Prologue

Darlene's pov "I love her, Your Majesty." My heart soared when I heard his confession. It was the first time anyone expressed such sentiments towards me. I had been one of the king's women for so long that intimacy was just a performance with no emotions attached. Until now… Arman was different. But he was just a warrior, and since I was the king's favourite woman, we knew that our bond was forbidden. Despite trying to tone our relationship down, we couldn't. Our bond was just magical, and the s*x was mind blowing. We just couldn't stop seeing each other. we tried to be discreet, but they caught us red handed. I knew that what we shared was special, yet hearing him confess made me feel emotions I never thought existed. He loved me… He actually loved me. How sweet. A stupid smile curled on my lips as my eyes glossed. Wouldn't it be beautiful if he excused from the king's service and allowed me to live with my mate? I never thought I'd ever want that, but after hearing his declaration, I wanted to change. No longer did I desire the worldly riches the palace offered. I wanted to be loved. However, my heart sank when I noticed Raphael's menacing grin. I didn't like the look on his face. And when he took the dagger and repeatedly plunged it into Arman's chest, I felt as though my heart had stopped beating. "No!" I screamed and thrashed against the guards until I was eventually allowed to run over to my mate, who was bleeding profusely. Sobbing hysterically, I knelt beside him, trying to halt the blood from oozing out of the wounds, regardless of knowing that it was of no use. Every dagger and sword was laced with poison that would end a dragon's life within minutes. "Arman! No… You can't leave me yet. Not right after confessing your love for me," I sobbed. "Please help him…" I begged, with tears streaming down my face. My mate forced a smile while reaching out to touch my face with trembling fingers. "M…mate…" he whispered. "Mate? Mate?" Raphael bellowed in anger and grabbed my hair, yanking it backwards. "I want no mates in this palace! This f*****g bond has ruined everything for me in the first place! I will not have any more of it!" Raphael's thunderous voice boomed in the air. I knew he was disgruntled, but I couldn't care less. I didn't cast even a subtle glance at him until he yanked my hair and dragged me away from my mate. My screeches reverberated in the room as Raphael tore my clothes off and prepared to attack me with no mercy. My mate's horrified face became ingrained in my mind as the light in his eyes slowly diminished. I couldn't do anything to soothe his pain. I couldn't even be there for him… **** I woke up, startled, with tears streaming down my face. Several months had passed since I had to live through that terrible ordeal and since Raphael was slain and defeated. The Kingdom of Dragons had, thankfully, gotten its solace back. Yet those horrendous memories still haunted me. At least I knew that Raphael was never returning. He was gone for good. I sighed and gaped at the ceiling fan. I no longer felt like going back to sleep. So, although it was still early, I got up and kneeled beside my bed. With my eyes closed and hands held together, I focused on reminiscing about my mate and prayed. I liked to believe that he was in a better place now. I only prayed that I might be able to conquer my memories of that terrible night someday. Upon checking the time, I saw that it was just a few minutes past four in the morning—a little too early for me, but what the heck? I freshened up, got ready for the day, and went downstairs to have a cup of coffee before my lovely boss started to berate me. As the day progressed, I saw that my speculations were right. It was just a normal day at the Russell Mansion. The lady made sure that I didn't have a minute of rest. The chef and the gardener also didn't have it any better. I later learned that her husband was arriving that night. Perhaps that was the reason she was being extra bitchy. It sounded like our days were getting harder than they already were. If it wasn't for the five-year contract I signed with her, I would have already quit. Night fell. I was eager to call it a day and retreat to my room. I couldn't wait until they had their dinner so that I could finish cleaning and get some rest. I thought sleep could give me an abrupt break from my problems for once, hopefully. Oh, boy! Was I wrong? That night, I made the mistake of locking gazes with the handsome hunk standing beside her. My heart raced, and my dragon set forth a tremendous roar. For a split second, I froze. It couldn't be true. Nonetheless, how could I deny the feelings that were so familiar? I let out a massive breath. He was my... Mate?