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  Rory whimpered as I pulled my spent dick from his hole. I leaned my body over him and allowed my fangs to elongate to their full length. I clasped them around the flesh where his neck met his shoulder and bit down until my teeth scraped against his collar bone. Rory screamed and his dick jerked against me as another hot burst shot between our stomachs.

  I retracted my fangs and smiled as I watched the wound close and morph into a dark pink scar. Now that we were bonded together, Rory’s skin healed quickly into the beautiful mark he’d wear forever. I tore my gaze from the incredible sight to look into my mate’s eyes and was taken aback by the way they shimmered as he stared back at me.

  “We’re linked together now, aren’t we?” he asked in a whisper, as if out of respect for the moment.

  “Forever,” I whispered back. “I love you so much, Rory.”

  “I love you too, Phoenix.”

  I took his lips in a slow, tender kiss, pouring my care and affection into him, and hummed happily when I pulled away. I loved him so much it was literally warming my heart. Actually, my entire chest was overtaken by a tingling, pleasant heat. I looked down and my eyes filled with unshed tears. “Look, sweetheart.”

  Rory followed my gaze and gasped at the faint light emanating from my tattoo. The light arced from my chest to his, casting his smooth, fair skin in a soft glow. My mate watched in wide-eyed, stunned silence as a thick black line appeared on his flesh. The line broke apart, swirling and dancing across Rory’s skin as it etched the same howling wolf pattern that marked my body onto his. Once the design was complete, the light that connected us slowly faded away.

  I swallowed hard and looked into Rory’s eyes, finding they were swimming with moisture just as mine were. My feelings of wonder, love and gratitude reflected back at me in their glistening depths.

  “You are now a member of the Pine Ridge Pack,” I told him, trying my best to keep my voice even. “Stone and Rowan are your brothers. They are honor bound to protect you, their Alpha’s mate. You will help me to lead and guide them, along with any future members of our pack. You and I are eternally bonded as fated mates; nothing but death can break our bond. You are my greatest treasure. I vow to always protect you, provide for you, support you and love you with everything I am.”

  A tear slipped beneath Rory’s glasses and down his cheek. I gently wiped it away as he blew out a shaky breath. “You’ve opened my eyes to a world I never knew existed; not only the world of Fate and shifters, but one where I’m accepted and loved for who I am. I’m not big or strong like the others in the pack, but I’m loyal and honest. I’ll be there for my brothers the best way that I can and help them in any way they need. And I’ll always be true to you and love you with all my heart for the rest of time.”

  Rory’s beautiful words warmed my insides. His promises mended my soul and for the first time in my life, I felt complete. I laid my forehead against his and closed my eyes, giving myself over to the peace and happiness that filled me. I inhaled his sweet breaths into my lungs, taking every part of him I could into myself. We were one, now and always.

  I don’t know how long I held him, listening to the gentle pattern of his breathing and feeling the soft beat of his heart against my chest. Time didn’t matter; we had so much of it together. Rory’s previous human lifeline was now a mere blink in his existence. I thanked Fate and the universe for allowing me to spend eternity with someone so perfect.

  “Phoenix?” Rory asked in a gentle voice. I raised my head and gazed upon him, longing for whatever wonderful thoughts he wanted to share with me in this precious time. “My cum is getting cold and sticky on my stomach.”

  I blinked in surprise before bursting into laughter. Rory was honest, funny, and always unpredictable in the best way. “I’m truly blessed,” I thought out loud, making my mate’s face screw up in confusion as I chuckled some more. “Come on, sweetheart, let’s get you cleaned up.”

  I climbed from the bed and offered Rory a hand. When he stood beside me, he shifted his legs around as his head cocked to the side. “That feels kinda good. I’m a little sore and stretched, but it’s nice.” He smiled at me for a moment before his eyes popped open wide. “Oh god, you’re leaking out of me!” Rory hurried to the bathroom in a wide-legged waddle, sending me into another fit of laughter. I folded my hands on my stomach as I laughed out loud, replaying my mate’s panicked shuffle over and over in my mind.

