CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Arriving back at the house, Gwen was surprised to see yet another SUV parked outside. Four people exited the vehicle—two of whom she’d seen before. She did a quick study of the unfamiliar tall, sable-haired female and the huge male at her side with perceptive brindle-brown eyes. As she took in the fluid way they both moved, Gwen was quite sure they were shifters.
“What are you guys doing here?” asked Bracken.
Jesse snorted. “What do you think we’re doing here? There’s a chance you’ll need backup. We came. And, yeah, I’d like to get my fucking hands on Rory after he sent the cops to Harley’s club.”
Gwen waited with her family and Andie while the Mercury wolves and the newcomers exchanged greetings. It was obvious to her that they were all close.
Zander turned to her. “Gwen, you remember Jesse and Harley. This is Jaime and Dante. They’re the Betas of the Phoenix Pack.”
Gwen gave the new arrivals a quick hello and then introduced her family and Andie. “We appreciate you coming.”
After greetings were exchanged, Yvonne and Marlon made everyone a light lunch. While they ate, Zander and Derren told the other shifters what happened at the hearing. A little overwhelmed by the number of people, Julie soon made her excuses to leave. Once she and Chase were gone, the others all went outside to look at the views of the marsh.
As Gwen stood with Jaime and Ally out on the boardwalk, she asked the Beta female, “How’s Makenna and the baby?”
“They’re both fine,” said Jaime, eyes lighting up. “The baby is adorable, isn’t she? Makenna won’t agree to stay on our territory, so Ryan’s constantly freaking out. In his head, I mean. You wouldn’t know it to look at him.”
Recalling that Ryan’s default expression seemed to be a scowl, Gwen smiled. “Yeah, I can imagine.”
“Roni and Shaya really wanted to come, but I’m guessing you can understand why they didn’t.”
“Of course,” Gwen assured her. “It’s vital that the Mercury Pack isn’t left vulnerable. To be honest, I’m surprised Jesse and Harley came, especially after Rory pulled that firecracker stunt.” Zander had told her all about it.
“Jesse, Zander, and Bracken are really close,” said Ally. “I think it was hard for Jesse to stay out of this, so he’d have turned up here even if Rory hadn’t insisted on being a shithead. Harley will have come along to get a shot at vengeance.”
Gwen sipped at her coffee and then spoke to Jaime. “To be blunt, why are you and your mate here?”
Jaime tilted her head. “I’m not sure if Zander’s told you that our packs are closely allied with each other. In fact, we share Roni and Marcus. See, she’s a Mercury enforcer, and Marcus is a Phoenix enforcer, but neither wanted to switch packs. If either of our packs have trouble, one always has the other’s back.” She paused, her smile approving as she stared at Gwen. “What you did for Andie . . . it was a brave thing.”
“It was the right thing,” Gwen pointed out.
Ally nodded. “But sometimes the right thing is scary and difficult to do. You still did it.”
“Although you didn’t do it on behalf of shifters everywhere, I wanted to say thank you.” Jaime lifted her mug to Gwen, as if in salute.
Uncomfortable with the praise, Gwen just nodded. Noticing Harley and Andie slowly heading down the boardwalk, she said, “They seem to be getting along well.”
Ally nodded. “Harley spent the first half of her life in a pride, but she spent the second half in the human world—she lived with her aunt, who took care of her. She can relate to how Andie must feel, having lived among humans for a long time. Has Andie decided what she’ll do next?”
Gwen shrugged. “I don’t know. I hope to find out later.”
From where he stood on the porch with Jesse, Zander watched Gwen interact with the other females. She seemed relaxed around them. He liked that. He wanted her to feel comfortable with them so that it would make the transition to his pack easier. He also wanted her to feel that she had friends when she moved there.
“When do you think the Moores will attack?” asked Jesse.
“It’s possible that they won’t. They hired goshawks to hurt Gwen not long ago.” The memory made Zander’s wolf snarl. The beast was brooding because he’d been denied the chance to attack and kill Ezra. “They might do the same thing again.”
