“How did you do that?” Robbie asked, trailing after Citrine with an aghast look on her face as they headed back to the bench to gather up their trash from lunch. “That was you, right?”

“Maybe,” Citrine said, but the serene look in his eyes told her everything.

She let out a breath. Citrine hadn’t even been worried when the other men pulled up. Hadn’t looked intimidated for even a second. And how had he flipped that truck? Had he done something to the ground?

What powers did other shifters have? She thought most shifters were straightforward. Only alpha wolves had unique, mysterious powers, or so she thought.

Moreover, she was surprised by how hot she’d found it. Confident, calm Citrine putting the bullies in their place with a wave of his hand, as if it were nothing.

No one in town would have been able to do that.

“There are probably going to be more problems like that,” she said. “That’s why I have to mate.”

“Why?” he asked. “Because people are douchebags?”

“No, because my scent makes males of my species crazy. I mask it as well as I can, but if I wasn’t promised to Bryson, I’m sure I’d have men all over me.”

“Not if I can help it,” Citrine said, brows lowering. “And I can help it.” He looked at her sternly. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you, Robbie. Trust me instead of Bryson.”

She swallowed. “I don’t even know what you are.”

“But you know who I am. You know I’m your friend,” he said. “And that I care for you. More than that. I feel you are mine. I don’t let anyone harm what is mine.”

She felt a little shiver go through her. He seemed so confident. So sure. And he had dealt well with those guys before. If only she knew more about what he was…

As if he were reading her thoughts, he looked over at her. “I’m sorry I can’t tell you more. I’ll just have to win you over like this and hope you’ll accept me once this is all over.”

“When what’s all over?”

“The alpha challenge.” He stretched. “Was there something else you wanted to do in town before we headed back?”

“Not unless you want to look at Kestler’s farm,” she said.

“Farm?” he asked, perking up with immediate interest. “Where?”

“It’s small. On the other edge of town. It’s a bit of a walk.”

He put an arm through hers, pulling her along. “I’m up for it if you are. Any time spent with you is a pleasure.”

She gave him a wary glare. Every time he touched her, the wolf in her was more likely to howl. She was an unmated alpha female, full of unmet sexual needs, although she’d never looked forward to her mating. Mainly because it would be an animal act. Full of lust and nothing else.

With Citrine, it would be different.

“So tell me more about this farm,” he said. “I don’t know if you know this, but I’m kind of into horticulture.”

“I did know about the garden on the roof,” she said. “I went up to get you one time and saw you talking to your plants. I was always surprised by how well they were growing considering we were in cloudy Seattle.”

“Plants just need care,” he said. “Like most people and creatures of the world.”

He was such an interesting person. At once gentle and considerate and then a force of nature as he went after what he wanted and literally pushed people out of his way.

Just the kind of male for her, if she’d ever been allowed to pick.

She swallowed, pushing away that thought, and increased her pace so they could get to the farm faster.

As soon as they reached the place, John Kestler came out to shake Citrine’s hand, only looking taken aback by Citrine’s appearance for a moment before agreeing to show him the small crops he was growing.

She grinned fondly as she watched Citrine listening intently while the farmer talked about the rainfall, sunlight, weeding, fertilizing, and other things he was doing.

She let the two of them talk and walked around the front of the house to look at some of the flowers planted near the front fence. It was nice to have some time alone with her thoughts.

A little while later, Citrine caught up to her. John Kestler was behind him, ruddy faced as he ran to catch up.

“I don’t know where you found this friend of yours,” John said. “But he’s a genius with plants. You’re welcome to bring him by anytime.” He slapped a hand on Citrine’s shoulder. “Thanks for the tips. Much appreciated.”

Citrine merely nodded warmly and then focused back on Robbie.

“Thank you, John,” she said. “I’m sure I’ll see you later.”

John left with a wave, leaving them alone.

“I’m sorry,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I get a little bit passionate about plants.”

She smiled as they walked back onto the main road. “That’s fine. I like that about you. It’s not typical, and it just makes you that much more interesting.”

“Oh?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. “So you find me interesting?”

Blood rushed into her cheeks as she glanced up at him. “Of course. I always have. Didn’t we flirt?”

He nodded, stepping in front of her and stopping her by gently putting his hands on her shoulders. Then he moved his palms down over her arms to her hands, which he took in both of his. He raised one to his lips, kissing it softly, and something wild and terrifyingly good ran through her.

She bit her lip, trying not to moan. It was just a kiss. On the hand, for Pete’s sake. She looked at his perfect lips, carved yet full, with a perfect, sharp dimple in the top of them, and wondered what it would be like to kiss him.

Would he be dominant, as he’d been with the truck, sweeping her into his arms and taking what he wanted? Or would he be soft, like he was with the plants, carefully warming her with his body until she was pliant and lax?

She flushed at the direction of her thoughts and forced herself to walk forward. This was only his second day in town, and even though everything they did made her more in danger of falling in love with him, she wasn’t ready to go that direction yet.

He seemed to accept that and fell in step alongside her, humming slightly.

“Come on,” she said. “We can go help my parents with dinner.”

Maybe if they were around other people, she could stop being horny as hell.

