“Don’t say another word.” His voice was so deep that it was barely recognizable as speech. Coal didn’t care. “Julie is mine. No one else gets to go near her. I have claimed her and I’m keeping her. I don’t care if she never mates me. I don’t care if she never bares me young. She gets to stay here, with me and that’s final.”

“What the hell are you saying? Listen to yourself. Torrent is here on fire territory. I have already told him that he can take the female.”

“You had no right,” a barely contained growl. “The male would need to come through me first.” There were more flames. More smoke, but Coal didn’t care. The only thing he was concerned about was Julie… his female.

Blaze rolled his eyes. “Torrent is a king.” The higher up the food chain, the stronger. “You got lucky during the hunt.”

“I breathe fire.” He was also a prince, next in line to the throne and of fire descent.

“You would tear each other to pieces. It would be pretty evenly matched and a stupid undertaking for a female that does not want you.”

“Julie does want me.”

“I gave you a task and now I’m changing it. Wait for the next hunt and—”

“No!” It came out in a booming snarl that shook the foundations. It shook the whole damn mountain.

“You came to me just a few weeks ago for permission to mate Scarlet. You got over her, you will move on from the human.”

“I will not move on and I refuse to do so.” Coal took a step towards his brother. Blaze took a step towards him. Their eyes were locked, their chests bashed. This was not a fight Coal could ever win but he didn’t care. He would gladly give up his life for the human. Julie had become everything to him.

Everything.

“We’re not fighting. You are stupid to even want to give up your life for that female.” Blaze’s nose was almost against his. “She means everything to you. Everything? Are you sure?”

Coal hadn’t realized that he had said the words aloud. “Yes,” he almost whispered.

Blaze took a step back. He huffed out a breath and massaged his neck. “I will have to speak with Torrent. He won’t be happy.”

Coal felt his spirits lift but his hopes were quickly dashed.

“You have twenty-four hours to—”

The door creaked open and Julie walked in. She looked angry. Her eyes were blazing. Her fists clenched. She looked from Blaze to Coal and back again. “So it’s all true then. If I’m not pregnant in the next twenty-four hours you’re sending me back?”

Coal shouted “No!” and Blaze nodded yes.

“No.” Coal repeated… with just as much ardor.

“Yes.” Blaze murmured, a hint of irritation in his voice. “I want you mated and pregnant or—”