Jesse nodded. “Makes sense, since it’s unlikely that they’ll want to face you and a bunch of shifters. They have to know that you could beat their asses all on your own. If they do come here to take care of this themselves, they’ll come armed.”
“Probably. But it won’t help them. They’ll die either way.” Zander wouldn’t allow any threat to his mate to live. Speaking of threats . . . “I know you want to deal with Rory yourself. I get why. But if he comes here, he’s mine. Not just because he deserves a ration of shit for all the things he’s done over the years, but because he hurt my mate. He made her bleed. He would have taken her if Ally hadn’t had a vision that warned us. I can’t let that go.”
Jesse gave a nod of acceptance. “Understood. Just make sure you hurt him. Badly.”
That wouldn’t be a problem. “Back to the subject of the Moores . . . I don’t think there’ll be an attack tonight. They’ll know we’re on our guard. But I don’t think the Moores will be prepared to wait long—they’re too hungry for revenge on Gwen.”
“I didn’t think I’d like her,” Jesse announced. “Knowing what she’s done for the cougar, I respect her. But you’re one of my best friends. More like a brother. I knew I’d have trouble accepting your mate, whoever she was, because I’d need to be sure that she was good for you. We both know from watching our parents that not all mated pairs live a dreamy life.”
Yeah, Jesse’s parents had some serious issues. His mother dominated his father’s behavior, but she didn’t wish to do so, didn’t like that he’d folded under her strength by his own choice. She wanted a partner, an equal, and her mate was no longer that for her.
Jesse sighed. “You and me . . . we’re not easy people, and we’re never going to be easy partners. Harley gets me and lets me be until I push too hard. I wanted to be sure that your mate was someone who got you and accepted you. From what I can see and from what Ally’s told me, it’s pretty clear that Gwen does.”
“It’s a good thing that you didn’t run her through a gauntlet,” said Zander. It was the kind of thing his pack mate would do. “I would have had to kill you for that.”
Jesse’s mouth curved. “She’s got you all tied up in knots, hasn’t she?”
“That’s the way it should be, though.”
“Yeah, it is.” Jesse’s frown returned as he looked back at the females. “They all look deep in conversation over there, don’t they? I think they’re talking about us. Typical. Just typical.”
“The Matrix could so be real,” insisted Harley.
Ally’s nose wrinkled. “Some of your theories do have substance, but I’m not convinced.”
“I think it’s possible.” Gwen paused to drink the last bit of her coffee. “Although, I once read an article somewhere that said if the world really was a simulation, it’s doubtful that we’d be plugged into some kind of system. We’d most likely be more like virtual entities that were made at the same time as the simulation.”
Jaime’s brows lifted. “I never thought of it like that. Interesting.”
“If The Matrix is real, let’s hope the programmers don’t press the ‘Off’ switch,” said Andie dryly.
Jaime’s brow pinched at something over Gwen’s shoulder. “Who’s that?”
Turning, Gwen smiled. “Oh, that’s Donnie. My uncle.” Gwen crossed to where he stood, eyeing the newcomers. “The hearing went well. The council remanded Brandt, Mack, and Rowan.”
“Good,” said Donnie. “I’m guessing the Moores didn’t take it well.”
“No, they didn’t.” She sighed. “And they didn’t look as though they had any intention of letting this go.”
“We always knew they’d retaliate. We’re ready for them and that other wolf, Rory. He hasn’t been back.”
“How do you know?” asked Jaime from behind Gwen—her voice almost made Gwen jolt in surprise. Jaime moved as silently as Zander.
“I know,” replied Donnie. He glanced around. “Who are these people?”
“More wolves,” said Gwen. “This is Jaime. The guy standing with Derren and Bracken is her mate, Dante. The female coming toward us with Andie and Ally is Harley, and her mate is over there with Zander; they’re his pack mates. Jaime and Dante are the Betas of the Phoenix Pack.”
“Huh.” Donnie’s tongue poked the inside of his cheek.
“Seen any more of that wolf you shot?” Ally asked him.
“Already asked him that,” Jaime told her. “He said no.”
