A Mate for the Dragon - Chapter One: Holly - Hiking and heartbreak

Aug 6, 2026

Upload by Oliver

A quiet hike through sun-dappled parklands becomes the fragile starting point for Holly Edwards, who seeks solitude to heal a broken heart after an unexpected breakup. Her boyfriend George had promised a fresh start and a shared move toward San Francisco, supported by his new high-paid developer job and her steady systems-admin role. Instead, George chooses to leave alone, turning Holly’s carefully planned resignation, dreams of relocation, and trust in their future into humiliation and shock. The story opens with her determination to reach a remote cabin despite exhaustion, then confronts the emotional wreckage behind the separation.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryStory & Novel

FormatPDF

Pages144

Reading Time3 h 42 min

AccessFree to download

Chapter One: Holly

Setting out on the dirt trail

The hike toward the remote cabin

George’s breakup and Holly’s shock

Holly’s plans for resignation and relocation

Humiliation on returning to the shared apartment

AMate for the Dragon By Zoe Chant Copyright Zoe Chant 2017 All Rights Reserved Table of Contents Chapter One: Holly Chapter Two: Stefan Chapter Three: Holly Chapter Four: Stefan Chapter Five: Holly Chapter Six: Stefan Chapter Seven: Holly Chapter Eight: Holly Chapter Nine: Stefan Chapter Ten: Holly Chapter Eleven: Stefan Chapter Twelve: Holly Chapter Thirteen: Stefan Chapter Fourteen: Stefan Epilogue: Holly A note from Zoe Chant Special sneak preview: Lawman Lion Chapter One Holly Pausing on the dirt trail, Holly Edwards sighed, pushing strands of sweaty hair out of her eyes. All around her was the quiet beauty of nature. There was no sound but the wind moving through the leaves, the rustle of small creatures darting between the undergrowth, and the quiet chatter of birdsong. The trees stretched upward, their canopy shielding her from the hottest of the sun’s rays, dappling the path ahead of her with spots of gold. The long, long path ahead of her. Despite the sturdiness of her hiking boots, Holly couldn’t deny that, after walking all morning, her feet were feeling tender and sore. She had to keep going if she wanted to reach the remote little cabin she was going tobe staying in before the sun set, but she couldn’t deny herself just the briefest of rests. Seating herself on a nearby rock, Holly groaned in relief as the weight was transferred from her feet and onto her backside. Reaching into her backpack, she pulled out her bottle of water, swallowing the cool liquid down gratefully. While she’d caught a tourist bus to the entrance of the parklands, from hereon out, it was a long hike to the cabin she’d hired. She’s already been walking for a couple of hours, and she figured she still had a little way to go. Holly, just what have you gotten yourself into? Quickly, she dismissed the thought. Isolated is fine. Isolated is good. That was the whole reason she’d wanted to stay out here. Some time completely on her own, to sort through the wreckage of her life and heal her broken heart. She hadn’t had even the slightest inkling that her boyfriend, George, was about to break up with her. Not until she’d come home, anyway, and seen the apologetic look in his eyes; not until he’d said the words, Babe, we need to talk. It turned out he’d been offered the high-paid software developer job he’d gone for – the one that she had put him onto, and for which she had spent weeks buttering up her contacts to ensure he got an interview. She’d known that if he could speak to someone, the job would be his: George could charm anyone into anything. Holly had known, of course, that if he did get the job it’d involve them moving down to San Francisco, but George’s new salary would more than cover the increased cost of living. Her own job as a systems administrator, while deathly boring, had brought in enough to support them while George had been unemployed, but it would be a drop in the ocean compared to what he’d be making. They’d talked about it, and agreed that long distance didn’t suit either of them. In other words, once he had settled in San Francisco and found an apartment, she’d give notice at her job so she could make the move with him. You’ve looked after us both for a while now, George had said. Let me take care ofyou for a while. Anyway, you’re so smart – I’m sure you could find something if you wanted to. Despite her nervousness, Holly had found she’d actually been looking forward to it. New scenery, she’d said. A fresh start. And she’d been right. What she hadn’t known was that, at some point, despite everything they’d talked about and the plans they’d made, George had decided his fresh start didn’t include her. Maybe it had been after he’d received a firm offer, and the reality of having more money than they’d seen in years had finally sunk in. Or maybe it’d been the idea of re-inventing himself in San Francisco as a swingin’ single, with the paycheck to s

FAQs

Why is Holly hiking toward the remote cabin?

Holly is seeking isolation to sort through the wreckage of her life and heal her broken heart, and she has a cabin reserved as her retreat.

What job change affected Holly’s relationship plans?

George was offered a high-paid software developer job that would require relocating to San Francisco, and Holly believed they would move together.

What happens when Holly returns to their apartment after the breakup?

George has packed suitcases and explains he will leave without her, and Holly realizes she can’t talk him out of the decision.

Aug 6, 2026

Upload by Oliver