Page 10

Grey

She’s asleep, out entirely, spooned by me and a perfect fit. I lay awake beside her for a long time, caressing her skin, dusting kisses along her shoulder and throat as she sleeps, inhaling the scent of her skin, finger-combing her mass of dark hair back so I can admire the mark I’ve put on her throat while feeling the soft, wavy strands.

I’m feeling a multitude of things including invigoration. Ready. Ready for what? I can’t completely pinpoint it but maybe ready for the rest of our lives, ready to give her everything. I feel strong. I feel like I’ve leveled up somehow in terms of strength and senses.

I’ve mated. This is the female I’ll build a family with. As my breathing begins to sync up with hers and I feel her burrowing into that new space in my chest, I fight the urge to drift off before shifting to wolf. While I’ve undoubtedly tired her out by claiming her, I’m not taking chances, not giving an opening for her to take off again. Because I’ve tired myself out too, I’ll sleep as wolf beside her. She snuggles in closer, burying her face into my coat.

The moment I laid eyes on her in that cell after catching her true scent I knew this was right, knew down to my gut that she was made for me. I also know it’s not uncomplicated. Far from it. In the moments after mating before she fell asleep, I felt a range of her emotions sift through my bones that I was able to decode easily. Wonder. Happiness. Hope. Fear. I need to know why she ran, who she was running to. Obviously, it’s to do with the actions she took in an effort to harm the pack. I have no doubt she won’t try to further harm us. I feel how pure her heart is. Sensed it before we connected physically and now I know it down to my bones.

I’ll find out who forced her to do those things, I’ll find out why, and I’ll make sure they’re no longer a threat to us.

After. Because as soon as she wakes up, I’ll be knotting her again.

Knotting someone you’ve marked as yours, someone who you feel a connection with? Amazing. Incredible. This was the most profoundly satisfying sex of my life. I already know it’ll be addictive.

My thoughts flit to the pack, to Riley. I never caught his claiming scent in the air last night. I know the village is currently flooded with the scent of my claiming. This means there’s a good chance we’ve mated out of order.