“If he’s got any sense,” began Donnie, “he won’t come back.”
“He doesn’t have any sense,” said Gwen.
Donnie sighed. “That’s what I thought. Make sure you warn the new people to be careful if they go patrolling the area.”
“Why?” asked Jaime.
He frowned, as if not understanding the question. “Because I got the place rigged. Why else?” With that, he walked off.
“He’s . . . interesting,” said Jaime.
Gwen smiled. “Ain’t he, though?”
A little while later, the she-wolves and Harley went to chat with their mates, leaving Gwen and Andie alone.
Andie gently took her arm. “Gwen, I honestly can’t thank you enough for everything you did and for all the support that you’ve given me and all the risks you’ve taken. I’m not much good at talks like this, but I wanted to say that you’re the shit—just so you know.”
Gwen’s lips curled. “You don’t have to thank me for anything I did. You helped yourself. And not just by turning up at the hearing today. You took a chance on the shelter, you got yourself together, and you found the strength to get justice for yourself. I’m proud of you. Speaking of the shelter . . . are you going back there?”
Andie bit her lip. “For a little while, yeah. Heath and I are thinking of getting an apartment together. I know it’s fast. I know that. But . . . it just feels right. I’m not saying I think he’s my true mate. I’m not totally sure about that yet, but I think it’s possible. Either way, I want to be with him.”
Gwen briefly glanced at Zander, who was currently talking with Bracken and Marlon. “Zander wants me to leave with him and move to his pack.”
Andie snorted. “Well, of course he does. He’s hardly going to want to leave his mate behind. In fact, he’d be more likely to stay with you than leave. Mates come first. I’m guessing it took a little while for you to realize you were true mates. Still, I’m surprised he hasn’t claimed you yet. Are you reluctant to form the bond or something?”
Gwen didn’t realize she’d been holding her breath until that moment. Clearing her throat, she asked carefully, “What makes you think he’s my mate?”
Andie gave her a look that questioned her IQ level. “He looks at you with eyes that scream mate. He hardly ever leaves your side, he’s constantly touching you, and his face softens when he sees you.” She tilted her head. “He didn’t tell you? Shit, I thought you knew or I wouldn’t have said anything.”
“Why would he keep it from me?” The words came out soft, quiet.
“You may have noticed that dominant male wolves are protective. They’re hyperprotective of their mates. If he’s kept it from you, it’s most likely because he thinks it’s not good for you to know yet. To be fair, a lot of stuff has been going on around you. Maybe he didn’t want to add to that.” Andie shrugged. “I don’t know him well enough to make a good guess.”
“He should have told me.” All this time Gwen had been waiting for imprinting to begin, had panicked that the bond wouldn’t form . . . and he’d secretly believed that there already was a bond. Or, at least, that the potential of it was there.
“Whatever the case, hold tight to him, Gwen. So many shifters would love to have what you’ve found in Zander. A mate is a special thing. Don’t turn your back on it—especially just because you’re a little annoyed with him for not mentioning it.”
Honestly, Gwen wasn’t sure what she was going to do. A lot of it would depend on his reasons for keeping it from her, and on just how sure he was that they were true mates. It was possible that he hadn’t told her because he wasn’t certain—that she’d understand.
As her head was figuratively up her ass, the day seemed to pass in a blur. She’d made an effort not to seem upset, knowing Zander would pull her aside and demand an explanation—that was a conversation they’d need to have in private at a time when they were unlikely to be interrupted.
Needing some time to herself, she was glad when he went on patrol that evening with the other shifters. She took a long bath and leisurely dried her hair before pulling on a peach silk camisole and matching boy shorts.
Sadly, the time alone didn’t relax her. She found herself pacing up and down in her room, fists clenching and unclenching. When her door opened, she halted and turned to face Zander as he stalked inside and locked it behind him. His eyes raked over her and heated. Her body automatically reacted—knowing that look and knowing what it meant.
