Darrell was reassuringly warm in her arms. His body was hard, all corded muscles and firm planes, and when he held her tight, at last Carrie felt at peace. It was as if the heat of his skin against hers was enough to block out all the worries and upheaval of the past few days.

Here, in his arms, she was perfectly safe. Here, she was perfect just the way she was: the orphan who might not actually be an orphan, the cat shifter who hadn’t even known what she was.

Here, she was just Carrie. Just a woman. A woman who really, really wanted her man.

And as if to show her that this was in fact the only thing that mattered, new heat rushed through her as Darrell took hold of her face and kissed her.

He was gentle—at least he started out that way. At the first touch of their lips, passion surged. A minute later, Carrie found herself clutching at his bulging biceps, breathless and dizzy as her body throbbed with relentless need.

He was hard, too. She could feel it against her thigh. But most importantly, she knew.

Somehow, the awareness of his own arousal came trickling into her mind, like a distant echo, an emotion that wasn’t hers and which nevertheless belonged to her.

Is that the bond he was talking of?

It was intriguing—but right now, Carrie had other things on her mind.

She’d missed him. They’d only been apart a day, but now that she was in his arms once more, it was as if her need for him had doubled.

This is right. This is real. I want this, she thought, still surprised by the intensity of the emotions.

“Stay,” she said breathlessly. “Just—stay. I want to be yours. Your mate. In every way.”

Darrell groaned hoarsely. A moment later, she found herself on her back on the bed, Darrell bending over her with eyes that had gone dark with desire.

He wasn’t gentle when he stripped them—he was too far gone with need for that. But his skin was so hot it nearly seemed to burn her own, and the slide of those large, strong hands over her body was all she’d ever wanted.

Eagerly, she arched against him. His erection slid against her thigh, large and hard as steel. The contact was enough to make him groan again.

His hair was damp with sweat as he looked down at her. His eyes had gone from the familiar gold-brown to the black of pure passion. When she ran her hands over his back, his muscles were hard as stone. He was tense, tendons and muscles in hard relief.

She’d never wanted him more than she wanted him right now. The cat inside her was purring, and that felt right, too.

Her inner animal was a part of her, and this decision was right for both of them.

“If I take you now,” Darrell said, his voice little more than a sexy, deep growl that vibrated all through his body, “every shifter who looks at you will know that you are mine. My mate. Mine to love; mine to protect.”

“Yours,” Carrie sighed, tightening her arms around him to pull him closer. “Please.”

The muscles of his powerful body bunched as he slid inside her. He felt perfect—so perfect that it was almost unbearable.

He stretched her so that she cried out, tightening around him, her nails raking across his shoulders. And still he gave her more until the ecstasy of having him inside her was so complete that she had to close her eyes, throbbing around him.

With every thrust, he set off new sparks of pleasure. She could feel his hot skin slide against her own.

Her nipples were tight and aching, and she arched against him as much as she could. She wanted him—she needed him to claim her, to make this last forever, to mark her with his scent and with the heat of his touch.

Be mine, he whispered again, his voice deep and throaty.

It took Carrie a moment to realize that she’d heard his voice in her head, and that he hadn’t spoken out loud.

Still gasping for breath, she opened her eyes, meeting Darrell’s gaze. She was trembling, waves of pleasure continuously erupting at her core—but something was holding her back. Something...

Yours. Forever, she breathed silently, their eyes locked as she trembled at every thrust that fanned the fire inside her.

Your mate. Always.

Yours.

She couldn’t even say who’d spoken the final word. It was as if some curtain had lifted, and all of a sudden, they were touching—truly touching.

Not just skin to skin, but soul to soul.

He was inside her, his love and warmth and the scalding heat of his desire rushing into her soul until she felt full, until she was burning up with it, held trembling there at the pinnacle.

And then, like an irresistible wave, climax came crashing over her. She cried out, clutching at him as she trembled. Ecstasy coursed through her blood, her body arching against him as the heat of his own release filled her with pulse after pulse.

And there, between them, the strange connection had sprung to full life.

She could feel his love, his happiness, and his ecstasy, pleasure intertwining and lifting her higher and higher. And then she came again, a second orgasm pulsing through her with so much force that it was almost painful, her inner walls clutching him tightly as she trembled in his embrace.

