Page 109 of Cowboy Dragon's Rose

And tonight, he saved me.

Again.

As he crouches low, ready to shift, I cross to him, resting my palm against his scaly snout.

His heat radiates against my skin, and I swear I feel his heart beating beneath the scales and magic and fire.

“Thank you,” I whisper, voice cracking. “My Dragon.”

He lets out a low rumble, not quite a purr but something close, and then the shift begins—smoke and shimmer wrapping around him until Zeke, my Zeke, stands before me in all his naked, glorious, muscled glory.

He pulls me into his arms without a word, burying his face in my neck like he needs the reassurance this time.

“I’m okay,” I whisper, wrapping my arms around him. “We’re okay now.”

When Max’s truck finally pulls into the lot with a screech, Zeke just lifts me off the ground and walks us toward it, never letting go.

I rest my head against his shoulder, the rain soaking us both.

We don’t look back.

We’re going home.

To our cabin.

To our forever.

Because monsters like Michael don’t get to be part of our story.

Not anymore.

Never again.

EPILOGUE ONE-ZEKE

Getting my mate home is the only thing that matters.

It’s paramount. Vital. Everything.

But gods help me, riding in the backseat with the whole fucking Crew stuffed into my truck is almost enough to test even my legendary patience.

Thank fuck I drive a beast.

Extended cab, third-row seating, the whole nine.

Still, I’ve got Dante and Kian wedged back there like two overgrown toddlers in a timeout, and the grumbling is nonstop.

“I can’t believe you didn’t eat him,” Kian mutters for the third time.

I roll my eyes. “I don’t eat junk food.”

“Um, I’m glad he didn’t,” Emmet pipes up from the front, sounding both nervous and relieved.

“I missed everything,” Dante gripes. “You couldn’t wait five more minutes to flambé the bastard?”

“Oh, sorry,” I snap, tone dripping with sarcasm. “Next time my mate is kidnapped, I’ll send out an Evite and make sure it’s more convenient for everyone’s fucking schedule.”

They all laugh.

---