Risking Her Heart

Falling off a cliff isn’t how I expect my day to end—but instead of plummeting to my death, I’m caught midair by a massive, scaled alien with blazing golden eyes. His name is Zas’tu, and he calls me his “treasure.” Apparently, that’s Zmaj for “you’re mine forever.”
I’m no one’s treasure. Sure, he’s all broad muscles, shimmering scales, and an infuriating protectiveness that makes my heart race, but I’ve got bigger problems. Like surviving on a dying planet where water is scarcer than hope and sand snakes aren’t the deadliest thing out there. The water machine is broken, my people are counting on me, and now I’m stuck with a warrior who insists we’re fated mates.
Zas’tu is relentless—touching, holding, and driving me mad with his confidence that I’m the one he’s been waiting for. As if I can focus on him when the corrupt Zmaj Order is hunting humans like me. When danger forces us on a perilous journey through the desert, his strength and tenderness start to wear down my defenses.
But can I trust a man—or alien—who’s been burned by his own people? And when the Order attacks, will he risk it all to protect me and the fragile bond we’ve built?