Skylar watched in dismay as Orion, Jonathan, Kellan, Leo, and Hal rounded up the soldiers and dragons. The soldiers stepped into a tight formation like the well-trained men they were, while the dragons were settled into a looser group, talking among themselves. They would shift when they were closer to the edge of the territory, when they were ready to face Draco. Zachariah was the only one in his dragon form at the moment. Percy, Olly, and Jed had flown to the edge of the territory to keep an eye on Draco's advancing army. They were using their clan connection to keep in contact with Zachariah, who would then alert Leo or Orion if something was wrong.

Jonathan trotted around on his white stallion, shouting orders at his men. He was dressed in his full metal armor and the deep blue colors of Trael, as were the rest of the soldiers. His well-used sword swung at his hip, but Skylar knew he could pull it out at a moment's notice. The other two dozen knights were also mounted on their war horses. They would be on the front lines, while the foot soldiers would be behind. The dragons were going to do their best to keep the foot soldiers out of the fighting for as long as possible. Draco's army was just too large, the odds to great, to risk them needlessly. Only the archers mounted on the dragons' backs would be on the battlefield from the start.

The knight urged his horse over to where Orion and Leo stood talking with Hal. His steed pranced, excited by all of the activity, but she watched as Orion reached out to calm the creature. She was reminded of why she loved him when it settled at his gentle touch, and she knew exactly how the animal felt. She was also calmer at the touch of Orion.

Orion patted the horse's forehead before one of his arms swung out the gesture at the gathered army, the expression on his face making it clear he and Jonathan were arguing about something. There was too much activity for her to hear his voice, but she recognized the tension in each man's shoulders. Jonathan likely wanted to lead his men into battle, but everyone had agreed that was a bad idea. Orion would be the one leading the dragons, and the humans would hold back until absolutely necessary. Orion would be the first dragon the army saw, the first one they aimed at, the first they shot at...

A lump formed in her throat and she put a hand over her mouth, forcing herself to turn away. She wanted to go with him, to help protect him. To do something other than stay behind. She felt helpless and the fighting hadn't even started yet. A tear escaped and raced down her cheek. She shouldn't be crying, she needed to be strong, but she couldn't stop thinking about the danger Orion would be in. She had all the faith in the world in his abilities, but all it would take was one lucky shot and her world would end.

She felt like she was going to throw up at even the thought of such a thing happening. She blinked her eyes rapidly, trying to get a hold of herself. It didn't help that her dragon was worrying about their mate as well. Normally the beast was far more optimistic when it came to fighting and winning, but she knew Draco. She knew what he was capable of, and it scared her.

A hand landed on her shoulder and she started. She quickly wiped her cheeks before turning to face whoever wanted her attention. She shouldn't have been surprised to find gold eyes staring down at her in worry. She realized he must have sensed her turmoil and come to check on her. She had done nothing in her life to deserve him.

Orion's frown deepened when he saw her tears. "Hey," he whispered soothingly, "don't cry." His strong hands came up to caress her cheeks, his thumbs brushing the new tears away.

She pressed her lips together and reached forward to grasp two handfuls of his soft shirt. No armor for the dragons. When they shifted, they would have the greatest armor in the world: dragon scales. She reached up to touch the necklace that rested beneath the white of Orion's shirt, the one made of her scale. She traced the outline and leaned forward to plant a soft kiss over it. She would be with him, or at least a part of her would.

"Is it time?" she asked.

He nodded slowly. "We're ready to march."

"So you came to say goodbye?"

"I refuse to say goodbye," he said, and the side of his mouth quirked ever so slightly. "It's far too final. I'm simply planning on kissing you 'until I come home'."

She allowed a small smile onto her face. "I like that."

He sobered up after studying her for a moment, pulling her closer to him. "I'll be back, I promise."

"You had better, otherwise I'm coming after you," she promised, and they both knew she meant it.

Orion just stared down at her as if he were memorizing her face. Although neither would admit it, there was a real possibility that Orion might not return to her. He put up a strong, confident front, but she could sense his fear through her bond. That scared her more that anything. Orion was never afraid.

She reached up to wrap her arms around his neck and pull him into a tight embrace. She stood on her tiptoes as he bent down to bury his face in the crook of her neck, right where his mark was. She felt his lips brush the mark in the gentlest of kisses, and she just pulled him tighter.