Every step fluid and silent, Zander crossed the room to her. He didn’t try to pull her to him as he usually did. His hand gently smoothed her bangs aside, and he studied every inch of her face, searching. “You’ve been quiet. At first, I assumed you were worrying about the Moores. But looking at you now, it’s clear you’re pissed about something. Tell me. I’ll fix it.”
Her phone rang. If she hadn’t been so tense, she might have jumped. Grabbing it from the bed, she frowned when she saw it was Kenny. Hesitantly, she answered. “Hello?”
“I heard you changed your mind about doing me that favor, Gwen . . . or did you never intend to do it?” Strangely, Kenny didn’t sound upset or angry. He sounded relatively amused. But then, it wasn’t as if the situation affected him personally.
“I never intended to do it.” Yeah, she was hoping to piss him off. It didn’t work.
He chuckled. “That devious streak is another thing you got from me.”
“I wasn’t being devious. I was being smart. You wanted me to do the smart thing, right?”
“I did,” he said, a smile in his voice. “But it wasn’t entirely smart. Not when it means you’ll now have the Moore family on your ass.” He sighed. “I’ll give them a call. Warn them to stay away from you. But I can’t guarantee they will. Unlike you, Ezra Moore doesn’t appear to be smart at all.”
“I can handle him.”
“I’ll bet you can, since you have the protection of shifters. Do you think that’s wise? They’re not known for being loyal to anyone outside whatever group they live in.”
“They’ve protected me so far.”
“Yes, it would seem they have,” he mused. “Just be careful. I’d rather not have to wipe out an entire pack of wolves, but I won’t hesitate to do so if they harm you.” He ended the call before she could respond to that.
With a curse, Gwen tossed the phone on the bed. “I’m guessing you heard that conversation clearly enough.”
“Maybe his warning will be enough to make Ezra back off for a while.”
She snorted. “Even if Ezra was willing, Moira and Brandt wouldn’t be. The moment Brandt’s released by the council, he’ll be demanding that someone make me pay. And if they don’t do something, he will. In other words, something will happen.”
Zander sighed. “Sadly, I can’t disagree with you. Was this what was bothering you? Were you anticipating a call from Kenny?”
No.” Gwen literally blurted out the question. “Why didn’t you tell me you think I’m your true mate?”
He stiffened. “Who told you that?”
“According to Andie, it’s pretty obvious.” And if it was obvious to the cougar, Gwen had to wonder if it was just as obvious to the other shifters. If that were true, it would be both embarrassing and hurtful to think they’d all possessed that knowledge and she’d been oblivious.
“Before we talk about this, you have to promise me something.” His gaze pinned hers. “Promise me that you won’t walk out of this room, that you’ll stay here until we’ve talked it all out.” Zander still wasn’t certain that she was ready to hear this yet. Nonetheless, part of him was glad that they could lay it all out finally. He was pissed that she’d heard it from someone else, though. Still, it was his own fault.
“Just tell me,” she clipped.
“Promise me.”
She unlocked her back teeth. “Fine. I promise. Now, why didn’t you want to tell me?”
“I did want to tell you. You have no idea how much. No idea how hard it was to keep it from you. But you’ve got enough going on—I didn’t want to pile something else on you. I had no idea which way this would go, whether you’d be pleased or freaked. I wasn’t sure you were secure enough in our relationship to handle it. I won’t take it well if you reject the bond, Gwen, and I didn’t want tension between us at a time when you needed me here for you.”
Gwen inwardly cursed. She was hurt that he’d kept it from her, wanted to be mad at him, but that response was impossible to be mad at. “How long have you believed we’re mates?”
“Since the night that Rory attacked you.” His wolf growled as he recalled what happened. “Do you remember I told you that my wolf was guarded around you at first?”
She nodded.
“You know he’s not anymore. What you don’t know is why he acted that way in the first place. It was Ally who worked it out. My wolf is . . . damaged, I guess you could say. The people who were important to him let him down. I can relate to that, and I think you can too.”
She inclined her head.
“So, it stands to reason that he’d be wary of anything or anyone that had the potential to wound him that badly again. I didn’t think of that. But once I did, once I put it all together, everything became perfectly clear. Like a veil had been lifted.”
