So I decided to add this chapter after writing the previous chapter sixteen (now seventeen), because I thought the time Skylar spent with Nana would be fun to write, and I was correct! Please enjoy the extra Nana because she is a good time.

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"This way, love!" Nana called over her shoulder. For a small, old woman, she was very agile. Skylar jogged forward trying to keep up.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," she answered, finally falling into step next to her, although she would likely fall behind again.

Nana paused to bend down to inspect a plant quickly before moving on. "I heard you and Orion were up early this morning."

"Yeah, even before the sun," Skylar shook her head as she stepped over a fallen log.

"I don't think that boy has slept later than the sunrise in his whole life," Nana chuckled. "Why did he get you up so early?"

"I, uh, we..." Skylar wasn't sure if she should tell Nana about the situation with her dragon, but when the old woman peered over her shoulder with king, inquiring eyes, she knew she could trust Orion's grandmother. If she didn't already know, she would soon. She was a part of the Alpha family, she would be kept it the loop. She took a deep breath and came out with it. "We were trying to release my dragon."

Nana stopped walking and turned to face Skylar. There was no judgement in her eyes, only curiosity. "And did you?"

Skylar looked down at her feet and shook her head. "Not yet. We tried though, up until Orion left me on your doorstep a little bit ago. He wanted to talk to Leo for help."

"Leo's a smart man. He's my son-in-law, twice over, so you can't tell him that I think highly of him," Nana winked a pale blue eye, "but he'll know what to do."

"I hope so. The full moon is tomorrow and I just... I don't want everyone to see me shift like that."

She nodded her white head in understanding. "If you want to talk about anything else, you go right ahead honey. I know the benefit of just having someone listen. You have enough people trying to give you advice, I'm sure."

Skylar wanted to tell her everything, but she hesitated, Orion's warnings still echoed in her head. Luckily, Nana had already moved on, kneeling in front of a brightly flowering plant. She rattled off a name that Skylar didn't catch. "We dry the roots for this one. It makes a great tea to help with sleepless nights."

She set her basket on the ground next to it and began digging gently to reveal the roots. Skylar hesitantly kneeled next to her and began digging at another plant, carefully watching Nana's technique. There wasn't really much to it, but she wanted to do it right, to learn from and impress her new mentor.

"So what has Orion told you about dragons so far? You've spent quite a bit of time with him," Nana asked as she rose, apparently satisfied with the number of tubers they'd collected.

Skylar brushed the dirt off her trousers as she shrugged. "Not much actually. We've mostly focused on my dragon when we've talked, I guess."

"He hasn't told you about your own kind?" Nana clucked her tongue in disappointment. "My grandson isn't always the most thoughtful. You'll have to forgive him."

"He talked about Wildlings a little, the differences and such. And some other facts here and there, but he hasn't gone into detail on anything."

"Well, it's a beautiful day, and you happen to be in the presence of a very knowledgeable old woman, my dear," she grinned widely. "What would you like to know?"

Skylar blinked, and even her dragon was a little taken aback. She wanted to know everything, she supposed. What a broad question to ask. Skylar didn't even know where to start.

Nana sensed this and waved a hand, continuing her walk into the trees. "We'll just start at the beginning then, how we shifting dragons came about. It's one of the first things young dragons learn in their schooling, so it'll be a good place to start for you as well."

Skylar nodded in agreement. She just hoped Orion wouldn't get it into his head to have her join the young dragons in their lessons. She couldn't think of anything more humiliating.

"Thousands of years ago, there was a light witch, a good witch, who came upon a dying wild dragon. Nowadays, many of us magical creatures stick together and back each other up against the humans, but there was once a time where magical creatures hated each other just as much as humans hate magical creatures now. Especially the dragons. They were fierce beasts, and they ruled everything. They were smart, they were huge, and they had more magic within them than anyone. And there were a lot of them. This was before humans, or even the other magical creatures, realized they could be killed just like anything else.

