Reborn As Cursed Alpha's Mate
Chapter 229: Strange Lands

Chapter 229: Strange Lands

"We gotta move and need to find another place to sleep for the night." Razial helped Lotus.

Giving one final mesmerising look to the tree, they began to move away.

Faris was tired so he shifted into his fox spirit as well so he could rest. Aiko and Faris trotted side by side.

After an hour, everyone was exhausted, especially Lotus. She wasn’t used to so much walking. But dangers lurked in every corner.

"I can’t walk anymore," Lotus bent down with her hands over her knees. Razial softly rubbed her back.

"I have an idea. I can transform into my dragon and all of you can sleep under my wings. He will keep everyone safe, and we can get rest, too," Siroos offered.

"That would be perfect." Cassandra, pleased with the idea, placed a small kiss on Siroos’s cheek.

They chose a small clearing in this perilous forest and Siroos shifted, letting his majestic dragon take over.

"He truly is magnificent," Lotus generously praised the creature who watched everyone with his ruby-red eyes. He nodded in approval at Lotus. This was officially the first time she had met him.

Extending her hand, Lotus rubbed it on his scaly skin and the dragon appeared pleased.

He spread his wings, taking everyone under them.

They laid down their mattresses.

Razial and Lotus curled up under the right wing while Faris and Aiko remained in their fox spirits but got shelter under the left wing.

Safe and secure. The dragon blanketed them all under his protection.

Cassandra slipped into his claws and he nudged her face with his huge maw. Slowly licking his mate.

"I love you too, big boy," she lovingly said, placing a kiss on his jaw and rubbing it. Soon, all of them drifted off, except the dragon; he kept one eye open, watching for predators or enemies.

The creatures of the Grimhollow in this part of the forest stayed at a distance. They feared the dragon but the word began to spread about him.

In all corners of the Grimhollow, to the ancient creatures as well that dwelled in these lands.

The morning rays filtered through the dense foliage and only a few reached the ground and fell over the dragon. He opened his other eyes and took a small yawn.

Cassandra stirred in his arms and drowsily opened her eyes and found his intense ones focused on her.

"Morning! Big boy and thank you for keeping us safe all night long." She gently rubbed his maw while he feverishly licked Cassandra’s face as if cleaning it. She didn’t mind at all.

Faris and Aiko stirred too. Both of them shifted and slid underneath the dragon’s wing. Faris spread his arms and loudly yawned.

"Not a bad morning. I see you are already awake and having SIL for breakfast," Faris teased in his merry tone, poking his tongue out at the dragon.

Cassandra giggled but the dragon snorted at Faris. Gathering black smoke in his nostrils he deliberately sneezed. The yellow snoot and sooty smoke flew out and plastered itself on the young man.

"What in the bloody-o would you do that? You damn dragon," Faris cursed loudly, trying to remove the sooty semi-liquid from him.

Aiko threw her hands together and laughed out loud while Cassandra scolded the dragon.

"Bad boy, very bad boy."

The dragon placed his head on Cassandra’s belly and seemed all smug.

The commotion woke up Lotus and Razial as well. After they had their share of laughter and some stingy threats by an angry Faris, Lotus took out fresh clothes, water skins and cleaning herbs.

They rolled up the mattress Lotus and Razial had been using to sleep under the dragon’s wing.

Everyone washed up and Faris changed his clothes. Siroos finally shifted back to his human self.

They had their breakfast of some fruits and bread and everyone was fresh again to start on their journey.

"Whatever forces dwell here now know there is a dragon with us. Either they will keep their distance or they will feel threatened and could suddenly attack. We have to be mindful at all times," Razial concluded, glancing in all directions.

"I agree."

They checked the glass compass and adjusted their direction once again. They had to head west.

By midday, the landscape began to change again. The forest had started to thin out and trees appeared more dead than alive. The ground seemed to have more cracks as if rain was scarce in these lands.

Skeletons and carcasses of dead animals as well as humans could be seen in place. Huge vulture-like creatures with crooked beaks and purple feathers pecked at the carcass of a giant lizard.

"Ewww!" Lotus wrinkled her nose. All this was so new for her and she had the hardest time adjusting to all these new changes.

Some of the trees here had no leaves but had some unique kinds of fruits. Golden and green in colour. They appeared so ripe and inviting, but they knew better than to not trust anything in these lands.

"They do seem very inviting?" Cassandra commented.

"True, but all we know is they can be poisonous." Siroos didn’t let his mate pick one from the tree, but Lotus went ahead and did it anyway.

"They are hallucinogenic. I have read about these fruits in a book. A traveller must have gotten to these parts and tasted them. Garbanias; that’s what they are called, I think," Lotus tried to jog her memory, as she thought about them and placed the fruit in her satchel. She would create more magic dust from it.

Razial gave her a weird look which she quickly picked up.

"What? I read other books too. You pervert," she snorted, making him quickly avert his eyes.

They continued until dry mountains appeared on their left side. There was no vegetation on them, they were barren and rocky.

A sudden presence was picked up by Siroos, and he halted, spreading his arms and making his companions stop, too.

Something large flew off from the mountaintop and landed heavily in front of them, folding its large golden wings.

"Who dares come to my lands?" The threatening, deep growl rolled out of his throat.