When Zac woke up the next day, they were still cuddled close together, though Astrid must have shifted positions sometime in the middle of the night as her face was now pressed against his chest. For a moment, his sleep-fogged mind thought that he’d been dreaming, but the memories of last night were so clear that he knew it was real. This—having her in his arms as she slept—was real too.

She looked even more beautiful than she did last night, if that were possible. With her face so peaceful and her hair spread out behind her and over her shoulders like a golden cape, she looked perfect. Like an angel.

He didn’t want to wake her or have this moment end. It still blew his mind that she’d apparently had a crush on him all these years. Of course, he was glad he didn’t bump into her as a shy teenager. Seeing her at thirteen when he was seventeen would have been too weird. But what if he’d seen her when she was twenty-one, in that vintage dress she talked about? Did they waste all this time because he wanted to do his duty to his family and his clan?

It doesn’t matter. What only mattered was now. His wolf wholeheartedly agreed; hell, it was practically glowing, so pleased that they had claimed her finally.

Mine. Ours.

He blinked. What did it say? Did his wolf just—

A sound from outside interrupted his thoughts. It sounded like … digging? There were also voices. Faint, but he could hear them. When he shifted to turn his head toward the door, Astrid’s eyes flew open.

“I—what the—is it—” She sat up and looked around. Her eyes widened. “I think they’re here!” She shot to her feet.

Fucking hell. While he was relieved that rescue had come, couldn’t they have waited another damn hour? He wanted more time with Astrid. In the daylight, her naked body was even more glorious, and he couldn’t wait to have her again. With a grumble, he stood up.

“Where are your clothes?” She was already slipping the shirt she had been wearing last night over her head.

“I dried them near the fire.” He walked over to the fireplace, grabbing his shirt and pants. The sound of their rescuers grew louder and he dressed hurriedly. “Here.” He handed Astrid his jacket. “You should put this on.”

She shook her head. “I need to head out. Before they get in here.”

“What do you mean?”

“Those rescuers can’t know how I got to you first,” she said.

“We could say you were with me the whole time,” he pointed out.

“But they’ve seen me at the resort. How do you think I was able to find you?”

Irritation was niggling at him. It was like she couldn’t wait to get away and it was annoying the hell out of him. “We’ll figure out some kind of explanation.”

“But if we can’t, then the Alpha will have to send my father here to use the forgetting potion and then I’ll be in trouble. We both will be,” she said. “Look, Zac, it’s simpler this way.”

He crossed his arms over his chest and stared down at her. “Simpler for who? What are you trying to—”

There was a loud pounding on the door. “Mr. Vrost! Are you in there?”

“Goddammit!” He turned his head and shouted, “Yes, I’m here!” Before he could even look back at Astrid, he heard the distinctive poof sound and she was gone.

Fucking hell.

He’d seen that uneasy look in her eyes, the same one she had when she wanted to avoid him. If she thought she was going to get away from him this time, she was wrong.

The door burst open, but he hardly noticed as he was already thinking about what he wanted to say to Astrid.

“Mr. Vrost!” A tall man in bright orange rescue gear stomped through the door. “Thank God we found you! Are you all right? We have an EMT outside and—”

“I’m fine,” he assured him. “I just want to get back to the resort as soon as possible.” Before Astrid had a chance to escape. There was a feeling in his gut that told him she would be gone by the time he got there.

“We have a couple people on snowmobiles who could give you a ride back,” his rescuer said.

“Can’t you get a chopper in?” He didn’t mean to sound irate and demanding, but he had to beat Astrid down the mountain.

“Sorry, snow’s still too fragile. A chopper could cause another avalanche. Don’t worry, you can use the service route in the back and it’ll get you there faster.”

He mumbled a thanks and then headed out of the cabin, walking over to the first person he saw riding a snowmobile. After explaining who he was to the driver, they were soon headed down the mountain. They arrived back at the resort and the driver had barely stopped before he hopped off with a hurried thank you.

“Adrianna!” She was standing in the lobby, speaking with the two Lycan guards.

Adrianna turned her head, and when they locked eyes, her face broke into a relieved expression. “Zac! Thank God—”

“Zac!” Small arms wound around him from behind. “Oh, Zac,” Isabelle cried. “I was so worried about you. I’m so glad you’re okay.”

