Lol guess who finished this chapter like a week ago and kept getting distracted o.O

I think school is actually making me go insane....

Anyway this might be crap but I'm hoping it's not :P

******

"Stop it!" I hiss, pushing him away.

"I don't think you really mean that," he chuckles and pins my wrists above my head before kissing me hard.

"We can't do this now, not with your family down the hall," I murmur.

He smirks at me then leans forward. "If they don't want to hear they'll go somewhere else," he growls in my ear.

His lips brush against my jaw and I close my eyes, letting my mind go blank. His fingers run through my hair and he tilts my head to the side. My breath comes out in low moans as he sucks on my neck.

His teeth graze my skin and a pleasant shiver runs down my spine. He shifts his weight and stabbing pain shoots through my thigh.

"Oh my gods," I gasp, my eyes flying open.

Jax releases my hands and drops his head onto my shoulder, growling curses under his breath. "I'm sorry," he murmurs. "Are you okay?"

I nod. "Yeah it's fine," I mumble.

He lets out a sharp hiss of pain as he flops onto his back beside me.

"This is so stupid and impractical," I grit out, gingerly running my hands over the brace on my leg. "If only one of us were hurt it'd be fine."

He sighs. "It would be practical if we were apart all the time, then we would know when the other was hurt and exactly how bad it was but it's kinda pointless when we're always right next to each other," he says.

"Yeah I guess, I just don't understand why we can feel when someone else hurts us and when we hurt ourselves, but not when we hurt each other."

He sighs again, clenching his jaw as he slides to the edge of the bed. "Well mates usually don't hurt each other so it'd be pointless."

I chew on my lip, staring down at my hands. "Right."

He shoves his crutches under his arms and moves to my side of the bed. "Come here," he says.

I frown. "What?"

"Come here," he repeats.

I pull myself up and take a deep breath as I let my leg hang over the edge. It throbs with even the smallest movement.

"Hey, look at me," Jax says softly. "Do you remember the promise you made to me?"

"Of course."

He tilts his head. "Are you sure?"

I nod slowly. "I told you I wouldn't get upset over something I can't control."

"Can you control your nightmares?"

"Well, no but―"

He cuts me off with a growl and a pointed look.

I purse my lips. "Alright fine, I get it," I mumble.

Jax jerks his head toward the door. "Let's go see the witch in woods."

"What? Why?"

"She used to be a healer," he tells me.

"Oh. Why didn't we go to her earlier?"

"I thought Niko would be able to do more, I also thought we would heal faster," he sighs. He starts rummaging through his bags and I frown when he pulls out his sketchbook.

"What's that for?"

He tears out a page, folds it up, and tucks it into his jacket pocket. "Payment."

*****

"I miss my wheelchair," I grumble.

"I know but these are easier to use out here," he shrugs.

"What's a witch doing in the middle of werewolf territory anyway?" I ask as we come up to the old house.

"Well she's not really a witch, but she's really good with magic and stuff so maybe she can help," he says.

The amount of effort it takes to get up the stairs almost makes me pass out. I knock on the door and a few moments later a young woman opens the door.

She looks quite annoyed until she spots Jaxon, then her face lights up. "Jaxon, what can I do for you sweetie?" She asks in melodic voice.

I smile a little at the excitement on my mate's face. "Hey Tikana, I'm surprised you recognized me," he chuckles.

She shrugs. "It'd be hard to forget the tiny boy that used to bring me drawings every year on his birthday. Your hair threw me off a little but your golden eyes are unmistakable."

He laughs a little as she hurriedly waves us inside. I sit down beside Jax on a strange couch covered with a spotted pelt. The woman sits down across from us then turns to me with narrowed eyes.

Jax moves suddenly. "Oh! Tikana this is Ash—"

"I have heard many stories of the dragon hunter," she says and my smile instantly falls.

"You have?" I ask.

She nods. "I have."

I glance nervously at my mate. He grabs my hand and squeezes gently. "What have you heard?" I ask quietly.

"Many things over the years. 'There's a group of wolves hunting the dragons', 'the dragons are being killed with arrows and spears', 'there is a single archer bringing down full-grown dragons', 'the archer is a young boy; the wolves blow a horn to warn the dragons he's coming', 'the boy killed the dragon king'," she recounts with a smirk.

"I never wanted any of that," I whisper in a weak voice.

She tilts her head. "You don't look like the dragon hunter."

