At twenty-eight, Ariel Hamm is ready to start focusing on what she wants. After her fiancee unexpectedly ends their engagement, she seeks to redefine who she really is. A pilot for Boswell International, Ariel knows flying is not her first love. Unhappy, she finally makes a decision based on what she wants--to live on the property she purchased in Wyoming and care for the stray and neglected animals that have always captured her heart. Her plans change suddenly when she finds herself on a warship headed for a distant planet. Determined never to let another man distract her from her dream or break her heart, Ariel makes plans to escape and make her way back home--no matter what. What she doesn't expect is an alien male just as determined to keep her by his side.Mandra Reykill never thought he would find his true mate so unexpectedly. His dragon recognizes her immediately and falls in love with the delicate beauty, and his symbiot is enchanted with her gentle touch and kindness. Unfortunately, all Mandra gets is a stubborn female refusing to acknowledge his claim to her and determined to escape from him at the first available moment. To top it all off, his nice, orderly life is turned upside down when he finds his home--and his warship--suddenly infested with creatures from all over the galaxy. Now he must find a way to convince Ariel he is the alien for her while trying to keep his sanity. But Mandra is not the only alien wanting to claim Ariel; another has set his sights on her and is just as determined. Can Mandra convince the stubborn beauty that they have a future together?