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T he words came out of her mouth with ease.

Alice couldn’t explain it, nor did she want to.

For the first time in her life, she had stopped overthinking.

It would come back, she didn’t doubt it, but being here with Axel, in this moment, had been beyond anything she’d ever experienced.

All she wanted to do was feel this way forever—hot, unconcerned for the past, present, or future, and yet cared for, wanted.

Giving herself up to Axel had been a relief.

The heated desire she’d experienced earlier was gone, replaced by a steady appetite only he could appease.

She craved more. Fully. She wanted his dick pulsing inside of her as he orgasmed.

“Are you on oral contraception? Are you ready for children?”

“I, uh...” She gawked at him as reality came crashing back. Children? No. Axel was still a stranger. “No.”

“We’ll use condoms for the time being and we can see about oral—”

“No,” she repeated.

His brow furrowed in confusion.

“Alice.”

She touched her shoulder, which was still tender from his bite.

“I ... this is insanity, Axel. You attacked me. I don’t know what you’ve done to me.” She scurried away from the bed, fishing out her clothes.

“Alice, stop.”

She ignored him and tried to put on her bra realizing it was broken. Tears threatened the corner of her eyes. She was a nutcase. One second, she was living the moment and the next everything spiraled out of control.

“Alice.” Axel grabbed her by the upper arms and forced her to stand in front of him. “Baby Girl. You are my mate.”

Alice blinked. The words penetrated her mind. You are my mate. She recalled what Ariadna had said earlier. “Life mates are destined to be together. They are bound to one lover for life, and they can immediately recognize the person that completes them, the person who will lighten up their world.”

“Excuse me,” she said.

Axel sighed. “This is not how I wanted it to go at all,” he muttered. “Come.” He led her to the armchair and sat down, pulling her onto his lap. Alice didn’t fight him. She waited, breath abated, her heart pulsing wildly. Mates?

“Shifters have mates,” Axel said. “The person who becomes their one and only. Once we meet our mates, our animal knows there is no one else out there for us, but for the mating to be complete I had to bite you. I didn’t want the other women to question you or who you are to me.”

“Bite?”

“But there is more,” he plunged on. “You must bite me too. You have to mark me to make the mating complete.”

“What?” Alice gaped at him. Questions and incoherent thoughts tumbled across her tongue, piling in her mind.

“I don’t get it,” she finally said. “The woman earlier, Ariadna, said she was your mate. Can you have more than one?”

“Ariadna is not my mate,” Axel said sternly. “She has always wanted a position of power in the pride. I believe she recognized you as my lover and she became jealous. I am not pleased with her behavior.”

“So, she’s not your girlfriend? “

“There’s no one but you, Alice.”

“Will I become a shifter?” she asked.

“No.” Axel brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. Alice shivered. “Once the mating is complete you might become a bit stronger, or faster, but nothing else.”

“Oh.” She hesitated. “What if I refuse?”

Axel stared at her in silence for what seemed like hours. He seemed to be measuring his words. Finally, he spoke. “If you refuse, we will both be miserable forever. There will be no one else for either of us. Ever.”

“So, I’m bound to you, whether I want it or not.”

He nodded. “Do you think that is a bad thing?” He squeezed her thigh sending a jolt of erotic electricity through her system. Alice shook her head.

“The sex is great, but I don’t know you, and you don’t know me. I never thought, I mean I always thought I’d meet someone and eventually after many dates we’d fall in love, get married. You know, the usual.”

“I understand. We shifters like to cut to the chase. We are in a way animals, and human games are a waste of time. Nonetheless,” he said with a smile, “My intention was to court you, but things have turned out differently. I don’t regret it. Do you?”

Alice gazed into his eyes. They were the color of amber, she decided. They were full of kindness, and a fire deep within she could not escape. She gave a brief nod.

“No,” she finally said. “But I’m afraid.”

“That is normal, Baby Girl. Trust me when I tell you I won’t let anything bad happen to you.” Axel took a deep breath. “And you don’t need to mate with me yet. I want you to,” he added, “but I understand if you want to wait to get to know me a bit better.”

Alice let out a sigh of relief.

“Thanks. I appreciate it.” She bit her lip nervously and shifted on his lap. “Daddy.” Her eyes widened as she noticed the rise of his erection under her butt.

Axel grinned mischievously. “Of course, Baby Girl.” He slid his index fingertip across her chest, over the rise of her breasts. Her breath caught. “Now, though, I’m not letting you out of this room until we’re both fully sated.”