“You really think I’m your mate?” she asked. He shook his head, and her stomach dropped.
“I know you are.” He rested his hands on her shoulders. “Think about how fascinated you’ve always been by shifters. Hell, you were even obsessed with wolves.”
“I wouldn’t say obsessed.”
“Some part of you knew where you belonged. It all adds up. And if that isn’t convincing enough for you, ask yourself this: How would it feel if I walked away from you? I know how it would feel, Gwen, because it would be the same for me if you sent me away. That’s not a normal kind of hurt, is it?”
Considering her chest felt like it was on fire at just the idea, no it wasn’t normal. “I know you said that it’s not so easy to sense the bond. I know that. But we let our guard down with each other. Hell, I even committed to joining your pack, yet we haven’t sensed anything.”
“It’s not just about mental walls, Gwen. So many things can block the frequency.”
“Like fears and secrets,” she remembered. “You know I fear happiness like a weirdo, and you know about Geena and that I’m an informant for The Movement. I don’t have any other secrets.”
“Sometimes a couple will feel the bond without baring that much of themselves—it can depend on a lot of things. But one thing is absolutely guaranteed to block the frequency.”
“What’s that?”
“The unwillingness to believe that it might be there.” He slid his hands from her shoulders to her neck. “You have to let yourself wonder if it is, Gwen. And I know how hard that’s going to be for you, because it will mean letting yourself hope. And you fear hope almost as much as you fear happiness, because the two are very much linked.”
He was right. It might have been kind of backward to fear hope, but Gwen did. Feared hoping and reaching for something, only to be disappointed. She’d spent a good portion of her childhood hoping. Hoping that Hanna would love her, hoping that her stepfather would stop hurting Hanna, hoping she’d never be forced to lie to protect him from the police ever again. Hoping had done her a fat lot of good. She’d thought that just maybe fate or luck had intervened and led her to the Millers. But it turned out that Kenny had intervened.
“Until you can let yourself wonder if it could be true, we won’t feel that bond.” His wolf wanted Zander to bite her, claim her, so she couldn’t get away. But, though it killed him, Zander said, “Take some time to think about it all. Think about what I told you. What you feel. What you need.”
“Wouldn’t it be hard for you to give me time? I mean, if you think I’m your mate, isn’t it hard for you not to claim me?”
“Hell, yeah, it’s hard. For me and for my wolf. He constantly pushes me to claim you. It’s been killing me that I couldn’t tell you about it, but I didn’t know how you’d react. And giving you time won’t be easy for me, but if that’s what you need, I’ll give it to you.”
She raked a hand through her hair. “I don’t want to give it time. I don’t have the patience to sit around and ponder shit. I like to know the facts.” But there was really only one way to know. “You really truly believe we’re mates?”
“I don’t have a single doubt in my mind.” He rested his forehead on hers. “Just admit that it’s possible, Gwen. That’s all you have to do. You’re already mine, and I’m already yours. Nothing will change that. Not a thing. I wanted you for keeps before I realized we were mates. I am keeping you, no matter what.” He kissed along her jaw to her ear and whispered, “Admit it’s possible. For me. For you. For us. Admit it.” He and his wolf both stilled, holding their collective breath.
Gwen swallowed hard, wanting it to be true . . . hoping. “It’s possible.”
Zander’s knees almost buckled as the mating urge kicked in hard and fast—lust slammed into him like a fucking freight train, and black spots dotted his vision. His blood thickened, and his cock went instantly hard. The need to take and mark and claim crawled over him, demanded him to act. The only thing that stopped him from leaping on her was that she looked a little disoriented.
A mating between true mates was supposed to be wild and explosive. He’d never lost total control with her before. He’d come close to it, but he’d always managed to retain that one bit of sanity and remember their difference in strength. He wasn’t sure if he could do it this time—not while the mating urge was riding him and his wolf was going insane for her. But there was no way to fight it. Zander slid his fingers into her hair. “Gwen, I need to fuck you.” The guttural words came out through his teeth.
