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  He ground his cock against her backside, reveling in both the feeling of her body and the moan coming from her throat. “Yes, I am, and I’m going to stay that way until you let me take you to bed, to claim you.”

  “But, the scenting ceremony.”

  He’d be worried, but her words had no oomph.

  “We cleared that up last night. You’ll never belong to any wolf. You are mine, and I am yours.”

  “It was only a dream.”

  “Then let me make it a reality.”

  A daisy grew and encircled his leg.

  “I...I want to. But what if that’s not what is supposed to happen? The one thing my mother told me was that my destiny was here, in Blue Creek. You’re not from here.”

  “I’m here now.”

  “Why are you here?”

  “I’m on R&R. This is a town full of shifters. Seemed like a good place to hang out and have some fun.” But, maybe something else had attracted him to Blue Creek. Something much more important.

  Fleur nodded and he could practically see the thoughts burning through her mind. “You don’t plan on staying, do you?”

  He’d never even considered it. He had a job to do. The demon dragon population in Europe was growing, and he had to keep the people in his area safe. “You’ll love the German Alps, where I live.”

  She pushed against him and stepped out of his arms. He let her go, because this was not part of the chase. She truly wasn’t sure she wanted to be with him.

  “Steele, this place, the people who live here, are the closest I’ve ever had to having a family. They accept me, and don’t think I’m strange. I don’t want to leave. The scenting ceremony gives me the chance to truly become part of their family.”

  A growl rumbled through Steele’s chest. He was her destiny, her family, not some damn wolves. What did he need to do to prove that to her? “Look around. Even your powers are reveling in being with me.”

  “They’ve never been like this before.” She reached a hand out toward a basket of herbs. The small plant doubled in size, filling the air with the fragrance of spices. “I can’t deny it reacts to you.”

  “Because we belong together. You must see that, feel it.” His own soul was on fire for her, pushed by his dragon to claim her now, make her understand there would be no one else.

  Fleur placed a hand on his cheek, quieting the animal inside with her touch. But, she incited it again with her words. “I do. But, it doesn’t mean I’m not confused. I still want to go tonight. I need to see what happens.”

  Fuck. He could lock her up, or better yet, fly her far far away, then lock her up with the rest of his treasure.

  His gut clenched at the thought. His little flower needed sunshine and freedom to thrive. He would have to come up with a different way to convince her they were meant for each other.

  He knew what to do. His dragon thrashed and writhed inside of him at the thought. It would never let her go. He had to trust that he wouldn’t have to.

  “I’ll make you this deal. Go to your scenting ceremony tonight. Tempt every wolf there with your body, your beauty, inside and out. But, understand I will be waiting. Because I know with every part of my being, my soul, that you are mine. Forever.”

  Fleur swallowed and stepped further away from him. They green of her eyes glowed, along with her necklace. Steele knew without looking that his own shard was returning the light.

  Before either of them could say anything more, Fleur’s phone beeped with an incoming text. She grabbed it and flicked her thumb across the screen.

  Steele saw the relief on her face, scented it from her, at having something else to do. But, the relief turned to the acrid smell of worry and fear.

  “What is it?”

  His own phone dinged with a message from Dax.

  “We have to go to the Wolf’s Den. Jordan says there’s trouble, and they need you.”

  “Yeah, Dax sent me the same thing.”

  “I’ll go get dressed and drive you over there.”

  He nodded and let her escape the kitchen without agreeing to his deal. He would hold her to it regardless. One night. That was all he would give her. Anything more and he would lose the battle with his dragon. He wanted to give her the time she asked for to appease her mind. It still blew his own that in one night he could go from being sure he had a lifetime of nothing but meaningless sex to having a true mate.

  It was only fair that he give her some time too. The threat of the demon dragons meant he couldn’t give her more than tonight.

  He would risk her wrath over losing her.

  They were silent on the way across town. They hadn’t said so much as another word women when they walked into Aric’s bar, The Wolf’s Den.

