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  Dragon’s Mate

  Elite Shifters of Colorado (Book 1)

  Alicia Banks

  Copyright © 2019 by Alicia Banks:

  All Rights are reserved.

  It is illegal to reproduce any part of this Book in any form i.e. mechanical, electronical, printed or audible form including storage information and retrieval system without any written permission from the Author, except brief quotation in a Book Review.

  DRAGON’S MATE (ELITE SHIFTERS OF COLORADO BOOK 1)

  Contents

  Title Page

  DRAGON’S MATE: ELITE SHIFTERS OF COLORADO

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Epilogue

  Human Alpha Protector: Wolf Shifters of Wakerlin

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Author’s Note

  DRAGON’S MATE: ELITE SHIFTERS OF COLORADO

  BLURB:

  I am an Elite Dragon Shifter and we are the strongest and fiercest of the shifter clans. I am bound to keep my bloodline pure as we are the last of our kinds.

  I am going to marry my mate, but my heart pulls me in another direction.

  I have a duty, but my heart pulls me in another direction.

  This woman is beautiful as those flower arrangements she makes.

  I couldn’t resist warmth of her touch and heat of her body when she asks for help in the gym.

  Her intoxicating smell made my dragon took over me that night.

  Now as she carries my baby. I am ready to fight; I am ready to kill.

  I will turn the world upside down to protect her, to save her.

  It is time to break the boundaries and the years old hollow traditions, even if I have to fight with my own dad for that.

  But… she just got to know I am engaged, and she is not ready see my face.

  She just knows the half of it, what will happen if she gets to know I am a dragon shifter?

  ∞∞∞

  Chapter 1

  Sarai

  A phone released its shrill ring as Sarai walked across the floor to answer it. She picked up the receiver. “Petals to the Metal, this is Sarai, how can I help you?”

  Sarai emerged from the vast array of white tubs. They were full of various brightly colored blooms. They filled the air with their sweet perfume. The top of her head was the color of cotton candy, with twists of midnight blue ringlets that cascaded down her shoulders to fall just above her wide hips. She was dressed in her favorite rock tee and neon green leggings. She wore a white apron over it with Petals to the Metal in neon green. Her mom had embroidered her name on it with neon pink thread. In her hand she clutched a bundle of orchids.

  “Ok, so that’s two white orchids on a pearl bracelet with a pink ribbon. That will run you $25. I can do an orchid on the pink ribbon for $10.” The counter was covered in corsages. She picked up a pair of shears and began cutting stems off as she cradled the phone between her shoulder and her ear. Sarai was an excellent multitasker.

  “Coming through!” Mickey said, carrying one of the large white tubs full of pink and white tulips. Unlike Sarai, Mickey was more normal looking with black dyed hair and a diamond stud nose ring. She was dressed in low rise jeans and a white floral top under her apron. Mickey stopped to lift the cord of the phone above her head as she slipped around the counter and behind Sarai.

  “Tell you what. I can do a shiny pink ribbon for her wrist and then a sheer ribbon tied around the stem of the orchid. Will that do?”

  Business was booming. And the next few days were going to be hectic. It was homecoming weekend in the valley at three different high schools, so they had hundreds of corsages to make. And there was a wedding that weekend. Bridal bouquets, boutonnieres, and floral arrangements had to be made. On top of that were birthday bouquets, get well bouquets, I’m sorry bouquets, first date bouquets, anniversary bouquets, and just because bouquet orders coming in daily. They were swamped. She only had a very small staff: her, her best friend Mickey, their delivery boy, and one other employee who kept the tubs filled with fresh water.

  The bell above the door jingled and Mickey looked up at the sound. A tall, dark, and handsome man strolled in through the door. He was dressed in tight jeans and a black muscle shirt that accentuated the tanned and muscular body underneath. It was alluring, and Mickey couldn’t help but watch him with hungry eyes.

