“I can’t be slow. I need this. I can’t…” His words strangled as he stood and took over. She wrapped her legs around his waist, locking her ankles at the small of his back. In a few steps she was against the wall of the small enclosure the fountain resided in. The concrete was cold and rough against her back and the buckle of her belt dangling from the jeans still hanging around one ankle jingled with each thrust he made into her body. These small sensory bursts kept her from slipping away into the maelstrom of the storm of feeling this man evoked in her.

She tightened herself around him and held on to his shoulders as he bowed his head and f**ked into her body deep and hard. Oh what a feeling it was to evoke such a depth of desire in a man like this! She could feel the hardness of him as he pushed into her over and over.

“Make me yours, Nick. Please. Come inside of me,” she murmured and he groaned in response as his entire body tightened up.

“You are mine,” he said in a harsh whisper just as he made one final thrust up into her and came.

With each burst of his climax, his se**n filled her. He marked her and the bond began to form between them with such intensity that his knees buckled and he sank to the ground as he continued to come.

The threads of connection were there, glimmering and strong, and she felt his heart beating as if it were her own. Felt the intensity of his feelings for her. Love. Yes, love, and she felt it too.

Things were a shaky for a bit as the release of his seed worked its magic, but after a few minutes he looked up into her face.

“Wow.” He kissed her chin. “Oh baby, you’ve got to be cold.” He stood and she put her pants back on and then he handed her the shirt and jacket.

“Thanks.” She pulled the shirt and jacket on and her skin missed his touch even as it warmed with clothing on. He bent, tied her boot and straightened, putting himself back into his pants.

She laughed, fixing his tie.

“Well, this will be an interesting story to tell our grandchildren someday.” He frowned. “Okay well, not all of it is suitable for telling. You know what I mean.”

“You’re okay with this? The suddenness? I mean, I can feel your hesitancy.” Which made her feel no small amount off balance and insecure.

He turned to her and pulled her close. “You’re my mate. You’re my everything. I’m not hesitant exactly, but more caught off-guard. This morning I had not expected to meet my mate today, you know? But I am happy and I plan to enjoy getting to know you. There are things we’ll have to iron out, surely, but we can do it. We have to. And wow, I just f**ked you outside in a garden. Not very romantic. I’m sorry, I just couldn’t wait.”

She laughed. “I couldn’t wait either. I’m glad you didn’t.”

They walked hand in hand back to the conference room. Once inside, Lex stood up and started to yell at her for being late but everyone froze, the room full of wolves scenting the air. The evidence of their bond hung heavy and spicy around them.

“Tracy? Honey, is everything all right?” Lex stood, feeling, well, not quite sure what. Happy yes, but also slightly sad because she was now firmly someone else’s and his baby sister was mated.

She smiled and nodded and he went to her, hugging her tight as they both laughed. “I’m great.”

Nina stood back, grinning at them both, and then looked at Megan, who also looked happy but just a little sad around the edges.

There were collective hugs and congratulations around the room and Gabe beamed at them both.

“Congratulations to both of you.”

“Let’s get back to work so we can finish this. I’d like to take my mate home to meet my brother and sister-in-law,” Nick said.

“I’ve got to call Cade,” Lex said.

Nina put a hand on his shoulder and leaned in, kissing his temple. “You guys get back to work, I’ll call Cade.”

She took her cell phone out into the alcove and dialed home.

“Hey there. Is everything okay?” Cade said as he answered the phone.

“Better than okay. Cade, Tracy found her mate.”

“She what? How? Who? Jeez, you’ve only been down there for half a day!”

“It’s Nick Lawrence and they’ve sealed the bond. I don’t know where nor do I wish to contemplate it.

But she looks very happy and so does he.”

Cade sighed. “Well, oh, good.”

“What is it?” Nina heard his hesitation and the sadness just behind the words.

“She’ll be moving to Portland now. She’ll be in another Pack. I’ll miss her.”

“Yeah. Me too. But Portland isn’t that far, it’s only three hours away. And she looks so good with him.

She’s glowing with it.” She ached, wanting to reach out and hug him, comfort him.

“I’ll contact my parents and we’ll come down after details are worked out.”

“He hasn’t told his brother yet. Wait a while before you contact Ben.”

“Okay.Oh shit.”

“What?”

“Tri-bond. She’ll need the tri-bond and it has to be someone related to him or above him in Pack hierarchy. Ben can’t because he’s already mated.”

“Oh! Well, maybe there’s a cousin or something.” Her stomach fluttered low when she remembered her own bond experience, remembered Cade’s c**k deep inside her.

“Maybe. I don’t know them well enough to know for sure. Have her call me when she can but until then, please tell her that I’m happy for her and that I love her.”