"You're afraid," she whispered.

Orion sighed and nuzzled into her neck before standing up again, although his hand stayed buried in her hair. "I am, but not of Draco."

She frowned and tilted her head to the side in question. What else was there to be afraid of?

"I'm afraid our time will be cut short," he admitted softly, his fingers tangling further in her hair. "We've only just found each other."

The lump found its way back into her throat.

He continued, even softer than before, his voice barely a breath. "I'm afraid I could lose you before we finished our forever, Skylar."

Another tear escaped onto her cheek. "I suppose that means you had better make sure you come back to me, Orion Nogard."

"I love you," he said, stroking her hair back from her face.

"I love you," she replied, staring up at him, her heart aching. She didn't want him to go, and she wanted to go with him. She dragged his mouth down to hers, locking him in a kiss that was tender and full of fire all at once. She tried to convey to him what he meant to her through their bond, with her feelings, because there were no words for her to express herself. She tried to tell him how much she needed to protect him; she was his mate, it was her job.

And you're his mate, her dragon whispered, the first full sentence Skylar had ever heard from her. This is how he's protecting you.

<><><><><><><><><><><><>

"They'll be back, Skylar," Nana said, wrapping an arm around her. Skylar was still staring at the trail traveling west, toward the edge of the territory. The soldiers and dragons had disappeared long ago, but she still watched after them. She knew it was the last time she would see some of them, and that broke her heart. This was all her fault, and she wasn't even fighting for them.

"Not all of them," she whispered back to the healer.

Nana sighed and her arm tightened. "Unfortunately, no, but we should go prepare the infirmary so that as many can return as possible. Shall we?"

Skylar nodded, but didn't move. She could feel Orion through their bond, her gut was pulling her to him, letting her know where he was. He was still worried, but he was also angry. She sensed he was settling further into "warrior" the farther they got from home and the closer they got to the danger. She also sensed it was her own worry that was keeping him from full investing in his anger and determination. She need to stop distracting him, and the only way to do that was to distract herself. She wasn't sure how to do that, unfortunately.

"I'm so worried about him," she whispered.

"I know, darling, and I'm sorry you have to go through this so soon after your bonding," Nana said gently. "It's hard when it's still so new. You can't sense his exact thoughts, only his feelings, and I know that doesn't help you right now. But, and remember this is from a very old woman, Orion is one of the greatest fighters I've ever known. He is also one of the strongest Alphas I've ever seen, and I've known plenty of Alphas in my time. He'll be alright. Besides, he has a reason to come home. A very good reason."

Skylar smiled at the reassurance. She loved Nana so much, and looked over at her, wanting to tell her, but realized she didn't have to. Nana, in the way only she could, already knew.

"You're not that old," Skylar said instead.

The healer let out a sharp laugh, her pale blue eyes twinkling with mirth. "Why thank you, darling. Come along now. We have to be ready for whatever is coming."

Skylar nodded once again, but this time she moved to follow Nana back to the infirmary. "Nana?"

"Yes, child?"

"Thank you."

Nana looked over her shoulder with soft eyes. "I remember being newly bonded. Right now the two of you should be holed up in your house without a care in the world, strengthening your bond and enjoying no one but each other. Instead you have to deal with this. I'm sorry about that, I truly am, Skylar."

"Does it get easier?" she asked, blushing at the implications of Nana's words. As much as she would love to lock herself in her bedroom with Orion for days, she wasn't comfortable discussing it with Nana yet. "Watching them leave for battle?"

Nana smiled at her sadly. "I wish I could say yes, but I won't lie to you. No, it never gets any easier. It's never easy watching someone you love go off to fight."

"My fathers are out there too. And my brother."

"Acknowledging them as family then, are you? That's good to hear, darling. They really do care about you."

"I know, and I might lose them now too," Skylar wiped a hand over her face. "This is all my fault."

"You can't think like that, Skylar. I will not allow it. The dragons are strong, and they're determined to fight for their families, to protect us all. Draco's men have no such drive."

"I should be out there with them."

Nana shook her head firmly. "No. You shouldn't. You will be our Alpha female someday soon, sooner than you probably realize. As Alpha female, it is your job to protect those who can't go fight. It is your job to protect the clan members who are still here, all of the elderly and women and children. They know Orion chose you, that you two have claimed each other, and they will look to you for guidance. You're needed here, Skylar, far more than they need you out there."

