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When I finally caught my breath and stopped crying, he helped me to my feet, his touch tender as he tuggedmy shirt and pants back into place.I hissed as the fabric scraped against my punished flesh.

“Sore?”

“So very much,” I said, my cheeks flushing.

“Good,” he smirked, with a touch of humor in his tone.

I bit my lip, the flush creeping down to my neck and chest, making me burn with shame, but Silas didn’t tease me. Instead, he took my hand and held it close against his chest, over his heart.

“I’ll take care of you, Lia. From now to forever,” he promised, his tone heavy with the weight of his intent.

I swallowed hard as a wild, fierce emotion twisted in my chest. The words, though simple, sent a shock through me. I believed him.

Because Silas was a man of his word.

CHAPTER19

Silas

She had taken every strikebeautifully.

The memory of it was still burning in my mind—the way the switch bit into her soft skin, leaving thin, red lines in its wake, each stroke decorating her with the proof of my discipline. I had watched the way her body reacted, how she tensed with every strike, how she fought against the pain, refusing to break too soon.

Inevitably, though, the moment came when both her mind and her body yielded to me.

The moment her breaths had turned shaky, her fingers gripping the log beneath her like it was the only thing keeping her grounded. The moment she had finally gasped out her apology, her voice shaking, her body trembling beneath my hands.

God, I’ll never forget the way she had shook and clenched as I sank my huge cock into her tiny virgin ass, forcing her surrender. It would be seared into my memory for many years to come.

I ran my hand over her lower back, tracing the curve of her spine, feeling the slight tremor that still lingered in her muscles. The welts on her ass were still hot to the touch, raised slightly, perfect.

She had taken everything I had given her. My little mate had endured every strike with that stubborn pride, that same fire in her veins that always made her different from anyone else. She had submitted to every thrust of my cock in that needy little pussy and that helpless little asshole.

She was going to get fucked there again. She’d come way too hard to tell me that she hadn’t enjoyed it, at least on some level. I smirked to myself, the warmth in my chest mixing with a now-familiar dark, possessive feeling. I heard my wolf snarling “Mine,” echoing my own thoughts.

I smoothed my hand up her back, fisting my fingers gently into her hair, tipping her head to the side so I could see her face. Her lashes were still spiked from her tears, her lips slightly parted, her breath still shaky.

Stunning.

She was so damn beautiful.

And she was all mine.

Mymatein every way now that I’d marked her. Fuck, that feeling was indescribable. In all my long years, nothing compared to that moment. Imarkedmy mate, claimed her for the world to see.Mine forever.

She was still shivering, her breath coming in uneven waves. I held her safe in my arms, fingers threading gently into her hair as I tipped her face up toward mine. The moonlight from overhead illuminated the tear tracks staining her cheeks. My chest tightened at the sight.

I exhaled slowly, pressing my lips to her cheek, kissing away the remnants of her tears. The salt lingered on my tongue, and it stirred that primal feeling of ownership once more.

“My perfect good girl,” I murmured against her skin, my voice thick with satisfaction. I kissed the corner of her mouth, then along her jaw, letting her feel how much I meant it. “You took your punishment so well, Wildcat.”

Lia let out a shaky breath, her hands pressing against my chest.

I nibbled on her soft earlobe then whispered into her ear, “But don’t think for a second that I won’t do it again.”

She shuddered.

I pulled on her hair just a bit to tilt her head back further, forcing her to look up at me. “If you ever run off like this again… If you ever put yourself in danger like you did coming out here…” My voice dropped into my deepest range, rife with warning. “I will punish you just as thoroughly. Maybe worse.”