It seemed like forever before they reached the comfort of his late father’s old home—the home which Jayson had inherited upon his passing.

His entire body felt like someone had buried him under rocks and buckets of water. He had wanted to collapse and let his wolf rest several times as they journeyed through the forest toward the Caedmon village.

After the battle he’d just been through, weakness was not an option. Against her protest, he’d carried Arianna on his back half of the way. Other’s had offered to the do the same, but he wanted no one touching her.

When they were within the gates of the Truman home, only then did he shift into human form. His muscles morphed painfully as he lifted himself to stand his full height.

Arianna walked right into his embrace and palmed the back of his head. She felt like heaven against his bare skin, and he closed his eyes as she showered kisses on his face.

“I missed you,” she whispered.

“I missed you.”

When she’d tricked him and took off on his motorcycle, he’d nearly had a mental breakdown. It had hurt him to know that she’d walk away from him to go to another man. It had taken him hours to find out what had become of her through word of mouth and several more hours to process what he needed to do.

“I’m so sorry.”

“You have nothing to apologize for,” he said. “Let’s go inside and rest now, and start our new life together.”

She smiled, and he picked her up and carried her into the home.

“I don’t have full-time servants,” he said, kicking the door closed. “I like my privacy, now and then, but if you would like them—”

Arianna kissed him, stopping him in mid-speech. “I’ve known you since you were eighteen. I know you never liked having maids.”

“It’s not all about me anymore. I want to make sure that you are happy.”

“I’m happy right now. If I had nothing else in this world, but you, I’d still be happy.”

Jayson carried her up the staircase and into his bedroom. When he reached the bathroom, he placed her gently on the floor. Somewhere during the journey, she’d lost her shoes. Her feet looked pretty and delicate against the black and white marble design.

Even now, tattered and torn, she wore the gown with regal grace. She was his queen. His mate. She belonged to him.

He turned her around and unfastened the button at the nape of her neck and peeled the gown away from her. Once the dress moved past the expanse of her hips, the flimsy fabric fell to the floor at their feet.

She stood naked before him. Beautiful and irresistible.

Jayson moved in closer to her, cupped the back of her head, and pressed his mouth to her throat. He lifted her chin and sipped at the delicate curvature of her neck and licked at the blood-throbbing veins. His fangs forced themselves through his gums.

He breathed in her scent like a delicious meal he was about to enjoy before leading her backward toward his shower. Leaning over, he managed to turn on the water without leaving her warm embrace.

She unbuckled his jeans and pulled out the belt. He stepped out of them and kicked them to the side. His cock already responded to her. Not fully erect, but damn near there.

Taking slow steps backward, she entered the shower and placed her body under the flow of the water. Just like the gown, the water clung to her body like a curtain. She lifted her face to it and parted her lips slightly. The water washed away the smudges on her skin, leaving behind glistening pellets and plush skin that he knew was delicate to the touch.

He joined her in the shower, lured in by her essence and the need to have her.

Arianna led him to take a seat on the bench, and then she grabbed a sponge and a bottle of soap. After straddling him, she began to smooth the sponge over his weary skin. He closed his eyes and leaned back on the glass. His wolf spirit delved just below the surface, making himself known.

When her palms touched the deep bruise on his shoulder, he flinched as instant heat shot through him. The skin tightened across the wound has her fingers lingered there. As his true mate, she was the only one who could heal him with just one touch.

Arianna worked the sponge and her fingers across his body until all the evidence of battle was covered in suds. She brought the showerhead over him, and rinsed him clean.

In the process, he had gained a raging erection. It throbbed at full attention as he remained seated on the bench. She bent before him, and took his big cock in her small hands. Biting into his bottom lip, he braced herself as she teased him with the tip of her tongue. Brown eyes stared up at him, luring him to do much naughtier things with his dick. She dragged her tongue up his column, and then slid her mouth back down again. Her fingers teased his taut sac, causing his rod to tightened and lengthen.