Skylar blinked in surprise. She hadn't thought of the dragons here needing her. She still didn't know the names of many of them, and that bothered her more than it should. As a princess, it was unreasonable to assume she would know all of her subjects' names, but here? This was a far more intimate community. These dragons were her family now that she and Orion were mated, and she hardly knew them.

"Orion might've asked you to stay here to keep you safe," Nana said, squeezing Skylar's hand, "but he also did it because of your role as the future Alpha female of this clan. We need you. Do you remember what I said to you on your second day here? About Orion needing a strong female to stand by his side?"

Skylar nodded. She had loved hearing Nana's stories that day.

"You're that female, Skylar. The one this clan has been waiting for."

Skylar didn't think anyone had ever said something so kind to her. Her chest tightened with love for Nana. She just nodded and pursed her lips. She didn't trust her voice not to break when she answered.

"Now," Nana stated, continuing her brisk walk toward the infirmary, "it's time to let Orion be our Alpha male, and for you to be our Alpha female. We have business to take care of, just like he does. Ours will come later, after the fighting when the men are brought in and need our help."

Skylar followed her to the infirmary, far more at ease. She was going to be the Alpha female. She was born to be an Alpha, she could do this. The dragons who had stayed behind had moved to the part of the Square outside of the infirmary. There were fifty-six dragons consisting of children younger than fifteen, mothers, and the elderly. Every dragon there had an immediate family member who would risk their lives today, and the mood was terribly somber. The youngest children didn't understand what was happening, so they were running around the Square, but everyone else sat quietly, doing whatever job they had been assigned. Most of the jobs were making bandages to be boiled. They were going to need so many clean bandages.

Skylar and Nana stepped into the infirmary where Victoria, Laura, Greta, Penelope, Fiona and a few other dragons were mixing salves and boiling bandages. Benny rested in his cradle, blessedly quiet.

"Hello, love," Victoria greeted her with a small smile. There was no smiling and laughing like there normally was in the infirmary. Everyone in here had said their goodbyes to their loved ones, just as Skylar had. Penelope had a mate and a son in the fighting, just like Victoria, and Skylar's heart went out to them. She was having a hard enough time accepting the danger Orion was in. She couldn't imagine having her child out there as well. Laura understood her though. She and Percy were only mated two weeks longer than Skylar and Orion. Skylar was a little embarrassed that Laura was able to put her worry aside and help, and she was here wallowing. She was better than this. She trusted Orion to come home.

"Hello," Skylar smiled. "What can I do?"

"My surgical tools need to be boiled again," Nana ushered her toward the boiling cauldron of water over the fire.

"After that," Victoria added, "I want you and Laura to take a few of the other strong clan members outside and stand guard. We can handle the rest in here."

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

"They likely won't attack until morning," Hal stated as Orion paced back and forth in front of the circle of me. "They can't aim their weapons at moving objects if they can't see them."

The dragons nodded in agreement. "We also have far better eyesight in the dark, especially with the moon still as bright as it is."

Orion tilted his head up to stare at the waning moon. Though not completely full, it was only a few days past the Full Moon, so it still shone silver across the prairie. They were all gathered on the very edge of the territory. The sun had only just set; they'd arrived no more than an hour ago. The soldiers were quite, resting in small groups, waiting for orders. The dragons were anxious, the stress pouring off them in waves. He was anxious as well, but he had schooled himself to remain calm. He hoped his clan would follow his lead.

Someone else's stress also weighed heavy on his mind. He could feel Skylar's emotions. She was so frightened, so worried about him. Another reason he needed to remain calm. The moment Skylar thought something was wrong with him, she would come after him. The last thing he wanted or needed was Skylar anywhere near the fighting. She was safe back at the clan, taking care of them. She was strong, strong enough to defend them if need be. That was why she was destined to be his; she had a will to match his own. A small smile pulled at his mouth. He couldn't wait to lead his clan with her by his side.

"We should attack them now, while they're not expecting us," Leo stated, folding his hands together. "Like you said, we have the advantages at night. They can't aim at us if they can't see us. We'll be able to see them all."

Hal tapped his chin. "That could work. Draco is a cunning bastard. He'll have his own plans and surprises in place, so we'll need something to combat that."

"If we can surprise them, we could end this before it even begins," Orion said. "I'd like to get home to my mate."

