I’m your mate. I could die happy tonight knowing that.

When I had said that earlier in Max’s cabin, I didn’t think it would be a possibility, but as I stare up at the horrifying orange dragon standing next to the grizzly bear shifters who are trying to kill me, I see that it’s not only a possibility, it’s pretty bloody likely.

The dragon starts to tremble and shake, and then starts shrinking before our terrified eyes. With a rip, he changes into his human form.

Vesuvius glares at me with his glowing orange eyes. I’m terrified as I stare back until Maximus steps in front of me, protecting me from the dragon shifter’s horrible gaze.

“No one has to get hurt,” Vesuvius says with a calm voice. “But the women are coming with me.”

“Someone is going to get hurt alright,” Kneecap says, grinding his fist into his palm. “Someone is going to get hurt real bad.”

I’m huddled by the women behind the wall of our protective men. It’s funny, but I don’t regret coming back here anymore. Even if I die tonight, it will all be worth it.

Still, I’d really like not to die.

“The women are staying with us,” Maximus says in a voice that’s thick with authority. “We know your plan with General Hunt and I’m telling you that it’s not going to happen. The Grisly Grizzlies and the shifters of Redemption Creek are free men. We will be as long as I’m alive.”

“Then I guess I’ll have to remedy that,” Vesuvius says with a grin. Kneecap doesn’t like that answer and steps forward with a growl.

“You’re trying to turn your own kind into slaves,” Max says. I can hear the disgust in his voice. “Why would you ever do that? You’re already rich and powerful.”

Vesuvius runs his hand through his hair as he watches Maximus. “Not powerful enough. Not yet.”

I shudder to think of this dragon shifter being any more powerful than he already is. He has an enormous dragon lurking inside him. What can be more powerful than that?

“The military has promised to carve me out a nice chunk of the state if I cooperate with their little program,” he says with a dark grin. “It will be mine to rule in any way that I want.”

“So, that’s what you want?” Maximus says, shaking his head. “This town isn’t big enough for you so you sell out your own kind?”

“I have to share this town with my brothers,” he says, looking pissed. “This new place will be all mine. A little slice of hell on earth.”

“I’m done listening to this bullshit,” Kneecap hisses. He turns to Max with a pleading look on his face, and Max nods.

I step back as Kneecap flexes his massive arms and runs forward. Vesuvius jumps back when he sees Redemption Creek’s toughest shifter charging at him and quickly phases back into his dragon.

The huge orange dragon explodes out of him and opens its big jaws as Kneecap approaches.

“No!” I gasp when I see the flames mushrooming in the back of the dragon’s throat.

With a whoosh the flames shoot out of his mouth, swallowing Kneecap entirely. My stomach hardens as Nora lets out the most horrifying scream.

Tears are pouring out of her eyes and it takes all of Caleb’s strength to hold her back from running to the father of her baby who is being burnt alive.

The whole dark ranch lights up under the intense flames that are shooting out of Vesuvius’ mouth like a flamethrower. They don’t stop. Why won’t they stop?

We’re all watching in horror as the heat burns our skin, even from all the way over here.

Finally, the flames subside as the dragon closes his smoking mouth. Kneecap is standing in front of him, growling. His skin is black and melting off his body in some places. Where it’s not hanging off, it’s bubbling and cracked.

I’m expecting him to collapse dead at any second, but instead, he grunts out a laugh. “That all you got, big boy?”

The shocked dragon opens his mouth to give him another fire bath, but Kneecap lunges on him and wraps his big arm around the dragon’s mouth, holding it closed as he starts pummeling his head with hard elbows.

The wall of muscled men in front of us rush forward to join in the fight. The twins and Caleb run to the dragon and jump on him as Kneecap makes him pay for showing up.

I watch in horror as Vesuvius swings his massive tail and slams it into Tito’s stomach. The poor guy goes flying all the way into the pickup truck, crashing into it with a loud thud. When he falls to the ground, the door is smashed in.

Caleb jumps on the dragon’s back but he shakes him off, sending Caleb flying backward. When he gets up he phases into his angry grizzly bear and charges back at him.

There’s so much chaos going on that I don’t know where to look. I turn back to Maximus who is approaching Bledsoe with Lachlan by his side.

“Get the girls!” Bledsoe screams to Colton and Rigs as he points right at us.

The two bear shifters shoot each other a reluctant look and then turn back to us. I squeeze my hands into fists and hold them up, daring them to come.

I don’t think I’ll be able to put up much of a fight, but at least I’ll go down swinging. It seems the four girls by my side are on the same page because all four of them are doing the same thing.

“Get them!” Bledsoe screams again when they don’t move. He’s glaring right at Maximus who starts running at him. “This one is mine!”