She dug into his thighs with the pads of her fingers and took him deep in her mouth. He groaned and lifted his face to the ceiling. The entire shower stall was fogged with hot steam. The water beat against the tiles and heated up the interior. She suctioned him with her lips, luring a bit of his seed right out of him.

Her lips felt heavenly as they drew him inside her warm mouth. Her palms worked wonders as it pumped him. His cock filled with his seed quickly, fueling the need to release or endure the painstaking erection.

Even when he lifted her head and tried to stop her, she continued pleasuring him.

His orgasm pushed through him, sending his body into intense convulsions. She milked him with both hands, taking his seed into her mouth until he was completely spent.

She helped him down from his orgasm by stroking at his swollen rod with her devilish tongue.

Jayson was still erect with fervent need. Satisfied, but still wanting something.

He stood and lifted her to her feet. His lips meshed with hers and he pushed her pliant body back onto the glass. He let his fingers glide down her body and separated the folds of her sex. She was wet and warm. He could smell the sweet, fragrance of her desire as it mingled with the steam.

He bent to suckle her breasts and she moaned. The tone of it sounded like a harmonious note. He wanted nothing more than to please her into oblivion for that was what satisfied him more than anything else.

Jayson turned her around and pressed his body to her back. His cock slid between the tender globes of her ass. His fingers found her center and played with her needy clit. She spread her legs, literally begging to be fucked.

He always preferred her like that.

…wet with fiery desire…

He kissed her shoulder, sliding his tongue against the nape of her neck. She pushed her tight ass back into his pelvis, teasing his rod with her flesh.

“I want to spend an eternity with you and only you.”

“I give myself. Mind, body, soul, and heart. I offer myself to you.”

His fangs dropped to full length and dripped with saliva. He grabbed her about the waist with both hands. She turned until her neck was barred completely to him.

He prepared her for his bite, licking at her neck. The glands of his tongue released the serum that would prime her for his mark.

Jayson took her, biting her at the throat. His fangs pushed through the delicate lining of her skin, marking her inside and out.

Heat folded from within, engulfing him in what he could only explain as his own frenzy. The wolf spirit rippled through him and rejoiced all at the same time. His veins pulsed with icy hot gratification.

She’d accepted him. Finally. She was his forever.

Her legs buckled under her, and he lifted her up, carried her into the bedroom and laid her wet body out on the bed.

When he lowered himself on top of her, a tear spilled from her eye.

‘I will never hurt you again.’ He promised her.

He kissed her tear away and she wrapped his arms around him. As soon as she tilted her hips to accept him, he plunged deeply within her.

Nothing else was said. Only the sounds of flesh hitting flesh were heard. They had joined completely and now their spirits were united as one. The lovemaking was sweeter, and Arianna, he, and the wolf were finally content.

Her muscles tightened around his rod nearly sending him over the edge again. He covered her mouth with his, tasting her urgent desire. Their bodies grew hotter and sweatier as they clung to each other. It felt like new birth. New life. New love.

Arianna’s lashes fluttered against her cheeks and her mouth parted slightly.

“Come for me,” he whispered.

He increased the rhythm and adjusted his angle, plunging into her willing body over and over again. Her pussy pulsed around him, and her fingers dug into his skin. She cried out when her orgasm captured her. The sight of it sent him spiraling up into his own climax.

He drove deeply, beating into her with urgent passion. His seed shot through her, binding her once again. She shuddered against him as he emptied himself—mind, heart, body, and soul—into her.

In the aftermath, he fell on the bed beside her and cradled her against his chest.

“We were young when we met.” Jayson kissed the top of her head. “How could we have not known that a union such as this with a true mate could be so fulfilling?”

“Fate has a way of surprising us.”

“Yes, she does.”

“I loved you, both man and wolf, when we believed there was no such thing as a mate. I love you now,” she whispered, her voice tinged with a hint of fatigue.

“Then you remember how it was, Arianna? When nothing could ever come between us?”

“Yes, Jayson…I remember.”

His arms tightened around his mate, and soon after she’d fallen asleep, he joined her in a deep slumber.

* * *