She took a shaky breath, fisting his shirt. “Then fuck me.” His mouth slammed on hers, and she moaned. The kiss was deep, hot, and hungry. Need was like a wildfire in her veins, burning and consuming every part of her. She felt shaky. Feverish. Desperate. Her nipples had tightened to the point of pain, and her pussy was already slick and quivering.
Stumbling around the room, they yanked off each other’s clothes in record time—until he was naked and she was wearing only her panties. His skin was warm and sleek beneath her hands, and she dug her nails into his chest just to hear him growl.
The breath whooshed out of her as her back slammed into the wall. Opening her eyes, she found Zander staring at her, his face set into a mask of dark, primitive need. Her pussy clenched. He tore off her panties and cupped her hard, and she almost cried because she’d needed his touch so badly.
She’d never felt like this in her life. Never felt like she’d die if she didn’t come just once. But even as she was out of her mind with need, it wasn’t just anyone she wanted; it was Zander. It had to be him. Some primal part of her needed him, needed his come inside her. “Zander.” It was a ragged plea for more, for anything. He drove a finger inside her, and she literally melted between him and the wall.
As he thrust his finger in and out, Zander licked over her bottom lip. “I love this mouth. It looked so very pretty wrapped around my cock.” He sank another finger inside her, groaning at how wet and hot she was. “No other cock will fuck it again. Only mine.”
Gwen licked her lips, remembering the feel of him in her mouth. “And your cock will never fuck any part of anyone else.” She kissed him, trying to ride his hand. He let her. Growled encouragements. Sucked on her tongue. Then his free hand fisted her hair, snatched her head aside, and he bit her neck. Like that, she came.
“I love hearing my baby scream,” he rumbled into her ear. Withdrawing his fingers, he sucked them clean. “I want more of your taste, but I can’t wait—I need to be in you.” Cupping her ass, he lifted her and poised her over his cock. “I’m going to fuck the absolute hell out of you. Right here, against this wall.”
Curling her legs around him, Gwen sifted her fingers through his hair. “Do it.” Instead, he lifted her a little higher and sucked her nipple into his mouth. Every tug on the taut bud sent a bolt of pleasure to her clit, making her pussy ache. She pulled on his hair hard.
“What do you want, Gwen?”
“I want to feel you in me. I want to feel you come in me—”
Zander slammed her down on his cock just as he drove upward, seating himself to the hilt. Her pussy contracted possessively around him. “Jesus, baby.” He powered into her, unable to stop. Every thrust was hard and almost savage, driven by his wolf and the compulsion to possess what belonged to him, to claim this one thing that would always mean more to him than anything.
Her pussy squeezed and spasmed around him, so inferno-hot and deliciously slick that he’d never get enough. Never. Her nails raked over his scalp, and Zander growled. “Is this pussy yours? Is it, Gwen?”
Trick question, her foggy mind warned her. Defiance rose up inside Gwen, but it was immediately crushed by the primal need consuming her. “No.”
“Then whose is it?”
“Yours.” She moaned as he upped his pace, rewarding her. God, she was so close to coming. The friction kept on building and building, winding her tighter and tighter until she thought she’d implode.
“Can you hear that?” he hissed into her ear. “The sound of me fucking you? Owning you. I fucking love that sound.”
She jolted as he slipped a wet finger in her ass. The burn felt good, like when he sank his teeth into her skin—a good kind of pain that just made her hotter. Her release crept that little bit closer, so close she could almost taste it.
“My baby wants to come for me, doesn’t she?”
Hell, yeah, she did. But she was beyond words, so she leaned forward and dug her teeth into his neck. For a moment, Zander froze. Then he was ramming himself into her like his control was gone. Something primitive in her made her bite him hard, draw blood, and suck until she left a mark.
Zander shifted his angle to hit her G-spot. “Mine.” He sank his teeth into her neck, and white-hot pleasure swept him under, made him explode in her pussy with a force that almost sent him to his knees. At the same time, she came with a choked scream of his name. He sank his teeth even deeper, tasting blood, and sucked hard to leave the ultimate, definitive mark that would brand her as his.
