dragons.
“What happened to change that?” Hunter asked, puzzled. “Why did two thousand years go by between the last white dragon and Fionn?”
“The last one was killed,” Fionn said.
“By who?” asked Hunter.
“Other dragons killed him,” said Jackson.
“How?” asked Hunter. “He had a supernatural power, right?”
“He had yet to receive them and I will explain that later,” Oracle said. “But you should know that, for hundreds of years, the hostility between dragon clans had diminished, so few dragons ever had cause to meet a white one. Over time, the dragon world forgot the reason for their existence until finally, white dragons became the stuff of legends and myths. Each story was more frightening than the last…one even claiming that a white dragon would enslave the dragon world.
“When the last white dragon was born two thousand years ago, his parents kept the knowledge of his birth a secret, fearful someone would believe the myths and try to harm their child. But by the time he became an adult, their worries had faded and so, when their son, Draco, announced his desire to travel around the world, his parents gave their blessings.
“The young man was overjoyed, but before he left, they warned him not to reveal his white dragon to others. Assuring them he would not, he set upon his travels, enjoying adventures in new lands and cultures and becoming acquainted with many different species of paranormals. Raised in a home filled with love, Draco had only love to give to those he met…and it was that love that caused his demise.
“Flying over some mountains at night, he saw a young boy caught in a bear trap. Landing, he shifted and, after freeing the boy’s leg, he became alarmed at the amount of blood he was losing. Knowing he had to get the injured lad to someone who could help him, he shifted back into his white dragon and flew the boy to an isolated mountain village nearby.”
“So that’s how the other dragons found out about him,” Fionn said.
Oracle nodded. “Yes. Realizing his mistake, Draco left quickly, hoping the isolation of the village would keep his identity from spreading.”
“But it didn’t,” said Fionn. “Ki told me the white dragon was killed by other dragons.”
“Unfortunately, yes. Some traders arrived a few days later and villagers told them what happened. Then it was only a matter of time before word reached the dragon world. Fearful that the myths were true, some dragons hatched a plan to kill Draco.”
“According to what I’ve heard, they succeeded,” Jackson said.
“How come?” asked Hunter. “What about his supernatural powers?”
“A white dragon only gets his power when he claims his mate. That had not happened yet,” Oracle said, with sadness in her voice. “The goddess of the moon was so upset, she swore she would never create another white dragon. She blamed herself for not adequately protecting him. Even though the Fates insisted it was not her fault, the goddess was heartbroken. She came down to earth and, cradling the broken body of her beloved white dragon, ascended into the night sky, vowing he would have eternal life.”
“And did he?” asked Fionn.
“Yes,” replied Oracle. “Even today, Draco, her white dragon lives on in the sky, a brilliant star-studded constellation that revolves around the North Pole and is always visible in our hemisphere.”
The room fell silent. Thinking about the white dragon, Fionn knew he had to see his ancestor, so he turned to Hunter. “Mate, can we visit him?”
“Sure,” Hunter said softly, intuitively knowing why his mate wanted to go. “Maybe after the court hearing.”
Nodding, Fionn thanked the Fates for giving him a mate who could understand his feelings so well.
“Oracle,” said Jackson, “what changed the goddess of the moon’s mind? Why now, after two thousand years, has another white dragon appeared?”
“Evil has gained a foothold in the dragon world,” Oracle said. “At first, the gods didn’t see it or if they did, ignored it, thinking it would only affect a few weak souls. But it soon became an epidemic; evil, under the guise of greed, began digging its tendrils into many souls, strong souls, turning them black. And the infection was spreading so rapidly, the gods were distraught and turned to the goddess for help. But she refused, unwilling to risk the life of another of her white dragons.
“Finally, a friend of hers urged her to see for herself what was happening to the dragons. So the goddess rode a moonbeam to earth one night and what she found was horrifying. The next day, she met with the gods and agreed to send another white dragon…but only under certain conditions.”
“I’m guessing my Alpha power was one of them,” Jackson said, at last understanding his place in the scheme of things.
“Yes, it was. The goddess insisted the white dragon have a protector who had the power to control other paranormals,” Oracle replied.
“What else?” asked Fionn, now listening intently.
“Before the white dragon can fight evil, he must be given a Fated Mate…one who is worthy of the most powerful gift the gods can give,” said Oracle.
“And that would be me,” Hunter said.