“Uh, thanks.” He gingerly unwound the young girl’s arms from his torso and then strode over to Adrianna. He did not have the patience to deal with Isabelle now. He had to find Astrid.

“We got the call that they had found you. Are you really okay?” she asked, concern in her voice.

“Yes, I’m fine. Where’s Astrid?”

“Astrid?” Adrianna asked. “She came back about thirty minutes ago. She explained that she had found you and had sought shelter in the cabin, but that she left as soon as she heard the rescuers coming to avoid any suspicion. Anyway, we’re sorry we couldn’t get help to you sooner. We were able to track the bracelet, but Daric and Cross were both indisposed until this morning. Cross came just as Astrid arrived.”

“So, where is she?”

“They left.”

His heart dropped like a heavy stone. “What do you mean they left? Which airport did they use?”

“No airport,” she said. “In fact, all the runways are closed until they clear the snow. Astrid said she had some important business and asked that Cross transport her back to New York.”

“And you let her go?” His voice rose a few decibels louder than he would have liked.

“Of course.” Adrianna pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes at him. “Is anything the matter, Zac?”

“Nothing,” he replied sharply. “When can we take off?”

“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “They’re backed up at the airport. Possibly not until tonight.”

He had a feeling tonight would be too late. There was an urgency in him to see Astrid. “There’s nothing we can do?”

“I’m afraid not.” She seemed resigned, and—if he read her correctly—not even the least bit angry that they would be delayed. “I guess I’ll head off to my room then and get some work done.” Pivoting on her heels, she headed off toward the elevators.

“If you’re thinking of trying to get a flight out, don’t bother,” Isabelle piped up.

He didn’t even realize that she was still there. “No?”

“Yeah, I tried finding a seat, but they’re all booked up. I’m supposed to be back in New York tonight for a gala, but looks like I’ll be missing it. And no way Adrianna’s in a hurry to get back.”

“She’s not?”

Isabelle let out a breath. “Yeah, so I overheard her talking to Mama and Papa this morning. They want her home as soon as possible. And if I know her, she’s going to try to delay that trip as long as possible.”

“Why wouldn’t she want to go back to New York?”

“Not New York. Jersey.” Isabelle’s nose wrinkled delicately like she had smelled something bad. “Mama and Papa are speeding up the ascension as soon as possible. It could be in the next few weeks. Even days. And as you know, my sister’s in no hurry to move back to Barnsville,” she said, mentioning the name of the Lupa’s hometown and the base of power for the New Jersey Lycans.

Interesting. He sympathized with Adrianna, but he had other things on his mind right now. With seemingly no way back home until later tonight, he would just have to sit tight. Hopefully, Astrid didn’t decide to move away to Timbuktu before he could make it home.

Apparently, Adrianna had been so reluctant to go back home that she instructed the pilot to take the last possible takeoff time. She said it was so they wouldn’t have to be stuck inside the jet, but it was frustrating to say the least.

Every moment Zac was away from Astrid made him anxious. It was maddening and confusing, but she had been so eager to get away from him that he just knew something was wrong. He would have walked all the way to New York if he could; hell, his own inner wolf was pushing him to leave. But he had no choice.

They arrived in New York at around four in the morning. He hurried back to his hotel room, got showered, dressed, and headed to Fenrir as soon as he could. There was a lot of work waiting for him, and he finished as soon as he could, speeding through conference calls and barely reading his emails. By mid-morning, he was finally headed down to the fifteenth floor to find Astrid.

The trainees were already doing their exercises by the time he got there, jogging around the room. Meredith and Nick were at the front, directing them. Zac’s eyes immediately zeroed in on Astrid, and he was relieved to see she hadn’t left New York. She must have felt his eyes on her because she turned her head and their eyes locked. Her cheeks went all pink, then she stumbled forward and the woman at her back smacked right into her.

“Jonasson,” the woman grumbled. “Watch where you’re going.”

“Wha—oh, sorry!” She straightened herself, keeping her gaze straight ahead and avoiding his as she went back to her place in line.

A prickle ran over the back of his neck and he knew someone was watching him. It was his father, and his ice blue eyes pierced right into him. Nick whispered something to Meredith and handed her the clipboard in his hands, then made his way toward him.