Licking her lip, Gwen panted. “Fuck. Jesus. Shit.” She’d never in her life been so thoroughly fucked. “How long does it take for the bond to—” Her breath caught in her throat as a burning pain sliced through her head. It lasted only seconds, but it was like her world had tilted. She blinked, feeling off balance . . . and then her vision blurred around the edges, and darkness came.
As she sagged in his arms, Zander swore and scooped her up. Neither he nor his wolf panicked. They knew she was fine; they could feel her through the mating bond. Still, they didn’t whatsoever like the sight of their mate unconscious. It was only then that Zander remembered hearing once that the intensity of the moment could be difficult for a human to bear. Shit.
Acting on instinct, he carried her into the bathroom and got into the shower with her still in his arms. He stood under the hot spray, hoping it would help her wake. It was no more than a minute later that she opened her eyes. His mouth curved. “Welcome back.”
Gwen blinked. “What happened?”
“You passed out for a minute.”
“I don’t pass out.”
“You did just now. I’d forgotten that the bond’s formation could be hard on a human. You okay?”
She nodded, meaning it. Where before there had been pain, there was now peace and tranquility. The feelings washed over her, smoothing away all the tension in her mind and body. And there was the mating bond, so vibrant it almost seemed alive. “This is so weird. I can feel you.” Inside her and outside her, like he was a shadow. She could feel Zander on the other end of the bond—a strong, solid presence. Even feel an echo of his emotional state.
“Our scents have mixed,” he told her. His wolf rumbled in satisfaction. “That doesn’t usually happen straight away. I’m guessing that hoping was so difficult for you that it gave the bond added strength. It’s not fully formed yet.”
“What will happen when it is?”
“Our connection will be more intense. We’ll be able to feed each other energy.”
Gwen quieted, letting herself get used to the bond. That feeling she’d always had that something was missing—a feeling she’d attributed to the absence of her biological family’s love—was totally gone. “So, true mates really are two halves of a whole, huh.”
“Yes. That feeling of completeness will get stronger when the bond is fully formed.”
As they got out of the shower and dried themselves off, she asked, “Does it bother your wolf that I don’t have, you know, a wolf for him?”
Zander snorted at the stupid question. “He adores you just as you are. He wants to rub up against you right now. You good with that?”
She swallowed. “Okay.”
Once they were out of the bathroom and she was wrapped in a robe, Gwen stood back and watched as Zander shifted forms. She winced at the sound of bones popping and snapping. In a flash, Zander was gone. In his place was a large, familiar wolf, but he wasn’t snarling like last time. Her heart pounded, though she felt no fear.
Gwen crouched down. “You’re a handsome thing, aren’t you?” The wolf padded to her and literally shoved himself right into her space, almost knocking her over. He rubbed his jaw against hers as she petted his neck. His fur was thick and much softer than she’d expected. Her nose wrinkled as he licked at her jaw. “Ew.” She gave him a gentle shove, and he backed up with a playful growl.
She remained still as the wolf circled her, rubbing up against her just as Zander had warned her that he would. She smiled. But that smile soon faded when he started clawing at her door and furniture, marking his territory. “Hey! You’re going to wreck the room.” He either didn’t understand the words or didn’t care, because he didn’t stop.
When he was apparently satisfied that the space was well and truly marked, he padded back to her and licked at her face again. Before she could give him another playful shove, he backed away. Bones snapped and popped, and then Zander was in front of her.
“You weren’t exaggerating when you said he wanted to rub up against me.”
Zander drew her to him as she stood. “You’re gonna have him wrapped around your little finger.”
She smiled. “He’s a menace.”
“He’s happy.”
That made her chest ache in a good way. “What about you?”
“You don’t need to ask me that. You can feel through the bond that I’m happy.” He brushed his nose against hers. “And I can feel that you are too.” Which meant that all was good in Zander’s world. Not even the threat that lingered over them could spoil the magic of what he’d found in Gwen. Not a single thing could.