I'd been right—I found out from Ray that the mission had been successful, and all the boys were safe and sound. But I didn't hear a peep out of Levi until he and Noah came walking in Papa P's door two days after they'd left. I was holding Allan when I saw Levi's face, so I quickly handed him off to Cindy and launched myself across the room at him.

Part of me had refused to believe he was okay until I actually saw him. But he was okay, and he was here. He was in my arms. I couldn't stop touching him.

Noah coughed awkwardly. "Hey, Levi, you wanna tell your mate to stop climbing you like a stripper pole in front of my daughter's innocent eyes?"

I only felt embarrassed for a moment, until I looked over to see Preston in the same position I was, clinging to his mate.

I flipped Noah the bird, prompting everyone to laugh. It was partially actual amusement, but the sense of relief in the room was palpable.

Levi softly set me on my feet and I leaned into his chest. "Is it this terrifying every time you go on a mission?" I asked.

"Yes," Papa P and Preston answered.

"But you do get better at distracting yourself," Preston added. "And the homecomings are always spectacular." His mischievous smile left no doubt as to his meaning.

I could believe that. All I wanted to do right now was throw Levi on the ground and ride him—I barely cared who was watching. My fingers had already snaked their way under his pants to find normal boxers, to my disappointment.

Levi cleared his throat and gently moved my hand, whispering, "Maybe we should wait until we're home?"

"Cody..." Papa P came and placed Irene in Levi's arms, while Cindy brought me Allan. "Remember what I said about Ray and I watching the kids? Maybe tonight should be that night."

I looked at him in confusion before our conversation from the other day dawned on me. I coughed. "Uh, are you saying things have, uh... regulated?"

"He's saying you stink of sex and heat and you and your alpha are about to lose your ever-loving minds," Preston said with a smirk. He jumped as Noah slapped him on the ass in reprimand but remained unrepentant.

Now that I knew what was happening, I realized this wasn't my normal desire for Levi. I'd thought I was just feeling heightened emotions from the stress we'd been through, but my body felt fevered, like I was burning from the inside out. But instead of feeling tired and listless, I was energized.

"Get your snuggle time in with the kiddos," Papa P said.

Levi leaned over and sniffed me, holding Irene close. "I thought you just smelled extra good because I missed you," he murmured.

"I missed you too," I said, aware of the eyes on us, but slowly caring less and less. I nuzzled Allan's head. "Switch?"

"Can I just hold both of them?"

I melted. "Of course."

I didn't want to rush Levi through his moments with the twins, but my need was growing stronger by the second. Thankfully, he didn't linger. We handed the kids over to Papa P and Ray. I knew I didn't have to leave them any instructions after spending these last couple of days with them.

Papa P chuckled as we slipped out the door. “Poor Jonah. Wait until he hears that our Thanksgiving dinner will be held up another couple days. Best tell him we’ve rescheduled for Monday, Ray. We’ll give our boys here the full weekend.”

As we sped home, my hands tucked firmly beneath my thighs, so I wouldn't jump Levi and make him crash the SUV, he asked me, "Do you know what this means?"

"Um, that we're about to have some really crazy sex?" That's basically as far as my mind could go right now.

Levi moaned. "You're not making this any easier on me, Cody."

"Then drive faster," I teased.

"I'm doing my best. But what I meant was, do you realize this means tonight we'll bond?"

"Oh..." I guessed I had known that somewhere in the back of my mind, but until Levi said it, it hadn't truly registered.

"Is that a good 'oh' or a bad 'oh'?" His uncertainty was adorable.

"It's an intrigued 'oh.'"

"We haven't... um... I haven't..."

Whenever we'd had sex, he hadn't penetrated me. I had always topped him, or we'd focused on other interesting things. It wasn't that I was terrified of Levi entering me—it was that I had never even considered it an option before. It had been something that my abusers did, and Levi wasn't in that category.

But if we bonded... if we truly mated... My parents hadn't been comfortable explaining everything to me at fifteen, but kids talked. If we were going to mate, his wolf would need to top me. He would need to take me fully, in a way we hadn't explored before.

Should I have been terrified? Repulsed? Sick? I wasn't.

I was falling apart in the best of ways.

I needed Levi inside of me. I needed him to reclaim every last piece of my soul that had been taken from me—he'd already removed so much of the evil from my life. Now I needed him to fill up those gaps with himself.

"Levi, if you don't get us home in the next two minutes, I'm going to make you pull over to the side of the road and mate me right here."

The car sped up.

I didn't wait for him to open my door. We spilled out of the vehicle, coming together in a rush, pulling off our shirts as we stumbled to the front door, dropping them on the porch.

