When I woke, I was keenly aware of my mate in bed beside me, his strong arm wrapped around me – the arm of my protector.

I’d slept like a baby, but my dreams had been hot and sexy, and no doubt it had something to do with the fact that his knot was still firmly fixed inside me.

“Baby,” I mumbled, turning my head to face him. I was little spoon to his big spoon, and as I twisted, I felt a twinge of pain in my left shoulder, and looked over at the two fang marks he’d given me last night.

The bond…

Life already felt different, and it wasn’t just because I was no longer a virgin. It was more than that.

“Baby,” I whispered again, running my fingertips along his side. He shivered, woke and pulled me tighter.

“Mmmm, is it morning?” He asked.

“You’re still inside me,” I told him, shifting slightly so he’d feel it. My dick was hard between my legs, and I reached between them and stroked his balls with my fingertips.

“Mmmm,” he growled. “You trying to get me going?”

“You’re already going,” I told him, grinding my hips against him. “Fill me up again.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice,” he said, sliding his lips around my ear.

He fucked me again, but not like last night. This time was slower, more sensual, and we never changed positions. We just spooned as he moved his hips, his hand jerking my cock as he fucked me.

When he came, I came, making an absolute mess of the sheets, but who cared? This was our bedroom, and I had no issues with doing the laundry. In fact, I couldn’t wait to get down to doing this for my alpha. All I wanted in the world now was to give him a pup and make him happy.

“You’ll be the death of me,” Seth joked, his knot finally subsiding. As he slid out of me, I felt empty. If I could have walked around all day with him inside me, I would have.

“You want to shower?” I asked him as he stood up.

“Hell, yes,” he grinned. I watched his firm buttocks as he walked to the closet and pulled two fresh towels from the shelf.

“What are you looking at?” He smiled.

“Oh, nothing,” I replied, playing dumb and innocent. “Just the firmest ass I’ve ever seen.”

“Squats,” he joked. Seth didn’t need to hit the gym. He was an alpha in his prime – he just was that built.

We made our way down the hall to the shower and cleaned off under the hot water. We both probably could have gone for round two – or was it four at this point if we counted last night – but Seth had to talk to Tate about some things, and my poor little butt could use a bit of a break anyway.

“I’m gonna go talk to Tate,” he told me as we got dressed. “See what we can do about this Kade situation.”

“I don’t want to get anyone hurt,” I told him. “This really isn’t their problem.”

“Let me tell you something, Harry,” he said, taking a seat beside me on the bed. As I looked up into his beautiful green eyes, I could just feel the warmth and unbelievable amount of love pouring off of him. “Everyone here has a big heart. There’s no way Tate would know about this kind of thing going on and not do something about it, whether or not you had been involved or I asked him to. He’s just that kind of guy.”

“Sounds like the complete opposite of what I’m used to,” I replied sadly.

“That’s right. And if you need anything, don’t be afraid to ask him. This is his lodge, his pack and he’s always glad to help. Of course, I’ll take care of you and I can’t imagine you ever needing anything, but still.”

He grinned and kissed me on the head as he got to his feet.

“Seth,” I said as he stepped to the door.

“Yes?”

“I – I love you.”

I hadn’t planned on saying it, but it just felt so right. The words almost formed themselves inside my lips and pushed their way out without consulting me. But it was like magical music to say them to him and I felt myself blush as he smiled at me.

And when he spoke back, I felt like a little boy with a crush all over again.

“I love you too, my sweet, sweet omega.”

My heart swelled like a symphony playing inside me as I gave me one last smile before heading down the hall. I didn’t want him to go, but after last night, things seemed to have changed.

He’d claimed me – and I’d claimed him. To remind myself of this, I ran my hand over the tender flesh of my shoulder where his fangs had entered me. I doubt humans could understand what something like that meant.

I guess it was, in a way, like how some people tattoo their names on each other, only this was only between us, and was put there by the other. No artist could ever come close to replicating the beauty that were the two little marks on my skin that my mate had left there, and I couldn’t get rid of them, even if I wanted to – which I didn’t, and never would.