He just smiled softly. “You don’t hate me, baby. You love me and you know it, but you’re scared.”

She flushed. “Scared, my fat ass!”

“You are. You’re scared that I’ll leave you, scared that you won’t be enough for me in the long run, which is the most ridiculous fear you could have. I would never suggest claiming you as mine if I thought different.”

She snickered. “If you think I’ll ever let you claim me, you can kiss my ass!”

“So help me God, Riley, if you talk about your ass one more time I’m going to fuck it.”

She sucked in a sharp breath. “Bite me, Fenris.”

His chuckle held no humor. “Damn, you really shouldn’t have said that.” He shoved her against the wall, slammed his mouth down on hers, and drove his tongue inside. She fought him, clawing at his arms. But the fight quickly left her and she sank into him. The kiss was hot. Hungry. Greedy. He feasted on her, exploring every crevice of her mouth and sucking on her tongue.

Whipping off the blanket, Tao wedged his thigh between hers, pinning her to the wall. “Undo my jeans.” Instead she clawed off his shirt and bit down on his shoulder—a dominating move that told him he wasn’t in control here. Too bad for her that Tao wouldn’t be dominated.

Grabbing a bunch of her hair, he yanked her head aside and growled into her ear. “Fight me if you want, but you’re never going to be dominant in bed.”

She did fight him. She struggled. Scratched. Bit. Snarled. Even kicked at him.

Tao shackled her wrists with one hand and pinned them against the wall above her head. He collared her throat with his free hand and squeezed. “Behave.”

“Fuck you,” she hissed.

“It’s not me who’ll be getting fucked.”

Riley was about to vow to rip out his throat, but then he gripped her hip and ground her clit against his thigh. The friction made her gasp. Again and again he did it, stealing every thought from her mind except how good it felt. Needing more, she took over, grinding herself harder, shuddering at the feel of the denim. He kissed her neck in reward and began to squeeze and plump her breast.

He flicked her nipple with his tongue. “Are you mine, Riley?”

His eyes glittered with warning. He wanted her to stop fighting him, she knew. But Riley wasn’t so easily controlled. “Sort of.” One brow lifted, and his mouth surprisingly curved in amusement.

“Sort of?”

“Sort of.”

“Well, while I’m watching you rub against my thigh and I can feel how wet you are through my jeans, it tells me that your body knows it’s mine.” He bit her lip. “And let’s be honest, baby . . . so do you.”

Tao picked her up and tossed her on the mattress. The sweet scent of her need made his head spin. He had to taste her. He fell forward and clamped his mouth around her pussy. Her hand fisted his hair as he licked and sipped and drank from her, drowning in the taste and scent of her. Wanting more, he drove her hard and fast into an orgasm that made her moan his name and almost yank a chunk of hair right out of his head.

Licking his lips, he shoved off the rest of his clothes. The sight of her there all flushed with her mouth and pussy swollen . . . His cock throbbed like a bitch. “Perfect. And all mine.” Draping himself over her, he growled, “Mouth, Riley.” She gave him what he asked for, moaning softly. “Ready for me to claim you? Because that’s what’s going to happen.”

At those words, Riley stilled. “If you leave a claiming mark on me, you can never take it back. It won’t fade, even if you change your mind about me, it will always be there.”

“Good, that’s exactly where it belongs.” He curled her leg around him. “I know you’re scared. But I promise you, baby, you don’t have to worry about me changing my mind. I don’t have the strength it would take to let you go.” It was the God’s honest truth. “I want to claim you because you’re my choice, because I love you. And you love me, don’t you?” She nodded. “No matter what, I’m yours. Your turn—say it. Say it, Riley.”

She swallowed. “No matter what, I’m yours.”

“No walls, no doubts.”

“No walls, no doubts.”

He slammed home, jaw grinding as her pussy closed around him like a hot fist. Knowing he was about to claim her, that from this night onward she’d be irrevocably his . . . it sent his hunger raging and made his wolf’s control snap.

Riley clung to Tao, digging her nails into the hard muscle of his back, as he hammered into her, slamming deep. He was always rough, but this was different. Almost animalistic, as if his wolf was feeding his need to claim her. His thrusts were brutal, his pace was ruthless, and his features were set into a savage mask of raw hunger and pure possessiveness. And Riley loved every minute of it.

Feeling his climax creeping up on him, Tao scraped his teeth over her throat, right where he’d leave his mark. She moaned, arching into him, showing him she wanted it. That was all he needed. Tao sank his teeth down hard, licking and sucking to make a permanent, definitive mark that told the world she belonged to him. Her pussy heated, tightened, and rippled. She screamed, fisting his hair and digging her heels into the base of his spine. Then she reared up and bit down on his neck, claiming him right back. Tao jammed his cock deep and erupted, pouring himself inside her.

That was when it happened.

The breath slammed out of Tao as pain crashed into his head and chest. It felt like the world had tilted and faded. His vision dimmed and blurred. The only solid thing was the female beneath him . . . and the mating bond that suddenly bound them, strong and vibrant and complete.

Using what little strength he had left, Tao rolled onto his side, keeping her close. His wolf pushed against his skin, wanting to be near his mate. Tao hadn’t been lying when he said he wasn’t sure if she was his true mate; he also wouldn’t have cared if it had taken imprinting to permanently bind her to him this way. One very big advantage of their being true mates was that they wouldn’t need to wait for the bond to form. He loved feeling it, feeling her through their connection. He especially loved that their scents had mixed into one unique scent that would tell the world she was mated and belonged to him.

Shuddering with aftershocks, Riley licked her lips. “That was . . . intense.” For lack of a better word, she thought.