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TWENTY-SIX

DANICA

D anica stood in front of the full-length mirror, her reflection almost unrecognizable from the woman who had first stepped into this guest bedroom three months ago.

The ivory dress hugged her curves before cascading to the floor in elegant waves and the strapless neckline showcased the mate mark that shimmered faintly above her heart.

She traced it with her fingertips, feeling the slight warmth that always radiated from the dragon emblem.

"Who would have thought?" she whispered to herself. "Danica Ulrich, forever in motion, finally standing still."

Her inner dragon stirred at the thought, a pleasant warmth spreading through her chest. That side of herself—the magnificent golden beast that had been dormant for so long—now made perfect sense of her restless nature, her constant need for movement, and for challenge.

She hadn't been running away from commitment.

She'd been searching for something that could match her hidden fire.

And she'd found it in Asher. In his strength, his passion, and his unwavering certainty that she belonged by his side.

Through the window, the autumn landscape spread before her in a tapestry of crimson, gold, and amber, much like hers and Asher's scales.

The garden below—Asher's pride and vision that she'd helped expand—looked like something from a fairytale.

Ancient cypress trees draped with Spanish moss created a natural cathedral, where their wedding arch that Asher had crafted himself stood, adorned with burgundy dahlias and golden marigolds.

"Well, don't you look like every dragon's dream."

Danica turned to find Gerri leaning against the doorframe, dressed in a tailored sapphire suit that made her white bob and diminutive stature somehow more commanding.

"Gerri!" Danica moved to embrace the matchmaker, careful not to crush her dress. "Is everything ready?"

"Honey, I've been doing this longer than you can imagine. The question is, are you ready?" Gerri's eyes flashed golden for just a second as she studied Danica's face. "Though I must say, you were made for this life."

Danica smiled, glancing back at the window where she could see guests arriving, greeting each other with warm embraces. Her business clients mingled with dragon shifters as if there had never been a world where they were separate.

"I never imagined I'd find all this. My event planning business is thriving, I have a whole clutch of dragons who accept me as family, and Asher—" She paused, her voice catching with emotion. "Asher finally has time for his furniture workshop because I can share his burdens."

"Balance," Gerri nodded approvingly. "That's the secret ingredient I look for when pairing mates. Not similarity—balance."

"I have you to thank for all of this," Danica said, smoothing a hand over her dress.

"Nonsense! I just gave fate a little nudge in the right direction." Gerri waved her hand dismissively. "You two did all the hard work—arguing, fighting rogues, and discovering your inner dragon. I particularly enjoyed that last surprise."

"You weren't surprised at all, were you?" Danica asked teasingly.

"Let's just say I've seen a few humans discover their more... wild sides over my many years." Gerri winked. "Never gets old, watching someone realize they're so much more than they thought."

A knock at the door revealed Caleb, Asher's best friend and best man, his tall frame filling the doorway.

"Ladies, we're ready when you are." His eyes widened when he saw Danica. "Hell, Ulrich, Asher might actually combust when he sees you."

Danica laughed, feeling her dragon stir with anticipation. "That sounds promising."

Gerri straightened her jacket and winked at Danica. "I've officiated hundreds of weddings, but watching fated mates say 'I do' never gets old. The look on their faces—pure magic."

As Gerri left to take her position, Danica moved to the window one last time.

The gardens that Asher had originally designed now bore touches of her influence—wilder arrangements among the structured beds, unexpected bursts of color amid the careful planning.

Like them—order and chaos, finding harmony.

Her dragon purred beneath her skin, eager to join with her mate under the open sky. Tonight, after the reception, they would fly together above their territory, their home, their shared future stretching before them like the endless horizon.

"Time to get married," Danica whispered, feeling utterly, completely settled for the first time.

Danica felt as if she were floating down the aisle, each step carrying her closer to the most breathtaking sight she'd ever beheld.

Asher stood like a monument of masculine perfection beneath the handcrafted wooden arch, his powerful frame accentuated by the crisp lines of his black tuxedo.

The golden vest and tie that matched her dragon's scales shone in the late afternoon sunlight, making him appear almost illuminated from within.

But it was his eyes—those intense green eyes—that held her completely captive, glittering with such naked emotion that her throat tightened.

Her dragon purred beneath her skin, recognizing its mate, and Danica clutched her bouquet of local wildflowers a little tighter to steady herself. The lanterns lining her path cast a warm glow that deepened as the sun began its descent, bathing everything in honey-colored light.

