As their lips met, Becky grabbed the front of his shirt. She had planned to only stop him from pulling back but instead, she drew him closer to her. Just that fast, the kiss tore away all her hesitation and opened a door between them. She’d wanted him before but now, there was no holding back. “Don’t stop.”

“Becky…” Her name escaped his lips on a growl. “You have to be sure about this.”

“I’m sure.” She tugged his shirt out of the waistband of his jeans, dragging it up to reveal his chest. “I want you, Jase. All of you.”

“Is this because I went to speak with Mr. Howell?” He pulled back enough that he could look at her.

“No.” She continued to tug his shirt upward but with one hand it was impossible to get it over his head. “I’ve been thinking a lot about this mating and while I was upset that you marked me without talking to me about it first, I want this. I want us. Ours might be a relationship that’s out of the box, nothing like the kind I was raised to expect or believe they should be like, but that doesn’t change anything. I know you’ll treat Billy as if he were your own son; otherwise I wouldn’t even consider this. He’s been through enough and doesn’t need me getting involved with someone who will treat him as less than he deserves. Especially if we have more children.”

“You don’t have to worry about him. He’ll be my son. As for more children, there’s no if, it’s only when. One day I’ll have to pass the tribe on to our child and as much as I love Billy, it can’t be him. A Chief can be challenged for his position and Billy would never stand a chance against an Alpha shifter. He will always have a place here with the tribe but I will not put him in a position where he’d have to fight for his life against a shifter wanting to take over the tribe.”

“Challenged? You mean fight to the death? Someone could challenge you for the role of tribe leader? What if you’re killed?”

“Shh, baby.” He scooted closer to her and ran his hand down her arm. “Nothing is going to happen to me. For someone to come here and challenge me, they would have to have a death wish. I’m a strong Alpha and my tribe follows me. They’re not revolting and they’d never follow an outsider.”

“Did I ever tell you parts of the shifter world are downright barbaric?” Her hand stilled, no longer trying to pull the shirt over his head. “It’s scary.”

“There are differences in every society and every group has their own brutal ways. Your world is dangerous as well but you accept it because you’ve never known anything else.” His fingers brushed along the top of her air cast before moving back up her arm. “I should have kept quiet about that but I wanted you to understand that I couldn’t hand the tribe over to Billy. It would be too dangerous for him…and for everyone.”

“I never thought of him taking your position here. Heck, I didn’t even consider it for a child that we created together. I guess if you’d have asked I would have said you worked for that position, not given it because of family ties.” It was clear and not for the first time that she didn’t know everything about his world. To be with him, she was ready to learn and accept it.

“Trust me, it’s something you have to work for. Granddad, made me work hard for it. I chose Sin as my Deputy, so she got off easy, but I worked hard to get to where I am. My mother is Granddad’s daughter but she never wanted the position and when she mated with my father, he was content in his role. Granddad had never considered who to leave the leadership to, but he wasn’t ready to step down then, either. Tonight, I’m meeting with Sin and our guards. Come with me. You can see firsthand what it’s like. After all, as my mate, you’ll be part of the leadership here.”

“Mate.” That brought her back to her senses and reminded her just what she had been planning to do. “I know there will be obstacles in the future that we’ll have to overcome. I don’t mean just The Saviors, even though they might be the biggest issue right now. I might not understand everything about your world, but with your help, everything will be fine. I want Billy safe and one day, we’ll have to sit him down and tell him about his limitations within the tribe. It’s only one door that’s closed for him. Many others are and will be open, so he can do anything he wants. One day at a time. Right now is about us.”

She wasn’t sure if she wanted any of her children to step into Jase’s role for the tribe but that was an issue for another day. No use worrying about children that weren’t even born yet. Maybe they wouldn’t even be interested in leading the tribe. Even if they were, she didn’t see Jase giving up control anytime in the near future. This worry could be put on hold for another time.

“What do you want, Becky?”

“You.” She tugged on his shirt that she was still holding, halfway up his chest. “Claim me as your mate.”

“There’s no going back from this.”

“So you’ve said but that doesn’t change anything. I want you today, tomorrow, and for the rest of my life. Now take this off.” She pushed the shirt up a little further before he grabbed hold of the thin material and pulled it over his head.

“Happy?”

He tossed the shirt toward the foot of the bed and she took in his toned, sun kissed chest.

“Not yet; you’ve still got your jeans on.” He rose from the bed and slipped his jeans off, letting them fall to the floor. “Now your boxers.”

