Free Always (Dragon Wars, #3) by Rebecca Royce

inches smaller than any female he’d ever known. He was going to have to keep her safe in the dangerous, crazed world. He’d be damned if he let her board whatever device they had to take her to outer space.
    He supposed he should be more bothered by the concept of space travel except considering his mate was a human, and they were supposed to be extinct, he could wrap his mind around the idea of machines taking people to the stars. Just not his human.
    She needed to stay on his planet.
    Robbie rubbed at his eyes. He knew he should focus on the task at hand only it wasn’t as if he could fix the machinery himself. Auggie was bent over a cannon, which hadn’t worked in years.
    His twin raised his eyes and for a second made eye contact with Robbie in the corner before he looked away. Tatyana said something and August actually smiled before he continued poking at the thing.
    The scene was almost normal. His twin brother talking with the woman destined for Robbie. It would be downright familial if they weren’t in a hidden human compound trying to figure out how to destroy dragons before what remained of humanity launched skyward.
    Robbie clicked his tongue lightly and Auggie raised his eyes again. With a flick of the chin, Robbie let Auggie know to leave the room. His brother nodded, a slight jerk of his chin before he stood. Inching forward while Auggie exited, Robbie let himself enjoy the scent of roses as he got closer.
    A click behind the door let him know his brother had locked the door on his way out. He owed the man a drink.
    Tatyana didn’t look up when she spoke. “It’s not nice to stare at a woman across a room. You’re a werewolf. You treat your women as gems. Shouldn’t you know a lady likes a gentleman’s presence announced when he’s present?”
    Robbie squatted in front of her. “So you did know I was here.”
    “The whole time.” She finally met his gaze and when she did it was with wariness he didn’t enjoy discovering. “What you said before...”
    He held out his hand to stop her. When he owed someone an apology, he made sure they got it. “I should not have been so coarse with you. My mother would shove me into the lake if she ever found out.”
    “I’m not a woman who needs you to watch what you say.” She shook her head and then stood. “I didn’t run away because the words you said or because the visions they invoked upset me, which they didn’t. My fleeing involved something else entirely.”
    “Then by all means explain so I can make it better.”
    She put her hand on his arm. “You can’t fix it.”
    “Try me.”
    “Before you were talking about mating. You think I’m your mate.” She bit on her lower lip and he touched where she had done it.
    “No. I don’t think you’re my mate. I know it. My understanding might be more complex for you because you’re not a wolf. So you’re going to have to take my word for it. I know my mate.”
    Tatyana dropped her gaze and he tilted her chin. From others he liked subservient behavior, but not from her. He wanted the fire he’d had in the conference room. Whatever put the pain in her, he would find a way to rid her of it.
    “You can’t bite me. It’ll never be a full mating for you.”
    He rubbed his thumb down her neck to where he ached to sink his teeth. He hated the idea of causing her pain and his desire to never do so warred with his need to claim her. “What if I did? You’ll heal. Probably would hurt you more than it does a werewolf. I’ll be as gentle as I can be.”
    “If you bite me.” She put her hand over his, holding it on her neck. He could feel her pulse beating strong and hard, which went against the exhausted dark circles under her eyes. Did she sleep? “There’s a seventy percent chance I will become a werewolf.”
    “Well, changing you would solve everything, sweetheart. I’ll bite you right away. Then you’ll be a werewolf and not leave on the shuttle-thing. Then we’ll beat the dragons and move