"You've got this," she whispered to herself, her ivory dress flowing around her like liquid moonlight.

The faces of Ectorius turned toward her—shopkeepers, council members, and families who'd once been suspicious of the human event planner now beamed at their Alpha's mate with acceptance and pride. Her presence had changed this town, just as it had changed her.

As Danica drew closer, she could see Asher's chest rising and falling with rapid breaths.

His jaw clenched with restraint, a muscle working in his cheek as he fought to maintain composure.

This man who could shift into a massive, powerful dragon was coming undone at the sight of her in a wedding dress.

Caleb stood beside him, tall and alert as always, but with a grin breaking through his enforcer facade.

He caught Danica's eye and delivered an exaggerated wink, then nudged Asher with his elbow.

The Alpha shot his friend a brief glare before returning his gaze to Danica, his expression softening into something so tender it made her heart skip.

When Danica reached the altar, Asher extended his hand. The moment their fingers touched, electricity arced between them, the mate bond humming with recognition.

"You're absolutely breathtaking," he murmured, his voice deep and rough with emotion.

Gerri Wilder stood before them, her petite frame commanding the ceremony with natural authority. Her designer suit shimmered with subtle iridescence, and her smile held the satisfied gleam of a master craftsman admiring her finest work.

"Welcome, everyone," Gerri began, her eyes flashing momentarily golden. "We gather to witness what the universe already knows—that Asher and Danica are two halves of one extraordinary whole."

As Gerri spoke about fate and choice, Danica couldn't take her eyes off Asher. His presence wrapped around her like physical warmth, his dragon energy recognizing hers despite her transformation being so recent.

When the time came for their vows, Asher took both her hands in his.

"Danica," he began, "Before you, I was a leader without direction.

Strong, but incomplete. You challenged me, frustrated me—" The crowd chuckled, "—and filled every empty space I didn't know existed in me.

" His thumbs stroked the backs of her hands.

"I vow to love you with everything I am, to protect you even though you're perfectly capable of breathing fire on your own—" More laughter rippled through the guests, "—and to lead beside you as my equal.

You've made me whole, and I'm a better man, a better Alpha, and a better dragon because of you. "

Danica's eyes stung with tears as she felt the truth of his words vibrate through their bond. Her turn now, she took a steadying breath.

"Asher," she said, her voice clear despite the emotion thickening her throat.

"I came to Ectorius to plan a festival and instead found the missing piece of my soul.

I promise you laughter, especially when you're being insufferable—" She winked as their guests chuckled, "—loyalty that will never waver, and a balance that lets both of us soar higher than we ever could alone.

I promise to celebrate, even on our hardest days.

" Her voice softened. "I was incomplete before you, restless in a way I couldn't name.

Now I understand—my dragon was searching for you all along.

" She squeezed his hands. "We're stronger together, and this town, our home, is stronger because of it. "

When Gerri pronounced them husband and wife, Asher didn't wait for permission.

He pulled Danica to him with Alpha possessiveness, one arm wrapping around her waist while his other hand cupped her face.

The kiss was deep and claiming, a promise of the night to come that made Danica's knees weaken and her dragon rumble with anticipation.

"Mine," he whispered against her lips before reluctantly pulling back, his green eyes burning with desire and love.

The crowd erupted in cheers as Danica gazed up at her mate, her husband, her Alpha, knowing with absolute certainty that their story was just beginning.

Several hours later, when most guests had departed their wedding reception and the cleanup crew was quietly dismantling tables, Asher led Danica away from the area.

They walked barefoot across the cool grass toward the small pond in their garden, a quilt tucked under Asher's arm.

The sounds of the reception faded behind them.

"I'd never thought I would plan my own wedding," Danica mused as they reached the pond's edge. Fireflies drifted across the water's surface, mirroring the stars above. "I always thought it was an impossible dream."

Asher spread the quilt on the ground and pulled her down beside him. "Why impossible?"

Danica nestled against him, her white dress pooling around them like moonlight captured in fabric. "I never stayed still long enough. Never found anyone worth settling down for." She traced her fingers along his jawline. "And I didn't have family to share it with."

Asher grabbed her hand and pressed his lips to her palm. "You have family now. An entire dragon clutch."

"And my Alpha," she whispered, the weight of belonging filling her chest as she looked up at the man who had given her not just his heart, but a home, a purpose, and a legacy.

The fireflies danced above them as Asher lowered his mouth to hers, claiming her with a kiss that promised forever and tasted like coming home.