I frown a little. "I don't?"

She shakes her head. "I was told the dragon hunter is a monster," she says. "You're too pretty to be a monster."

"Poisonous flowers are often the most beautiful in the garden," I mutter under my breath.

She smirks. "Pretty and clever, what a lethal combination . . . So what can I do for you?" she asks, leaning back in her armchair.

"Ash and I got hurt not too long ago and Niko can't do very much—he still doesn't know anything about dragons. I was hoping you'd be able to help since you're better qualified," he chuckles.

Her eyebrow shoots up. "And what do I get in return?"

Jaxon pulls the paper from his pocket and holds it out. "For your book," he says.

She takes it and I watch the corners of her lips lift into a grin as she unfolds the drawing. "I believe I asked you for this more than three years ago."

"It only took me a few days to finish but I decided to save it in case I ever needed something from you," he says.

"That's very clever, I'm impressed. I think I might need a little more than this though."

"What? Why?" he growls.

"Because I don't recall being invited to your mating ceremony or your ascension to the throne and I'm a little hurt."

Jax groans in annoyance and falls backwards on the couch. "Look I'm sorry but the dragons were the only ones invited aside from Taylor and Shawn, but they were only there because my mother made them the king and queen of the werewolves."

Tikana looks at him closely, narrowing her gaze. "Don't lie to me Jaxon," she says in a warning tone.

Jax rubs his temples. "Tikana it's in the past, can you please just accept my apology and help us out?"

She scowls. "Fine. I'll help you both, but it's still going to cost you more than just one drawing."

"What else do you want?"

She turns to me. "I want your story," she grins.

I stare at her. "What?"

"You have to give me your story. I want the truth about how a young dragon turned into the dragon hunter and then decades later became the king," she says.

I glance at Jaxon but he looks equally confused. "That's a very long story," I mutter.

She smirks again. "You don't even have to tell it. All you have to do is let me perform a simple little spell and I'll know everything that happened to you. You won't even feel it and you'll still remember everything."

I feel bile rise up in my throat as the memories start to surface. "I'm sorry I can't, I'm not ready for anyone to know that yet," I murmur, shaking my head quickly.

Jax squeezes my hand and gently kisses my knuckles before turning back to her. "Is there anything else you want?" He asks.

"I'm afraid not boys." She shrugs, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Okay well it was nice to see you again," Jaxon says, pushing himself to his feet.

She looks taken aback. "What? That's it?" She asks in disbelief.

He shrugs. "The only thing you want is going to put my mate through a lot of unnecessary pain so yes, that's it," he tells her firmly.

I stand up as well, grimacing as I shove the crutches under my arms. Jaxon gives her a small smile before leading me out of the old house. He pauses at the bottom of the steps and leans over to give me a quick kiss.

"Are you okay?" he asks.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I murmur. "So what now?"

He sighs in annoyance. "Well I guess we do this the hard way."

*******

"Seriously? All that because she wasn't invited to the ceremony?" Fara scoffs.

"Yeah she looks like she's 20 but she's still a cranky old woman that doesn't like being told no," Jaxon mutters.

"But I thought she liked you?" I ask.

"She likes me more than she liked my sister," he sighs, "that doesn't mean she liked me enough to provide her services for free."

"So you normally paid her with your drawings?"

"Yeah she records stories and I drew a lot of the pictures in her books. One she has wanted for a long time is a drawing of my mother's dragon."

"Why?"

I snort. "Cause she's a legend. His mother will be remembered for a very long time; she's the savior. She brought the dragons back from the dead," I tell her.

"Wow. So what did it cost her when the witch helped with the birth of you and your siblings?" Fara asks.

"It didn't cost her a thing."

"What? How's that?"

Jaxon chuckles. "When the dragon queen asks for your help are you really going to tell her no?"

Fara and I laugh a little. "Good point. Well I'm kinda glad she told you no, this way is more fun anyway," she says with a shrug.

"Yeah not when it's snowing," I growl. My fingers are numb underneath my mittens and I can no longer feel my face.

Fara laughs. "Are you kidding? That's gonna make it even better," she snorts.

"Yeah yeah it's hilarious, can you just put the bags behind a boulder or something so they don't get burned up?" Jax growls.

She purses her lips in annoyance but continues up the hill anyways. "What about the cat?" She calls down.

I follow her gaze to the leopard playing in the snow a few meters away. She vanishes under the white blanket for a few seconds before popping up again, her black head covered in white powder.

