Tiger saw Carly as his anchor in the roiling stream of life, and she now thought of him in the same way. Not because of a magical mate bond, but because he loved her and she loved him. Love, not programming, not magic.

“I love you,” Carly whispered, her voice ragged from their lovemaking. “You know that, right?”

Tiger rose over her again, his rare smile wide, his eyes warm with afterglow. “I do know,” he said. “And I know I love you, Carly. My beautiful mate.”

Carly traced his cheek. She wriggled her hips at the same time, Tiger still rigid inside her. Wildness touched her again.

“You know everything, do you?” she asked, teasing.

“Yes.” His kiss was lazy, warm. “I do.”

“Mmm. Then you know I want to do that again.”

“I want to do it too, mate of my heart. Right now.”

“Yep. Right now.”

“I know something else,” Tiger said as he brushed kisses down her neck.

He slid out of her, the friction delightful, the anticipation of more to come even better. Tiger kissed her br**sts, then moved down to press a long kiss just below her navel.

“What do you know?” Carly asked, stroking his hair, which was already growing back in, black and orange.

Tiger chuckled, his breath warm on her abdomen. “That it’s a boy.”

Carly laughed in delight, the sound ringing through the room. She opened her arms, and Tiger kissed his way back up her body, his welcoming heat covering her as he slid inside her again.

Right where he belonged. The mate bond wound around her heart, and his, and Carly was complete.