  He had long black hair that hung around his shoulders and he removed a pair of sunglasses that revealed honey brown eyes. There was an air of arrogance about him, in the way he held his head up, and the way he walked with purpose.

  “Yeah, I can do that for ten. Not a problem. You can pick it up between three and six day of. Have fun at homecoming.” Sarai had her back to the door, so she didn’t see the man who walked in.

  Mickey poked Sarai as she hung up the phone and wrote down an order. “Well, hello there,” Mickey said under her breath. She clicked her tongue and looked him up and down. She nudged Sarai, who rolled her eyes and smacked her before going to the counter.

  The man smiled at Mickey’s comment and stopped at the counter. A Rolex, on his wrist, flashed its diamonds as he moved his locks of raven hair out of his face.

  “Welcome to Petals to the Metal. Can I help you, sir?”

  “Yes,” he purred, and Mickey sighed beside her.

  “I apologize for my drooling employee.” Sarai grinned as Mickey waved slyly and winked.

  “It’s no trouble.” He laughed arrogantly, as if he was used to girls fawning over him.

  “I’m sure it isn’t.” She blushed, embarrassed at her own stupid comment. “Anyway, how can I help you?”

  “I need some flowers. An arrangement of red roses should do.” He flashed her a smile that showed off his pearly white teeth.

  “What’s it for?” Sarai asked as she grabbed the order pad and pen. She tore off the previous order and then wrote down the new one.

  “A dinner party, if you must know,” he stated with no hint of emotion.

  “You just want a bouquet of red roses?” Sarai asked. “How many roses in it?”

  “I believe I said an arrangement,” he snapped and then flashed his perfect teeth again.

  “Right, an arrangement. How big of an arrangement are you thinking?” Sarai nibbled on the tip of her pen.

  “Just make me an arrangement with red roses.” He was either annoyed or nervous; she couldn’t quite read him.

  “Look, red roses are beautiful, but can I suggest something better?” She picked an orchid up off the counter that hadn’t yet been tied with a ribbon. “Orchids are a much more extravagant choice, and we happen to have plenty left over from our homecoming order. We always order extra. And, for contrast, orchids go great with lilies. I can make you a gorgeous arrangement with brightly colored orchids and white lilies. It will be so much prettier than plain old red, boring roses. I know because they happen to be my favorite flowers, so I always make myself an arrangement of them for my birthday.”

  “This flower you hold in your hand, this is an orchid?”

  “Yes.”

  He rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he studied the flower. “Do you have an example of an arrangement so I can have a better idea?” he asked after an awkward moment.

  “As a matter of fact, I do.” She opened a boo
k on the counter and flipped it to her favorite arrangement. “I made this one for my birthday last year. I just happen to have these colors in stock.”

  “This is gorgeous. As gorgeous as the woman who made it.” He winked, making her blush.

  It caught Sarai off guard, and she melted a bit. “Oh, that’s sweet of you to say.”

  “Alright, Sarai.” He attempted to read he name off her chest.

  She smiled and blushed again.

  “Alright, I’ll take this one.” He tapped the page. Then he reached into his pocket for his overstuffed wallet and plucked the bills from it. He put the now empty wallet on the counter and started counting his fistful of cash.

  “Awesome!” She looked around at all the work she still had to do before the weekend. “So, do you need it immediately?”

  “No. I don’t need it till Sunday. There’s a family dinner, and she will be there.”

  “Oh, they’re for a special lady?” She asked as she rung it up. “If it’s a romantic bouquet--”

  “I never said it was a romantic bouquet. I believe my exact word for it was arrangement.” He suddenly turned off the charm and his eyes seemed to darken.

  “Right.” She rung him up. “I’ll have the flowers delivered.” He handed her the bills she asked for and waited impatiently for her to count out the change. As she was counting out the last few bills, a shrill sound emanated from her wrist.

  “What is that annoying sound coming from your wristwatch?”

