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Reaper had nodded at her before turning to the others who were quiet. “We’re going home, we’ll see you tomorrow.”

In a flash, Reaper and Ara disappeared and before Neri could blink, Hunter stood in front of her. He wiped the tears from her cheeks. She hadn’t even noticed she’d been crying, but her heart hurt for Ara. When Hunter smiled at her, she fell into his arms and shivered.

“I hated making her cry. Her thoughts haunted her and if she dwelled on it, well, it causes damage.”

Hunter’s words came out as a whisper. “I had no clue she thought about Solomon all these years later, but one look from you, and you brought the truth to the surface. And you’re right, angel, everyone needs to talk about what’s bothering them. It’s toxic to keep it inside.”

Neri sighed. Guilt weight on her. She needed to keep an eye on Ara.

Hunter lifted her head and kissed her. It wasn’t one full of passion but one of loving acceptance and care. By the time he pulled away, her body sagged against his in exhaustion.

“Ready to head home and go to bed?”

Neri nodded and smiled when Hunter reached for her and threaded their fingers together. They walked into the living room and remembering, almost too late she was still naked, her hand gripped on the blanket that slipped.

“Got it there, gray eyes?” Axel asked.

She smiled at her new friend and nodded. “Just tired. We’re headed back to my house.”

“I remember where you live,” Kai said.

Neri turned to Hunter. “Ready?”

Hunter nodded and with one final wave, Neri gripped his bicep with both her hands and flashed them both home. She sighed, happy to see her bed right in front of her.

“I would shower, but I’m way too tired.” Neri slid under the covers before she glanced up to see Hunter smiling at her. “Lose the clothes, panther. Time to sleep.”

She didn’t even remember when their positions had shifted to Hunter holding her. Neri smiled when she thought about the term ‘small spoon’ and snuggled back into Hunter.

“How did you sleep?” Hunter asked, his voice deep and rough from sleep.

She turned in his arms and smiled at being able to wake up next to her mate, being able to touch him whenever she wanted. She traced her fingers along his eyebrows and down his cheeks, loving the warmth infusing her fingers.

“I don’t remember. I haven’t slept this well as far back as I could remember. Maybe since I lived at Thalia’s. How about you?”

He smiled and captured her lips with his own. The kiss started slow, but the moment his tongue touch her bottom lip, all thoughts fled. She moaned as she opened for him, loving when his arms wrapped around her, spanning his hands over the small of her back. Her eyes fluttered closed, and she sensed movement, but it wasn’t until the kiss ended because they needed to breathe when she realized she lay on top of Hunter, naked.

“Have I shocked you, angel?”

Neri blinked at him, unable to register the question he’d asked. She was too busy cataloging how the hair on his legs was softer than she expected. He was so much taller than her, so the top of her feet slid up and down his shins, skin against skin. Her hips pressed against his taut stomach and she shivered against him. But it was her breasts against the hot skin of his chest that drew a moan from her throat.

“Um… what?”

Hunter threw his head back and laughed, exposing his neck and causing her mouth to water. Without knowing it, her fingers moved toward her own mark on her neck and when she brushed against it, her breath caught in her throat.

She must have moaned because Hunter’s expression sobered and he spotted her hand near his mark.

“What’s it like?”

Neri swallowed. But unable to hold back the truth from her mate, she told him.

“It’s like a shock cascading over your body. But instead of being painful, it’s energizing, and then there’s the throbbing, which makes by nipples hard, and I crave your touch as my pussy becomes drenched, waiting for you to enter me.”

“Fuck.”

Neri scrambled on top of Hunter’s body until she sat on his thighs, her hands splaying over his stomach. “Can I touch you?”

“Angel, you don’t even have to ask.”