  “You are too precious,” I told him when I finally got myself under control and made my own way into the bathroom. I stopped in my tracks when I found Rory standing before the mirror, admiring his new tattoo in the reflection. He gingerly traced a finger over the tribal design with a pretty smile playing on his lips. My mate could flip the mood from silly and playful to sweet and reverent in the blink of an eye. He was amazing.

  “What do you think?” I asked as I stepped behind him, leaning down to rest my chin on his shoulder.

  “I love it. It’s beautiful, but it’s so much more; it links me to you and the rest of our pack.” My heart leapt at the way Rory so easy referred to the pack as ‘ours’. “It’s like I finally have a family who wants me and will be there for me forever.”

  “You do have a family, sweetheart. Like I told you, Stone and Rowan are you brothers and I’m-”

  “My wolf husband,” Rory finished, and I chuckled again. He’d used the term before and I liked it. It showed he accepted me in every form, and I knew the gravity the word ‘husband’ held in human terms. “I guess it’s not just me and Dax anymore.” As soon as the words left his lips, Rory’s body deflated and sadness swam in his eyes.

  “What’s wrong?” I wrapped my arms around his waist, giving him support.

  “I was so excited about our bonding and our pack, I didn’t think about Dax. I’ll have to say goodbye to him. He’ll grow older without me and I’ll lose him. I’ll live forever with just the memory of my best friend.”

  My heart broke for him. I had my best friends by my side my whole life and always would. I tightened my grip on him and kissed his cheek. “I’m so sorry, Rory. But because Dax is important to you, he’s important to me and the rest of the pack. We will take care of him and look after him to ensure his happiness and well-being. And you have many more decades with him, sweetheart.”

  Rory wiped his eyes and gave me a little smile. “You’re right. I’ve still got so much time with him and I want to enjoy every second.” He turned his head to kiss my lips and sighed. “I’m sorry I brought down the mood.”

  “Don’t be. I want to hear your worries and all of your thoughts. I’m here for you and will help any way I can, even if it’s just to listen. That’s what wolf husbands do.”

  Rory huffed a laugh and gave me another kiss. “Thank you.”

  “It’s my pleasure.” I released him and stepped towards the shower. “I’ll start our water. I’m going to wash your beautiful little body and then rub your shoulders and back until all of your worries are long gone.”

  “That sounds incredible.” I bent down and twisted the knobs, adjusting the temperature of our shower when Rory’s gasp made me stand up quickly and spin to face him. “Look at this!” He pointed to his side in the reflection of the mirror.

  I stepped closer and hurriedly looked him over. “What’s wrong? I don’t see anything.”

  “Exactly! My bruises are gone.” Rory poked a finger into his side. “And my ribs don’t hurt anymore.”

  A smile stretched across my face. “Your body is healed because of our bonding. You have my increased metabolism and healing now, remember?”

  Rory nodded. “That must be why I’m craving a big, juicy steak.”

  I laughed as I shook my head at my silly mate. “Well then, I guess I’ll have to wash you, massage you and then cook you a delicious dinner of steak and potatoes.”

  Rory gave my lips a fierce, quick kiss. “Have I mentioned I love you?”

  My heart nearly swelled too big for my chest. “Sweetheart, I hope you never stop te
lling me.” And I hoped he never got tired of hearing it in return.

  Chapter Ten

  Rory

  Life is amazing. For the past couple of weeks since Phoenix’s and my bonding, I’d been spending a lot of time with Stone and Rowan. They welcomed me with open arms into the pack and vowed their loyalty and protection to me. I promised my loyalty, honesty and guidance in return, and Phoenix looked so proud I thought he might pop.

  Rowan was excited when I asked him for lessons about nature and healing. He took me on a long hike (while I wore the new hiking boots Phoenix bought me, I might add) each day, pointing out different plants and explaining their medicinal qualities as I jotted down notes in a beautiful leather journal Phoenix gave me. My husband (okay, maybe not technically, but he never corrected me when I called him that, so I ran with it) joined us on our walks because he couldn’t handle being away from me for so long, but he kept to the background and let Rowan take the lead. He only interrupted to offer me water and to make sure I wasn’t getting too tired. Surprisingly, my endurance and strength grew every day.