"Back to the light witch, she found an abandoned dragon egg. Dragons were, are, vain creatures, as I'm sure you've figured out with your own dragon. They don't like when things are different. And this dragon egg was white, which meant that the infant within would be white. White dragons were weaker, as they stood out and were vulnerable to attack from other dragons because of it. So, the mother abandoned it, likely to give her other eggs a better chance. Instead of destroying the egg as most would, the witch kept it safe until it hatched. And when it did, she formed a bond with the female hatchling, and the two became inseparable.

"As the white dragon grew older, she began to ask questions about her kind, and she wanted to find them. She wanted to join them, and meet another of her kind. But the witch insisted on going with her, out of curiosity, but also because she wanted to protect the white dragon. Of course, when the white dragon approached a small group of dragons, they attacked. Partly because she was a strange, but mostly because she brought a lower creature into their midst. The white dragon had never fought before, and was quickly killed by the larger, more dominant dragons."

"They killed her?" Skylar gasped. "Just because she was different?"

"Full-blooded dragons are not kind creatures, especially back then. But listen now," Nana hushed her and continued. "They killed her and would have killed the witch as well, if they hadn't gotten bored by the activity. The witch, of course, was distraught by the loss of the white dragon. What I didn't mention yet was that the witch had a special affinity for the Other Side. The side where our spirits go when we pass. She could see spirits, souls, and manipulate them. It's a very dangerous gift, especially if it was possessed by a dark witch. Our witch had been alone her whole life, and she didn't want to be alone anymore, not after having bonded with the white dragon. So she grabbed the dragon's soul before it passed to the Other Side and inserted it into her own body out of grief.

"The witch could have easily died, in fact she should have died. Bodies are not made to accommodate two souls. But the bond that the pair had was so strong, so true, that instead of harboring two souls, the souls melded together, becoming one. So true was the bond in fact, that each body was able to take shape at will. And so, here we are, thousands of years later, with hundreds of us scattered across the land. Simply because of the love a witch had for a dragon."

Skylar couldn't help but smile at the story. It was beautiful, that sort of love and loyalty. "But couldn't the witch have just put the dragon's soul back into her body?"

"She wasn't a necromancer, she couldn't bring things back to life. The dragon was already dead at that point, but she could keep the soul from crossing to the Other Side. Which was exactly what she did."

"I see," Skylar nodded, pondering this. She wondered about her dragon, wondered if they would ever be that in tune, that committed to one another. Although, since she'd been around Orion and the other dragons, she didn't feel as much anger toward her dragon side. The fact that she wanted to break open the cage was enough proof of her changing feelings.

A question popped into her head. "The other dragons, the Wildlings, why aren't they called dragons? They are the full-blooded kind."

Nana chuckled. "They don't refer to themselves as Wildlings. That's just what we call them, to distinguish. They call us half-breeds, and themselves dragons. It's completely relative. They hate us, more than we hate them, I think."

"Why?"

"They consider us abominations. Wildlings hate humans, look down on them, and the fact that we are bonded with them, that we turn into them, it's just too much. It doesn't help that we protect the humans from them, for the most part. It's more for our sake than the humans'. If the Wildlings attack and steal from them, we are also hunted because humans don't know the difference. So, we stop the Wildlings from meddling with the humans."

"Have you tried talking to them? I mean, they have to be reasonable, right?"

She shrugged. "But if they think we're the ones being unreasonable?"

Skylar nodded. She did have experience with royal affairs, between kingdoms and between the her father and his subjects. She understood that if both sides think they are right, there is no convincing either of anything else. "Point taken."

"I knew you were a smart girl," she winked and pointed to another plant, one that Skylar recognized as lavender from what she'd learned from Greta. "Pick a bunch of that for me, would you dear?"

"My nurse grew this in her garden," Skylar sniffed the plant, smiling at the familiar scent. Comfort washed over her, as she thought of home and of watching Greta prepare it while Skylar sat in the window and read. "It was her favorite. She made me soaps out of it."