* * *

Citrine had never been one for physical exercise, but Robert had mentioned needing to chop wood for the fireplace. Citrine had thought it was the perfect place to go to work out some tension.

So the next morning, he’d volunteered. But even as he worked, he found his thoughts still troubled him.

Robbie was attracted to him; that much was certain. But what Citrine was supposed to do about it, he didn’t know. Every time he touched her, she practically shuddered with pleasure. And he felt the same in his heart. But then she would pull away, and he could see the shadow of shame she was carrying, her hesitance to just trust him and let herself fall.

He didn’t know if he should give her a little push or just wait until she was ready.

After all, she was just trying to do what she’d been raised to think was right. He got the impression that her parents were almost hoping for a miracle, that his intervention could somehow solve the problem they were in, but he wished they’d express those thoughts to Robbie, who was still clearly holding herself back.

So far, she’d only wanted to take him around town and do dinner and movies or games with her parents.

So different from the sassy woman strutting around in stilettos in Seattle. Still, he loved both aspects of his mate equally. The quiet country girl and the loud and proud city girl.

He steadied a log, finally getting the hang of how to swing the axe to split it perfectly. With his dragon strength, it was sort of like splitting soft butter, and he wondered how it was for wolves. How raw dragon strength compared to raw wolf strength when both were in human form.

He tried not to think of Bryson often, but he couldn’t help glaring every time the image of the other male came to his mind. It reminded him what he was fighting for. To prevent Robbie from falling into the hands of a man who couldn’t possibly care for her like Citrine did.

Citrine only sort of understood how rare and important alpha females were to the wolf world. But to him, Robbie wasn’t just a prize. She was a person, someone he’d gotten to know, thinking she was a human. And though she’d warned him about alpha female pheromones, he didn’t scent them. Dragons didn’t have the best sense of smell.

It didn’t matter. If Robbie’s pheromones brought a bunch of wolves around, Citrine would simply kick their asses and drive them away.

He steadied another log, trying to also steady the anger inside him. Logic. Reason. Yes, that was—

He raised his head, his thoughts interrupted by the sound of voices. He rested the axe over his shoulder and jogged around to the front of the house where he could hear shouting.

When the front walk came into view, he saw Bryson out there, wearing a blue flannel shirt and jeans, gesturing wildly as he shouted. Robbie stood patiently, arms folded, watching.

Citrine picked up his pace to join them. He reached Robbie just as she seemed to lose patience with the blustering fool on her walkway.

“You aren’t my mate yet, Bryson. You don’t get to decide who stays at my house.”

“It isn’t proper!” Bryson said, looking close to exploding. When he noticed Citrine, he lunged forward, attempting to shove his shoulders.

Citrine stepped swiftly to the side and knocked Bryson with his palm to put him off balance.

Bryson stumbled and then whipped around, rage in his blue eyes, but Robbie got between them, putting up both hands.

Robbie’s parents were coming out of the house now.

“What’s going on?” Livvy asked.

“No fighting,” Robert said. “Not until the challenge at full moon.”

Bryson snarled, clearly disappointed, and Citrine felt the male in him answering as well.

He wanted to show Bryson right now just how he felt about him being on his mate’s turf without her permission. He realized his spare hand was still holding the ax, and he lowered it to the ground.

Bryson noticed the movement and glared. “Chopping wood, city boy?”

Citrine just stared at him flatly.

“Trying, probably.” Bryson scoffed. “What are you anyway? What kind of a name is Citrine?”

“The name of a man who’s going to win an alpha challenge at the full moon,” Citrine said smugly, enjoying the look on Bryson’s face as he processed it.

“Anyway, you should get your pampered ass out of here, city boy. You’re probably some kind of cat, since I can’t scent you. A cute little house kitty. Weak.”

“Wanna bet?” Citrine asked, stepping closer.

“No fights!” Robert reiterated.

“I know,” Citrine said, putting up a hand. “So how about it? Want to wager?”

“On what?”

Citrine swung the ax up again. “Wood. We’ll see who gets through their pile first.”

“Easy,” Bryson said with a sneer. “I’m going to show Robbie and her parents the pussy you are.”

Citrine felt anger well in him at the coarse words used in insult. Now he wanted to chop Bryson, not the wood.

But he would hurt the other man’s pride well enough this way.

“What does the winner get?” Bryson asked.

“I don’t know,” Citrine said. “Humiliating you is prize enough for me.”

“A kiss,” Bryson said, leering at Robbie. “It’s about time my mate accepted me.”

Citrine let out a snarl as Robbie stepped forward. “Now wait just a minute,” she said.

“Why not?” Robert asked, nodding. “In my day, that’s how we did things. Right, dear?” He looked at Livvy, who was blushing and turning away.

“I suppose,” she called over her shoulder.

“This is ridiculous,” Robbie said, exasperated.

“It doesn’t matter what the prize is,” Citrine said sharply. “He’s not going to get it. But fine. A kiss. And if I win, Robbie can choose whether or not she wants to.”

With that, he put the ax over his shoulder and strode toward the wood pile, waiting for Bryson to follow him.

He wasn’t worried at all about the other male, overconfident wolf that he was.

Citrine didn’t usually care for physical activity, but when it came to protecting his mate, no one would work harder.

He’d become a wood-chopping machine if that’s what was necessary.