Page 18

FOURTEEN

ASHER

A sher felt the change in the air before he saw them—an intrusion into what should have been a perfect moment with Danica.

His protective instincts surged as the five wolves materialized from the shadows, their approach calculated and deliberate.

Wrong. He kept his outward demeanor calm, unwilling to alarm Danica further, but inside, his dragon stirred restlessly.

"No," he answered quietly, his eyes never leaving the approaching pack. "They're not friendly. And they seem to have their sights set on you."

The crimson tie at his throat suddenly felt constricting as his temperature rose. His dragon blood heated in response to the threat, ready to burn through his human skin.

"On me? Why would they?—"

"Stay behind me," Asher ordered, rising to his feet and positioning himself between Danica and the wolves.

His mind raced. Wolf shifters never ventured this deep into dragon territory, especially not during a festival with hundreds of witnesses.

This wasn't a territorial dispute—this was targeted. But why Danica?

The lead wolf—larger than the others with silver-tipped fur and eyes like molten gold—lowered its head, a growl vibrating through the night air. The beast's gaze remained locked on Danica, who had risen to stand behind Asher, her fingers clutching the back of his suit jacket.

"Is this normal? Some kind of shifter greeting ritual I don't know about?" Her voice carried a tremor she was clearly trying to control.

"Nothing about this is normal." Asher's voice dropped to a dangerous rumble. "When I move, you run back to the festival tents."

The lead wolf's muscles bunched, its intention clear in the second before it happened. Time seemed to crystallize as Asher's dragon senses heightened—he could hear Danica's accelerated heartbeat, smell the fear flooding her system, and calculate the precise trajectory of the wolf's attack.

"Asher—"

The wolf lunged, a blur of fangs and fury aimed directly at Danica.

Asher didn't think—he reacted. His transformation came in a violent rush of heat and power, his human form surrendering to scales and strength in the space between heartbeats.

His light gray suit split at the seams as his body expanded, growing massive and terrible in its beauty.

Crimson scales erupted across his skin, hardened plates forming an impenetrable armor.

His jaw elongated into a fearsome muzzle lined with teeth like daggers, and elegant horns crowned his head.

The shift completed in seconds—fast enough to intercept the wolf mid-leap with a massive clawed foot.

The wolf yelped as Asher pinned it to the ground, his wingspan unfurling to its full, impressive breadth.

His tail whipped around protectively, creating a living barrier between the wolves and Danica.

His green eyes—still recognizably Asher's despite the transformation—burned with primal fury. A roar ripped from his throat, the sound reverberating through the festival grounds. All activity ceased as townspeople turned to locate the source of the commotion.

The trapped wolf struggled beneath his grip, but Asher increased the pressure, not enough to kill but sufficient to demonstrate exactly who controlled this encounter. The message in his posture was unmistakable—touch what's mine and die.

The remaining wolves circled warily, hackles raised. One feinted to Asher's left, attempting to dart around him toward Danica. Asher's tail lashed out with stunning precision, catching the creature mid-stride and sending it tumbling across the grass.

Through his peripheral vision, he noticed that Danica hadn't run.

She stood frozen just slightly behind his right side, her yellow sundress catching the breeze.

Her eyes were wide with shock and something else—wonder?

She had seen him in his dragon form before, but not like this—not in combat, not with every scale and muscle devoted to her protection.

The lead wolf growled, an unmistakable challenge despite its compromised position. Asher responded with another roar, this one ending in a plume of smoke that carried the scent of brimstone and power. A warning—the next would be fire.

Festival goers had begun to gather at a safe distance, drawn by the spectacle. Asher could hear murmurs of surprise and concern, but his focus remained singular—Danica's safety.

"I'm okay," she whispered, somehow knowing he needed to hear it. "I'm right here."

The wolves seemed to realize they were now significantly outnumbered as more dragon shifters from the town approached and shifted to back up their Alpha. With a snarl of defiance, the leader twisted beneath Asher's grip, managing to free itself with a desperate wrench that cost it patches of fur.

