“I’m disappointed in you, Citrine,” the oracle said, staring at him over her horn-rimmed glasses with misty grayish-purple eyes. “I never thought you’d abandon your post.”

“It was an accident,” he said. “Well, I wasn’t thinking.”

She took off her glasses and set them on the desk, her expression thoughtful. She had a different color of hair every time he saw her, but today it was a dark, wine red. She eyed him narrowly.

“I think perhaps you’ve found someone important, then. I heard it was a woman you went after.”

“Yes, but I didn’t find her.” And I need to, he thought.

“I see,” she said.

“Plus, we hadn’t heard from Mercury for some time. I thought people were tailing him.”

“It’s hard to tail a shape-shifter. I think we all assumed he was licking his wounds after being defeated by Iron. I certainly didn’t think he would come back in this way or that he would be so devious.”

“He has told you everything, then?” Citrine asked.

“He has had no choice,” she said darkly. “I’m afraid he is irredeemable. And you know how much I hate to waste a dragon.”

“What are you going to do with him?”

“Put him in cryo-sleep, for now,” she said. “Until we figure out more about him. His cellular composition is… interesting. But anyway, let’s talk about this woman you are searching for.”

“Robbie,” he said. “Mercury chased her off.”

“As I understand it, she has other obligations, and he simply reminded her of them. She is the alpha female of a wolf pack, and I think you can understand what that means.”

He did, but that didn’t mean he had to accept it. “It means she is expected to mate with an alpha male.”

“She may even have her pick if another alpha is willing to challenge her fiancé.”

“Barbaric,” Citrine said.

“On the other hand, perhaps a dragon could even challenge him.” The oracle’s eyes were shrewd, and Citrine picked up on her point.

“I do plan to go after her,” he said. “I don’t know what this is between us, but I know I can’t let her go. Not until I find out if she wants this. No one should have to mate against their will, and… she’s my friend.”

“Oh, is that it?” the oracle asked, not looking convinced in the slightest. “Your only reason? I knew you were selfless, Citrine. Always my politest, most well-behaved dragon. The only one to never need a collar. I never had reason to worry about you, until now.”

Prickles went up his neck. She couldn’t mean—

“And I’ve been worried about you, that you’re just so repressed you won’t even know happiness when you see it. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t send you to that club, hoping you would find a mate also. Alas, it seems for you, things are complicated.”

Citrine shrugged. “Not too complicated. I just have to find her and bring her back. We need her help with the club and—”

“Two of your dragons are mated,” she said. “And I have a plan as far as helping Sever along. I know he is terribly traumatized by what happened in his past life with Mercury tricking him into thinking he had a mate.”

“He will want to ask Mercury about that eventually,” Citrine said.

“But he didn’t when I asked him before putting Mercury to sleep.”

“I see,” Citrine said.

“You see, some people find it very difficult to face their feelings, and unless something forces them to, they will keep running away.” She looked at him meaningfully. “So I’m going to allow you to go after Robbie.”

“Thank you.” He let out a sigh of relief. He wouldn’t breathe easy again until he laid eyes on Robbie again, her frustrating eyes and frustrating smile and… everything he loved about her already.

“I can see you have feelings for her, and I support that. I do want you to be happy, but I have to say that I can’t let you go out uncollared again.”

“No,” he said, standing. “I don’t need one. Please forgive me.”

“It’s not about forgiveness,” she said, waving for two men to come forward. One held a wooden box, and the other came up behind Citrine, as if to hold him if needed.

Citrine waved him back. “Fine, I won’t fight you. But I don’t need it.”

“I need it,” the oracle said. “I like you Citrine, but we both know you are one of the most powerful dragons. If you lost your temper, if you did something impetuous again—”

“It was just a mistake,” he muttered.

“This is for your own good,” she said. “And this is the collar the gem dragons wore, not the one on the precious metals. You will be able to partially shift and use some of your powers if a human’s life or your life is in danger. But I can’t risk you blacking out the world if someone sets you off.”

“I’m not like that,” he said petulantly.

“I also never thought you’d leave dragons to get beat up, but you did, and you didn’t even really think about it.”

He supposed she was right. When it came to Robbie, he somehow lost all sense of reason. Perhaps that should have told him sooner that she was the right one for him after all.

But without his powers, wouldn’t he have a harder time bringing her back? Then again, his rivals were only wolves.

“Don’t underestimate wolves,” the oracle said. “And do try to get her to mate you as soon as possible so you can have the collar off. Of course, you can always call if you’re in trouble. I’m sure you have friends that are willing to help.” Her smile quirked up at the corner. “Then again, I know how capable you are, Citrine. I have every hope of your success.”

He grumbled to himself under his breath as the collar was placed around his neck. If this was what it took to get back Robbie, then so be it.

She was his, and no amount of restraint would stop him. No wolves for that matter, either.

He eyed the oracle warily when the collar was on. He’d been on her good side, one of her favorites, for so long that it was odd and uncomfortable suddenly being disciplined.

