Garrett shook his head a bit when Kelly returned with Hunter, but he quickly got to helping her as soon as he realized the stubborn cougar wasn’t going to budge on going to the hospital.

Kelly was already surprised to see how well Hunter was healing, because she was pretty sure any normal person would be dead after so many wounds.

Then again, no normal person could turn into a cougar.

Dawn came forward with towels and washcloths, pushing them into Kelly’s hands as Garrett helped Hunter into their room.

April started the water running and asked Kelly if there was anything else she could help with, but Kelly just shook her head gratefully.

She appreciated all the help she was getting, but what she really wanted was to be alone with her man.

Garrett helped lower Hunter into the large Jacuzzi-style tub that took up most of the bathroom and then walked to the bedroom door to talk to Grayson.

Kelly came over to talk to them both as the hot water continued to run, steaming up the room.

“He’ll be fine,” Grayson said. “Cats have amazing regenerative powers. It’s the only thing I’m jealous of.”

“I wouldn’t mind having an undetectable scent,” Garrett said, folding his arms.

“So, um, you’re a bear and you’re a wolf?” Kelly asked them, feeling crazy even as she heard herself say the words.

“Hunter can tell you more,” Garrett said.

“Yeah.” Grayson agreed. “And by the way, props for getting out of the car for him, even though there were shifters everywhere.”

“Of course,” she said awkwardly. “Um, and thanks for the help.”

“Not a problem,” Grayson said with a wave, following Garrett down the hallway. “He’s our family. Now you’re our family, too.”

She gaped after him, not sure how he had come to that conclusion, but feeling what he said did sound right.

The men disappeared down the hallway. Kelly had questions she wished she could ask them, like whether their wives knew about them, but she needed to go check on Hunter first.

She found him sitting languidly in the tub, still naked, one knee bent and rising above the sudsy water.

She sat on the edge of the tub and picked up a washcloth, dipping it in the water and wringing it out before using it to dab lightly at one of his wounds. “So when were you going to tell me about being a cougar?”

He blinked at her, long lashes shading his perfect blue eyes. “Probably after I defeated your bear. Though, now I realize I should have done it sooner. It would have stopped you from worrying about me enough to run away.”

“It’s not my bear,” she said, wrinkling her nose. “The only animal I claim is a cougar.” She felt herself flush as she dabbed at his wound again, marveling at how closed up it already was.

He still hissed slightly at the contact and covered her hand with his own. “Come in with me.”

She bit her lip. “Are you sure? The last thing I want to do is injure you further, and—”

She shrieked as his hand snaked around her waist and pulled her into the tub with him with a huge splash. She gasped and struggled for a moment, suds all over her, but steadied as his strong arms came around.

“I’m so glad you’re okay,” he said, his voice raspy. “When I woke up and you were gone, it was the worst thing I’ve ever felt in my life. My mate could be out there suffering, and I was asleep like a house cat on a bed.”

She stroked her hand through his hair, popping some of the bubbles she’d splashed on him. “It was my fault. I didn’t want you to get hurt. I didn’t know you were a very capable cougar.”

“Well, now you know.”

“I saw you the other night,” she said softly, marveling at how his eyes were nearly the same shade as his cat’s. A luminous clear blue like the sky at midday, but more liquid. “Did you see me?”

He nodded. “When my cat saw you, he froze. Both of us knew you were mine.”

She laughed. “Okay, back up. We need to talk about this. Your cat has feelings for me?”

“I have feelings for you,” Hunter said, keeping his arms around her tight, not caring that he was totally ruining her clothes. “But my cat knew long before I did that you were mine. My mate.”

“Okay, I’ve heard people say that a few times now. What does it mean?”

Hunter took a deep breath. “You know Dawn and Garrett and April and Grayson…”

“Yes.”

“They aren’t actually married. They’re mated instead.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning that’s how shifters connect. Most of us know our mates really soon after meeting them. We believe in fate leading us to the right person for us. The one we will love for the rest of our lives.”