My mate, she whispered through the mate bond, a helpless smile appearing on her lips when his own love came flooding back.

She’d never felt safer than she was right now in his arms. Assassin or no—this was where she belonged.

***

Their hosts were called Logan and Lily, another mated pair, or so Carrie had learned on the drive to the farm. They had an adorable little boy called Lance, who was only a year old.

To Carrie’s relief, she learned that at the news of their coming, Logan and Lily had decided that Lance would spend the next day or two with Chris and Eve, and their own tiny daughter Jasmine. Carrie hated the thought of putting someone else in danger, but at the same time it was a relief to leave Linden Creek behind for now. And with any luck, the assassins would lose their trail now.

Lily had assembled a quick dinner for them, while Logan welcomed them before shifting and ambling off into the gloom in the large, intimidating form of his bear, helping to set up the patrol of shifters. And after all the excitement and the drive, Carrie was glad that they had the tiny guest house to retire to. So it wasn’t until the next morning that she truly began to get to know her hosts.

Logan was the sheriff’s brother. Carrie could see the resemblance in the lines of his face, and the easy reassurance with which he moved.

But perhaps that was a shifter thing—Darrell had that same easy confidence that had attracted her to him in the first place. It was probably pretty easy to walk around as if you owned the ground you stood on, if you could shift into a large bear with more muscles than five people combined.

On the other hand, so far every bear shifter had made up for the powerful nature of their inner animal by being a welcoming, warm host. And the home of Logan and Lily was no different.

“Sorry, there’s still a few boxes in the new annex,” Lily said apologetically as she poured Carrie more coffee. “And I’ve been meaning to order new curtains for weeks now. We put up the old curtains as a temporary thing, but then we got three new ponies. One had a colic straight away, which means we had to walk him all day, and—”

“No, it’s perfect,” Carrie said. “Honestly, have you thought of renting it out? It’s exactly the sort of place I would’ve booked for my holiday. If my boss hadn’t set me up with that cabin by the lake, that is.”

“We were actually thinking of hosting families with children who want to help out with the rescue animals and learn what life on a farm is like.” Lily beamed at her. “Not as a business—we’re busy enough with the animals as is. But we were thinking that this way we could get some help—just with the easy tasks, of course—and a few kids from the city would get to spend time with animals.”

“That sounds amazing,” Carrie said. “You’ve built such a beautiful home here. And now here I come along and endanger all of that...”

She swallowed when she realized that even now, a stranger could be out there in the forest somewhere, searching for her.

“Don’t,” Lily said gently, and reached out to squeeze her hand. “You’re family now. I’m not actually a shifter myself—but I know how it goes. You’re Darrell’s mate, which means you’re part of Logan’s clan. We’re all family out here. Though I have to admit, you’re the first cat shifter I’ve known. How exciting! It’s all bears out here.”

Carrie laughed softly despite her worries. “Thanks! And I don’t know how exciting it really is—I didn’t even know I could shift until I met Darrell. But I guess it could be useful if we ever have a mouse problem...”

Darrell grinned at her, joining them at the table with a plate piled high with pancakes. “I didn’t know you were quite that practical.”

Carrie grinned back as she quickly snatched one of the pancakes from his plate. “I’d like to be useful somehow. Right now I’m just—sitting around. Waiting not to be assassinated.”

Then she grimaced. “That sounds bad, doesn’t it? Whoever it is has probably lost the trail by now... right?”

“Perhaps,” Darrell said thoughtfully. “In Linden Creek, with the tourists and hikers, it’s difficult to figure out if someone new is hiding in the area. But here—the farmland is all Logan and Lily’s. If we catch the scent of a stranger, we’ll know someone has followed us. If we don’t...”

“If we don’t, it means he’s given up,” Carrie finished. “Because there won’t be any need to assassinate me once they’ve arrested my boss.”

Darrell sighed deeply. “Actually, Chris called earlier. No sign of your boss. He vanished, just as we thought he would.”

“The bastard’s probably sitting on a beach in Thailand right now, sipping one of those cocktails with a little umbrella,” Carrie muttered. “Damn.”

“Chris had your car recovered, though. And all the documents that survived the accident are with the police as well.”

“So,” Carrie said slowly, “once the investigation starts, there won’t be any need to kill me anymore, because all the secrets are already out?”

