Shifting the cattle took longer than Leo had expected because his small herd shied at every shadow and noise. The sight of his dragon upset them, so Leo trailed the cattle in his human form.
“A dragon did this,”his dragon stated the obvious after witnessing his herd’s skittishness.
“If I catch them, they’ll be sorry.” Understatement. Anger roared through him, but he tamped it down. Leo checked the area for footprints and scent trails. The interloper’s stench contaminated the kill site. “It’s the same dragon who killed the wolves.” Not familiar, but a reek he’d remember in case he met the culprit during his next castle visit.
It was four hours later when Leo landed on his balcony and shifted from dragon to man. Dirt and mud coated his lower legs, and exhaustion tugged at his muscles. At least his cattle were safer. He could do a visual count from his balcony.
He inhaled and caught a hint of Gwenyth and… He froze.
Someone—another dragon—had stood on this balcony.
“Gwenyth!” A note of panic shaded his shout. If anyone had hurt her, he’d turn berserker on their arse. “Gwenyth.”
Alarmed when she didn’t answer, he stomped inside, his dragon senses on high-alert. She lay on his bed, curled up with the wolf-pup. A cute snore escaped her, and his tension dispersed. Safe.
Leo retreated to wash and find a set of fresh clothes. By the time he walked into the kitchen, he’d relaxed. The castle communication sitting on the counter shoved his mood back to high-alert. Unusual creases marred the tube as if someone had squeezed it hard.
Trepidation curdled his stomach. Leo picked up the tube and sniffed. The mysterious scent came from the delivery dragon. With resignation, he broke the seal and scanned the message. A note from his mother, ordering him to greet Nan, The Strongminded, on her arrival. His mother had arranged a betrothal party, so he should plan on staying.
The scuttle of claws on the floor dragged his attention from his mother’s note.His mother’s command performance.In this, he refused to falter. He rejected Nan, no matter what prestige or wealth she brought with her. Gwenyth was the one his dragon craved, and the sole woman to snare his interest in years.
The wolf-pup ran to him, and Leo crouched to pet the animal. Greeting completed, the pup nudged the food bowl in a hint.
“You’re back.”
Gwenyth’s flat voice had Leo straightening. “Something wrong?”
“The butler dragon who delivered the tube sneered and informed me we weren’t married.”
“Telus, The Organized?”
“We didn’t do formal introductions. He told me he was your parents’ butler. Horrid dragon. He was rude, snooty, and dismissive. Are we married? Where is my ring?” She thrust out her hand, temper in the curl of her top lip, her sharp inhalations.
“Before me, you were with another man. He treated you shoddily, and you left him.” Leo gave her a partial truth put together from clues he’d garnered. Her bare ring finger for one. “You’re with me now.” He prowled closer, desperate to offer comfort, to resolve her fears. Leo settled his hands on her shoulders, prepared to fight for her. “Please, Gwenyth.”
She huffed out a breath and leaned in, relaxing against his chest. Leo bent his head and breathed in her scent. Green herbs. Flowers.Her.
“Tell me about our wedding,” she whispered.
Leo was glad he couldn’t see her face, nor she view his. Guilt slithered like a serpent—destructive and poisonous. Should he tell her the truth?
“We have to tell her something,”his dragon said, his tone unhappy.
“I can’t ignore the summons. My parents have arranged a betrothal for me.”
She yanked away from him, angry color pooling in her cheeks. “A betrothal? Was the butler dude telling me the truth? Are you stringing me along with lies to get me into your bed?”
“If that were the truth, I would’ve pushed harder for sex last night,” Leo snapped. “You are my one.Our one.” A plan formed. “I must go to the castle if only to inform my parents I have no intention of committing to their betrothal plans. Come with me. We’ll stop at the human village to purchase clothes and visit the church. We will marry there.”
Her brow puckered. “So, we’re not married.”
“Not according to our dragon laws.” He chose his words with care. “I make jewelry in my spare time. A hobby for the chilly winters. I wanted to design and make your ring, which is why you do not have one now.”
Truth.
“Where did we marry?”
Leo avoided her question. “If we produce a certificate from the human church, there will be no doubts.”
