Page 18 of Swipe Right on the Alpha (Fur Real Love #1)

The bedroom continued the ritual atmosphere—candles flickering, strange symbols drawn on the mirror and windows, a subtle fragrance in the air that seemed to enhance Aiden’s already heightened senses.

The bed had been prepared with fresh linens in deep burgundy, the color symbolic in ways Elena had attempted to explain earlier.

Dylan guided Aiden to sit on the edge of the bed, kneeling before him with an expression of such reverence it made Aiden’s chest ache with emotion.

“I need to explain what happens next,” Dylan said, his hands resting on Aiden’s knees. “The physical bonding is… intense. My wolf will be very close to the surface—I’ll partially shift during the process. The claiming bite comes at the moment of completion, and it will leave a permanent mark.”

“I know,” Aiden said, having discussed these details extensively over the past days. “I’m ready.”

Dylan’s eyes searched his face, looking for any hint of hesitation.

Finding none, he continued, “The bite creates the metaphysical connection. You’ll feel…

changes. My emotions, sometimes thoughts.

A sense of my presence even when we’re apart.

And physical changes too—enhanced healing, extended lifespan, heightened senses—not to werewolf levels, but beyond human norm. ”

“The full supernatural spouse package,” Aiden said with a small smile, trying to lighten the solemnity of the moment. “Got it.”

Dylan’s answering smile was tender. “It goes both ways. I’ll feel you too—your emotions, your needs. The bond connects us in ways that can’t be broken. That’s why this choice is so significant.”

“I’ve made my choice,” Aiden said, reaching to trace Dylan’s face with gentle fingers. “I choose you. Wolf and all.”

Something shifted in Dylan’s expression—restraint giving way to primal hunger.

He rose in one fluid motion, pressing Aiden back onto the bed and covering his body with his own.

Their mouths met in a kiss that contained months of built anticipation, the knowledge that this joining was different, more significant than those that had come before.

Dylan’s hands explored with possessive intent, the tea amplifying every touch until Aiden was gasping beneath him, skin hypersensitive and responsive.

When Dylan’s mouth traveled down his neck to his chest, pausing to pay particular attention to his nipples, Aiden arched off the bed with a startled cry.

“The tea enhances everything,” Dylan murmured against his skin, clearly pleased with the response. “Every touch, every sensation.”

“I noticed,” Aiden managed, fingers threading through Dylan’s hair to guide him back up for another kiss.

Their remaining clothing was quickly discarded, both impatient for skin-to-skin contact. Dylan’s body was furnace-hot against Aiden’s, his hands seemingly everywhere at once as they explored with familiar knowledge of what brought the most pleasure.

The ritual aspect remained present even in their passion—Dylan murmuring words in that strange ancient language against Aiden’s skin, pausing at certain moments to trace symbols on his chest or hips.

Far from detracting from the intimacy, these elements added a layer of significance that heightened Aiden’s emotional response.

When Dylan finally reached for the oil that had been placed on the bedside table—not their usual lubricant but something specially prepared for the ritual—Aiden was already trembling with need, his body eager and receptive.

“Turn over,” Dylan directed, his voice deepened to that growl that never failed to send shivers through Aiden’s body.

Aiden complied willingly, settling on his stomach before rising to his hands and knees as Dylan guided him.

The first touch of oil-slicked fingers at his entrance drew a gasping moan—the substance was different from their usual lubricant, creating a warming, tingling sensation that intensified the pleasure of preparation.

Dylan took his time despite his obvious urgency, stretching and preparing with thorough attention that had Aiden pushing back impatiently, demanding more.

When Dylan finally positioned himself, the blunt head of his cock pressing against Aiden’s prepared entrance, he paused for one final confirmation.

“You’re mine after this,” he said, the words both warning and promise. “And I’m yours. Forever.”

“Yes,” Aiden breathed, beyond hesitation or doubt. “Please, Dylan—make me yours.”

The initial breach was always intense, but the ritual oil and tea combined to transform the familiar stretch into something transcendent.

Aiden gasped, fingers clutching at the sheets as Dylan pressed forward in a slow, steady movement until he was fully seated, his chest coming to rest against Aiden’s back in a position that felt protective and possessive.

“Okay?” Dylan murmured against his ear, one arm wrapped around Aiden’s chest to hold him close.

“More than okay,” Aiden managed, turning his head to seek Dylan’s mouth in an awkward but necessary kiss.

When Dylan began to move, it was with confidence born of months learning Aiden’s body—knowing exactly how to angle for maximum pleasure, how to build a rhythm that would drive them both toward completion.

What was different was the restraint Dylan usually maintained was noticeably absent—his thrusts deeper, more powerful, his hands gripping with strength that would likely leave marks.

Most significantly, Dylan was allowing his partial shift to emerge as passion built—Aiden could feel the subtle changes where their bodies connected, the slight elongation of teeth when Dylan nipped at his shoulder, the hint of claws where fingers gripped his hips.

Far from frightening, the transformation heightened Aiden’s arousal—physical evidence of Dylan’s unleashed desire, his wolf rising to claim its mate.

When Dylan shifted their position, pulling Aiden upright so they were both kneeling, his back to Dylan’s chest, the new angle drove him impossibly deeper.