Darrell nodded. “That’s what we’re hoping.”

“Great.” Carrie released a deep sigh. “So it’s exactly like I feared. I just have to wait...”

“Hey.” Darrell’s arm wrapped around her shoulders once more. “No need to look so disappointed. You’re safe out here, I promise. We’ll know if someone gets close. Which means you get to have the vacation you’ve deserved all along.”

It turned out that the little farm was really everything Carrie could have hoped for in a vacation. There was a herd of tiny goats which she fed together with Lily, learning quickly how to escape the eager, horned heads that came relentlessly pushing at her hands and pockets.

Afterward, she and Darrell took a walk along a path that meandered by little meadows and fields. There were several horses and ponies out for pasture, and Carrie ended up doing more petting than walking. Lily had given them a bag of carrots, which eventually attracted even the most wary of the horses, a giant white mare that had eyed them with obvious distrust, eyes rolling as she watched the ponies eagerly mill around Carrie for her treats.

Just in case, Carrie had held back a carrot. And when the old horse finally came forward, Carrie held out her hand, the carrot on top.

She didn’t move. Darrell likewise had frozen next to her. Patiently, they waited.

It took several minutes, the horse coming closer only with slow step after step, her ears close to her head. She looked as if she was listening for a reason to balk and flee.

Carrie remained patient. And eventually, she was rewarded by the gentlest of touches, the mare’s muzzle briefly touching her hand as she took the offered carrot. The mare’s skin was warm and soft. For a moment they looked at each other as the mare crunched the carrot between large, yellow teeth.

Then she blew out air through her nose and quickly moved off, only stopping once she was at a comfortable distance once more. But now, she looked more relaxed. Her eyes were no longer rolling in her head, and her ears were pointing forward with curiosity.

“Poor horse,” Carrie sighed. “I wonder what made her so afraid.”

“She might be an old racehorse,” Darrell said. “I don’t know much about horses, but she has the looks of someone who knows how to run. And I know that Logan and Lily rescued several from a racing stable that was forced to close down.”

“She’s lovely,” Carrie said quietly. “And I’m glad she has a real home now. It’s terrible, not having a home.”

The mare held her gaze, blue eyes watching her. And then, a heartbeat later, almost as if the animal had heard what she had said, the horse’s tail lifted high and the mare reared up. Her whinny was loud and joyful, like a trumpet, as she raced off for the far reaches of the meadow, her mane and tail fluttering in the window like a flag of white silk.

“I’ll be back tomorrow!” Carrie called out to her with a laugh, petting the ponies once more before she took hold of Darrell’s hand.

“It’s good to have a home,” Darrell quietly agreed.

Through the bond between them, Carrie could feel his love for her flow, and she laughed again in pure joy. The new connection was overwhelming. After a childhood where she’d continuously felt like she didn’t belong anywhere, this was almost too overwhelming.

“Is it possible to be so happy?” she asked, leaning against him. “It almost feels like it’s too much. Like it shouldn’t be possible to be so happy.”

Darrell gave her a surprised little laugh. “Feels like it, doesn’t it? Sometimes I think about what might have happened if I’d been too late—or if that accident—”

“Hush,” Carrie said lovingly. “I’m right here with you. That isn’t going to change, not ever.”

She reached up to take his face in her hand, leaning up to demand a kiss, and Darrell eagerly obliged her.

“Not ever,” he agreed when they finally parted.

Carrie shivered happily when she felt his emotions come pulsing through the bond, that special, intoxicating mix of love—need—protectiveness that was all Darrell.

“We’ll soon be back home,” he promised. “I wish Chris could’ve just arrested them all, but that’s not how it works, apparently.”

“That’s really not how it works.” Carrie sighed. “Believe me, I know. They have to keep all information under wraps until their investigation is done.”

“The special knowledge that comes from working for an accountant?” Darrell grinned at her.

Carrie giggled. “The special knowledge of someone who regularly binges on complete seasons of CSI.”

Darrell laughed and tightened his arms around her. “Either way, useful knowledge to have. So what I understand is that they’re having to keep it all secret until they’ve had a chance to lock up those mobsters behind it all?”

