Coal did see it. He understood her anger. “Maybe specimen was a bad choice of word…” He caught a certain look in her eye. “Okay, okay. Specimen was a terrible choice of word. I am well aware that you have feelings. I do not see you as a cow or any of those other things.” He was shocked to find that it was true. “Please know that we felt we had no other choice. The females that we chose,” he paused. “The reason why we chose you, is because we hoped that we could help you. That this could be a mutually beneficial relationship.”

The female stood back up. She put her hands on her hips and scowled at him. “Like hell. You could help me by taking me back and right now.”

“I was told that you are destitute. That you need our help just as much as we need yours. Is this information incorrect?”

Her jaw was clenched, her hands flew to her hips. “Just because I’m homeless, jobless and my best friend hates me right now doesn’t mean you had any right to take me away from my life, my home. Not that I had a home.” Her bottom lip quivered. “It’s irrelevant,” she choked out, sounding wounded.

So she was destitute. She did need help. By all that was green and scaly, the female was going to cry. Something inside him clenched. “I’m sorry.” His voice was rough. “I’m sorry you didn’t have a home and that this happened to you.” What the hell was he saying? He’d rarely apologized, if ever. Then again, he needed to win her. For his brother and his kingdom. This was no time to take the moral high ground.

“Sorry is not going to help, is it?” A single tear rolled down her cheek.

Blast and damn. Tears didn’t normally affect him. He was trying to picture himself in her position. He could understand her pain. “I swear to you that I will not hurt you or force you to do anything you don’t want to do.” Coal rose to his feet. “I will look after you. None of the males will harm the females they won today. Neither will they force them. It is not how dragon shifters operate.”

“That’s bullshit!” She shouted. “I saw that big guy climb on top of Pauline.”

“Flame was putting his scent on her. He wasn’t hurting her.”

“You might not consider rape as harming but us humans do. What the hell is putting his scent on her?” Although her eyes were still watery, she looked mad. “It’s so wrong and so disgusting.” She narrowed her eyes and growled the words. If she were a fire dragon, she would have flames erupting from her mouth.