Page 94 of Cowboy Bear's Hope

And then, something incredible happened.

A shadow darkened the sky, enormous and impossible. An enormous purple Dragon soared overhead, its wingspan covering half the clearing.

The beast was massive. Bigger than an eighteen-wheeler and easily three times as heavy.

With a bone-shaking roar, the Dragon opened its draconian maw and snatched Reginald out of the air as easily as an owl plucking a mouse from the ground.

It was Zeke. And he was right on time, too.

Just before the Grizzly could connect with my sweet, fearless Avery.

My heart stopped.

Avery screamed, her eyes squeezing shut as the Dragon tossed Reginald into the air like a rag doll.

I reached her just as the Dragon roasted the Grizzly with a blast of fiery breath, the flames engulfing him in a matter of seconds.

The smell of scorched fur and cooked meat filled the air as the beast snapped its jaws around the charred remains, swallowing Reginald whole like a toasted, bite-sized Bear snack.

My lungs burned, but I didn’t stop.

I caught the frying pan as it slipped from Avery’s trembling hands, plucking it away and tossing it to the ground.

Then I pulled her into my arms, wrapping her tightly against my chest and shielding her from the sight of the carnage above us.

Her body shook against mine, and I murmured soothing words into her hair, my hands running up and down her back.

She clung to me like her life depended on it, her breaths coming in short, panicked bursts.

“Shh, I’ve got you,” I whispered, pressing a kiss to her temple. “You’re safe. You’re okay. I’ve got you, Honey.”

She looked up at me, her wide, tear-filled eyes searching my face. “That was a, a Dragon.”

I couldn’t help the small, strained laugh that escaped me.

“Yeah. Zeke’s Dragon.”

Her jaw dropped, but she didn’t say anything else, just buried her face in my chest again. I tightened my hold on her, silently thanking every deity I could think of for getting me to her in time—and for Zeke’s impeccable timing.

Because Avery was my everything.

And nothing—not Grizzlies, not tyrants, no manner of beast or man—was ever going to take her away from me.

Epilogue 1-Avery

Six weeks later.

The snow was melting, and New Jersey seemed to finally be getting over the deep freeze of winter.

But I didn’t quite believe it yet.

March was just beginning, and everyone knew it was a fickle SOB of a month. But that didn’t matter here.

Our home was always cozy and warm, filled with laughter and love. Rocky starts didn’t matter when happy endings ran amuck.

And Dante definitely turned out to be mine. He was my happily ever after. The kind of man I never dreamed existed.

He was everything I could ever want in a mate and a husband, and the father of my children.

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