“Oh,” she said faintly. “That sounds romantic.”

“I think so,” Hunter said. “Then again, not so romantic when a shifter gets the wrong idea about it, like your shitty bear.”

“Yeah.”

“Though that’s pretty rare,” Hunter said. “My guess is somewhere deep down, he knew you weren’t for him, but the predator in him, the feral bear, loved the chase. Fuck, when I saw him trying to get at you, I didn’t know what I was going to do.”

“I’m sorry I screamed at you,” she said. “I didn’t know it was you.”

“I’m just glad you came out for me. I heard Grayson talking about it in the hall.”

“Of course,” she said. “If there was even a chance it was you, I couldn’t let you die for me. I mean, that’s why I ran in the first place. It would be pointless if I just let you die.”

“I can’t imagine what you were thinking, seeing me turn from cougar to man.”

“Um, it was a little unbelievable,” she said, swirling the washcloth in the water and then dabbing it on his skin, using it as an excuse to touch him more than anything else. “But then again, so is being stalked by a bear that doesn’t act like any other bear on the planet. So I guess I kind of have an advantage there.”

Hunter’s eyes widened. “I hadn’t even thought about that. Maybe I should have told you before.”

“When you live the unbelievable, you tend to believe when other people tell you about their own unbelievable things.”

“Yeah,” Hunter said. “Just like how when you told me about the bear following you, I immediately didn’t think you were crazy because I live in the shifter world and knew what it meant.”

“Oh, right.” She hadn’t thought about that either. “I guess so.”

“I originally thought it was some human ex, and I wasn’t even close to nervous. I really did just want to help you, from the moment you walked into the bar. You were right. Nothing would have pulled me away. But when you told me about the bear, I had no idea how much information to give you. I didn’t want you to think I was crazy and run away.”

“I wouldn’t have if you showed me your cougar.”

“That’s the thing. We aren’t supposed to show women before they’ve agreed to be our mates.”

“But you did,” she said.

“There are exceptions when someone’s life is in danger.”

“Oh.” She let the washcloth drop back into the tub and leaned against his chest. “Well, I’m glad you made an exception for me. I think your animal is beautiful.”

He straightened slightly, and when she looked up, he was flushed.

“What is it?”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “I mean, I’ve never had my mate accept my cat before. It feels… pretty fucking incredible.”

She grinned. “Well, I’d be a fool not to snap you up. I mean, I liked you pretty much from the moment I met you, too. I didn’t think I’d be able to have you, but as things went on, I couldn’t resist.”

“And I’m glad.”

They sat there for a moment, listening to bubbles form and pop, inhaling the soapy scent and the steam all around.

“So you accept my cat, and you seem to like me. Want to make this official?” When she looked at him curiously, he bit down on his lower lip. “No, what am I thinking? You’ve been through so much today—”

She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him, not caring as water splashed all around. Then she pulled back with a smile. “I love you, Hunter. I don’t ever want to be without you again.”

“I love you, Kelly. I’ll love you forever.” His eyes were earnest as he came back to return the kiss, pressing his lips to hers firmly as a sensual ache built inside.

His hands moved over her body, pulling off her soaked shirt, then unhooking her bra, pulling off her pants, then her underwear, kissing her all the while.

When she was naked against him, everything felt perfect, even more than before. Skin on skin, steam and heat all around them, no lies or worries holding them back.

Absolutely bare.

She wound her arms around his neck as she faced him, coming onto his lap. “Are you sure you’re feeling okay for this?” All she knew was that he’d fought for her, fought with his very life.

That he’d been there for her. That he wanted her forever.

And she, after all she’d gone through, knew she wanted him as well.

Having struggled, betrayed and lonely, for so long, she was better able to appreciate a man like Hunter for the treasure he was. And her heart held a soft, warm confirmation that they were meant to be together, just the way he said.

So yes, she wanted to make it official, if her mountain lion could just hold on.

