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He massaged my hips.“The problem was, when they were born, I started to feel.My emotions began to develop, like they have been with you.”He gave me a squeeze.“I felt love for my pups, and the pain of losing one and the suffering of the other, was too much.Sutton, it was too much for me to handle after five hundred years of nothing, so I…I asked Lucifer to take those emotions away.”

And he’d gone another five hundred years since without feeling much of anything, until now.My heart ached for him.That kind of grief was hard enough for anyone, but to live your whole life not feeling that deeply, then to experience the extreme roller coaster of so much all at once?No wonder he’d asked Lucifer to take them away.

“I told you before, the reason I took so long to realize you were mine was that I didn’t think a mate was possible for me.There’s a reason for that.I asked Lucifer to stop it from happening for me.”He shook his head.“I wasn’tlooking for it, hadn’t allowed myself to feel it, because I didn’t believe you were possible.”

“You did that?”God, there was so much regret rolling off him.

“After I denied you, after I hurt you, I went to Lucifer and asked what was happening.He admitted that he never did what I asked, that he couldn’t.Only the fates made those decisions.I should have gone to you then, as soon as I found out, I should have begged for forgiveness, but I was so fucking scared.I was terrified of losing you because, eventually, I would lose you.You’re not?—”

“Immortal?”I finished for him when he choked back his words.

He hissed through bared teeth.“Knowing that I’d lose you as well, that I’d spend eternity back in that pain?”He shook his head.“I’m ashamed to admit, I was afraid…so afraid that I hurt you to protect myself.”

I slid my thumb along that sharp jawline.“I did the same thing, I refused to let you back in to protect my heart.We both did that.We both know the pain of losing people we love.”

“We do, but the difference is, now you’re under my skin, buried deep in my heart, and I’d rather have you for as long as I can than never at all.I can’t exist in this world knowing you’re in it and stay away from you, so when you’re gone, I’ll go with you.”

I gripped his shoulders.“What are you saying?”

“I made a deal with Lucifer, sunshine.When you go, I go with you.”

I shook my head, and he took my face in his hands.“You can’t change my mind.It’s what I want.I’ve lived for a thousand years, Sutton, and none of it meant a fucking thing until I found you.Live the rest of this life with me.Don’t think about the end, just be with me here, now.”

I wrapped my arms around him and kissed him with everything I was feeling, with my whole heart and soul, with all the fire that burned inside me whenever he was near.“I love you,” I said against his lips.

He lifted me, turned, and laid me on the bed, coming down on top of me.“I love you, too, my beautiful sunshine.”His expression grew serious, his thumbs brushing over my jaw as he looked down at me.“Before we go any further, I need you to know, I can’t…I can’t give you pups, baby, it’s too risky.”

He was serious.Didn’t he know?“I just want you, Jagger.Nothing else matters, I just want you to make me yours.”I wrapped my legs around his waist.“I don’t want to go another day, another moment, not being your mate in truth.”

“Yeah?”he rasped against my jaw.“You ready to take your male on your hands and knees, baby?You ready to wear my mark on your skin?”

He ground his hard cock against me, wringing a desperate whimper from my lips.“Yes, I’m ready.I want that, more than anything.”

One moment his big body covered me, the next he’d lifted up, taking me with him, and flipped me onto my front.

He hoisted my hips up, then bent over me, his mouth at my ear.“I’ll make love to you, baby, I’ll make you come all night long.I’ll worship this sweet, soft, perfect little body until the day we die, but tonight, right now, I’m going to fuck you, Sutton.I’m going to make you mine like the animal I am needs me to.”

I shivered.That’s exactly what I wanted.I wriggled my ass against the hard, hot length resting between his tight stomach and my ass.“Do it,” I demanded.

I’d transformed, a red haze shifted through my sight, my black nails sliding from the tips of my fingers and digging into the mattress.He rubbed his face, his jaw over my throat and shoulders, marking me with his scent as he slid his fingers deep inside me.

Gasping, I rocked against his hand.

“That’s it, sunshine.Nice and wet for your mate.You’re gonna take all of me, aren’t you, baby?”

All I could do was whimper and nod as those thick fingers thrust into me faster, hitting the spot inside me that made my eyes roll back over and over.“Oh fuck.”

“Give it to me.”

I cried out, coming all over his fingers, and as soon as I stopped clutching wildly, he slid his fingers free.A moment later, I felt the thick head of his cock at my entrance and I squirmed, wanting him inside me so badly.

“You ready to take my knot?”

“Yes, I’m ready.I’m so ready.”

He chuckled low and sexy.“Better dig those claws deeper into the mattress, sunshine.”

I shivered with excitement.