  Rowan and I also had several lengthy discussions about mates and human customs and relationships. The man craved companionship and love and I hoped he found his fated match soon. He was one of the sweetest men I’d ever met in my life, and he deserved happiness.

  My interactions with Stone were much different. At first, he didn’t say much when we hung out. I never thought he was being rude or standoffish; he just wasn’t a man of many words. He and I watched a couple of action movies together and I enjoyed sharing space with him and reacting to the films together, but I wanted more. I asked Phoenix what Stone liked and found out he was a bit of a weapons expert and a keen survivalist.

  When I asked Stone to give me some pointers in self-defense and weapons training, he came alive. It was like he became a different person; open, talkative and surprisingly, a wonderful teacher. He spent hours every day showing me how to tie knots and set traps. He joined Rowan, Phoenix and me on our hikes and while Rowan showed me medicinal plants, Stone pointed out berries and flowers that could be used as food and which ones to avoid.

  Self-defense training was...interesting. The first time Stone tried to show me how to fight, I missed a block and got a slap to the side of the head. Phoenix became enraged at Stone for harming me (even though I tried to tell him it didn’t hurt) and tackled him to the ground. They wrestled in the dirt, fists and curses flying as I screamed at them to stop. It wasn’t until Rowan retrieved a pitcher of cold water from his cabin and tossed it on them that they separated. They made up immediately and laughed the whole thing off as I stared at them and decided shifters were the strangest, most intense people I’d ever met.

  From then on, my training consisted of me punching a dummy Stone made out of some wood planks and sand bags. Stone also showed me how to safely handle a knife and the best way to strike with one. He even gave me an awesome tactical knife that I now wore on my hip in a holster every day.

  I talked to Dax on the phone daily, but hadn’t seen him because of his crazy work hours between both of his jobs. We had plans to meet up the following weekend and I was excited to introduce him to Phoenix. Dax was surprised but excited when I told him I’d quit my job at the grocery store and moved in with Phoenix. He said he was happy for me and would support me in everything I did. He was the best friend I could imagine.

  Perhaps my favorite new development was the pack dinners we now had three times a week. Each household took turns preparing and hosting dinner for the others. When I suggested them as a way to relax and bond together, Phoenix showered me with praise, saying I was the glue that held the pack together and that he couldn’t be prouder of me. Rowan echoed his compliments and was excited for the delicious food and male bonding the meals brought. Stone just shrugged his agreement, saying he’d gladly let someone else cook for him twice a week.

  But now as Stone rose from our kitchen table rubbing his stomach with a smile on his face, it was obvious he loved the dinners.

  “Thank god for shifter metabolism,” Stone groaned as he shuffled toward the living room. “What was in that pie Rory; blackberries? It was delicious.”

  “Oh, I made it with those little berries you showed me in the woods. What were they called...Pokeweed?”

  Stone’s eyes were huge as he rounded on me. “You fed us Pokeweed? Holy shit, you’ve just poisoned us all! Dammit, Rory, I told you not to eat those! You’re gonna get yourself killed! I-”

  He stopped ranting when I burst into laughter. “The pie was blackberry. Phoenix had some in his freezer. Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.” Phoenix and Rowan joined in on my laughter as Stone squinted his eyes at me. Finally, the big lug’s lips curled into a smirk.

  “Okay, okay, you got me.” He gave me a playful shove on the shoulder. “You’re alright, Roar.”

  “I knew you loved me,” I teased, batting my eyelashes. A growl rumbled in Phoenix’s chest as he stared daggers at his friend. I cooled my husband down with a kiss to his cheek while Stone just rolled his eyes at us and snorted a laugh as he went back into the living room.

  “Ah, I’ve been eyeing this chair all night,” he said as he sat in Phoenix’s favorite recliner and squished his butt around. Phoenix glared at Stone again.

  “You wouldn’t be sitting in that chair if you knew what we did in it last night,” I shrugged and Stone’s eyes snapped to me. “We turned up the massage so it’d vibrate Phoenix’s balls while I rode him.” Phoenix and I had done nothing of the sort, but I couldn’t help teasing Stone.