“Hardly seems fair. You’re still dressed.”

“You can help me out of my shirt once you’re naked.” She wiggled her eyebrows. “Come on, don’t make the battered and bruised woman wait.”

“You won’t be that way for long.” He dropped his boxers to reveal his already hard shaft. “Once I claim you, the injuries will begin to heal. By the time we go to the meeting, your knee will support your weight. Your bruised ribs will feel better and by tomorrow they’ll be healed, as will the gash on your thigh. The broken bone in your arm and the concussion will take a little more time but, in a few days, you won’t even know you were injured.”

“I’ll never forget, just like I’ll always remember the fact you rescued me.” She reached out to clasp his hand and pull him closer. “Thank you.”

“I wish I could have been there sooner.”

“Come here.” Her voice was raw with need as she lifted the blanket to reveal the shirt she was wearing was pulled at her waist and she was naked below it. “What do you say about helping me out of this shirt?”

“Are you sure you’re up to this?”

“I’m fine.” She grabbed the hem of the shirt and pulled it up. Inch by inch, she slowly revealed her lower stomach, working the material up tortuously slow.

He slipped onto the bed next to her. “Do you want a pill…a mild one to keep the pain at bay?”

“The pain hasn’t been bad but even if it was, those pills make me loopy and I don’t want to miss a moment of this.”

“You’ll tell me if it’s too much?” He pulled the shirt over her head before carefully sliding it over her air cast. “Just keep this arm off to the side. I don’t want to bump it.”

“Don’t worry so much.”

He leaned up on his elbow so that he was looking down at her naked body. “Damn, baby, you’re beautiful.” He brushed a hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. His touch was gentle but caused an inferno within her; with every caress, the flames burned hotter. When he teased his fingers down her neck and along her collarbone, she moaned.

“Jase…”

“I know, baby. The connection between us is starting to come to life. The fire within you is the mating desire.” He slid his hands softly down her mostly uninjured side. “Lie back.”

Doing what he asked, she scooted down on the bed so she was lying flat. “This has been burning within you all this time. Oh Jase, you should have told me.” The idea of him suffering with this fiery need inside and nothing he could do to quench it bothered her. If she were honest with herself, she felt guilty about it.

“Don’t, baby. No guilt.” He caressed every curve of her body, watching her closely. “It’s allowing me to feel your emotions stronger.”

She felt her cheeks heat with embarrassment. “Then you know how badly I want you.”

“Are you sure you’re up for this? I don’t want to cause you any pain.” Even as he asked, he slipped his hand between her legs, easing them apart.

“It will be fine as long as we’re careful. We’ve waited too long already. I don’t want to wait anymore.” She arched forward to bring her face inches from his. “We both want this.”

As if he was giving in to her, he pressed his lips to hers. Instantly, everything seemed to brighten around her and she was aware of things that never seemed to register before. A strong scent of maple and oak trees hit her in full force, quickly followed by the aroma of wet leaves and soil. If she hadn’t felt the bed under her, she would have wondered how they got outside so quick.

With his tongue, he gently pried her lips open, turning passion to deep hunger with a kiss. The scent grew along with the heat. Something brushed along her skin, soft and light enough that it tickled. Hair…it’s hair.

Her eyelids sprang open but there was nothing to see. Where she felt the touch along her arm, Jase wasn’t near. “Jase?”

“It’s okay, baby. I swear to you I have control.” Adjusting her injured leg so he could slip between her legs, he looked down at her.

“What?”

“My bear…that’s what you’re feeling. He’s eager.” Kneeling between her legs, he crouched to kiss along her stomach. “I’m not going to shift. He’s just close to the surface; that’s why you can feel it. The gentle caresses, the strong forest scent that lingers in the air, and the craving for honey.”

“Honey…” Saying the word had the craving rise within her. “Oh, I can almost taste it. Sweet, sticky, and oh so heavenly.”

“Trust me, Becky.”

“Always.”

With her acceptance, he continued to kiss his way back up her body, taking his time. “I’ll never get enough of you.”

As his tongue teased along the hardened bud of her nipple, she moaned and arched into him. “Jase, please!”

“What, baby? Do you need me to stop?” His gaze found hers and she shook her head.

“It like the fire within me is consuming me. I can’t stop the urges and as much as I enjoy foreplay, it seems like too much right now. I need you inside of me.”

