But there, with his flesh in her mouth, with his taste racing through her, imprinting her system, marking her in a way she was sure she’d never forget, she wanted to weep at the idea she’d been willing to give this up.

It was magic. Beautiful, soulful magic and what a tremendous gift. She’d have his babies, live at his side. Wake up with him and be his woman as he’d be her man. This beautiful, strong wolf who fit into her soul like a key in a lock.

His head dropped back as he pulled her against his body. “It’s you.” The wonder in his voice eased any worry she’d had that her feelings were one-sided.

Despite the utter ridiculousness of finding her mate in the greatest enemy of her family, she laughed, joy filling her. “It’s me. Oh that fate, she’s laughing right now.”

Behind Cade, Ben laughed along with his beautiful, red-haired mate. “It seems all of us have given fate a great deal of amusement. I take it you’ve just met your mate, Cade?”

“Yes, I believe I have.” Grace loved the way it seemed as if Cade couldn’t stop touching her, running his hands up and down her arms, smiling. His scent, fully aroused male wolf, tickled her nose and brought her wolf to the surface. It had been so long that she’d allowed her other nature, her other half to surface in response to any strong emotion. In Cade Warden she hadn’t just found a mate, she’d rediscovered herself.

Still, she needed him badly. Baldly. Her vision swam as pheromones pulsed through her body in response to his. His musk, his arousal, his need for her, his wolf calling to hers all set her firmly off balance. Her fingers dug into his upper arms to try and stay alert, to keep her knees when she wanted to rip off her clothes and impale herself on his cock.

A soft needy sound escaped her lips and his pupils swallowed his eyes. His cock, hard and ready, pressed against her belly. She needed him to fix it, make it better.

He’d finally found her.

Need. Need to claim her swept through him painfully even as the joy buffeted his heart. He needed to claim her, mark her, solidify their bond. Protect her.

“I need to…” she shook her head, “…please, Cade. Do you feel it too?”

Unable not to, he brushed his lips over hers, allowing what he thought was a small taste. He groaned at the music of her, of the delicacy and beauty of her against his lips. She seduced him, enchanted him. “I do, I do.”

“Take me then, Cade. Mark me and make me yours.” Her hands fisted in the front of his shirt, not wanting to let him go. The desperation in her voice echoed his own.

He was an Alpha wolf, there’s no way he should have his control so challenged. And yet, his hands trembled, his muscles ached.

Megan touched his arm. “You have to. Go. Go and perform the bond. You’ve waited so long. You’ll both be stronger for it.”

Maxwell spoke from the table. “I agree. We all do. You’ve been given something special. We celebrate each and every time a mated pair comes together. Times seem bleak just now so let’s all take our blessings when we can get them.”

Ben handed him keys. “Three miles up the road. Bear right along the treeline. There’s a little blue cottage. Go on. You need the time. You’re safe here within the walls.”

No other words were needed. Cade stood back and held his hand to Grace, she took it and let him draw her to the door. There wasn’t anything else in the world then but her. Just her.

“Come on.”

In the car, she stayed quiet, just looking at him, taking in every part of his face. She tried not to think about the way the need for him crawled over her skin. Just a few minutes more, she kept telling herself.

When they pulled into the driveway of the cottage, she yanked the door open before he could come around to get her. She’d let him open doors for her to his heart’s content another day. For now, for now the urgency would reign until he filled her and marked her.

“Front door? Key?” She danced around like she had to use the bathroom.

He looked at her as he fumbled with the lock and laughed. “Hungry for my cock?”

Her breath caught and she blinked a few times at the visual he’d evoked with his naughty words. Since no words came, she just nodded earnestly.

The door opened and they tumbled through. He slammed it with a foot and locked it with one hand while the other yanked at her as his mouth descended to hers.

There was no holding back in his kiss. His tongue slipped into her mouth, demanding her response and she gave it. It wasn’t that she didn’t like sex, but no one had ever been so evocative before. She hadn’t the time in residency and before she’d been very young and involved in school. Since then, there’d only been one person, a quick three week thing.

The desire that’d lay coiled, quiet inside her for years roared to life at his touch, at his taste. Heat flushed her skin, her ni**les hardened to the point of pain, her clit grew sensitized and each step she walked, the slick flesh around it stroked her, making her nearly pant with need.

He pulled back from their kiss, slowly tugging on her bottom lip with his teeth. A sort of squeak of desperation came from her and he cocked his head.

“You need it bad, don’t you?” His voice, low and growly, caressed her skin, making her arch. He traced the tendon from shoulder to ear with his tongue. “I find I like that very much, Grace.”

“Can you like it while you’re, while we’re, you know, doing it?”

He backed her through the house, looking from side to side until he finally hummed his satisfaction and they entered a room with a bed.