  “God dammit, you’ve ruined this chair for me forever!” Stone yelled as he jumped out of it.

  “Thank you,” Phoenix whispered in my ear.

  “You can thank me by actually making that scene happen later,” I whispered back. Phoenix growled low and nipped my earlobe.

  “Is the couch clean?” Stone asked, pointing to a sofa cushion. I scrunched up my face and held my hand out, rotating it back and forth in a ‘so-so’ motion. “I’m sitting on the floor,” he grumped, crossing his arms over his chest and slamming his big ass on the ground.

  Rowan laughed and patted my back. “How did I ever make it without you here to help me irritate him?” He walked over to the couch and settled in comfortably as Stone shook his head at him.

  Just then, a noise pierced the air beyond our cabin’s walls. It was faint to my human ears, but Rowan, Stone and Phoenix all flinched at the sound. Stone jumped up from the floor and Rowan was also on his feet in a blink.

  “What was that?” I asked, looking quickly between the three men. I didn’t like the looks of concern on their faces.

  Phoenix didn’t answer as he crossed the room and opened the front door. A few moments later, the same sound splintered through the quiet evening air. “Gunshots.”

  Cracks and pops filled the living room, and I looked to the sound to find Rowan and Stone in their wolf forms, stepping free of tattered clothing. I’d seen both of their wolves many times over the past couple of weeks, but I’d never witnessed them as they were now; with their teeth bared and the hair on their shoulders standing up.

  The two of them bolted from our cabin and Phoenix cupped my cheeks in his hands and looked at me seriously. “I have to go with them. I have to protect the pack from whatever’s out there, and protect the lands.”

  I hated that he had to go out into a potentially dangerous situation, but I understood. It was his duty as Alpha to keep the pack safe and help anyone else who may be in danger. “Be careful.”

  Phoenix gave me a quick, firm kiss. “I will. Lock the door and don’t answer it until you see us return.” With that, he dropped his hands from my face and shifted into his powerful wolf form. He sprinted out of the door and into the forest after his friends.

  I scooted his boots and ripped clothing away from the door so that I could latch it shut. I locked the handle and the deadbolt before stepping back from the entryway and sitting on the sofa. I took my knife from its holster
and gripped the handle tightly. Hopefully I was overreacting and the situation would be settled quickly, but I felt safer having protection in my hand.

  Minutes ticked by and I breathed a sigh of relief when I heard multiple growls coming from outside. They’re back. I leapt from the couch and jogged to the window. When I looked outside, my body instantly grew cold with fear. There were several wolves outside the house, but I didn’t recognize any of them. They weren’t my pack.

  I quickly counted eleven wolves, all of whom were snarling, growling and snapping their teeth as they gathered onto the porch. I stepped away from the window and plastered my back against the front door. Remember what Rowan told you on your hikes; wolves aren’t indigenous to this region. These aren’t animals; they’re shifters.

  Oddly enough, that didn’t make me feel any better. Plus, it was hard to believe; when I looked at the wolves on my porch, I didn’t see any traces of humor or humanity behind their cold eyes. They looked feral and wicked, like they couldn’t wait for the chance to tear me apart.

  I swallowed hard as I heard the tell-tale sound of one of the wolves on the other side of the door shifting forms. “We know you’re in there,” a man’s deep voice taunted. “We just want to talk.” I wasn’t dumb enough to believe that. The doorknob jiggled as the man tried to turn it. “You don’t want my men coming in after you.” I clutched my knife tightly in my hand. If they did manage to get in, I wasn’t going to go down without a fight. “Last chance,” the man warned. The air crackled with the sound of many shifts happening at once. “Take him.”

  I jumped when a fist crashed through the window to my right. Many hands gripped and pulled shards of glass away, widening the hole. They healed quickly from the dozens of cuts that appeared as the sharp edges tore their skin. Realizing they’d be inside very soon, I ran into the bedroom and locked its door behind me. I made it to the window and got it open just as footsteps stomped through the living room. I climbed outside and ran as soon as my feet hit the grass.