Page 26 of Shifting the Flame

Joni sighed, flipping her long red hair over her shoulder. "Look, whether you were human or dragon, there'd still be jealousy. It comes with being the Alpha's mate." She placed a perfectly manicured hand on Danica's arm. "Dragons are territorial and possessive, especially about our town and our people."

"I didn't ask for any of this," Danica said.

"So, are you really up for it?" Joni asked, her tone gentle but her eyes penetrating. "Being an Alpha's mate isn't easy. The responsibility is enormous."

Danica swallowed hard. "I just want to focus on the festival right now. It starts tomorrow, and I promised I'd help. I haven't really given the 'mate thing' much thought yet."

"Hey," Joni said suddenly, "what's that by your foot?"

Danica looked down and saw a folded piece of paper on the sidewalk. She bent to pick it up and unfolded it, her blood running cold as she read the words scrawled in angry black ink:

A true mate wouldn't destroy what he was born to protect. The Alpha is blind. The town will never follow an outsider or a human.

The paper trembled in her hands. "What have I gotten myself into?" she whispered, her chest tightening. "I never asked to be anyone's fated mate or part of a dragon clutch."

Her mind spun with frantic thoughts.Maybe I should just leave. Go back to New Orleans. Forget any of this ever happened. I don't belong here.

Looking up, she spotted Asher striding purposefully toward them. Her heart did that ridiculous flutter again, even as panic clawed at her.

She was about to show him the note when Joni snatched it from her fingers, crumpling it in her fist.

"Don't worry about this trash," Joni said firmly. "And definitely don't burden Asher with it. He has enough on his plate already." Without waiting for a response, she strode away, taking the evidence with her.

Danica stood frozen, feeling utterly lost. Her car was back at Asher's mansion. She had no way to escape and nowhere to run. She suddenly felt trapped.

Asher reached her, his green eyes lighting up when he met her gaze. His hand settled possessively on her back, warm and steady.

"What were you and Joni talking about?" he asked, bending down to press a kiss to her temple.

She opened her mouth but couldn't find the words. How could she tell him some people were already rejecting her? That she was scared and confused and wondering if she'd made a terrible mistake.

But as she looked up into his eyes—eyes filled with hope and something that looked dangerously close to adoration—she couldn't bring herself to hurt him. Not yet anyway. She'd promised Gerri she would help with the festival, and she never went back on her word.

"Just festival stuff," she lied, forcing a smile. "Tomorrow is showtime."

TEN

ASHER

Asher reached Danica, his eyes lighting up as she turned toward him. The afternoon sun caught the highlights in her brown hair, making it glow against the light blue fabric of her sundress. Something about seeing her there, clipboard in hand, made his chest tighten with possessive pride. His mate. His woman. Here, standing in his town and helping his people.

He studied her face, noting the slight tension at the corners of her mouth. It seemed like she was hiding something from him. His dragon senses detected the subtle change in her scent—stress mingled with anxiety. But he wouldn't push. Not now.

"We don't have much time left," he agreed, keeping his hand resting on her back. "Just this afternoon until dark. Thankfully, the volunteers really stepped up this morning. It's coming together faster than I expected."

The council meeting had been brief but intense. Councilman Thorne, one of the elders, had objected to a human mate, as expected. But the others had quickly reminded him of the ancient texts. A true mate bond was sacred, regardless of species. Besides, as Councilman Garron had pointed out witha smirk, Danica might not remain human for long after their mating ritual was complete.

That thought alone made Asher's body tighten with desire. What would she look like as a dragon? Would she take on his coloring, or develop her own unique scales?

"What are you thinking about?" Danica asked, nudging him as they walked over to the main stage area. "You've got this intense look."

"You," he answered honestly, enjoying the blush that spread across her cheeks. "Always you."

They spent the rest of the afternoon moving through the festival grounds, making adjustments to decorations, approving the placement of vendor booths, and finalizing the performance schedule. Whenever another clutch member approached, Asher made sure to keep Danica firmly at his side, his arm around her waist or his hand resting on her lower back—a clear signal of his claim.

As the sun began to set, casting long shadows across the town square, Asher stepped back to survey their work. The festival grounds had been completely transformed into something magical—far beyond what he'd initially imagined. Colorful tents stood in strategic locations, breaking up the traditional white canopies. Fairy lights twinkled from every tree, creating a soft glow against the deepening twilight. The main stage was draped in cloth that transitioned from deep red to burnished gold, the colors of his dragon form.

"Dragon fire and golden treasure," Danica said softly beside him, nodding at the stage. "I thought it would be a nice tribute to you."

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