Valenu is different from the rest of his horde. There are not many of them, only eight including him. They're all battle-efficient and strong with violent abilities. Fire, Lighting, Ice... His poison can be deadly but he doesn't enjoy the rush of a fight. He's more of a strategist, enjoying staying in his den with the company of his books and only his books.

When new dragons arrived seeking refuge, he wanted nothing to do with them. He didn't like how they touched his things and how they dared to try to enter his nest. Dragons are possessive over their territories but especially their dens/nests. It's where they're most vulnerable so, of course, his brothers were lashing out when the dragons tried to do the same to them.

He finally chased all of them out of his territory, yet one remained. She stared at him, her pupils were slits. She panted softly as her expression slowly morphed into awe Perhaps she was close to nesting-...

He felt it, the pull, the need, his mate. He's been so closed off from other dragons he hadn't felt it immediately, but she must've. The way her posture turned submissive the way her pupils continued to remain slits as her eyes locked on him. He has very little experience with female dragons and their mating habits but at that moment he felt like he knew everything about her.

He's not alone in his domain anymore, he has his mate, and she has his scale. His scale was his most precious treasure until she arrived. She does everything with him, spending several days buried under books from everywhere he could find. He's made the poisonous fog that surrounds his mountain vaster in an effort to keep her protected and all to himself.

The poison does not harm her, he would never harm her, and she had plenty of space to go flying around before she hit the large fog barrier around their vast lands. He wants to shield her and keep her in their den for the rest of their lives.

He never thought he would have a mate, he liked being alone. Now he'd always be alone...with his mate.