I click my tongue twice and she comes bounding across the snowy slope. "Go to Fara," I tell her.

She lets out a loud chirp before climbing up the rocks to where Fara is waiting.

"Does she have a name yet?" She asks.

I nod. "It's Zahra."

"You mean like the goddess?"

"Yeah."

"How did you decide to call her that?" She asks.

"Well Jax and I couldn't come up with a name, all we could think of were names of people we know. Then we thought it would be cool to name her after one of the goddesses and Azazel suggested Zahra," I explain.

"His dragon suggested it?"

"Yeah, why?"

She shakes her head. "Nothing. I just think it's kinda weird—oh my gods!"

I watch with amusement as the leopard barrels into Fara, knocking her onto her butt in the snow. "Are you okay?" I ask.

Her eyes go wide as she stares at the cat. "Gods how is she growing this fast?" She exclaims.

The leopard is easily twice as big as she was a week ago. I didn't even notice until now.

"Ash!"

I turn to see Jax waving me towards him. I clench my jaw and carefully make my way down to the bottom of the valley. The snow is deeper here, I can barely move.

"Do you think we're far enough?" I ask.

"I hope so. Otherwise we're going to have a lot of explaining to do," he sighs.

"Fara you ready?" I call.

"Yeah go ahead!" She shouts back.

I let out a shaky breath. "It's been a long time since I've done this," I admit. "I don't even remember what it feels like."

Jax smiles. "I promise it doesn't hurt," he says, tucking my hair behind my ear.

I drop my crutches and Jaxon takes my hands, steadying me a little when I lose my balance. My fingers curl tightly around his as I close my eyes.

Cassie?

Don't move, she tells me.

Heat blooms in my chest. A shiver passes through me as it starts to spread. It crawls through my veins, setting every nerve on fire—but Jaxon was right, it doesn't hurt.

I open my eyes and all I can see are red flames. The fire surrounds me, engulfing me in a comforting warmth.

My injuries throb with the waves of heat, each pulse slowly numbing the pain and filling me with energy. A few moments later and the flames start to die.

Jaxon's face is the first thing I see. His cheeks are peppered with ash and his eyes are a glowing crimson.

"I told you it didn't hurt," he smirks, tapping me on the nose.

I realize I'm smiling. "That was really cool," I breathe.

I look around with wide eyes. The snow is completely melted; the valley is nothing but blackened rock and charred shrubs and clouds of smoke and vapor nearly block out the sky.

"You guys want your clothes now?" I hear Fara yell.

"Yeah just give us a second!" Jax replies.

"Why is it the witches have clothes that don't burn but we don't?" I growl as I follow him up the hillside.

"Our armor doesn't burn, does that count?"

I roll my eyes. "Only if you're wearing armor all the time."

The wind is greater towards the top of the valley and I let out a sharp hiss as it whips across my bare skin. "I hate winter," I growl under my breath.

"Can you throw us the bags Fara?" Jaxon asks.

My eyes widen in shock when she moves out from behind the boulder and tosses the bags at our feet. Her gaze flicks between us with a small smirk.

"Fara!" Jaxon snaps.

"Oh sorry," she mutters, covering her eyes with her hand and turning around.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I ask as I pull out a clean pair of clothes.

"Hey sorry I just wanted to know if the rumor was true," she sighs, holding her hands up in surrender.

I slip on a pair of sweatpants and a thick sweatshirt, shoving my frozen hands into my pockets. "What rumor?" I ask.

She turns around, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. "There's a story going around saying that Jaxon had to find a male mate because no girl would be able to handle him," she says.

"That's exactly why," he mutters with a roll of his eyes.

I bite my lip to hide my smile. "It's nice to know they're so concerned with your love life," I remark.

He scowls at me. "It's sad that they've got nothing better to do than theorize as to why I chose you to be my mate."

"Why did you choose me?" I ask.

"You know why," he growls, pressing a firm kiss onto my lips.

"Hey guys?" Fara calls from the ridge, her voice shaking a little.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

She motions for us to come closer. The ground slopes upward before dropping off sharply.

As we come over the hill I see what she is looking at. The ribbons of red in the distance look like blood against the gleaming white snow. The way the ribbons move is familiar and it makes me freeze. My heart stops. "Oh gods," I breathe.

The trees are on fire and the forest—

"It's burning."

*********

What POV do you guys want for the next chapter??