  “Ah! It’s protein shake time.” He cocked his head at her with curiosity. “I’ve been exercising at home and using the keto diet.” He raised a brow at her. “I’m trying to tone up for a charity race in a few months for muscular dystrophy. One of my moms has it.”

  “You have two moms?” he asked with surprise in his voice.

  “Yeah. I was adopted at a young age by them,” Sarai explained as she got her shake from the mini fridge under the counter.

  “Two moms. How intriguing. Do you have two dads, too?” His question was one she’d heard time and time again.

  “No. Just two moms.” She took a drink of her shake as he made a face.

  “I am curious, why don’t you work out at a gym? Unless you have your own gym equipment and a personal trainer at home with you, a home work-out will hardly equal the proper work out you would get at a gym.”

  “Gyms make me feel nervous. People at gyms can be so judgmental. I mean look at me, do I look like the kind of girl who belongs in a gym?”

  “Well, maybe you’ve just been to the wrong one.” He pulled out his wallet again and pulled a card from it. “I happen to own a gym. I’m a personal trainer, in fact.”

  “Really? I would have never guessed,” she said as she looked him over. This was the first time their eyes locked for few seconds, and his intense eyes made her heart shrink.

  “I would be happy to help. Two weeks of training on me. I mean, after all, you’re running for a great cause.” He handed her his card.

  “Thanks!” She watched him walk out. Mickey slid over.

  “Oh my gosh, what a dream!” Mickey said, still too much hunger in her eyes.

  “He owns a gym.”

  “Yeah, I was eavesdropping. You should go.” Mickey finished wrapping the bouquet she was working on with the floral tape and picked up the next one. Sarai returned to cutting orchid stems.

  “To his gym? I don’t know. I found him a bit rough and arrogant.”

  “Why not? One on one time with that hot stud? Imagine him without his shirt. I’m sure a guy like that doesn’t exercise in a shirt.”

  Sarai blushed. She looked down at the card in her hand. Alastair Quentin. Oh gosh, even his name sounded arrogant.

  She couldn’t stop herself from imagining him without a shirt. He was tanned and muscular, and she imagined he had a six pack and rock-hard abs. “You’re picturing it.” Mickey teased her.

  “Am not!” she protested. “I need more lilies.” She held the tub out to Mickey. “Go! Get me more lilies,” she demanded.

  “Yes, boss.” Mickey teased as she took the tub and went to get more blooms.

  The phone began to ring. “Petals to the Metal, this is Sarai. Hello again, Mrs. Forester. Yes, we have your order. You want to change it to pink Gerber daisies and white peonies? No, that shouldn’t be a problem.” She rolled her eyes. This was the third time the wedding flowers had been changed.

  “Yes, the price would go up for labor. Because we already started the bouquets and it would take extra time now to undo what we’ve already done and start on the new ones. We have the bride’s bouquet done and two of the four bridesmaids done… Six bridesmaids?” Sarai searched her desk for the order. “I have the order right here; it was for four. Ok, that’s not a problem. I can make two more, but it will cost more. Let me figure that out, and I’ll have my assistant call you back. Thank you, Mrs. Forester.”

  Mickey came back with the tub of lilies. “Who was that?”

  “Mrs. Forester.”

  “Not again!”

  “I need to crunch new numbers for her, and I need you to get me pink Gerber daisies and white peonies. Then go to the craft shop and get me more floral tape and more yellow ribbon, oh- and two more bouquet holders. She added two bridesmaids.”

  “I’m on it. All this stress… you should go to work out at the gym.” Mickey winked.

  “Go get me my supplies. Do I look like I have time for the gym?”

  “Here are the orchids and the lilies for Mr. Dreamy’s arrangement.” Mickey had that teasing smile on her face.

  “Take them back, the wedding bouquets have priority,” Sarai said, trying to pretend that Alistair had not made any impact on her.

  Sarai flipped a dial on her radio and rock music blasted through the store. She rocked out as she began stripping the previously made bouquets so they could start over.

