"Your love?" I said in confusion and looked at my hands, they were pale and were covered in white scales, long sharp claws replaced my nails. "Who- but" I said in while looking at the man and back then back at Ao. I remember what just happened, these bastards killed Ao my companion...my friend. Rage engulfed me once again and looked at the man who ended my dear friend's life and held up my hand and made a fist. I watched as he gasped and squirmed for air but I wasn't giving it to him, he was gonna have a slow and painful death. Then suddenly I felt someone grab my fist "Ao" I mumbled while turning to the person. "Princess I am happy you care so much about my life even though I was just a stray animal, but this is not the way to go...killing him will only make you like him, you're a better person Nika. You are not murder, you are a beautiful Princess who will one day become an amazing Queen," Ao said while wiping my tears away "thank you for giving me a life I could have never dreamed of," Ao smiled last time before kissing my forehead and disappearing. Ao left a blue light behind making me instantly fall to the ground and faint.

When I woke up I was in an unfamiliar place, everything looked as if it was dipped in gold and put on display, even the sheets I was sitting on looked more expensive than my house back home. "Finally up?" A very familiar voice had said and I traced the sound waves to the speaker. "You," I mumble in slight anger, confusion, and embarrassment "hm?" He questioned while crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow "you knew where I was?" I questioned while gritting my teeth "I did," he sighed "the whole time?" I questioned while trying to fight back my anger and tears "not exactly," he responded, "what do you mean?" I spoke while digging my nails into the silk sheets that I was sitting on. "I didn't know where you were until you went on your little rampage," he chuckled "did that rodent means that much to you?" He spoke while walking over to me "excuse me?" I said while jumping to my feet "I didn't stutter," he said while grabbing my chin with his fingers and examining my face "get the fuck off of me," I hissed while swatting his hand off my face. "You're even feistier in real life," he chuckled "Your Majesty!" A maid-looking woman said while holding a pair of ripped clothes "what happened?" His white eyes narrowed "was it Jake?" He questioned and the maid-I assumed-, nodded hastily and ran off. "I- uh who's Jake?" I question and the man looked at me with anger "it doesn't concern you, I'll be back later...I'm not finished with our 'talk' " he quoted before leaving the room.

I was left feeling miserable and guilty 'I shouldn't have been so rude I thought to myself while sitting back down on the silk sheets, 'no! He was in the wrong, he shouldn't have called Ao a rodent' I argued with myself, but something inside me was angry at me for moving his hand away. It had felt as if I had committed a crime and was locked up, it was a mental battle between myself and myself. 'Had I done something wrong in order to anger him' I thought to myself before finally laying back on the bed and curling up into a ball. I couldn't handle everything, it's like everything finally began to settle in; I was never going to see Hora-Hay again, my mom was gone, I have no clue where Celest and Ace were, my only friend was gone, my crush used me, and I am in a place I don't even recognize, on top of that my mother isn't even the one who birthed me. My feeling began to swell up and I let it all out, I cried, screamed, and kicked like a child throwing a temper tantrum. "The sheets are getting wet," a soothing voice called out and I immediately stopped kicking and screaming, but the crying remained. I couldn't help it; I had just lost everything in the time span of 1 month. "What do you want?" I called from the pillow, but he didn't say anything "Cryo," he said and I bolted up. His face was so close to mine, I looked away with embarrassment "that's my name," he stated while pulling my face to look at his "Cryo?" I mumble while falling into the movement of his hand "and yours? Not that I don't already know it," he said sarcastically while looking into my eyes "N-Nika," I mumbled and he repeated my name several times, making my heart flutter. "My Mate," Cryo whispered in awe while stroking my long now white hair. My snow-white scales had subsided but were still visible if you looked hard enough, as for my nails...they desired a trimming, but I could care less. Cryo noticed my nails and scales "they're beautiful," he smiled, before taking my hand, and placing small kisses upon my scales. The mere sensation of his lips brought me to heaven...that was until I thought about Ao. Cryo noticed my change in mood and immediately stopped "Grrr," he growled, taking me out of my dreadful thoughts "why are you thinking about HIM!?" He hissed, knowing exactly who I was thinking about "i-it's just...." I stammered "j-j-just WHAT?!" He mocked with irritation, and I snapped my head and hand away from him "just leave me alone," I ordered without thinking, I wanted him to leave me and my thoughts, but deep down something inside of me didn't want him to leave, another part of me wanted to throw him onto the bed and entangle my scent with his. Cryo left the room, closing the door with a hard Thud, and there I was left alone to cry again...'m-my mate hates me' I sobbed uncontrollably at the thought of him being displeased with me. My loud cries, eventually turned to light hiccups, before becoming silent. I adjusted myself onto my back, and stared at the marble ceiling -which had dragons etched in it- "my home," I mumbled to myself while reaching out my left arm, to phantom what it would be like to touch the expensive marble with my kind on it. "It's beautiful isn't it?" A female voice spoke from a distance, making me bolt straight up despite the growing pains all over my body. "I-Im sorry!... I didn't mean to startle you...Your Majesty," the maid said while curtsying, "please don't," I said as politely as I could and she fixed her posture. "I came to see if you were ok?" She smiled and I narrowed my eyes, I didn't need her pity nor did I want it "I'm fine, you can leave now," I ordered coldly and the maid left with a disheartened look. 'W-what has gotten into me?' I sighed while letting myself falling back into the sheets of the huge bed. 'This is all too much for me to handle' I sighed once more before letting my thoughts and darkness engulf me.