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She cries out, her nails digging into my back, and I groan against her mouth, the feel of her tight heat around me almost too much to bear.I start to move, my hips setting a steady rhythm, and she meets me thrust for thrust, her body arching to meet mine.

“You’re mine,” I growl, my voice rough with possession.“Say it, Hannah.”

“I’m yours,” she gasps, her eyes locked on mine.“Always.”

The words send a surge of pleasure through me, and I feel myself getting closer, my thrusts becoming more urgent.I reach between us, my fingers finding her clit, and I start to rub, feeling her body tense beneath me.

“Come for me, Hannah,” I growl, my voice a command.“Come with me.”

She does, her body shuddering as she comes apart around me, her cries filling the room.I follow her over the edge, my orgasm crashing through me like a tidal wave, and I groan her name, my hips stuttering as I spill inside her.

When we finally come down, I collapse beside her, pulling her into my arms.She rests her head on my chest, her fingers tracing lazy patterns over my skin, and I hold her close, my hand tangled in her hair.

“I love you,” I murmur, my voice thick with emotion.

“I love you, too,” she whispers, her voice a soft sigh against my skin.

We lie there in silence, our bodies entwined, and I know without a doubt that this is where I’m meant to be.With her.Always.

We don’t talk for a while, content to just exist in the quiet together.But as the night deepens, I feel the words bubbling up inside me, the truth I’ve been holding back for too long.

“Hannah,” I say softly, my voice breaking the silence.

She hums in response, her head tilting up to look at me.

“There’s something I need to tell you,” I say, my chest tightening.“Something I’ve been holding back.”

Her expression shifts, her eyes softening as she waits for me to continue.

“You’re my mate,” I say, the words finally tumbling out.“In shifter terms, it means you’re...everything to me.My soul, my heart, my future.It’s not just love.It’s deeper than that.Permanent.”

She blinks, her lips parting slightly, and for a moment, I can’t breathe.But then she smiles, her fingers brushing along my jaw.

“Good,” she says simply.

I blink, stunned.“Good?”

She laughs softly, her eyes sparkling.“Good.Because I want forever with you, Cameron.Whatever being your mate means, I’m all in.”

Relief floods through me, and I pull her into a kiss, my heart pounding with a mix of love and gratitude.

“You have no idea how much I love you,” I murmur against her lips.

She smiles, her forehead resting against mine.“I think I have some idea.”

***

Thenightfadesintomorning, and as the first rays of sunlight filter through the curtains, I know without a doubt that this is where I’m meant to be.

With her.

Always.

We sit on the porch together later, the swing swaying gently beneath us as we watch the sunrise.She leans against me, her head on my shoulder, and I hold her close, my hand resting on her thigh.

“I’m going to carve you something else,” I say after a while, the thought striking me suddenly.

She tilts her head to look at me, her lips quirking into a smile.“Oh?What is it this time?”

“You’ll see,” I say, grinning.

She laughs, the sound warm and full of life, and I kiss her temple, my chest tight with love.

This is it.

The future I never thought I’d have.The peace I never thought I’d feel.

And I’m never letting it go.

***