Feral woke with a start. It was dark. He was on a bed and there were towels under his body. Sitting up with a wince, he realized he had a fucking headache.

Then the memories of getting ready to kiss Sage rushed his mind and the pain came next. His tiger pushed to be released. He’d been attacked. Sage! Where was she?

He jumped to his feet and padded out of the bedroom naked, looking for his mate. She was sitting on a sofa, reading a book. Her gaze shot up when she heard him move.

“Oh! You’re awake,” she said, standing quickly and coming around the sofa. “How do you feel?”

“Good. Other than a headache, I’m fine.”

Her eyebrows rose in surprise. “That’s all? A headache? You shifters are amazing.”

“Why?” He frowned. “What happened?”

“Two tigers attacked you from behind. They hit you really hard with a tire iron. I don’t know who they were but the sheriff and my brother-in-law took care of them.”

He glanced at her, his need to make sure she was okay becoming his sole focus. “Did they hurt you?”

She shook her head and came closer. “No. I-I’m fine.”

He marched up to her, eating the space between them with his steps. “I’m sorry you saw that,” he told her, stopping a few feet away. “I can tell you’re still worried. You don’t need to be.”

She raised a hand to his jaw, her soft fingers caressing his face and her blue eyes searching his, looking for something. “I was worried. I am worried. I can’t help it.”

He held her hand to his face and leaned into her touch. “I’m sorry, beautiful.”

She leaned into him, her body brushing his and her hands pulling his head down. On her tiptoes, she lifted to bring her face to his. He didn’t wait. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulled her up and brought his lips to hers.

Her legs wrapped around his waist and her chest pressed tightly to his. The kiss was deep and strong. Soul-reaching. A soft little sigh sounded from her and it killed the tight rein he had on his control. He wanted all of her. He wanted to feel every sigh, every breath, every moan as he made her unravel.

How could he have questioned his tiger? This was his mate. Her taste clung to his lips and settled in his blood. Recognition for the one woman who meant the world to him fired his blood.

She slipped her tongue into his mouth. All semblance of having shit under control went out the window. Her body held his as he held her captive against the hard wall. She moaned, their kiss deepening and making him harder with every swipe of her tongue over his.

She broke off from his lips, taking a breath and met his gaze. Pure desire filled the depths of her eyes. “My bedroom is the first door to the right.”

He carried her into the room, stopping only to set her on top of her dresser. He pushed her legs open, pressing his hips into the curve of her crotch. Ah, fuck! The heat of her pussy called to him. She smelled so fucking good. The barrier of her shorts stopped him from driving deep into her, something he couldn’t get out of his mind.

Feeling her heat on his naked cock drove the point home that he wanted her naked, too. Right now.

He sucked in a breath as he watched her rake her hands down his chest, her nails leaving a stinging bite that his tiger loved. His abs contracted. She groaned, her gaze stuck on his erection. The power of her eyes alone made him ready to come. She sucked in a breath, that hitch in her throat made his dick even harder.

Her T-shirt came off quickly. Fire laced his lungs. He couldn’t stop the growl at her beauty. She was curvy and her pale skin appeared to glow in the dimly lit bedroom. His breaths pumped in and out in a rush, burning with each drag of air he took. 

“Go ahead, beautiful,” he rumbled, his voice so deep, he worried she might not understand. Her gaze shot down from his face to his cock again. “Touch me. Do it.”

His long, hard cock stood proud. “It’s all for you,” he said, watching her lick her lips. “I’m dying to be inside you, Sage.”

Her eyes widened. “Me?”

He nodded, watching her hand tentatively glide down his abs to his cock. “All you, baby. My body craves your touch.”

“You’re so smooth,” she mumbled under her breath. “Hot and hard.”

“Ah, babe,” he groaned. “Your hands are so soft. So small.”

His gaze fell on her breasts. Her breathing sounded louder to him, as if his looking at her made it harder to breathe. Her nipples were hard pink points he couldn’t wait to suck. “You’re so beautiful.”

Gazes met again. Her hand stroked him faster, her grip on him tighter. “We can debate who’s beautiful,” she grinned. “Your body is a work of art.”

“Fuck whatever you’re thinking, Sage,” he growled, his fingers slicing through her shorts and leaving her pussy bare for his view. “You’re a fucking goddess and I want to taste every inch of you.” 

A loud purr sounded from him. His tiger wanted their mate and nothing was going to get in their way.

She blinked. “That was…really sexy.”