  It was closed for the day, because of the scenting ceremony, so while the wolves met in the office, the girls pulled Fleur away to a booth in the corner.

  Steele watched her go, wanting to kiss her again, make sure everyone here knew that she was his. Instead he joined Dax over at the bar.

  “I could use a fucking drink.” Dax jumped over the bar and searched through the bottles.

  Steele doubted the wolves had anything strong enough. “I think I talked to the First Dragon last night.”

  “Are you shitting me?”

  “No.” The shock and awe of everything that had happened had him shaken. But, at the same time, he felt a new sense of power, of purpose.

  Dax set two whiskey glasses on the bar and pulled a flask out of his back pocket. He poured two fingers of the red and amber liquor into each glass.

  “This calls for some Dragon Spirit.” Dax blew a puff of fire, lighting each of the drinks up. What did he say?”

  Steele stared at the glass and frowned. “He called me a dumbass for dying.”

  “Uh, that’s weird. I mean, that was a pretty dumbass thing to do, but does the First Dragon even know words like that? He died in the 1300’s. Didn’t he call you like a crooked-nosed knave or something? That’s what my dad always called me.”

  “Maybe that’s just the way my mind translated it.” He took a swig from the bottle. “The White Witch was there too. At least, I think that’s who she was.”

  “Holy shit. What did she say?”

  “I don’t think she ever spoke directly to me. She spent most of the time chastising the First Dragon. They argued. A lot. I can’t really remember it all very well.”

  It was like a dream, fading already the second he woke up. He had the feeling that they’d laid some pretty heavy truths on him, but he couldn’t grasp them in his memory.

  “She argued with the First Dragon?”

  “Yeah, like an old married couple.”

  “I’m so uncomfortable with this entire conversation.”

  “He also gave me sex advice.”

  “Dude, stop. He’s our great-great-great grandfather. He should not be giving anyone sex advice. Not to mention the fact you were both dead at the time.”

  The First Dragon and his mate, Ina, I-something, hadn’t seemed dead. Especially when he’d been giving Steele instructions. Wake up. Claim. Protect. Orgasm.

  Or something like that.

  Wake-up and protect were as far as he’d gotten. Fleur wouldn’t let him come even close to claiming her.

  “Alright, dickheads, I mean dragons. What the fuck is going on, and if we kill you will it go away?” Aric swaggered out of his office, flanked by his four less than happy looking wolf-shifter A-team.

  All five of their faces were barely human, more wolf. Their eyes glowed golden around the edges. They were in protection mode, and Steele completely understood.

  He stood and balled his fists at his side. Fighting with the wolves would not help him win Fleur. But it would make five less of them to be sniffing around her.

  It would not help him defeat the demon dragons, but kicking their asses would feel pretty damn good.

  “If you kill us, you’ll have a shitload of demon dragons in your backyard. I don’t think you want t
heir death and destruction wyrming it’s way into your mating ritual.”

  Dax poured each of the wolves a shot of their own whiskey and breathed just enough fire to set them all alight. “I’ve already contacted Match, the red Wyvern, he making arrangements to fly here in time for the ceremony tonight.”

  If the red Wyvern himself were coming the situation was more grim than Steele had first thought. His next call had better be to his own Wyvern, Jakob.

  “We need less dragons, not more.”

  “Unless you want less wolves, you need more Dragons.” As Dax spoke his voice got lower, and darker. “The demon dragons are the purest evil in the world, and now that they are here, they’d like nothing more than to murder each and every one of your mates and spread a plague throughout your town.”

  The fire in each of the little cups grew from a tiny flame to a full on blaze, reacting to the heat coming off Dax.

  Steele put his hand on Dax’s shoulder, bringing his friend back from the darkness in the soul of every red dragon.

  “Well shit,” Mason said, “Mom will kill us if we let anything happen to screw up this scenting ceremony. Just ask them to help us, Aric.”