Hal and Jonathan sent him glares, but Orion knew it was only because his mate was Skylar. Hal wanted to return to Violet just as much as anyone else wanted to return to their spouse.

"No matter what we decide," Kellan cut in, "we can't let them approach us. We need to keep them as far from the territory as possible."

Leo grunted in agreement. "They're too close for my taste even now."

Orion stopped pacing a crossed his arms over his chest. "So we're in agreement then? Take them by surprise?"

"Since we arrived later than expected, I'd rather attack now while Draco isn't waiting for us, and while we have the strong advantage. He doesn't know we're here yet. He obviously is expecting us, since he saw you and Olly earlier," his father glanced at Orion's shoulder, where the wound from the spear still stung slightly. "With Draco's new weapons and his witch, I'll take all the advantages I can get."

Hal glanced over at Kellan. "I heard some of the dragons talking about how you have magical ability, Kellan. Is that true?"

The red-eyed Alpha nodded. "I can manipulate my magic, unlike most, but I am by no means as powerful as the witch Draco has. She very likely has tricks up her sleeve most of us couldn't even imagine, and I couldn't even dream of countering. Besides," Kellan lifted his right arm, the one that ended at his elbow, "I've found it more difficult to control my magic since it flows from my hands. One hand, half the control."

"What happened?" Hal asked.

Kellan hesitated but then sighed. "The night Kiara, now Skylar, was taken, my clan was ambushed by Draco's men. I fought to save her, and lost my arm, sister, and daughter in the process."

Hal's eyes widened. "I'm terribly sorry."

"It was a long time ago. We were reunited with our daughter. Now we have to fight for her."

They all nodded. "We have to fight for them all," Percy added.

A low growl came from the edge of the trees where Olly and Jed were crouched in their dragon forms, watching the horizon where Draco's army rested. Olly was looking in their direction, waiting for someone to acknowledge him.

"What is it, Oliver?" Leo asked. The dragon huffed hot air before shifting back into Orion's little brother. He looked irritated, which was an expression Olly didn't wear often.

"As much fun as the chitchat is, what is the plan? There is movement among Draco's men. They haven't gotten any closer, but something has them shuffling around."

"We're going to attack while it's still dark," Leo told him. "While they aren't expecting us."

"Great," Olly stated, opening his arms. "Perhaps we should do it rather than just sit and talk about it, hmm?"

They all stared at Olly in shock. Even Orion hardly dared to speak to Leo like that. Father or not, he was still their Alpha. Leo, on the other hand, was simply amused by this turn of events. He allowed one of his rare smiles and nodded, turning toward the rest of them.

"My son has a point. We should get moving. Get the dragons and riders ready."

They broke apart, moving quietly. Despite Draco's army being so far away, the cover of night still had them moving softly. As Orion went to round up the dragons, Leo put a hand on his shoulder.

"Son, hold on a second," he said with a soft rumble.

Orion raised an eyebrow in acknowledgement.

Leo put his other hand on Olly's shoulder so the three stood in a small triangle. Both young men waited for their father to continue, but he appeared to be gathering his thoughts. They tried to wait patiently, but the impending battle had them anxious to be moving.

"I just..." Leo started, letting out a long breath. "I just want to tell you boys that I'm proud to call you my sons."

Orion and Olly glanced at each other in surprise before looked back at their father. Leo wasn't one for heart-to-hearts, never had been, so hearing this now told them how afraid their father really was.

"Thanks, Dad," Olly whispered.

Leo's hands tightened on their shoulders before he pulled them in for a tight, one armed hug. "Your mother would be proud of the men you grew into."

They remained quiet, partially because there was nothing to be said, but also because they were still in shock that Leo Nogard was hugging them. Orion couldn't remember the last time he'd hugged his father.

"Now go get ready to leave. There are things to be done," Leo said gruffly, releasing them with a masculine grunt. Olly couldn't hide the grin on his face as he rushed away, but Orion hesitated at Leo's side. The Alpha seemed to be having a hard time meeting his gaze.

"She would be proud of you too, Dad," he finally said. Leo looked over at him with wide eyes, and if Orion didn't know better he would say that the man was a little choked up. They hadn't ever talked about what happened to Valerie on the worst day of their lives. They hadn't really talked about her since, either. Whenever Valerie was mentioned, it was when Leo wasn't in the room. Normally, the mention of her would send Leo into either a rage, or the state he'd been in for years after she was killed. Hardly talking to anyone, holing himself up in his room, a shell of the man he normally was.