While Levi fumbled with the keys to the front door, I wrapped my arms around him and dove into his pants and boxers, caressing his hot, rock-hard length. This is what was going inside me tonight. Was he thicker than normal? I wondered if that was possible. I was shaking, just imagining him inside me.

How could I have changed so much? An act that had given me such pain and dread before was entirely different when it was with the right person.

As soon as the door was open, Levi turned and hoisted me into his arms. I wrapped my legs around his waist and he barreled into the house, kicking the door shut behind him.

We fell on his bed in a tangle—we had no time, no need for words at this point. If I'd had any doubts what it was like to be in touch with my wolf, I lost them the moment Levi's eyes flashed yellow, and my wolf surged with joy inside me.

Instinct had woken that side of me fully—instinct and the joy of being with my mate.

In no time at all, there was nothing remaining between us—no clothes, no secrets, no worries.

Levi rested his forehead on mine suddenly, panting.

Okay, maybe he had some worries left.

"I'm going to do my best to take this slow," he said. "Show you how this should be."

"Are you saying you didn't do a good enough job teaching me how to fuck you?"

Levi chuckled, his sweat mixing with mine where our skin touched. "I'm saying it's different. I'm larger than you. You have a dark history that I don't have. Instinct is driving me to take you hard and fast—"

"Yes..." I moaned.

"But I need you to be ready for that. I need to prepare you."

I groaned in frustration. "Then stop talking and start preparing."

Levi captured my lips in a kiss that left me in a puddle of goo, then he dropped to his knees at the foot of the bed and pulled my knees over his shoulders.

Oh. My. God. Levi went to town on my hole with his tongue, licking and probing and teasing—his tongue was everywhere. On my balls, on my perineum, in me...

He'd never told me to do all this—bastard. I was certain he'd been holding out on me just so he could blow my mind. But as amazing as it felt, I needed more.

"Levi..." My voice was an unrecognizable whine.

"Are you begging me, my omega?"

That activated my bossy side, which had been dormant most of the evening—but personality took over instinct at Levi's words.

"Never. Get your cock in me, alpha."

For once, Levi didn't obey. "Not quite yet," he said, sparking my anger. But then something pressed against my hole and slowly breached the ring of muscles there. Noises were flying out of my mouth with no words. Holy fuck. What—what was he doing? How could he make me feel like I was going to fly apart with just this one touch?

"What—what are you doing?"

"I'm preparing you, Cody. Tonight, you're not going to feel one hint of pain. Tonight, you will only feel pleasure. Tonight, I will show you how you ought to be loved."

His finger began to thrust inside me.

"Levi, I don't think I can—"

"I'm the one in control tonight. You don't come until I say so." His fingers clamped around the base of my cock just in time, thwarting the orgasm that had been about to unleash. I moaned with frustration, and Levi kissed me. "It'll be worth it," he promised.

When Levi pulled his finger out, I gasped at the sudden feeling of emptiness, then completely lost my breath when he pushed in again, feeling so much larger.

"That's two fingers." His voice was a low growl. "After three, then I'll finally take you."

Somehow, I survived the glorious torture of Levi getting me used to two fingers, and then three. His other hand remained tight on the base of my cock—the only reason I didn't come, I was sure.

When he pulled his fingers out the final time, I clung to his shoulders. "I don't think I'm going to last long, Levi."

He released my cock and reached up to caress my cheek. "Me neither. My wolf has been tearing at me to claim you. I've held him back long enough to make sure you'll enjoy this, but it's going to be hard and fast now."

"Thank fucking—" Levi stood and slid his cock into me before I could finish that sentence, taking my breath away. He slid in slowly but firmly, and once I had my breath back, I asked, "What happened to hard and fast?"

A possessive, evil grin grew on his face. Levi bent over me, fully seated inside me. He took my shoulders in his big hands and said, "Be careful what you wish for, Cody."

What came next was an assault of passion—on both sides. Levi was the driving factor, pounding me into the mattress, but I? I was a hellion. I was calling out to deities I'm pretty sure I made up on the spot—most of them extremely well-endowed and strong, according to my screams.

Instinct rose in me—everything felt right in this moment. All of my fears and guilt and insecurities were burned away for this moment, because right now I was exactly where I needed to be. The post-orgasmic bliss was better than any drug or dream.

Levi’s cock felt different inside me than any other one that I’d ever experienced. Was it because I was choosing this, or because it was Levi? Either way, I loved the feeling of how my alpha fit so perfectly inside me. I wasn't sure how long I was floating before I realized Levi's weight was crushing down on me and I needed him to move.