“Costa. And his bosses, I guess—Costa can only be a small number in it all.” Carrie shivered instinctively. She’d never liked Costa—but then, all the glib, slimy businessmen she’d known in her line of work were like that.

Darrell nodded seriously, his hand sliding down her back. “Chris promised me it won’t be long. A day or two of hiding out here. I think the usual way of doing this would be to offer you witness protection.”

“I’d rather take an entire clan of bear shifters protecting me, thanks.” Carrie smiled up at him. She should probably feel more worried—but with the new mate bond pulsing between them, she felt as giddy and excited as a new bride on her honeymoon.

Which I guess I am now...

“So how do shifter weddings work?” she asked, as much to change the subject as because she was genuinely curious. “There’s still so much I don’t know.”

“Among our clan, this is it, basically. The most important thing is the mating.”

“Not just the sex,” Carrie said slowly, flushing a little as she remembered the ecstasy and the overwhelming rush of emotions, “but—it was more. It was like when you taught me how to shift. Like... like trusting with all my heart. Opening all of myself to you.”

“Sharing my soul with you. Sharing my heart,” Darrell said softly, taking hold of her hand to press it against his chest.

Carrie shivered again as she felt the strong thuds of that powerful heart against her skin—and there, deep inside of her, she could feel an echo of it through that special connection that bound them to each other.

“Usually, in times of peace, there’d be a large feast. Lots of food, music, dancing—”

“A real wedding,” Carrie said in relief.

Darrell nodded. “We’ll still have that. I promise, you’re not missing out. You’re getting a real, human wedding, with a ring and a dress and lots of cake. And all your friends and family.”

“I want my friends to come,” Carrie said, warmth rushing through her as she thought of introducing her sexy new husband to her three best friends.

Husband... I guess that’s what he is! My mate. My husband.

She couldn’t stop herself from smiling.

“And I want to invite my foster parents too,” she said more slowly. “Just... don’t be surprised if they don’t make it. It’s a long drive for them, and we were never that close.”

“I’m sorry,” Darrell said throatily and pulled her close.

Gratefully, Carrie nuzzled into his embrace.

“Don’t be. They weren’t bad foster parents, you know. I always felt safe. I had a home and a bed and food, and I got to go to school every day and had new clothes when I needed them. It’s a lot more than some kids get. But they weren’t the parents a lonely, scared child yearned for in her bed late at night. That connection just wasn’t really there. They had a lot of work, and there were always more children... They’re more like distant friends now. I don’t visit for Christmas, but I make sure to call, you know?”

Darrell nodded, holding her close. She could feel the heat of his breath against her throat. Through the bond, his love came flowing, like a warm, comforting blanket she could wrap herself in.

She was loved. She was held. She was not alone.

That was what she’d been yearning for, all those years ago.

A family. We’re really a family now.

“I didn’t have the best childhood either,” Darrell finally admitted after a long moment of silence. His voice was rough, as though he was remembering unpleasant memories as well.

“I know what it’s like to be lonely. For the longest time, I thought life was just meant to be that way. That it’s all just rivalry and paranoia and constant suspicion. But then, when I grew up, I knew that there had to be more. No one’s meant to be lonely. Everyone deserves a home—a real home. That’s why my clan and I ran from that life. I’m not a fighter. I’m more than that. We all deserve to be more than that. I’m strong—but I want to be strong for my family. I want to fight for something that’s worth fighting for, not just a cruel alpha’s greed. And in Linden Creek, we found that. All around me, people have started to settle down and found families. And I promise you that I’m going to try my best to make sure that you’ll never be lonely. And all our cubs will always be loved.”

Slowly, Carrie ran her hand down his back as she leaned against his strong chest.

She couldn’t even imagine the life he must have led. At least her life had been normal. Feeling lonely was one thing—but constantly feeling threatened and afraid?

“I think we’ll do just fine together,” she said softly, looking up into his gorgeous, brown-gold eyes. “We can learn together.”

“So far, we’ve done rather well,” Darrell murmured, his voice a deep, sexy rumble against her chest. “What do you say... want to check out the hayloft?”

Carrie laughed softly, heat spreading through her at the way he looked at her. As if she was a delicious treat he wanted to eat up.

“I warn you, we’ll end up with straw in uncomfortable places,” she said, and then quickly took a step back and winked. “Race you!”