No. “It’s like marriage.” Only there was no divorce for them. No out clause. The claiming was forever. Beyond life and death.

“You’re asking me to marry you?” He could see himself reflected in her eyes. A scary sight. Why the hell would she want to be saddled with him?

She was already afraid of him, and she didn’t even know half of the things that he’d done in his life.

“I’m asking you to trust me.” His voice was low, but he knew the others would still be able to overhear him. “I’ve protected you so far. I want to keep you safe.”

But then she made the breath leave his lungs. Made his heart damn near burst from his chest.

She shook her head. “I want more than safety.”

Hell. “What do you want?” He would try to give it to her. He would try—

“I want my life back.”

Ice encased his skin.

The werewolves began to whisper behind him. He prepared for battle. The first wolf that attacked her would lose a limb.

He straightened his shoulders. He’d been the one to take her life away. He’d be the one to make sure she got it back. That she got everything back. “Just stay behind me,” he told her. “It’s about to get bloody.”

He turned away.

She touched him. Wrapped her fingers around his arm, just as Zoe had done. Only when Zoe touched him, his blood hadn’t heated. His body hadn’t tensed. Need hadn’t pounded through him as his beast clamored for escape.

For her.

“You’re about to fight them all?”

Silence from the wolves. They had to be tensing for battle, too.

“But…” Now Jane sounded confused. “They’re your family. They didn’t all attack me. It was just the ones in the woods.”

Maybe. But if he didn’t claim her, they’d grow more suspicious of her. Vampires and werewolves had a very long blood feud going.

One that wasn’t ending overnight. His claim would protect her.

Without it, he’d make sure that his claws and teeth did the job.

Her hold tightened on him. “Don’t do this.”

She’d taken his choice away.

Alerac pulled from her. Kept his spine straight and his chin up as he met the stares of his pack. His claim had just been publicly refused. That should have been humiliating.

It wasn’t.

He just…his chest hurt.

Alerac lifted his claws. “Who’s going to be first?” He was alpha for a reason. He’d prove that fact again this night. Before the sun rose, their blood would be on the ground. Jane would be safe.

He did a “come here” motion with his claws. “Let’s get started.”

“No!” Jane’s yell.

And then Jane was there. In front of him. Grabbing his wrists. Pushing her body against his. “You’re not doing this for me!”

Yes, he was. He wasn’t going to let her be threatened.

Jane shook her head. “No, not for me.” Her pulse raced. He could smell the fear that drifted from her.

He didn’t like the scent of fear on Jane.

He preferred the sweet scent of her desire.

“I accept your claim.”

He liked it when—

What?

“Did you hear me?” Her eyes searched his. “There’s no need to fight. No need to turn on your own. I accept your claim.”

“Fuck,” Ryan muttered.

Her fingers were stroking the inside of his wrists. She was trying to soothe him. He wasn’t in the mood to be soothed.

She’d just accepted his claim. That changed everything.

“What happens now?” Her voice was a breathless whisper.

“Now…” Alerac turned her in his arms, positioning her so that all would see just what was coming. “I take you. I make you mine.”

Chapter Eight

She was a creature straight from some kid’s nightmare. A blood-drinker. An immortal power.

And her knees were shaking.

Alerac’s hard body pressed behind her. She could feel the strong muscles of his chest. The ripple of his cut abs. He hadn’t bothered with a shirt, so it was all too easy to feel the strength of his bare muscles against her.

He’d jerked on a pair of jeans. And his c**k was, ah, definitely getting bigger and harder behind her.

Everyone was staring at her.

“Uh, Alerac…” She wasn’t sure just how the werewolves did things, but putting on a show for the pack wasn’t her idea of a good time.

“Do you accept my claim?” His voice seemed to thunder behind her.

Jane nodded.

Then she jumped when she felt his breath whisper against her ear. “You have to say the words, a rúnsearc.”

Oh. Okay. “I accept your claim.”

The werewolves started shouting then. She wasn’t sure if those were celebrating shouts or we-want-to-kill-her shouts.

It was too hard to tell the difference.

That whisper of his breath slid away from her ear as his mouth moved down to her neck.

Jane couldn’t help it. She tensed even more. The memory of Liam holding her down and tearing into her throat was far too fresh in her mind.

“Trust me.”

She wanted to trust Alerac.

“It will only hurt for an instant.”

“Wait—” Jane began.

But it was too late. His teeth sank into her. Not her throat, but right at the curve of her shoulder. It did hurt, but, like he’d said, the pain only lasted an instant. A white- hot pulse that charged through her body.

After that pain, pleasure. She gasped because she’d only been prepared for pain. Not for this.

More pules of pleasure shot through her, starting right there, where his mouth was on her skin, and they surged down…straight down to her sex.

He was licking her. Kissing her skin.

And she was about to climax just from his mouth on her.

Horrified—they’re watching—Jane spun in his arms.

Those arms closed tightly around her.

“It’s done.” His voice carried easily over the shouts. “She’s mine.”

That hadn’t been so bad. She looked up at him. “And you’re…mine.”

“Keira!”

Her head jerked at Ryan’s bellow. The werewolves were holding him back. Had the guy tried to lunge forward and stop the claiming?

Yes.