“Mine,” Dylan growled against his ear, one hand splayed possessively across Aiden’s stomach while the other wrapped around his neglected cock, stroking in counterpoint to his thrusts.

“Yours,” Aiden agreed without hesitation, head falling back against Dylan’s shoulder as pleasure built toward an inevitable peak. “All yours, Dylan—god, please—”

The dual stimulation combined with the ritual elements created a spiral of pleasure unlike anything Aiden had experienced before. He could feel his climax approaching with unstoppable force, his body tightening around Dylan as the sensation built.

“Come for me,” Dylan commanded, his voice rough with his partial transformation. “Let me feel you.”

The permission was all Aiden needed—his orgasm crashed through him with devastating intensity, his body clenching rhythmically around Dylan as he spilled over the hand still stroking him through his release.

As the peak of pleasure hit, Dylan’s teeth found the juncture of his neck and shoulder, biting down with careful precision—hard enough to break skin but controlled enough to avoid serious injury.

The bite sent a shock wave of sensation through Aiden’s body—not pain as expected, but a second surge of pleasure that extended his orgasm to near-painful intensity. Something else followed, a strange rushing sensation like energy flowing between them, connecting at some level beyond the physical.

Dylan’s rhythm faltered as he reached his own completion, hips jerking against Aiden as he pulsed deep inside him, the bond cementing in that moment of shared pleasure.

For several heartbeats, they remained frozen in that position, connected physically and now metaphysically, the bond settling into place between them like a tangible presence.

Then, with gentle movements, Dylan withdrew and guided Aiden to lie on his side, immediately curling around him in a protective embrace that felt both familiar and somehow new. His tongue lapped gently at the bite mark, an instinctive behavior to clean and soothe the wound.

“I can feel you,” Aiden whispered with wonder as his breathing gradually steadied. “Inside me, not just physically. Like… a presence in my mind.”

“The bond,” Dylan confirmed, his arms tightening around Aiden. “It will grow stronger, more defined with time. Right now it’s… raw. New.”

Aiden focused on the strange sensation—a warmth in his chest that hadn’t been there before, an awareness of Dylan that transcended ordinary perception.

When he concentrated, he could sense emotions not his own—satisfaction, joy, possessive pride, and beneath it all, a love so fierce it took his breath away.

“Is that you?” he asked, turning in Dylan’s arms to face him. “What I’m feeling?”

Dylan nodded, his expression soft with wonder. “And I can feel you too. Your amazement, your happiness.” His smile widened slightly. “Your smugness.”

“Well, I did just mate a werewolf alpha,” Aiden pointed out with a hint of his usual humor. “I think I’m entitled to some smugness.”

Dylan laughed, the sound freer and lighter than Aiden had ever heard from him. “How do you feel physically? Any discomfort?”

Aiden took internal inventory. The bite stung pleasantly but wasn’t painful.

His body felt different somehow—energized rather than exhausted as he might expect after such intense activity.

“Good,” he said, surprised by the truth of it.

“Really good, actually. Like… I don’t know, like my blood is carbonated or something. ”

“The bond’s energy,” Dylan explained, fingers gently exploring the mark he’d left on Aiden’s shoulder. “Your body is adapting to the metaphysical changes. Some humans feel disoriented or exhausted afterward, but you seem to be taking to it naturally.”

“High compatibility,” Aiden recalled. “That’s what the app said, right? 99.8% match.”

“The highest I’ve ever heard of,” Dylan confirmed, pressing a gentle kiss to Aiden’s forehead. “My perfect mate.”

The simple declaration, combined with the emotions Aiden could now feel flowing through their new connection, created a surge of answering love so intense it was almost overwhelming. “I love you,” he said, the words inadequate for the depth of feeling behind them. “Wolf and all.”

Dylan’s smile was blindingly happy. “And I love you. Human social media disaster and all.”

Aiden laughed, settling more comfortably against Dylan’s chest. “Speaking of social media disasters… how exactly do I explain a permanent bite mark on my shoulder to my followers? ‘Mountain Man got a little enthusiastic’ seems like an understatement.”

Dylan’s hand came up to trace the mark possessively. “You could always tell them the truth. ‘I’ve mated a werewolf. #SupernaturalLove #MoonMate #WolfBond.’”

“Ha ha,” Aiden said dryly. “I’m thinking high collars and strategic camera angles are in my future.”

“Or,” Dylan said more seriously, “you could take a break. We could travel for a while—I’ve been meaning to visit the European packs, strengthen those alliances. By the time we return, any questions about mysterious neck markings will be old news.”

The suggestion held appeal beyond just solving the immediate issue. “A supernatural European tour?” Aiden mused. “That actually sounds amazing. Though I’d need to pre-record some content, arrange sponsorship posts…”

“We can figure out the details,” Dylan assured him. “The important thing is that we’re in this together now. Whatever comes next, we face it as mates.”

Mates. The word settled in Aiden’s chest with a rightness he couldn’t have imagined six months ago when he’d drunkenly downloaded what he thought was just another dating app. From dating disaster documentarian to werewolf mate—definitely not the career trajectory he’d planned.

Yet lying here in Dylan’s arms, their new bond humming between them with contentment and promise, Aiden couldn’t imagine any other path. His life had transformed in ways his followers would never fully understand, but the story—their story—was just beginning.

And some parts of it would remain private, just for them. Wolf and all.