Lily's POV:

Three nights without seeing my dear dragon was too much for me; I walked through the woods hoping I would see him. Strangely, all I could think about was the way I acted and how harsh I was on Derek. This wasn't me. I was never mean to people no matter what. I shook my head disappointed in myself and looked for my dragon in the same spot we used to meet, near my father's grave. He wasn't there.

Maybe I was imagining it all, I thought to myself but deep down I knew he was real, I could still feel the roughness of his scales on my skin. After an hour of waiting and hoping, I just gave up and went home.

Just as I was about to put my keys in the keyhole, the door briskly swings open and I was greeted by my mom.

"Am I in trouble?" I asked a frown appearing on my face.

"With me? No" she shook her head and pointed to the living room "but someone is in there waiting for you" she smiled nervously and raised both eyebrows.

I followed her finger but couldn't see who was in there but I had a feeling it was Derek, who else would it be? I sighed "fine. Then I never came home okay?"

She frowned and watched me open the door to leave "no wait...where are you going?"

"Mom I don't want to see him! I can't see him right now, I'm not in the mood please let me go and tell him it was Lisa our neighbor" I paused when I saw her looking confused and uncertain "can you do that?" I asked softly hoping she would let me go.

She just nodded and closed the door behind me getting back in, a sigh of relief escaped my chest and I was about to leave when I noticed that this wasn't Derek's car. Who was inside with my mom? I frowned and run to the other side of the house so I could peak in the living room's window.

My mom was talking to a man, he had his back to me and was standing in the middle of our living room, and he was stroking my mom's blushing cheek. It felt weird to see her smile like that but it made me happy. I still felt restless though! Who is that man! As if hearing my question the man turned around and his eyes found mine.

Kellen...

Why the hell is Kellen in my house! And why would my mom let him flirt with her like that! I was shocked and confused but most of all disgusted by the smug look he had on his face. I shook my head and run away as fast as I could, I reached the woods in about half an hour and hoped that today the dragon will show up, I really needed to let go of my anger and he was the only one that could help me with that.

I had been sitting on the dirt and leaning my back on a tree for two hours when I finally decided I should leave. It was going to get dark soon and my mom will worry again. I wished my brother was here with me. I wiped my tears away and got on my feet needing to get home before the night dropped on me.

I was walking slowly, hands in pockets, my wavy hair flying with the wind and my eyes fighting to stay open. The sound of a twig breaking made me stop briskly and look around. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, I was about to walk again when I felt someone grab my wrist. My heart jumped out of its place and my scream must have been so high and loud that the one holding my hand let it go and covered his ears. I looked at the stranger to see a very annoyed Derek.

"God Derek! You scared the hell out of me!" I hit his chest to show him I was mad at him "Ow!" I looked at him frowning; his chest was so hard I thought he was wearing chest armor made of steel.

Derek chuckled "and you pierced my ears"

"Well, you got what you deserved," we laughed together until I remembered I was mad at him so I stopped and cleared my throat before speaking again, "I gotta go". I said and started walking again, but of course, he would not leave me. He started walking next to me and thankfully, he was quiet and didn't try to make any conversation with me. It actually felt good to have him next to me, I felt safe for some reason.

After a not so awkward silence, I finally had the guts to speak up my mind.

"Why did you say you claimed me? And what did you mean when you said I am your mate?"

He sighed but smiled and looked at me "you really want to know?"

"Of course I do. I wouldn't be asking if I didn't want an answer" I rolled my eyes at him which made him chuckle.

"Fine. Do you promise not to run away?"

"Why would I do that?"

"Because you did it before" he gave me a knowing smile.

I giggled and nodded "I promise." For some reason, being this close to him I felt my heart skip a beat.

He gently pulled me to a tree and sat me down before he sat down facing me.

"Do you remember the stone?" I nodded. I could never forget that beautiful shining stone.

"Well, I was telling you about it when Kellen interrupted us. This stone chose me."

I was looking at him questioningly so he didn't waste any time. "On my fifteenth birthday, Kellen was cleaning it before he could put it back in the safe, I came in the room and the stone actually flew to me. That's when Kellen knew I was special...just like him." I raised an eyebrow plucking the grass underneath me.

"Just like I told you before, the stone was given to him by my parents, but what I didn't get to tell you, is that my father also left a note attached to the stone. The note said that, in order for me to take it, the stone has to choose me, if it doesn't, then it means I don't carry the genes. So when the stone came flying to me, Kellen entrusted it to me and wasted no time to train me." he must have seen the look on my face because he stopped and smiled.

"I know you think I'm crazy and what I'm saying makes no sense but I thought so too at first. I thought Kellen had gone mad."

"What happened then? Why was he training you? Or should I ask what was he training you for?"

"I changed" he simply stated with a smile ignoring my question. Derek took my hand in his and traced the lines inside my palm sending shivers to my core "Lily do you really believe in Dragons?"

"What? What does that have to do with any of this?"

