Dragon's Temptation

DRAGON’S TEMPTATION SHIFTERS AND FORBIDDEN FATES - BOOK ONE LOLA GABRIEL Dragon’s Temptation: Shifters and Forbidden Fates - Book One Text Copyright © 2023 by Lola Gabriel All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictionally. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or to actual events or locales is entirely coincidental. First printing, 2023 Publisher Secret Woods Books [email protected] www.SecretWoodsBooks.com Cover art: Miblart CONTENTS Secret Woods Books 1. Liv 2. Liv 3. Colter 4. Liv 5. Colter 6. Liv 7. Colter 8. Colter 9. Liv 10. Liv 11. Liv 12. Colter 13. Liv 14. Colter 15. Liv 16. Colter 17. Liv 18. Liv 19. Colter 20. Colter 21. Liv 22. Liv 23. Liv 24. Colter 25. Liv 26. Liv 27. Liv 28. Colter 29. Liv Epilogue Other Books You Will Love Secret Woods Books SECRET WOODS BOOKS Receive a FREE paranormal romance eBook by visiting our website and signing up for our mailing list: SecretWoodsBooks.com By signing up for our mailing list, you’ll receive a FREE paranormal romance eBook. The newsletter will also provide information on upcoming books and special offers. 1 LIV I walked into the building where I worked, humming softly to myself. “Morning, Miss Clarke,” the doorman said with a smile when he opened for me. “It’s a beautiful day, Fred,” I said. “How’s Gloria?” “Always good. She sends her regards.” I smiled and stepped into the building. I continued humming while I made my way through the maze of hallways until I reached the office area where a bunch of research stations were set up. I was the first one there. “You’re late,” Jerry said when I walked in. I stopped humming, and my heart sank. “Technically, I’m early,” I pointed out. “No one else is here yet.” Jerry narrowed his eyes at me. He would have something to say about my attitude in my next performance review, no doubt. Talk about a man who knew how to nitpick. So much for it being a good day. My boss knew just how to ruin my mood. He stood next to my research station. My boss didn’t usually leave his office unless he had a meeting or was forced to speak to his employees. At least, that was what I’d heard from other people who worked here. Jerry was a tall, thin man with a hook nose and sharp gray eyes that missed nothing. He wore an ill-fitting brown suit that did nothing for his complexion, and his dark hair was parted down the middle like he belonged in a mafia movie from the seventies. He’d taken a liking to me since the day I’d started working here—but not in a good way—and he was at my workstation more often than not. “Just a couple of minutes. Traffic was a nightmare.” “It’s something I expect you to have figured out by now,” Jerry said. “I won’t let it happen again,” I said and walked to the desk, putting down my handbag. Jerry’s eyes tracked me like I was his prey, and when I leaned down to open a drawer, I was sure Jerry leaned in a little. My boss was such a creep. “Is there anything I can help you with?” I asked, straightening. I took a deliberate step away from him. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. I hoped he wasn’t reading something inappropriate into those words. Then again, there wasn’t much about Jerry that was appropriate. How he was in a position of power after the stunts he pulled was beyond me. “While you’re here, I actually have a favor to ask you,” I said. Jerry frowned. “I don’t do favors for my employees.” “It might benefit us both in the long run.” Jerry’s eyes sparkled at that. He had time for anything that might benefit him. It was the only positive about Jerry getting up in my face on the regular—I didn’t have to hunt him down to find him when I needed to talk to him. “I know you said last time you weren’t interested in my research on anemia, but I drew up a document with everything you need to know, and I really think if you just take a look—” “I don’t have time for research papers that aren’t your main focus right now, Liv,” Jerry said, cutting me off with a wave of his hand. “We have bigger things to worry about.” “If you can see that it gets to the right department, we don’t even have to focus on it directly—” “I’m not talking about this again,” Jerry warned. I sighed and nodded. I lifted my hand and touched my fingers to the pendant that hung around my neck. I’d joined Wonderprise Pharmaceuticals because I had wanted to make a difference, but so far, all I seemed to do was either irritate my boss with questions that were actually related to my job, or give him something to fantasize about when he was alone. It was tough to keep my eyes on my goal—helping people—when I felt so stuck in the daily grind. It didn’t feel like I was going anywhere. I was stuck in the mud with spinning wheels that had no traction. I’d worked at Wonderprise Pharmaceuticals for the past six months; they’d offered me a job almost the moment I received my degree in pharmacology. I’d specialized in toxicology along with the degree, and that had given me the edge. They’d hired me despite not having a lot of experience in the field after I’d done my intern year. Jerry had been the one to do the interview. Lately, I wondered more and more if he’d just hired