Orion knew it was because Leo had loved Valerie dearly, that she had been his first mate and his Alpha female, but a small part of him had always resented his father for abandoning him and Olly during that time when they needed him the most. He didn't understand how his father could just shut out the world, even those closest to him. But, now that he'd found Skylar, he forgave his father completely. He understood why Leo had acted the way he did. He'd lost his partner, his mate, and that wasn't something that a dragon recovered from quickly. Even the thought of losing Skylar was enough to cripple Orion. If something that terrible ever truly happened... he'd likely do much worse than Leo had.

He knew Leo loved Victoria dearly, but he'd loved Valerie first. She held a special place in his heart, a place he'd kept locked until now. Now, Orion knew he needed to hear that Valerie would have been proud of him. His mother would be happy Leo was happy again, and Leo needed to know that.

"I'm going to avenge her today. I'll kill Draco myself if I have to," Leo breathed softly, more vulnerable than Orion had ever seen him even as his words dripped with venom.

All too vividly, Orion remembered the sight of Draco's men standing over the prone body of his mother. "Not if I get to him first."

For the second time in less than five minutes, Leo pulled Orion into a hug. "That's my boy. I wish she could have seen you grow into the Alpha you're destined to be. I wish she could have met Skylar, because I can't imagine anyone more perfect for you."

Even though they'd gotten Leo's approval a week ago, it still made Orion incredibly happy to hear. "Thanks, Dad."

They broke apart, but Leo held Orion's gaze, his eyes intense with Alpha power.

"You be careful out there today, do you understand me? I won't lose you, Orion James."

"Skylar's already promised that she's coming after me if I don't take care of myself."

"Good. That should keep you from doing anything stupid. Now get out of here. Get ready to shift."

With a nod, Orion jogged off to where the dragons were already gathering in preparation for their shift. They stood at the edge of the treeline, and Orion could feel the magical tension in the air. They were all on edge, having prepared for this moment. The riders stood next to their respective human, ready to mount as soon as the shift was complete. They were well practiced in strapping the saddles onto the dragons and then strapping themselves into them.

In unison, they shifted. Nearly one hundred dragons shifting at once filled the air with so much magic that even the humans felt it. They didn't take time to think about though, as they began to put the saddles on their dragons. Those without riders began to step away in preparation to take flight. The only problem with their plan was that a group of dragons in flight wasn't quiet, not even close. Each beat of a wing was like the sound of a drum, and when there were a hundred dragons flapping their wings, the sound was deafening. Orion had heard to it referred to as the dragons' drums of war. There were very few reasons so many dragons would be flying together. War was one of them.

The gold dragon shook his wings out and watched over his clan. He would do his best to protect them today, but he knew that he couldn't save them all. He hated that knowledge, but knew there was nothing he could do about it. He simply had to save as many as he could.

The black dragon, his Alpha, stepped over to him and he lowered his gaze in respect. The other dragon snorted and the low glow of the fire in his throat could be seen. Each dragon was preparing their fire, ready to rain it down on those who dared challenge them. It wouldn't take long for them to realize it was a mistake to attack beasts who had claimed this land long before they had. Dragons were here before humans, and they would be here long after.

In less than five minutes, each rider was up in their saddle, ready to fight. The black dragon lifted his head and nodded it before opening his long wings and leaping into the air. The gold was close behind him, and every clan member after that.

They spread across the sky, utilizing the clan link to organize themselves. When Draco's army looked up, all they would see was a hundred dragons raining fire down.

They could only hope that the humans would look up too late.

The clan kept a close eye on the army on the horizon. They couldn't see the individual people, but they could see the torches and fires at each camp. They knew when the army heard them approaching, for the torches began to move and scurry through the camp as the humans tried to figure out the source of the roaring drums.

Since their arrival was no longer a surprise, and they were close enough to the army for it to count, the gold dragon let loose a stream of hot blue fire. The humans of the army screamed in dismay as they realized they were being attacked.

The gold dragon heard the familiar click of the spear being prepared to launch, and then the weapon was shot blindly into the air above the dragons' heads.

At the sight of the weapon, the other members of the clan released their own streams of fire followed by fierce bellows. The battle had begun.