Ghost shared to us the information on what he learned from the deserters.
He told us that it is an extremely hot environment where there's plenty of volcanoes. Conserving our energy as much as possible is a huge priority as he thanked me for the training which we had recently as it will surely help them in this mission.
Lion showed us the transportation that we are going to ride as the place is a bit far. We cannot use scrolls or teleportation magic as we don't have any idea where the actual location of the magic stone is. We have to rely on travelling on the main road, making several stops on the way as we get more information.
It is big enough to fit all of us that it seemed like it is a small bungalow with wheels.
Though it is a big space with no dividers and has several windows surrounding it with a single door.
The rest of the pack arranged our stuff inside while Lion and I sat outside, waiting for them to finish. He seemed kind of down so I nuzzled his ear while whispering words of love towards him in which he finally cheered up.
The stress of finding the stone while making sure that we don't take too much time wore him out as he told me that he is scared that I might get hurt again because of his failure.
I simply hugged him and told him that I believed in him and that we can figure it out together and not taking everything by himself or else he might lose his mind by overthinking things.
He smiled at me as he embraced me, telling me that I'm always his comfort, his joy and his life.
Hearing him say that brought a smile to my face as I kissed him on his cheek.
....
Finally, we set off.
Alpha is the one controlling the vehicle while the rest of the pack are spread out near the windows as they looked out for any signs of danger.
Outside the windows, I can clearly see the sky color being crimson in which I cannot see the suns.
There's volcanoes everywhere and mountains made out of rock.
There's barely any trees at all and the trees themselves looked burned.
I can feel myself starting to sweat in which Lion activated some sort of crystal, making the inside of our vehicle cool.
We traveled for a long time until Alpha told us that he needed a break since he barely can keep his eyes open.
Ghost took over without complaint, much to my surprise as he used to complain a lot before.
We don't have a bed inside, only several thick rugs that we can use to sleep on in which Alpha pulled me towards him and we lay down on the floor together as he embraced me, telling me to sleep.
I still can't get used to this kind of arrangement.
But it feels cosy so I closed my eyes and went to sleep.
....
I had a nightmare.
I began panting and squirming in my sleep in which I cried out while feeling Lion's arms around me as he comforted me.
Alpha caressed my face while nuzzling on my ear, whispering words of assurances towards me.
Breathing deeply, I slowly opened my eyes and saw the two of them looking at me with concern, with the others glancing at me with worried looks on their faces in which I felt myself turned red.
Lion nuzzled my neck, asking me if it hurts to which I told him that it didn't though I can't seem to remember what I dreamt about.
I yawned, feeling myself getting sleepy again in which both Alpha and Lion embraced me tightly. Despite feeling awkward towards the current situation, somehow I fell asleep knowing that I'm safe.
....
When I woke up, everyone is sleeping around me.
They are forming a protective circle around me in which I felt somehow happy, knowing that I'm loved and cared for by them.
Though I'm still feeling awkward about our current situation.
I facepalmed myself, knowing that I kept saying in the past on how I refused to have several mates in which I realized that it is for my own safety since I'm different from them.
Not only different but one of a kind.
And knowing that there are demons all over that might know my real value, I decided to embrace our situation despite my reluctance.
Oh well.
As long as Lion is okay with it.
....
I carefully stood up, trying not to wake any of them as they looked exhausted from the travel. I went towards the window, seeing that we are parked besides a dead tree. I can't see any sorts of civilizations anywhere in which I finally realized the severity of our situation.
I tried wracking my brain into trying to recall everything that I read about that might help to no avail. This is a real challenge.
So I sat by the window, looking at the scenery as I sang some songs while trying to braid my hair as I'm getting a bit bored.
A hand held my shoulder, making me startle in which when I glanced around, it was Orm smiling at me.
He asked me if he could braid my hair in which I smiled at him.
I continued singing while he braided my hair, in which he started to hum the tune.
It seems that he likes to join me singing so I taught him the lyrics of the song that thankfully, is easy to memorize. He seemed to have a good memory as he easily memorized the lyrics and the tune.
He asked me if we could sing together in which we did in perfect blend and harmony, as we complement each other's tone.
I can see complete happiness in his eyes as he sang, in which I also enjoyed that we didn't notice the rest of the pack watching us in complete fascination.
Someone from the pack complimented us, making both of us jumped out in surprise.
Orm grinned at me in which he asked me to do it one more time as the rest of the pack agreed.
Smiling at them, I sang wholeheartedly when suddenly I saw the head of a dragon looking at us by the window.
I screamed in fright in which the pack hurriedly went out and transformed immediately to their ultimate form except for Sly as he transformed to his dragon self instead.