The five wolves retreated, backing away with reluctant steps until they disappeared into the darkness. Only then did Asher turn his massive head fully to check on Danica, a low rumble of concern vibrating in his chest.

Danica came up directly next to his right side.

Rather than showing fear, she reached out with steady fingers and stroked his scales.

The touch sent electric currents through his dragon form - her small hand against his armored body, unafraid and intimate.

She looked up into his eyes, her brown eyes silently communicating that she was okay and thankful for his protection.

Asher lowered his massive head in a gesture that invited her to climb onto his back.

He wanted her with him, safe and close, away from whatever threat those wolves represented.

He watched as hesitation flickered across her face for just a heartbeat before determination replaced it.

With surprising bravery and trust, she climbed up his offered foreleg and settled herself just below his neck, her thighs gripping his scales.

"I trust you," she whispered, leaning forward to wrap her arms as far around his neck as they would go.

Her trust inflamed something primal within him.

With a powerful thrust of his wings, he launched them skyward, feeling her gasp and tighten her hold.

The sensation of her body pressed against him, riding his dragon form, created an even deeper connection between them.

The festival lights grew smaller below them as he soared toward his mansion.

But one question burned in his mind. Why would wolves target his mate?

Wolf packs rarely challenged dragons directly, especially not an Alpha dragon on his own territory.

Something wasn't adding up. The wolves had focused specifically on Danica - not on him, and not on challenging his authority. They wanted her. But why?

Despite his worries, Asher couldn't deny the perfection of this moment.

The way she moved with him, adjusting to every bank and turn without fear, felt like she was born to fly with him.

Her yellow sundress fluttered in the wind, and her delighted laughter reached his ears even above the rush of air.

He allowed himself to savor this moment, circling higher into the star-studded sky, giving her more time in flight than strictly necessary.

Her body melded to his scales as if she'd always belonged there. This was right. This was how it should be. He made a wide, swooping turn that caused her to squeal in excitement rather than fear.

When he finally descended into his backyard, landing with a graceful touch that barely disturbed the grass, she dismounted with surprising ease - sliding down his side as if she'd done it a hundred times before.

Asher shifted immediately, his form condensing and reshaping until he stood before her, human again and unapologetically naked.

In one fluid motion, he pulled her close, his eyes intense with determination. "I'll find out why those wolves were there and why they wanted you." His voice was a rough growl, his hands gripping her waist possessively. "Nobody threatens what's mine."

But she didn't seem too concerned with that situation at that moment.

Her eyes were bright with lingering adrenaline.

"That was—Asher, that was incredible! I've never felt so alive!

" Her hands traced the contours of his bare chest. "The way you move through the air, the feeling of your scales beneath me, the wind in my hair—" She laughed, breathless and exhilarated.

"I felt like I belonged there, on your dragon's back. Like that's where I was meant to be."

The combination of her words and her touch ignited something in Asher that couldn't be contained. She hadn't run from his dragon. She'd embraced it. Embraced him—all of him.

"You do belong there," he growled softly, pulling her flush against him. "And here."

His lips crashed against hers in a kiss that demanded everything.

Gone was any pretense of restraint or patience.

His hands tangled in her hair, angling her head to deepen the kiss as he backed her against the nearest stone wall.

She matched his intensity, her fingers digging into his shoulders, pulling him closer rather than pushing him away.

"You're not afraid," he breathed against her lips, the realization striking him. "Not of them. Not of me."

"Never of you," she whispered back, her eyes reflecting the moonlight. "Your dragon is magnificent, Asher. You're magnificent."

Her words sent a surge of primal satisfaction through him.

His dragon rumbled in approval, a deep, possessive sound that vibrated through his chest. He pulled back slightly, his eyes locking onto hers, and without breaking their gaze, he lifted her off the ground effortlessly.

Her legs instinctively wrapped around his waist, her arms looping around his neck as he carried her through the back door of his mansion and up the staircase.