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Another of his fingers presses in, and I can’t hold back my cry. More. I need more. I need him . Need him to fuck me, fill me, come inside me.

Slowly, Anders pumps his fingers in and out of me.

His breaths come short and fast, and I realize it’s because he’s as turned on as I am just from pleasuring me.

I pull him down, and our lips meet, stifling our gasps and groans as he massages my prostate and strokes my inner walls. My toes curl, my balls tightening.

“Anders,” I snarl. “Now. Hurry.”

Anders pulls his fingers out and douses them with oil. He gives his cock a few quick strokes, his knot already quite swollen. This won’t last long, but that doesn’t matter. All that matters is that I’m his and he’s mine.

Suddenly, Anders hauls me into his lap. I straddle him and wrap my arms around his shoulders, curling my fingers in his hair.

Our breaths mingle, foreheads touching. When our eyes meet, my heart nearly bursts in two.

I crush my lips to his, pouring as much tenderness and love into the kiss as I can.

Then I lower my hips and he’s there, right where I need him, filling me just the way I crave.

Growling, Anders seizes my hips and grips hard enough to bruise as he bucks into me, setting a desperate rhythm that unhinges me.

I drop my hips, taking him deep, hard, fast, and the sounds we make fill the forest around us.

“Close,” Anders says breathlessly, snapping his hips up into me.

His knot fills me so intensely I almost come then and there before it pops back out.

“You want it, don’t you, pet? Want my knot?

Want to be tied to me as I fill your tight hole with my seed?

Want my fangs in your skin as I claim you? ”

“Yes,” I cry. “Yes, Anders! All of it. Please. Make me yours.”

“Then hold on. Now.” I wrap my arms around his shoulders, and Anders seizes my hips and holds me in place. With a hoarse snarl, he pounds into me so hard and fast my eyes roll back and I lose the ability to speak. It’s perfect. Everything I needed. He always knows how to give me what I crave.

Anders lets out a guttural animal noise as his knot locks inside me at last. Then his fangs are in my skin, biting down as he climaxes.

I howl my pleasure and pain as my fangs elongate and my hands sprout claws.

Panting, Anders looks up at me, eyes wide, mouth tinged with red.

He’s gorgeous in all his wildness, and he’s mine .

So close to the edge of my own release, I bounce up and down on him, making us both moan when his knot tugs at my rim.

“Claim me, love,” Anders pants against my lips. “Possess me, body and soul.”

His words detonate me, and I come messily between our bodies. I lunge, piercing his neck with my fangs. His blood fills my mouth, the taste surprisingly sweet, and something locks into place deep within my chest. If I had any doubts, they’re nothing but dust now.

I’ve claimed the man I love. He’s mine, and nothing but death can separate us.

Gasping, we lie together beneath the stars. Anders gazes at me like he’s truly seeing me for the first time. “My berserker, he’s finally at peace,” Anders whispers as he thumbs away my tears. His eyes are bright and wet. “Gods. Why did I ever hold back?”

Sensing his regret starting to build, I take his hand and kiss his knuckles. “It doesn’t matter anymore. I forgive you, Anders.”

“I’m not perfect. I’ll probably make more mistakes. There’s still so much to learn about your world.”

“That’s okay. Neither am I. I’ll forgive those too. Here, now. I don’t need perfect. Just you.”

Anders exhales softly, lacing our fingers together. “I’ll try, Jamie. I want a place in your world, with you.”

“So will I. I’ll talk to someone about all the guilt and grief I’m still carrying around. We’ll work on ourselves. Work in the shop together. It will be great.”

A smile bursts across Anders’s face like the sun through dark storm clouds. “There’s nothing I would love more, pet.”

Anders yanks me into a kiss, right where I want to be.

Neither of us is perfect. We’ve got our scars. That’s okay. With Anders by my side, I’m confident we can face anything that comes our way.

Once we return the boat, we seek out the nearest subway and ride to Kate’s apartment.

I’m so tired I almost fall asleep on Anders’s shoulder.

Hand in hand, we leave the train and hurry through the streets until we’re at her building.

Anders rushes up the stairs, following Jace’s faint scent, shuffling restlessly as I climb the final steps. He wants to see Jace.

I ring the doorbell, and Anders fidgets beside me.

Kate smiles when she answers the door. “Come in, come in. He’s brushing his teeth now.”

The apartment is dark except for the glow of lamplight in the living room.

“Thank you so much for taking him at such last minute.” I give her a quick hug she returns.

A door creaks open. “Anders?” Jace’s hopeful voice flips a switch in Anders. He whirls around to face Jace, who is frozen in the middle of the doorway.

“Lad,” Anders says, voice so soft and gentle it’s almost a whisper.

“You came back!” Jace charges across the room, and Anders drops to his knees and wraps my brother in his arms, carefully avoiding his injury. He nuzzles into Jace’s shoulder, but not before I notice the tear that falls down his cheek.

“Aye. Of course I did, pup.”

Jace’s narrow shoulders heave with overjoyed sobs. “You can’t ever leave again, Anders. You’re our family, okay? Family sticks together, no matter what.”

Anders makes a sound between a laugh and a sob. “And you’re mine too, Jace.”

I wipe my eyes, smiling so wide it hurts.

As I pull them both into a hug, my heart has never felt so full.

For so long, it was just Jace and me against the world. I never could have imagined a Viking werewolf was the missing piece my little family was missing.

I wouldn’t have it any other way.