Legion: Alpha Dragon Shifter Romance (Dragon Rules Series Book 1)

heard of such a spell. The reincarnation of the druids is new to us and will undoubtedly present us with unforeseeable circumstances. Will you tell me what you saw?”
She swallowed hard. “It wasn’t just what I saw. It is what I felt. Someone coerced Adara into breaking your bond with her. A man in a dark cloak, removed it from her body. She seemed unaware it was happening, yet she said the words he whispered in her head. She was about eight years old.”
Legion growled. “I have condemned the wrong person. I should have known a child, even one as powerful as Adara could not break a mating bond. Do you know what he looked like?
She shook her head. “He had red eyes. That’s all I could see through the dark cloak around him. He whispers to her. He is her dark passenger.”
“A dark mage, then. He would be dead now, but his legacy has lived on.”
“I thought only dark dragons have red eyes?”
“The red eyes are a by product of using dark magic. Did you see any more of Adara’s memories? Did you see him again?”
“No. I only saw this one. Why would he do that? Why not just kill the seer?”
Legion sighed. “He would not have known she was a seer. He would not have known who her mate was. He detected a dragon mate though, and that is concerning.”
“Okay, but why do it at all? To any druid I mean?”
“He is trying to create dark dragons. He wanted to keep Adara alive though, so that suggests he and his cohorts had a plan for their druid counterparts.”
Mara pursed her lips. “Were you ever tempted to turn dark? To drink druid blood?”
Legion’s eyes flickered with warmth. “No. Not even when I believed you betrayed me.”
Mara looked down as a tear slipped from her eye. “That’s the thing. Adara wanted me to see the truth. I am her. I have grown up in a different time, with unique experiences and no knowledge of my origins, but that doesn’t change the fact, that I betrayed you.”
Legion felt Mara’s pain as if it were his own. He had prayed for this moment. Wanted it more than anything he could remember, but faced with it. He had never hated himself more. He waved his hand, forcing Mara to go limp in his arms. The leader of dragons carried her into the secluded cabin in the mountains, placing her under the plaid covers before walking outside to contemplate the atrocity of his actions.
How had he been so blind? He should have known a child couldn’t break a mating bond and later retrieve it, as she died. How had she done it? He was so engrossed in his thoughts, he never sensed Conner approach.
The large naked man stopped beside him. “Your dragon is in pain. His power is effecting us all.”
Legion rubbed his chest. “I failed you. I failed her.”
Conner looked out at the surrounding mountains. “How so?”
“I did not see that Adara had a nemesis. He orchestrated her demise when she was but a child.”
Copper scales slid against Conner’s human skin. A testament to his dragon’s anger. “Then we all failed her. You were not the only one who loved, Adara.”
“I was her mate. I have power unlike any other, and I failed to bring it to bear when she needed me.”
Conner nodded. “We were all young. Our parents gone. Our dragons in agony. You united us, gave us purpose. We would have died had you not accepted the burden of leadership. Your price was higher than any before you.”
Legion rolled his shoulders. “That does not excuse my failure.”
Conner put his hands on his hips. “Maybe not, but you can set things right. For her. For us. No one can take on the mantle of leadership. There are no youth if you fall. I ask you, on behalf of the entire clan, that you endure. Ask your mate for forgiveness. Accept it, if she grants it to you. Do not let pride stand in the way of our salvation.”
Legion looked to the heavens. “I wish swallowing my pride would make up for the catastrophe of this mistake.”
Conner walked away, shifting into a massive copper dragon. Though none were as large as Legion, a single flap of Conner’s wings could send a large aircraft off course. His color was like his brethren Ash, but his age and experience were clear by the battle scar on his back. You will never know until you try, my friend. He launched into the air; wind collided with Legion’s face. His chest. He let the cool air cleanse his soul. The belief his brethren had in him was a gift he would never waste. Some called it a burden. He called it family.
He turned to walk back to the small cabin that contained his heart. His soul. Mara.

Chapter 14
Legion lay down beside Mara. “Wake up Anum Cara.”
Her eyes fluttered before the green locked on his. The sheen glazed over her pupils. Pools of emerald sadness and betrayal. “I’m sorry.”
He touched her face. “The fault lies with me, not you. I failed Adara and you. We were manipulated, and I did not see the signs. I blamed you for circumstances beyond your control.”
She looked down. “You have lost so much, given up so much for your species. For the druids... I dreamed about you and Tempest.”
Legion wished to know more about her dragon dreams, but Tempest was the priority. The young druid had no concept of the danger she was in. “Did you see Tempest? Have a vision about her?”
“Not a vision. Memories of the camp and her learning to fish in the stream.”
Legion ran a finger along her hair. “We have to find her. Conner is looking into her whereabouts as we speak. He should return shortly.”
Mara nodded. “Good.” She nibbled her lip. “What if Tempest believes Devlin is good, despite what we say? How do we convince her she is living with