Page 25 of Sass Me

“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.”

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