  Chapter 2

  Alistair

  It had been a few days since he had gone to the flower shop and met Sarai, and he couldn’t get her out of his head. The young woman had to be around 23. She was stunningly beautiful and once his eyes had landed on her, he felt breathless. And her twinkling blue eyes bothered him most.

  Alistair finished getting dressed for the dinner. A dinner he was suddenly dreading. He came down and noticed the orchid and lily arrangement was already there on the table. It was even more magnificent than it had looked in the book. It made him moody seeing it there, since it meant that Sarai had already dropped it off. He had missed his chance to see her again, since she had yet to take him up on his offer for the gym.

  She was eccentric, hot, and interesting- unlike most of the girls he usually saw. He had spent extra hours at the gym, hoping that she would walk in while he was doing paperwork or working out, but she hadn’t showed. He continued thinking about Sarai, picturing her as she had leaned against the counter, her shirt sagging a bit, hinting at cleavage.

  No. How I can even think like that. It’s wrong.

  He shook the thought of it off as his arranged mate, Phoebe, came in. Phoebe was nothing like Sarai. She was tall, slender, with golden colored hair that nearly swept the floor. Phoebe was dressed in an elegant lace gown, in a delicate shade of blue. Her face was perfectly painted with no adornments. Her neck and ears dripped with large jewels. Alistair thought back to Sarai’s face. He had noticed the diamonds at the corners of her mouth. He had never seen anything like it before, and it made him wonder what it would be like to kiss a mouth so adorned like that. Phoebe coughed gently, bringing him back to the moment.

  “Phoebe, you look lovely, darling.” He politely and ceremoniously kissed her cheek.

  “Hello, Alistair. Oh, what a pretty flower arrangement,” she said, eyeing the beautiful blooms on the table.

  “I’m glad you like it. The florist suggested it. I was going to go with something simpler, more elegant, like red roses.”

  “I like this.” Phoebe gently touched an orchid. “Such vibrant colors. It brightens this dull
room.”

  “Yes. Indeed, it does.” He smiled to himself. “Are you ready for…”

  “The show? As ready as I’ll ever be. You?”

  He gave her a smirk. The doors opened wide from the other side. Four older adults, dressed in ancient finery, entered the room. The women wore gowns and jewels adorned their head, ears, neck, and waist. Unlike Phoebe's jewels that were elegant but understated, their mothers’ jewels were gaudy and ancient. Their fathers were dressed in ceremonial silk robes. Alistair had forgone his robe for a nice suit. His father’s eyes flashed with rage for his son’s disdain for their customs and traditions.

  “Phoebe, don’t you look divine,” his father greeted her.

  “Thank you, Lord Quentin.” She took his hand and curtsied. Then she and Alistair's mother curtsied to each other. Alistair bowed to her parents.

  “I see your son has no respect.”

  “I bowed, didn’t I?” Alistair grumbled.

  “You’ll have to forgive Alistair; he prefers the human world and modern living. Shall we?” His father indicated the huge dining room table that held a feast fit for a king, displayed on shiny gold platters. The gold goblets were decked with jewels. Even the utensils had jewels on them. A massive chandelier hung above their heads, the light from it catching the jewels and making everything sparkle.

  Everyone took their seats. His father remained standing. “A toast to the bride and groom, may you honor and carry on the traditions of the dragon shifter. As you both know, the dragon shifter dates to ancient times. We are the last of our kind, the nine clans. It is our responsibility to ensure that dragons live on. So, we bind these two young dragons in marriage so that they will continue to carry on the traditions and customs and keep the dragon shifter alive.”

  Alistair glanced at his fidgety bride, who looked as if she was a human maiden about to be sacrificed to a dragon. She was a waif of a girl, barely his age, but she came from an ancient and powerful line of shifters. He should feel honored and privileged that her father had chosen him as her mate, but the sparkling jewels reminded him of the tiny diamonds in Sarai’s face, and that made him think about the curve of Sarai’s lips. For the first time in his long life, he began to question his parents and their way of life.