“Okay, baby.” He crouched over her and leaned in to kiss her neck and gently rub his cheek against her neck, like a cat nuzzling her.

“What are you doing?”

“Marking you. I want my scent all over you so everyone knows that you’re mine.”

“I thought you’d already done that.” She dragged her fingers along the curve of his hip, wishing there were just a little more room between them so she could slip her hand in and wrap it around his shaft.

“I did but until the mating it needed to be redone or it would wear off. Now it’s just part of mating and my bear needed it. Now, baby, it’s all about you.”

“Then please…” Her words died off when he adjusted his weight to balance on one side and slid his hand between them to find her core. He let his fingers slip between her lips and enter her. “Oh, Jase!”

“I know what you need, baby,” he said, tantalizing her until she was arching into him and moaning his name. After laying a line of tender kisses down her neck, he gently bit the flesh just below her collarbone. With deft fingers, he delved in and out of her, stoking the fire that burned within her.

“Then don’t make me beg.”

“Soon, baby.” He took her nipple in his mouth, sucking gently, before letting it slide out again. His cool breath made her nipple harden. “My beautiful mate.”

“Not if I don’t get what I want soon.” She raked her hands through his hair, fisting a handful of the silky strands to pull them back until she forced him to look right at her. “This isn’t our only night. Please, Jase, don’t make me wait any longer. Give into your bear and claim me.”

She ran her hands down his chest, feeling his tight abs, then slid her hand between them and wrapped her fingers around his hard shaft. Without breaking his rhythm, he arched up and claimed her mouth. Their kisses grew deeper as she worked her hand up and down his warm, hard length.

He pulled back enough that he could look down at her. “Okay baby, you’ve made your point.” Caressing her clit one last time, he adjusted until she could feel his shaft against her folds.

The light touch of it had her arching forward, pressing herself along his body, her fingernails digging into his back. “Now, Jase…please now!”

Without forcing her to beg anymore, he arched forward, gliding himself into her tight channel. As the muscles stretched to accommodate him, she cried out in pleasure. While she might have just beg him to go faster moments before, he seemed to understand right then that she needed a moment to adjust to him inside of her. Easing out of her, he thrust back inside. Gentle at first as he worked his way in and out her, allowing her body time to adjust to his size and for her own juices to slick the passage.

“Oh, Jase!” She cried out his name as each thrust came deeper and faster. Desire bloomed, sending every nerve within her on full alert. She arched her body forward, meeting his thrusts. They rode back and forth until they exploded together in unison. His bear growl mingled with her own moans of ecstasy and the connection between them intensified until it nearly overwhelmed her.

Breathless, she collapsed back on the pillows and ran her hand down his side, teasing her fingers along every contour of his body. “Your bear…he’s like a fur coat.”

A growl shook his chest, sending vibrations through his shaft and making her muscles tighten around him. “Don’t think about it.”

She let out a light laugh and dragged her nails along his back. “I wasn’t thinking of stripping him of his fur. So maybe that wasn’t the best way to describe it. He tickled my skin but also warmed me. Even now I can feel him there. As if he’s encompassing my body.”

“He’ll always be there, connecting us.” He slid out of her to lie next to her. “I’m not sure I like you thinking of him as a fur coat, but I guess it’s the best metaphor. After all, he’ll keep you warm and safe when you’re not in my arms. He’ll be like your sixth sense. You’ll understand what I mean soon enough. Anytime you’re around a tribe member, you’ll automatically know anything you need to know. Welcome to the leadership team. I can’t promise it will be the easiest job, but it will be worth it. And I didn’t mention the best part of the job.” Pulling the blanket over both of them, he cuddled along the side of her body.

“And what’s that?”

“Sleeping with the boss.” Her giggles quickly ended as he dragged his teeth along the curve of her shoulder. “Every chance we get I’m going to show you that you’re mine and how much I cherish you. Not just your beautiful body, but every aspect of you. I love you, Becky.”

“I love you too, Jase, even though you add honey to your coffee.” She gasped. “How did I know that?”

“My bear.” He pressed his lips to her shoulder. “You’ll have to watch what you say in the future. The leadership team has information that other members don’t. Trust me, you’ll get used to it. He’ll warn you if there’s something you can’t tell someone.”

“It’s all so overwhelming. It’s like my senses of smell and hearing have increased tenfold. This connection between us is something amazing.” She hooked her fingers between his. “I was afraid at first but with you by my side everything is going to be fine. My mate…”