  Aric snarled at his brother, but then sighed. “I talked to dad, and he’s leaving this one up to me. What we should do is cancel the whole thing.”

  Jake folded his arms. “You know Nic and I are ready to have the whole thing in Vegas if we need to.”

  “We can’t.” Nathan shook his head. “Lael told Carly it has to be here and now.”

  Aric sat on a stool and stared at the flaming shots. “Yeah, we have to do it. Mom isn’t the only one who wants this to go well. Jordan has already threatened to build me a doghouse in the backyard if I cancel.” He pointed at Steele and Dax before downing his shot. “You assholes can figure out the fucking logistics of getting enforcers from five packs to work together.”

  “We will not let anything happen to anyone’s mates. This I promise.”

  The future of his own mate depended on this damn scenting ceremony, so he’d do everything in his power to make sure it went off like a fucking birthday party if he had to.

  At the end of the night, he and Fleur would be the ones celebrating.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Scent of a Dragon

  Fleur was a hundred percent going insane. How could she be so damn sure she was destined to be a wolf mate and have absolutely no desire to be with one in the slightest?

  Because that stupid dragon had gotten into her head, and had come pretty dang close to getting in her pants too. That was all she could think about.

  He was so sure she was his mate.

  No way.

  Maybe.

  Damn it.

  “Fleur, dear. You seem a bit distracted. Can we help?” Thank goodness for Barbara and the other Wolfe women.

  “Not unless you know where I can get some dragon repellant.”

  “I wouldn’t repel anyone that hot,” Emma said. Ellie slapped her on the arm. “What?”

  “You’re mated to my brother. Remember?”

  “Sure, sure.” Emma waved her hand with the big ole rock Mason had put on it, shooing Ellie’s feigned concern off like a fly. “But, if I wasn’t. Mmm-mmm.”

  “Why are you avoiding him?” Nic asked.

  “The scenting ceremony is tonight. I don’t want to show up smelling like dragon.”

  “Uh, I don’t think you can help that.” Jordan guffawed, but when she glanced at Fleur’s face, she turned contrite. “Sorry. But, it seemed like you two had more than a connection.”

  “Yeah, there’s something there, but I don’t know if he’s the one I’m meant to be with. I just have this feeling that something is going to happen tonight.”

  Nic grinned at her. “How could it not? Wolves are coming from all our packs. A lot of somethings are going to happen.”

  “I know I’m not a wolf, but I appreciate that you invited me to come too.”

  “Since Scent of a Mate came out a lot of wolves are interested in meeting humans and...,” Jordan motioned toward Fleur.

  “Whatever I am,” Fleur supplied. It was okay. She’d lived with knowing only a part of herself for long enough that she’d accepted that nobody else understood who or what she was either.

  “Right. Whatever badassness you are, to see if their true mates might not be wolves. So, of course we invited you.”

  “We just want to make sure you still want to come.” Karla’s voice was gentle and sincere.

  “I do.” She had to know for herself.

  Barbara searched her eyes and smiled. “Okay, then. While the guys are having their freak out over the security, I declare a spa day to remove the l’eau de Dragon from you. Besides, I could really use a massage from the sexy new masseuse I happen to notice started working at the Blue Creek Spa last week.”

  “Maaah-ahhm.” Ellie wrinkled her nose.

  “Fine, you can have him this time, light of my loins, I’ll make sure to request him for my next one. I bought one of those massage subscriptions.”

  Ellie rolled her eyes.

  I’ll get Tristan to make the arrangements to have several enforcers accompany us, or we’ll never hear the end of it. I suggest each of you go give your mate’s a quick kiss and snuggle and reassure them too.”

  The girls each went to find their mates and seeing the clear connections and affection between the pairs, a deep longing burned inside Fleur’s chest and stomach. She glanced over at Steele and felt a sad hollow open inside of her. Was she wrong to want to go through with the scenting ceremony?