"Just answer me please"

"I...I don't know" I frowned I haven't seen the Dragon since I fought with Derek; I might have been imagining the whole thing. I looked up at Derek "I thought I saw one...the one I drew but I haven't seen him since..."

Derek cut me off "Since you ran away from me." He stated as a matter of fact.

I raised both eyebrows in surprise "how did you know?" my voice was weak and I started backing away from him "were you following me? Every day?" I could feel anger boiling through my veins, is Derek a psychopath?

He chuckled "I didn't need to follow you, Lily... I was there with you the whole time." Derek threw me off guard with his comment and his lopsided grin.

"What? How? Are you saying you...no that can't be!" I put my head in my hands.

"I was mad at how you were ignoring me and ignoring my calls so I stopped coming to see you as a dragon."

"Stop just stop I know you are lying you can't be a Dragon for god sake " you're a human being! You are here in front of me you don't look like a Dragon!" I got on my feet "Derek are you trying to make fun of me or prank me? Because if so, it's working and it's not funny!" I started walking away and when I heard something being ripped, I snapped my head back to see Derek's clothes on the ground all ripped out and a dragon standing where Derek was seconds before. My dragon.

"That can't be" I let out a gasp, shocked and confused at the sight in front of me. I shook my head it was unbelievable I couldn't even express my own feelings. They were a mix of joy, anger, confusion but joy and happiness won over and I found my feet taking me to the dragon.

However, as soon as I reached him I try to slap him hard "you should have told me from the beginning you're a jerk, Derek!" I yelled at him before hugging his neck.

Derek leaned down and it seemed to me as an invitation to ride his back, I couldn't say no but I had to get home "I need to get home my mom might be worried about me now" I got on his back and he flew high in the sky so no one would spot us.

He landed on my rooftop with a light thud and let me climb to my window. I looked at him for a moment and saw him nod at me before flying away. I was still trying to process everything that happened and the fact that I still didn't know what being claimed by him meant.

After taking a hot shower and putting on my pajamas, I walked downstairs and went to the kitchen to grab something to eat and that's when I saw my mom sitting on the counter and looking at me questioningly. I didn't feel like fighting with her so I went over and hugged her tightly.

Derek's POV:

I couldn't believe Lily took it so well, I knew it was only because I showed her my Dragon before telling her the truth. I went into the living room grinning like a Cheshire cat but my grin disappeared when I saw Kellen looking at me suspiciously.

"What? Can't I be happy?" I sprawled out on the couch looking at the ceiling.

"What are you so happy about?"

"I told her Kellen! I finally told her the truth. Except for the claiming part."

"How did she take it?" He was surprisingly calm.

Kellen didn't know I shifted in front of her before today and he didn't have to know. "Well strangely enough she took it rather well. Apparently, she loves Dragons. How lucky am I?"

Kellen just smiled but he wasn't happy I was sure about that but didn't know why.

"What's up with you? You don't seem in shape" I asked him frowning.

"I'm fine Derek don't worry about me. I just saw an old friend today and it was nice seeing her again."

I frowned "I didn't know you had friends in town. May I know who she is?"

He got up and started walking away "you'll meet her soon". He left me there by myself and walked out of the house and minutes later I heard his car come to life. I sat on the couch for a moment before going to my room to get some sleep.

The next morning I was in front of her house seconds before she opened the door to walk to school "need a ride?"

She looked at me and smiled before making her way to my car "good morning" her smile was bright and full of hope.

"Morning beautiful" I leaned to kiss her cheek but she pushed me away

"I'm still mad."

"Why?" I asked smirking.

"Because you kept this from me! You knew I loved that dragon you never said a word! And you stole my sketch while I was sleeping" she grinned and I couldn't help but laugh.

"I was just making sure you were alright and I saw that sketch...It was so beautiful I couldn't help but take it. I scanned it and gave it back to you."

I smiled and started the car when she said nothing. The drive was silent, she seemed lost in thoughts and I didn't want to interrupt her thinking. I parked the car in the school parking lot and took out my stone from the glove box.

"Lily?"

"hum? Yes sorry I was distracted"

"Would you put that back on you?" I asked giving her the stone.

She thought for a moment and took it from my hands "I don't remember giving this back to you" she said with a frown. She was so cute when she frowned.

"I found it in my room this morning, must have come back to me after you threw it away."

She nodded "I'll take it but I won't put it on just yet...I need to know what you meant by being mates and if I find that I can do that, then I'll put it on".

I frowned not knowing if she actually could choose to walk away from me...being mates meant we were bound together, we shared a strong link but I didn't want to scare her away, I gave her a reassuring smile and was about to step out when she spoke again.

"Um Derek, why was Kellen at my house? I couldn't hear him and my mom talk but it seemed they knew each other well. I even think he was hitting on her" she asked me frowning and even I frowned at that. I had no Idea Kellen was at her house.

Is her mother the old friend he was talking about?