What Character Growth Does Mat Witness In 'The Wheel Of Time: The Shadow Rising'?

Once in a millennium, the Phoenix will rise. The earth, the shifters, even the planet will call to her, pleading for her help. When they do, she always answers their call. Each time, she will choose a young woman who is deserving of carrying her fire, someone who is loving and caring, but with an inner strength that is difficult to break. Emmi Johnson is a human orphan who was kidnapped by The Mean Ones, grotesque shifters who wanted to create an army to destroy the elemental dragons and other hybrids. The dragons saved her and the others who were being held hostage, but the damage was already done. The Mean Ones were injecting her with their Komodo dragon DNA to make her into a shifter. The pain was excruciating, but the headaches that began soon afterward were worse. Ajax is a human runaway that was captured and experimented on by The Chief and Oliver. They injected him with earth dragon and elf DNA, turning him into a dragon hybrid. When Emmi senses chaos around her, something inside of her begins tearing at her insides. The screeching in her head makes her head throb. Ajax is the only one who can calm the fury inside her. Emmi is terrified that something’s wrong with her. Doc Everett can’t figure out what she is. That is until one day when the danger becomes so great that the Phoenix rises, melding itself to Emmi in a dangerous display of fire that is stronger than any fire dragon’s. Can Ajax help Emmi to find herself? Can she accept that she is no longer human, having been chosen by the ancient Phoenix? And can she become one with her shifter spirit before the danger that threatens them all comes for them?

Book 2 Two years after the death of her mate, Lamia has returned to MacTire and built herself an empire. A war is coming, one that threatens all the kingdoms. she needs to work with all kingdoms to defeat the evil that threatens to change the way of life for shifters and mankind alike. When she crosses paths with the ruthless and cold King of the bears, who is holding her beloved father prisoner, she finds herself challenging him for her father’s life. There’s just one problem. Lamia isn’t a fan of bear shifters and he’s her second chance mate. With no other choice she makes a deal with the ruthless king, she is dead set on rejecting, but first she has to survive the storm that’s coming. Mathias Artos, the unforgiving and cold blooded King of the bears and ruler of Lonely City, a place where the scourge of the realm come to find respite, fortune and misguided happiness, was never destined to find another mate. He wasn’t interested in taking a chosen queen; he preferred his harem of women. Until, the Moon Goddess sent him a she-wolf he didn’t want her nor need. Or so he thought. When an old ally of the bear-shifters helps them discover who they really are, can they work together to take on the powerful man who is behind the army that is sweeping the realm and wiping out whole packs? When past and present collide Lamia and Mathias are forced to work together to unite all shifters in a bid to defeat the evil that is coming for them. Can Lamia and Mathias survive each other and work together to bring down a common enemy, or will their pride get in the way becoming their downfall.

Disclaimer: Rise of the Phoenix is the spin off/sequel of Dragon's mate. It can be read as a stand alone book Sarah Johnson is a girl whose life is anything but ordinary. At a young age she was adopted by an extraordinary couple of dragon shifters. Living with them and learning about the supernatural world gave her perfect insight into how a relationship between two people should look like, and she knew she won't ever be able to settle for anything less than true love. That's why she secretly dreamed of finding her own prince from a fairytale… the one that will love her just as much as she would love him. But what will happen when Sarah's sweet and bubbly nature clashes with always frowned and gloomy prince that was anything but what she had imagined? What will happen when the one that was meant for her refuses to accept her? With an unknown danger looming over Sarah's head, worries and troubles from the past, will they be able to set their differences aside and be what they are supposed to be… soulmates… or will they drift apart so that nothing can hold them together?

Book 2 - following Awakening Rejected Mate Alora and her mate Colton have just begun to find their feet in lives and positions that have drastically changed. As the vampire attacks loom over them they need to come to some sort of resolution over Juan and the mountain wolves before it's too late. A dark force threatens to destroy everything Alora fought so hard to have in her life and she has to learn what becoming a true Luna really means. Rising against sometimes those you love in order to save them.

Natasha Crescent is the overlooked third daughter of the Crescent Moon Pack Alpha—trained as a warrior, not a Luna, and determined to live beyond the expectations of her bloodline. While her siblings are prepared for leadership and alliance, Natasha has spent her life resisting the idea of being chosen. That resistance is shattered when the Alpha King hosts a grand ball where all eligible wolves are expected to attend for political matchmaking and fated mate recognition. Forced into a world she avoids, Natasha enters a room full of Alphas, alliances, and silent negotiations that decide futures. Among them is Damien Shadow, the powerful and feared Alpha of the Shadow Fang Pack. Ruthless, strategic, and fiercely independent, Damien has rejected every attempt by his elders to bind him to a chosen mate, refusing anything that threatens his control. But when Natasha and Damien cross paths, something undeniable awakens between them—a fated bond neither anticipated nor wanted. In a world where mates define power and rejection can spark conflict between packs, their connection becomes both a threat and a temptation. Natasha refuses to be claimed, and Damien refuses to be controlled, yet fate has already made its decision. What begins as a political gathering becomes the turning point of two lives—and possibly two kingdoms—as the bond between them challenges everything they thought they controlled.

The Shadow Knight is a dark fantasy novel that follows the transformation of Kaelen Dawnblade, a once honourable knight whose world is shattered when the corrupt religious Council falsely accuses his family of heresy. The story begins with Kaelen serving faithfully as a Knight-Captain in the Holy Citadel of Light. His perfect life crumbles when he's summoned to the capital, where the High Council, led by Grand Inquisitor Matthias, fabricates charges of shadow cult involvement against House Dawnblade. Despite Kaelen's protests, his family is systematically destroyed. His father executed, his sister Lyanna tortured, and his young nephew Marcus killed during "questioning." After escaping imprisonment, Kaelen discovers the true nature of the Council's corruption: they've been eliminating eastern lords who questioned their increasing taxes and power. Consumed by rage and betrayal, Kaelen encounters a mysterious merchant who guides him to the Soulstone, an ancient artifact of darkness. Through brutal trials that strip away his humanity piece by piece, he transforms into the Shadow Knight, a being of darkness with extraordinary powers. As the Shadow Knight, Kaelen begins a calculated campaign of vengeance against the Council, gathering allies among the oppressed. He discovers his new abilities allow him to destroy and heal, creating an unexpected inner conflict. Throughout his journey, he struggles with what remains of his humanity, ultimately choosing to retain his sense of justice rather than becoming a mindless force of destruction. The novel explores themes of corruption, vengeance, transformation, and the thin line between justice and revenge. As Kaelen evolves from righteous knight to shadow wielding avenger, the story questions whether one can fight monsters without becoming a monster oneself.