I tried to shove him off, but a tight pull in my ass reminded me what happened when an alpha went into rut... they popped a knot, locking him in his omega.

I wiggled a little, experimenting. Oh boy—too much. I was still crazy sensitive. Just that little wiggle had nearly sent me into an orgasmic shockwave, and I wasn't ready for that right now.

"Levi," I grunted, poking him in the ribs. "Levi?"

Without answering, he slid his arms underneath my back and rolled over, pulling me with him.

I did shudder into another orgasm then, but only a light one.

As if there was anything "only" about this experience with Levi.

I snuggled against his chest, much more comfortable now. My fingers reached up and traced the new scar on his neck where the claiming bite was already settling into place.

"That means I'm yours," Levi murmured. He reached up to trace my mark.

"And I'm yours."

The words felt so right. But out of the blue, it struck me that there were other words we'd never said—words I'd never shared with Levi. If something had happened today, and I had lost my chance to say them—

I wasn't going to risk that. I sat up quickly, looking down at Levi in a slight panic.

His eyes flew open. "What's wrong?"

"I love you," I blurted.

His eyes narrowed in confusion. "Is that all?"

I slapped his shoulder. "Is that all? That's a pretty big thing."

Levi laughed, relaxing back into the bed. "I just thought something was actually wrong." He pulled me down on top of him.

"I've never said that to you before. I've never said that to anyone." I could hear the hurt in my voice. Was this not as big a deal for him?

"Easy, Cody," Levi said, stroking my back. "I've never doubted that you love me. Or that you would love me. I didn't need you to say the words aloud to know that."

I huffed. That eased my ruffled fur a little. "I needed to say it, though. For me, if not for you."

"Hmm."

I waited. Wasn't he going to say it back to me? Surely it was clear, after I'd made such a big deal about saying it to him, that it was important to me?

Levi chuckled and tickled my ribs. "Don't get huffy, my omega." He opened his eyes. "I love you, too. And I’ll say it loud and often from here on out."

He kissed me.

"And after we get loose, I have a present for you."

"Okay," I murmured happily. It didn't matter what it was, tonight had already been one present after another.

We dozed until Levi's knot slipped from my body. I was half asleep, but the fire of my heat was building. I reached out to tease him, but he grabbed my hand. "No, not yet. I want to give you your present first."

He slid out of bed and bent down, pulling something out from underneath our bed. He laid a black case in front of me and I stared at it with wide eyes. Levi climbed back in bed next to me and tucked me against him. "I bought this a couple of weeks ago, but I was waiting for the right time. It seems like the right time."

Wordlessly, I opened the case and let my fingers drift reverently over the shiny metal. "How did you know I played flute?"

"It was in your file before we found you. And you mentioned it in your hypnotherapy session. Do you want to try it?"

As if his words released me, I started pulling out the pieces, fitting them together with knowledge ingrained in my mind many years ago. And then it was complete in my hands. My fingers lifted it slowly to my mouth. At that moment, I couldn't remember a single piece, but I still remembered my notes. I set my fingers to start my favorite scale, A minor, and blew. The flute let out a shrill shriek.

Levi clapped his hands to his ears. "Oh, that's awful!"

I set the flute down reluctantly. "I guess I've lost my touch?"

Levi immediately wrapped me up in a hug. "You'll get it back. You're reclaiming your life, Cody. Every piece of it."

I took the flute apart and cleaned it. Even though I hadn't played it long enough to need to, it was a good habit. I would reclaim this. I would practice every day. Levi was right—I was reclaiming my life.

But there was one thing I hadn't reclaimed yet—a piece of me that had come alive in bonding with Levi.

Sliding out of his arms, I turned to grab his hands and face him. "I want to try something," I said.

"Whatever you want, Cody."

I nodded, taking a deep breath. I closed my eyes, reaching out with a mental inquiry. Are you there?

That instinctive part of my soul answered without any hesitation. I let go of Levi's hands as fur sprouted along the backs of my arms, my nose and mouth elongated, and my legs shortened.

I looked down at two white, furry paws.

Levi's face glowed with pride. "Cody... you're beautiful."

I've wanted to do this for so long, I said. Oh, this felt so right. Levi reached out to rub his fingers through my fur and I leaned into his touch.

"Words can't describe how amazing and strong you are, Cody. I can't believe I'm lucky enough to have you as my mate."

My tail slapped against the bed in response—part of a wolf's expression of a smile.

Levi's grin shifted into something more feral. "Now get back into human form. We're not done with our mating by a long shot."