“Zac,” he began. “I didn’t think you’d be coming in today.”

“I told you and Mom I was fine.” He had spoken with his parents yesterday to assure them he was all right.

“I know,” Nick said. “But why are you here? I mean, I appreciate that you seem to be taking an interest in the security team, but don’t you have work at the office as well?”

“I do,” he said. “But I thought I’d drop in for a while and see the progress the trainees were making.”

“I see.” Nick straightened his shoulders. “You’re welcome to stay, of course, but perhaps you should see your mother. She was worried sick about you. She won’t rest easy until she’s seen you.”

Was his father trying to make him leave? He searched Nick’s face to see if he had suspected anything, but as always, he put on that cold facade that gave nothing away. “I’ll make sure to drop in then.”

“See that you do.” Nick turned on his heel and went back to the front of the room. He said a few words to Meredith, to which she nodded and then blew on the whistle around her neck.

“All right trainees,” she shouted. “Now for a little endurance test. We’re going to keep jogging for another hour. No breaks.”

There were groans and murmurs from amongst the trainees, but when Meredith blew on the whistle, everyone trudged back into line and started jogging again.

Zac clenched his jaw. He supposed he could stay here another hour until they finished, but the steely, challenging gaze his father sent him made him think that if he did, the trainees would have an added hour of jogging time. Nick Vrost was too damn perceptive for his own good.

He conceded defeat for now, walked out of the training room, and headed up to the executive floors. His mother practically mauled him when he walked into her office, and he tried to calm her down.

“I’m right here, Mom,” he said. “See? I’m all right.”

“Oh, Zac, when they told me …” Cady’s voice broke and tears pooled in her eyes. “I just … I’m your mother, you know? I’ll never stop worrying about you.”

“I know,” he said quietly. “I promise never to put you through that again.”

They chatted for a few more minutes and made plans to have lunch together before he headed off to his own temporary office. He busied himself with work for the rest of the day, but in the back of his mind he planned his strategy to get Astrid alone again so they could talk about what happened. He decided he would wait until the end of the day, when his father and mother went home.

As soon as the clock on his desk read 6:00 p.m., he stood up and made his way to the private elevators. He punched the number for the sixteenth floor. Hopefully this time, he wouldn’t have to trap Astrid in the broom closet again. As luck would have it, as soon as the door opened, she was standing right in front of him, dressed in her street clothes, obviously about to head out.

“Zac! What are you—hey!”

He didn’t want to lose her again, so he grabbed her arm. “Which is your room?” he asked.

“My what?”

“Your room,” he repeated. “Unless you want a repeat of what happened in the broom closet?”

“I—” Her pink cheeks puffed out and she gestured toward the hallway lined with doors. “Third on the left.”

He swiftly dragged her down, opened the door and shoved her inside. “Now,” he turned around, “tell me why you ran away.”

“I told you why.” She looked away from him, as if the empty wall suddenly looked like the most interesting thing in the world. “I didn’t want to raise any suspicion and—”

“Don’t give me that bullshit, Astrid.” He took a step forward, making her stagger back. Refusing to let her get another inch away from him, he tugged at her sleeve to pull her to him. “You didn’t have to put an entire country between us. We need to talk.”

“I don’t expect anything from you.” She looked up at him with a defiant stare. “There’s no need to make this anymore awkward. I thought we agreed that what happened in the cabin would stay there.”

“I didn’t agree to anything.” He spanned his hands around her slim waist, moving around to rest on the small of her back. “I wanted you then, Astrid. And I still want you now.”

She turned away from him when he leaned down to kiss her, his lips landed on a cool cheek. “Please. Zac.”

He was not going to give up. Trailing his lips down to her neck, he licked at that soft spot just behind her earlobe. “Please what, Astrid?” He could smell her arousal even now, and as if to prove his point, he pressed his erection against her hip.

She moaned and twisted her head up to face him. “I want you, too. Kiss me again.”

He didn’t need to be asked twice. Bending his head down, he captured her mouth, drinking from her as if he’d been parched for years and the only way to quench his thirst was her. She gave just as good, her tongue snaking into his mouth hungrily, coaxing him and asking for more.

Her hands landed on his chest and she pushed him back. Complying, he stepped backwards until the backs of his knees hit the edge of something. When she pushed him down, he realized that he was sitting on her bed. He shook off his suit jacket and loosened his tie.