"It's my favorite as well," Nana grinned. "Your nurse has wonderful taste. And it is lovely in soaps. Perhaps you'd like to help me make some with it soon? I know I'm running low, so the Big House definitely is as well."

"That would be lovely," Skylar nodded, smiling at the old woman who had been so kind to her, so welcoming. Everyone else had been welcoming, for the most part, but Nana hadn't made her uncomfortable with questions and treating her as a guest. She'd put her to work, as if she'd known her for weeks rather than hours. Skylar wasn't used to work, but she knew that it meant a lot around here, and she appreciated it more than Nana would understand.

Skylar bent down the pick the lavender, gently pulling it from the ground, when another question popped into her head. Something that she'd wondered about since she'd heard Laura and Fiona mention it. "What are True Mates?"

Nana paused, but answered. "Someone who is made for someone else. A soul mate, really. Why do you ask?"

"I just heard Laura and Fiona talking about it yesterday and was curious," Skylar shrugged, although she wanted to hear more. "Something about how Percy and Laura aren't True Mates."

"Hmmm, maybe not, but it isn't often I see two people more suited for each other than them. They likely won't find anyone else for them. And not everyone has a True Mate, although we all like to think we do. I was lucky enough to not only have one, but to find him."

Skylar turned to see a blissful look on her face as she stared off into the trees, a small smile gracing her lips. "He was the most wonderful man, and he was all mine. Still is. I keep him with me always, right here." She patted her chest, and her eyes began to water. "He died fifteen years ago, and the pain almost killed me. But I had my two girls, and my grandsons. If it weren't for them... if it weren't for them I would have followed him out of this life." A tear slid down her cheek and she wiped it away. Skylar's heart broke for her. To love someone that much and then lose them, she couldn't imagine it.

"How did you know he was your True Mate?" Skylar wondered. "You never thought you just loved him a lot?"

"I just knew, the second my eyes met his, I knew my whole being belonged to him, and his to me. It was as if the world suddenly just made sense."

"Wow," Skylar raised her eyebrows. "It's that fast?"

"Not always, no. We were just lucky," she smiled happily. "Some True Mates take time before they realize the bond they have. The dragon sides usually figure it out faster, they're more instinctual, but the humans take a little longer to see the one person who was meant for them."

"You said not everyone has one. How do they know if they do or don't?"

Nana inspected the stalk of a lavender plant before plucking it and putting it in her basket. "They don't. Some don't want to take the chance, and others wait their whole lives. It's a rare occurrence, True Mates, so many just find someone they love and mate with them. True Mates will only mate once in their whole lives. People like Leo, who didn't have their True Mate, can mate again."

"Orion's mom and dad weren't True Mates?"

"Unfortunately, no. Neither of my daughters found their True Mates, which always broke my heart because I wanted that sort of happiness for them. Now I can only hope that Olly finds his True Mate out there somewhere."

"Not Orion?"

Nana's nose scrunched slightly and she let out an irritated sigh. "I can't dare hope that Orion finds his True Mate, as he's already betrothed to the daughter of another Alpha."

At this, Skylar's dragon snarled, and even Skylar was slightly taken aback by this news. It didn't sit well with her, and she couldn't put her finger on the reason why. Her dragon was just being possessive of her new infatuation with the man. That couldn't possibly be Skylar's reason as well. She wondered how Orion felt about an arranged marriage, if he shared her feelings on the matter.

"Oh, I see. And she isn't his True Mate?"

"Good lord no," Nana scoffed, more aggressive about gathering her plants now. She pulled the fragile stalks up with much more force than necessary. "She's hardly more than a child, and a passive one at that. Orion will be bored with her by the second day of their marriage, if he isn't already. She will let him walk all over her. She doesn't have what it takes to be mated to an Alpha as dominant and assertive as my grandson. It doesn't help that I don't like her much as a person either."

"That's very unfortunate."

"It really is. Orion thinks he wants a mate like her, a mate who will do nothing more than give him heirs and let him do what he pleases, but he's as dense as he is proud. He needs a mate who will stand up to him, when necessary. He needs a mate that will not only let him be the great Alpha he was destined to be, but also stand by his side proudly while he does it."