  She slid out of the booth and walked over to Steele. This was probably a bigger mistake than wanting to go to the ceremony.

  She wanted to reach out to him, touch him, feel that zing of energy between them. Instead of doing that she stared at her sneakers.

  “Hi.”

  “Hello, little flower.” He twisted on his barstool and pulled her between his legs. “Come to give me a kiss too before you leave?”

  Oh, yeah. There was the zing. “Yes, I mean, no. I mean, gah. I don’t know. I thought I’d at least tell you we were going so, you know, you didn’t worry.”

  Geez, awkward much? She hated feeling this way. Like one dream orgasm had turned her into a bumbling mess of geeky teenaged hormones. Blech. She needed to get over that right away. How to do that was another matter.

  “I will anyway, so you should give me that kiss. It seems to be helping the other men.” Steele wagged one eyebrow indicating toward the couples around them engaged in various lip-locks.

  “That’s probably not a very good idea.” She knew it wasn’t because of how badly she wanted to do it. “In fact, I can’t think of anything worse we could do.”

  “I’ve got a few ideas.” He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her impossibly closer.

  So close that she could feel something hard pressing against her stomach, and it wasn’t a pencil in his pocket, but, it might be a rocket in his pocket.

  “You do, huh?”

  “Yep. For starters, we could do this.” He licked the shell of her ear.

  “Oh, yeah, that’s not good at all.”

  “And then we could do this.” He nibbled his way down from the sensitive spot behind her ear to her collarbone.

  “Definitely a horrible idea.”

  “After that we should—”

  “Ah ahem.” Dax leaned on the other side of the bar with his chin in his hands. “While, I’m all in for watching you two go at it right here on the bar, you might have to wait to put on your show until later. The enforcers are here for their how to kick demon dragon ass training.”

  Fleur blinked her eyes bringing herself back from the fog of lust her body had wrapped around her brain. Her friends were gathered in the doorway, and several of them were unsuccessfully stifling snickers.

  What in Hades was she doing? She smacked Steele on the shoulder. “I told you it was a bad idea.”

  He chuckled, but let her go when she wri
ggled to get away.

  By the time she made it to the group of girls, they were no longer holding in their giggle fits. Emma pretended to sniff her. “Getting one last dose of dragon before the spa?”

  “Har har.” So what if she was? It was a good dose too, that would have to last her for a very long time. Because after tonight, she wouldn’t be getting anymore of him.

  Now that sounded like a horrible idea.

  “You’re going to need a good two-hour soak in a mudbath to get that dragon’s scent off of you.”

  She took the girl’s good-natured ribbing in stride. It was either that or break down and tell them all that she was having second thoughts about the scenting ceremony. No way could she reject their offer, so kindly given. Even worse, she’d be rejecting becoming a part of their family. That was more important. Being a part of something bigger than herself would fill the void in her heart, in her soul.

  “Well, then. Here’s mud in your eye.”

  Her friends all laughed at her self-depricating humor. All except Barbara.

  A few hours later she was scrubbed, polished, and buffed within an inch of her sanity. She’d insisted on only all natural beauty products, and had even struck a deal with the spa’s owner to provide them with a line of her own cleansing oils scented only with herbs and spices instead of all those harsh chemicals they’d tried to apply to her.

  She might not want to smell like her dragon, but she also didn’t want to repel every shifter this side of the Mississippi.

  Wait. Her dragon?

  No. That’s not what she meant.

  Whatever. This was not the time to think about that. The scenting ceremony was about to begin and she didn’t see Steele anywhere.

  Not that she was looking for him. Better if he wasn’t around.

  Fleur stood with a group of the women who had been at the pre-scenting party at her apartment. Most seemed carefree and relaxed, excited even.

  Not her.

  What if none of the wolves scented her? What if none of them wanted to be with her, mate her?

  She opened and closed her fists trying to release this bout of negativity and anxiety that had grabbed a hold of her ever since she’d gotten to the forest.