....
It turns out that we are at the edge of the main territory of the fire dragons.
Sly have no idea since he lived in another dragon territory and it's his first time to come to this area as he was shunned by his parents.
The fire dragon transformed to his regular self and told us to follow him in which Sly told him that we are going in another direction, making the fire dragon who turned out to be a warrior, whistle in which several huge fire dragons fly towards us while trying to surround us.
We are in trouble.
....
It is breathtaking.
An extremely humongous mountain welcomed us as Sly flew inside while carrying our vehicle.
I noticed that he seemed kind of bigger than before. I remembered when I first saw him that he doesn't have any tail and his size is a lot smaller compared to now.
How old is he exactly?
As far as I know, dragons grow with age. The older the dragon is, the larger it becomes. If they have lived for several millennia, they can reach colossal or gargantuan sizes.
Same with the rest of the pack, especially Lion.
When they transformed to their ultimate form, their size now is enormous compared to before, though the last time I saw them in their ultimate form that they are already huge. As I grew older, they also did. But compared to them, I still looked the same thanks to Lion's magic. As for their regular appearance, they looked the same as well except for their hair which is a bit longer than before.
I can't believe that I didn't realize that.
....
There's a huge city of some sorts inside the cave. Several dragons in different sizes flew all over, human-like creatures with dragon features are moving on the ground while there are creatures who looked like they are dragon except that they don't have wings.
I stared in fascination, transfixed at the sight before me.
Orm is beside me, fascinated as well as this is also his first time coming here. He admitted that since being with us gave him the opportunity to go outside the territory as he was just stuck inside their village, the palace and the development center.
Development center?
I asked him if he was with Lion and Ghost as well that made him chuckle, reminding me that he is younger than them.
Still, he met Lion at the palace when he was just learning about magic.
We felt our vehicle being placed on the ground in which Orm held me, preventing me from losing my balance.
Lion and Alpha went outside first while Ghost stayed near the door, observing the situation first before allowing us to come out.
Orm embraced me as he told me that he didn't regret joining us back then as now he finally felt free. I raised my eyebrow at him in which he chuckled, telling me that he didn't mean all those words he said to me back in his former village. He admitted that he felt pain saying those words and was afraid that I might leave him.
I told him not to say words that you don't mean as it may have severe consequences in some situations.
I reminded him that he is also precious to me and a valuable member of the pack to which he suddenly knelt down in front of me while taking my hand.
Um.
What is he doing?
He timidly asked me if I could form a bond with him, staring at me with his eyes looking hopeful.
Oh my word!
Why?!!
Though I also liked him too, I didn't expect him to do that!
I asked him if he is sure as I already have a primary mate and 2 secondary mates when he could easily find a mate exclusive to him since he has several attractive traits that can easily attract a.....
What is he doing now?!!
He held my arm in his hands with his eyes closed, kissing my wrist while moving towards my forearm.
I can feel my face turned red as he slowly opened his eyes and looked at me with desire as he reminded me that he performed the blood bond willingly because of me despite him being a prey, not a predator.
He gave a little bite on my forearm that I bit my lip as I'm starting to feel heated. He must have noticed as he smiled at me mischievously as he started to lick my wrist.
I sighed and told him that he should not regret what he said in which he whispered towards my ear that I already captured his heart since a long time ago and now he finally has the courage to speak up after performing the blood bond.
He began coiling around me in which I felt a dangerous thrill. He is behind me as I felt being embraced by him with one of his arms as his other hand grasped my hair in which he bit my neck gently.
That felt good.
Strangely good.
My voice was shaking when I told him that I accept bonding with him in which I can feel him smiling as he licked my neck.
Then he uncoiled himself and acted innocent as he looked outside the window, pointing at things that he finds interesting.
Um.
What was that switch?!!
Now I'm in heat without any relief in sight!
....
As we followed the guards towards one of their buildings, I held my cloak tightly around me as I clenched my teeth.
Stupid Orm!
I'm in heat because of him!
Good thing that the rest of the pack is distracted as Orm kept glancing towards me while licking his lips in which when I stared back at him, he acted like he was fascinated with the sights around him.
I want to cry.
The heat in me is getting intense.
Stupid, stupid Orm!
I tried to distract myself in reciting sutras inside my mind in which it helped a little.
I was so engrossed in reciting the sutras that when Lion placed an arm around my shoulders, I nearly screamed in fright.
Everyone turned to look at me in which I saw Orm averting his face as he began laughing secretly.
As I was thinking of an excuse to give them, an extremely handsome warrior walked towards us that looks strangely similar to Sly.
It's Sly's father!