"I take it many have tried," I said quietly.
"Countless. They have tried andhavemanaged to lessen the curse to the point that instead of sleeping permanently, we sleep for… give or take a decade every century—plus or minus a few years. It's always a little bit different when the original curse overpowers the counter curse. Another witch was able to put a counter curse on the dragons, which enables their curse to be broken if they find their fated mate.
"I've lived in Beck Manor since I was born. Aurelia, too."
"Wait, the manor belongs to you?" I said, surprised. "I thought it was Aurelia's or Skye's."
"Yes, it belongs to Aurelia and me. We're not here to talk about the property, Erin. But we’re here because of you."
"Because of me?" Confusion laced my words.
"I recognized you as my mate," he breathed, his gaze never leaving mine. "You woke me up. You being in danger. If you hadn't been kidnapped, I probably would've slept for a while longer, and then maybe ran into you in town and recognized you for who you were. Your fear propelled me out of my cursed sleep."
"Your mate...?"
"I know this is a lot to take in, but please understand, everything I've done is to protect you, to be close to you."
A mix of emotions swirled inside me—a blend of disbelief, fear, and an inexplicable sense of connection. This revelation changed everything. Yet, I realized it also changed nothing. I was still Erin, and he was still Ashton, regardless of any curse or claim of fate.
"Okay…" I whispered, unsure of everything but willing to listen, to try to understand this magical world that had suddenly become my own.
I took a slow sip of the tea, feeling its warmth trickle down my throat, providing a small measure of comfort amidst the chaos of my thoughts. "What does it mean to be your mate?" I finally asked, the words sounding foreign even to my own ears.
Ashton set his cup down, his hands resting on the kitchen table, fingers laced together. "Fated mates are destined for one another. When dragons claim their mates, it's...permanent. The bond between mates rundeeper than anything else. An alpha has to find his mate first." He chuckled. "We actually never considered ourselves a full clan, because we're really just a family of friends. Now that I've met you, it means I'm their alpha. Something Skye says they've always known, but they sure never told me. Once an alpha finds their fated mate, the rest of the clan always does, too."
"Claim? How do you 'claim'?" What the actual fuck did he mean claim? That sounded awfully red-flaggy.
"Through a bite," Ashton said. "It transforms the human into something more."
Oh, yeah, no red flags there. Abite?"Transforms...into what?"
"Every human is unique. Some gain dragon abilities."
Okay, that could be cool.
"Others may develop the power to shift forms. A few could grow wings or breathe fire. There are even some who become akin to witches, and all gain immortality."
Witches and immortality. Holyfuck.
"Immortality..." The word hung in the air between us, a promise or perhaps a curse.
"Erin," Ashton was gentle, but he couldn't soften the blow. "I'm sorry for keeping this from you."
My heart felt like it was shattering into pieces. I wasn't just learning about a hidden world—I was learning thatmy place within it had already been chosen without my consent. And with a sudden clarity I realized, Ashton, too, his life had been decided for him. I was meant to be Ashton's fated mate, and that was that, according to what? Fate? The universe? We were both just pieces on a board, dragged into a destiny neither of us had chosen.
"Can we... Can I have some time? To think?" I whispered, barely trusting myself. My heart broke as I said the words. I was falling for him and didn't know what to do with all the new emotions that surfaced.
"Of course," he said immediately, standing up. "I'll move back to my home. Take all the time you need."
"Your sister," I said, a sudden anger flaring up. "And Skye, they're dragons too, aren't they?"
"Skye is. My mother was a witch, and Aurelia was born a witch, too. Female dragons are rare."
"Everything's been a lie." I shook my head, trying to dispel the fog of betrayal. "How could you all deceive me like this? Are they even my friends?"
"Erin, please believe me when I say we never intended to hurt you. We were protecting our truth, as well as you. Now, maybe talking to Aurelia might help you understand better."
"Understand?" I scoffed, standing abruptly. "I don't know if I can ever truly understandthis."