“Of course I’m feeling okay,” Hunter said. “I’ve never felt better.” His hands moved to her waist, then her hips, cupping them. “I should tell you a bit about mating in my world.”

“Okay,” she said, loving the way his fingertips slid like silk over her wet skin.

He moved his mouth to her neck, biting lightly as his nails grazed over her shoulders and back. “I’m going to come inside you, nothing between us.”

“Okay,” she gasped out.

“And then I’ll use these to make a mate mark.” He lifted a hand, showing elongated nails that looked like those of his cat.

She nodded, gasping again. “Okay.”

“It shouldn’t hurt, but if it does, it won’t be long.”

“It’s fine,” she said. “Do what you want to. Anything is fine now that I’m finally free.”

“Mine,” he said, biting her shoulder again as his hands trailed down to her hips, gripping them.

She took in a breath as he lifted her, settling her down over his hard length, letting himself slowly slip inside.

It was tight and so hot, and she braced herself as she moved all the way down until they were fully joined. She felt her cheeks redden at the sight of him beneath her, so handsome and muscled and strong.

Then he held her hips and began to move her, and she arched back and gave herself over to the pleasure building deep inside.

Every move brought powerful friction and a deep, aching need for fulfillment, a need to go over the edge with him in her arms.

She felt so full of him, so surrounded by him, as one hand grasped her hip while the other moved up to her back, pulling her forward so he could put her nipple into his mouth, sucking lightly.

She moaned, throwing her head back even as he continued to pull her close, all the while creating lightning sparking inside.

“Mine,” he said in a low voice, and she felt a small jolt of something on her back, followed by a wave of pleasure unlike anything she’d felt.

“Yes.” She gasped.

“Forever,” he said, and she felt another jolt.

“Yes.”

He pulled back and pushed inside, going deep, making her ache with the sheer pleasure of it, so intense she could barely breathe.

“Oh, Hunter.”

He thrust again, slowly increasing his tempo, as she felt another mark on her back. “I love you.”

“You, too,” she said, barely capable of speech as he kept his fingertips gripping her hip while his mouth still sucked at her nipple. Between that and his hand making little scratches on her back, she felt overwhelmed by sensation from head to toe.

He made one final mark, and then his hand left her back to come down so both could hold her waist, moving up to play with her breasts and then down to her hips so he could hold her and thrust in.

Oh God, it felt too good to believe it, and she knew she couldn’t hold on much longer in this steam and this heat. She was so full, so achy, so tense that she could feel her release about to take over. It took everything she had to hold it back.

“Come for me,” he said quietly, thrusting in one more time, and she did, arching back in his arms and letting out a stifled scream.

He pulled her back in, biting into her shoulder as he jerked, spasming inside her in wet spurts that only heightened the waves of release surging from her center, spreading to enervate her entire body.

She felt like she would faint from the strength of it, but thanks to him, she managed to stay upright as stars exploded behind her eyes and her mind was filled with the image of a cougar watching her in the night.

As the last of her pleasure hit her, she buried her head in his shoulder, resisting the urge to cry. She’d found a new world, been saved from the monster, and gotten a new love in the process.

How could anything ever be more right?

He swore as the last shockwave hit him and nuzzled the top of her head as they both calmed down, plastered together and naked, covered in steam and sweat.

She rested her hand lazily on his chest, still loving the feel of him inside her. “So what word did you write on my back?”

“I drew two hearts, locked together,” he said quietly. “It’s cheesy. I know.”

“No, it sounds perfect,” she said quietly.

“You’re perfect. Before you, I had nothing. You made the world have meaning for me.”

“Aw, Hunter.” She snuggled in against him, wanting to stay close like this forever. “I don’t even know what to say. That’s so sweet.”

“I know. So just stay here with me. You don’t have to say anything. Just rest here in my arms and spend the rest of my life with me and put up with my friends and let me fix up your house and protect you forever and make love like this as often as we can. That’s not too much to ask, right?”

“No,” she said playfully, resting her head on his chest. “That sounds just perfect to me.”