Amber eyes blazed with desire as she stared down at him, and she began to strip. First, her shoes, then her leggings along with her underwear and then off came her shirt. She reached behind to unhook her lacy bra and in no time, she was standing between his knees, wearing only a smile.

He looked up at her in awe. Did she know how gorgeous she was? The first time she bared her body to him was a sight that had been burned into his brain. Her skin glowing in the firelight. Her hair like gold. She looked like a sensual goddess. Even now, she was still as beautiful, and he ached to have her and be inside her again.

She got on her knees on the floor as he was unbuttoning his shirt. When she reached for his belt buckle, he saw her hands shake, but she freed him from the confines of what was left of his clothing. He was already hard, of course, but her soft palm around his cock made him even more rigid. She stroked him, tentatively at first, her head lifting to meet his gaze as she leaned forward.

“Astrid, you don’t—argh!” He bit his lip as her wet mouth engulfed his tip. She closed her eyes briefly, as if savoring him, but opened them again to look up at him. Her head bobbed forward and back, sending his pleasure centers into overdrive. Jesus. Seeing her pink, plump lips wrapped around his cock was the hottest fucking thing he had ever seen and he nearly lost control.

He dug his fingers into her hair and pulled back gently. “I’m not gonna last long if you keep that up.”

With a nod, she released him, but crawled up to the bed, forcing him to move back. She placed her hands on his shoulders to push him down so he was prone on the mattress. Straddling his hips, she reached down to wrap her hand around his cock again and guided the tip into her entrance.

“Fuck. Astrid!” He changed his mind; this was the hottest fucking thing he’d ever seen. Astrid over him, taking his cock inside her, sinking down on him. She flinched when he was fully inside her, but after a few moments, she sighed with pleasure.

Engulfed in her warmth and wetness, he never wanted this moment to end. Then, she began to move, her hips grinding back and forth in small motions. His greedy eyes devoured every inch of her, from her gorgeous face thrown back in pleasure, down to her delicate collarbones, to her breasts bouncing up and down as she increased her movements, and lower still over the smooth skin of her flat belly to the light thatch of blonde hair between her legs.

She moaned, shifting her hips and clenching him tighter. He reached down between them to find her wet, hardened clit, plucking at the bud until she was crying out in pleasure. “Zac!” His name on her lips as she came hard was the sweetest thing he’d ever heard, and he pumped his hips up seeking more of her. When she slowed down her hips, he took the opportunity to flip her over so he was on top.

He got on his knees and hauled her to him, pushing inside her again, filling her. She yelped, her eyes opening in surprise. He fucked into her, hard and fast, hooking an arm under one leg to keep her in place. Her back arched up as he continued to pummel into her, and she cried out, clawing at his arms as her body squeezed him tight.

He leaned down to cover her body, pulling her close so her breasts pressed up against his chest. Not wanting the moment to end, he slowed down, savoring the feeling of her tight passage around him, the friction making him groan. Her fingers locked around his neck and pulled him down for a passionate kiss, her lips moving against his in a rhythm that matched their lovemaking. He couldn’t contain himself, and he spilled his cum inside her, the pleasure zinging straight down his spine as she squeezed tight around him, making him shudder and groan against her mouth. He didn’t release her lips, wanting more of her sweetness like he couldn’t get enough.

Rolling them over so she was on top, she was the one who lifted her head to break their kiss. Letting out a sigh, she relaxed against him, laying her cheek on his chest.

They lay there in silence for a few minutes. He didn’t want to say anything, he didn’t even want to move or breathe for fear that she might just disappear like smoke again.

“You seem so serious.” She had her hands crossed over his chest and propped her chin up over her fingers. “What are you thinking of?”

“Nothing important.” He reached down to brush a lock of hair that had stuck to her forehead. “What are you thinking of?”

She smirked at him. “How unfair it is.”

“Unfair?”

“How am I supposed to sneak out when you corner me in my own room?”

A snarl ripped from his throat and he rolled her over, trapping her with his body. “Here’s the answer: you don’t.” He kissed her, perhaps a little too forcefully, but her words made him furious. “You’re mine, Astrid. And you’re not getting away from me.” No, never again. He was not letting go of her. Ever.