But he knew considering how Adrien and Sever had gotten hurt, he deserved it.

“Don’t be silly,” the oracle said. “You’re still one of my favorites. Now get out there and say good-bye to your friends. They’re worried about you.”

That’s right. They were friends. Somehow, through the club, he’d come to like the noble metal dragons, as much as he pretended to be bothered by them.

He owed them an explanation and a proper good-bye. At least until he brought Robbie back to see them.

* * *

Sever stared at Citrine in amusement as he told Adrien, Kelsey, Dante, Ella, and himself about the trip he’d be taking to see Robbie.

Of course they’d all known about the tension going on between Citrine and Robbie the whole time, so the only person who was actually surprised was Citrine himself.

“I’m sorry about the club, too,” Citrine said, bowing his head. “It’s going to take a while to rebuild.”

“It’s okay,” Adrien said. He’d been oddly relaxed the longer he’d been around Kelsey, and now that they were properly mated (having presumably sealed the deal the day before), he was downright gushy.

Sever rolled his eyes as Adrien and Kelsey cuddled close, but deep down, he couldn’t be happier for his friends.

“Sever can come to stay with us,” Kelsey said, and Adrien nodded. “We’ve already picked a mansion, and there’s plenty of room. Just until we can get the club running and Citrine back and find your mate.”

“I already have an idea,” Sever said, patting something in the breast pocket of his leather jacket.

“What’s that?” Dante asked, stepping closer. Dante was also behaving grossly now that he was with Ella, so happy it was almost sickening. Yet Sever wanted it for himself, even if he knew he was never going to find it.

He pulled the letter he’d been saving out of his pocket and held it out to the others.

Adrien took it. “What is this?”

“We had someone write in from the middle of nowhere. A tiny rural area. She needs help with her ranch and someone to pretend to be her fiancé because people are butting in. She needs a man around, and I’m prepared to provide it. It will at least give me something to do while I wait for the club to be rebuilt.”

Adrien frowned, reading the note. “But you don’t know anything about this girl. What if it’s a trap?”

“I think I can handle myself. It’s the middle of nowhere. All they have out there is cows,” Sever said, folding his massive arms. “I’m going to be fine, and that way I’m not having to hang around either pair of you lovebirds.”

Citrine snorted, then composed himself. “Well, if you clear it with the oracle—”

“It’s already cleared,” he said. “She agreed I need a change of scenery. Some fresh air. It worked for Dante.”

“That’s because I found my mate,” Dante said, looking as though he regretted the words as soon as he said them.

Everyone knew the term mate was still a sore spot for Sever, as he’d been tricked by Mercury into thinking he’d found his mate before.

But Sever was ready to stop thinking about that. He wanted to help someone. He missed being needed, having someone to protect. This letter would give that to him, at least temporarily. Plus, he would get to see the country.

“All right,” Adrien said, “if we can’t change your mind. But you be careful out there.”

“I will,” Sever said, putting a hand on Adrien’s shoulder and then pulling the other man in for a quick hug. Dante joined, and then they broke apart, looking embarrassed.

Sever put the letter away and walked with his friends to the exit. As they all walked into the sunshine, he was pleased to see Dante sneak an arm around Ella’s waist and Ella lean into him lovingly. They went to one car, Citrine to another, and Sever followed Adrien and Kelsey to theirs.

When they were in the car and Sever had buckled up in the backseat, he looked forward to see them locked in a kiss so gentle and tender even Sever would feel bad interrupting it.

That was what he wanted, so badly.

Why had he been robbed so hard?

Adrien broke away from the kiss and looked back at him. “I don’t think it’s too late for you, brother.”

Sever looked away. “I know it is.”

Adrien reached over to touch his mate’s face, and Kelsey’s beaming smile seemed to light up the car. “If I can find it and Dante can find it, then I know you can for sure.”

Sever wasn’t willing to argue about it, but as they pulled away, Adrien holding Kelsey’s hand as they drove, saying sweet things to her as she giggled, Sever couldn’t help hoping with a small, distant part of him that Adrien was right.

Perhaps his happy ending was out there somewhere, if he could just find it.

* * *

* * *

I hope you enjoyed the second book in the Date-A-Dragon series! If you enjoyed Adrien and Kelsey’s story, I hope you’ll leave a review to help other readers find it. I really appreciate all your support.

Thanks again so much, and make sure you are signed up for my newsletter here so you can be first to hear about the next dragon’s shenanigans:

Sincerely,

Terry

Have you read my other dragons?

If you’ve read the other metal dragons, have you read my Awakened Dragons boxed set? The complete series starring the gemstone dragons, the precursor to the metal dragons:

The other metal dragons are here:

And if you’ve read all of those, I have my very first dragons, my Dragons of New York, here. BEWARE! These dragons share a mate between each pair of them, and these books have sexy menage. My only menage series.

If you’re not in the mood for dragons (gasp) or you’ve read all my dragons, I have a new bear boxed set on sale too here, plus a sample on the next page: