19. Zoldryn

19

ZOLDRYN

N indre's growl pierces the tense silence, her impatience palpable. "Hurry up and kill him, stupid bitch!" she snarls, her eyes fixed on Lyra.

But I can't tear my gaze away from Lyra. She looks stunning in the turquoise dress that hugs her curves, her hair cascading down her shoulders like a waterfall of gold. I will claim her lips once my enemies have been disposed of, I vow.

The relief coursing through my veins is intoxicating, making it almost impossible to stop myself from fucking her right here in front of everyone.

Lyra slips the amulet into my hand, her fingers brushing against mine for a brief moment. "I can't do it," she announces to the others, feigning fear as she cowers away from me.

"You're pathetic," Nindre sneers, taking a step towards Lyra. "Give me the amulet and I'll kill the bastard myself."

I clench my fists, my nails digging into my palms as I struggle to contain my rage. I won't let Nindre or anyone else hurt Lyra. She's mine to protect.

"I- I can't," she stutters, taking a step back.

The Elder's growl sends a shiver down my spine, but I stand my ground, my grip tightening around the amulet. I can feel its power coursing through my veins, amplifying my strength and sharpening my senses.

"I don't need the amulet to send this scum to the Abyss," The Elder snarls, taking a step towards me.

But before he can do anything, I feel a surge of energy building up inside me. I open my mouth and breathe out a massive breath of fire, scorching The Elder and sending him flying backwards.

The room erupts into chaos as dragon shifters scatter to avoid the flames. I hear Nindre screaming in rage, but I don't have time to worry about her. I need to protect Lyra.

I turn to find her cowering behind me, her eyes wide with fear. I reach out and pull her close, shielding her with my body as I scan the room for any threats.

That's when I see them - a group of dragon shifters charging towards us, their eyes glowing with malice. I brace myself for impact, my muscles tensed and ready for battle.

But then, something unexpected happens. The amulet around my neck begins to glow, and a wave of energy pulses out from me, knocking the attackers back and sending them crashing into the walls.

"Now, that's what I'm fucking talking about," I say with a grin as I stalk forward to take care of the Elder once and for all. "Your turn."

I stride towards the Elder, my fists clenched at my sides. "Your selfishness is going to be the end of us all," I snarl, my voice echoing through the throne room. "You hoard resources and riches while the rest of us suffer."

The Elder sneers at me, his obsidian scaled skin glinting in the torchlight. "And you think you could do better than me, Zoldryn? That you aren't just as selfish as I am?"

"What's mine is mine, yes," I retort, my eyes blazing with anger. "But you're driving the rest of us to extinction."

The Elder's eyes narrow, and I can see the fury building within him. But before he can respond, a bloodcurdling scream rips through the air.

Lyra.

I watch in horror as Nindre lunges towards Lyra, her claws bared and eyes blazing with fury. She is mine! With a roar, I transform into my dragon form, my scales shimmering in the dim light of the throne room.

"No one will harm my destined mate!" I bellow, the sound echoing off the walls and causing several of the dragon shifters to cover their ears.

All eyes turn to me in shock, and I can see the disbelief etched on their faces. I have never claimed a mate before, and certainly not a human one. But I know in my heart that Lyra is mine, and I will do anything to protect her.

The amulet around my neck begins to glow, and I can feel its power surging through me. I unleash a torrent of flames at Nindre, who narrowly dodges the attack. She snarls at me, her eyes filled with hatred.

"You would choose a human over your own kind?" she spits. "Over me?"

I don't bother responding. Instead, I focus all my energy on defeating my enemies. The Elder, who had been lying in a heap on the floor, struggles to get up, but I quickly dispatch him with a swipe of my tail.

I wrap my claws around him and, with a gurgling scream, watch as I tear the bastard in two, scorching both halves to ash.

I turn my attention to Nindre's lackeys, who are cowering in fear. With a flick of my wrist, I send a blast of fire towards them, incinerating them instantly. The smell of burnt flesh fills the air, but I don't care. They deserved it for daring to harm my mate.

Nindre, however, is a different story. I want her to suffer for what she's done. I stalk towards her, my eyes blazing with fury. She tries to run, but I catch her easily, my claws digging into her flesh.

"Please, Zoldryn," she whimpers, her eyes pleading for mercy.

I sneer at her, my disgust evident. "Death is too good for you," I state coldly. "You will suffer for all that you have done to my human."

With that, I shift back into my dark elf form and turn to the rest of the shifters. They bow their heads in submission, acknowledging me as their new leader.