Skylar couldn't help but smile at the passion in Nana's voice. It showed how much she cared about Orion, how great she wanted his life to be.

"What does Leo think?" Skylar wondered. If anyone could get Orion out of a bad mating, it would be the Alpha of his clan.

"Leo is a skeptic, and doesn't often listen to my rantings, unfortunately. I don't know if he thinks Orion will grow to love Cassie, but he thinks they will be good companions. It doesn't help that he puts the clan in front of his son's happiness. It also doesn't help that Orion puts the clan in front of his happiness," Nana set her basket on the ground and brushed the dirt off her hands. She looked over at Skylar, who had stopped pulling up lavender about halfway through the rant. "What do you think, Skylar? Do you believe in True Mates?"

She didn't hesitate. "I do. I believe there is someone out there who is meant for me."

"Like I said, I knew you were a smart girl. I think there is someone out there who is meant for you as well," Nana patted her cheek affectionately. "Now if only he could see it," she muttered as she stood up and began walking through the woods. Skylar decided the last part wasn't meant for her ears, but wondered about it anyone. Who was this "he" that Nana meant?

Unfortunately, Nana wasn't about to let Skylar sit and ponder it while there was work to be done. Skylar bolted after the speedy little woman and that was when the real work began. Nana had a name and a use for nearly every plant they came across, and Skylar knew there was no way she would remember any of it without writing it down. Botany took serious work and passion, but it was something that Skylar wanted to learn. She wanted to be useful, and Nana wanted to help. The woman obviously loved teaching, and having an eager student made it all the better for her.

By the time they started walking back to the clan, both of their baskets were filled to the brim with lush green prizes. The evidence of her hard work caused pride to swell in Skylar's chest.

They rounded a bend in the worn path and came face to face with Olly, whose face lit up at the sight of them. Skylar was touched at his warm greeting, especially since she'd hardly said two words to him, until she found out the reason behind it.

"Ha! Percy has to let me patrol with him for a week now!"

Nana raised an eyebrow at her youngest grandson. "What on earth are you talking about, child?"

"Percy bet that Skylar here would take advantage of you and run," he grinned proudly. "But I had total faith in our lovely guest."

Skylar was a bit affronted by Percy, but remembered that he'd seen how Orion had had to carry her out of the woods upon their first meeting. It was fair that he could think she'd just been biding her time until the perfect moment struck. Luckily, she didn't need to voice her thoughts because Nana smacked Olly in the chest.

"Don't be rude, Oliver James," she warned, her pale eyes flashing.

"Nana! I'm the one who said she wouldn't run! Smack Percy, not me!"

"Don't you worry, I'll get to him too," she promised and Skylar laughed. If anyone would protect her honor, it would the feisty Nana. "But you should apologize, because your mother raised you right."

Olly had the courtesy to look sheepish and properly chastised, although Skylar could tell that he had a hard time being scolded by his grandmother when he was essentially a man himself.

"I didn't mean any harm by you, Skylar. I'm sorry."

She smiled at him. "It's quite alright." She curtsied, which looked terribly awkward while in trousers, but her regal upbringing demanded it on such an occasion.

He cocked his head to the side slightly at her curtsy, but grinned nonetheless. "Anyway, Orion sent me to find you guys. Dad's organized the clan meeting to announce your presence here formally, Skylar."

Her stomach flipped at the thought of facing the clan. It was silly, she was a princess and had face huge crowds all the time, but this time it was different. She was the outsider here, not the leader. This time she sought the approval of the audience, not the other way around. What if they didn't accept her? What if they forced her to go? Orion and Leo couldn't protect her if the entire clan wanted her gone, could they? If they couldn't, she would have nowhere to go, and she would be alone.

She'd come to depend on Orion's help and companionship far more than she was comfortable admitting, but she was tired of being alone, as she had been all her life. And when Orion was around... when he was around, she didn't feel so alone.