Nicole has been treading water for so long, she's going under. She can't continue to fight the injustice of a system that seems to favor a multibillion dollar company. She won't give up on the promise she made to her family, even if it cost her everything.
Called in to help his brother with his most recent mark, Dalton expected something easy. Finding out she was his mate, not so much, if she didn't trust him any further than she could throw him. Earning her trust by slaying her enemies would be a piece of cake, but it wasn't his honor to claim.