Bringing the Vampire into Genesis was hard, but what to do with him next hadn’t been discussed. It roared, shook, and tried to swipe at Margot through the net. She didn’t seem the least concerned.

“Careful,” I had to tell her because it would have killed me to remain silent.

Chad and Deacon helped her, standing back as she got the Vamp into a holding container. She shrugged. “If they get me, you guys can just go find a cloning machine.”

My ears rang at her stupid joke, and Chad groaned. “You and I both know that’s not how this works, Margot. There are things that are different even with a successful cloning. We don’t want to lose you.”

There were? Didn’t cloning just automatically mean that the person was recreated in an identical manner? Unless something went wrong in the process and they ended up distorted like some of those poor souls in Doubleday’s home where I woke up from my experience?

“What?” I wasn’t more articulate than that.

Margot didn’t turn when she spoke to me. “Mitochondria. We get it from our mothers when we’re created, so to speak. The cloning machines can’t recreate mitochondria from moms. It does alter the subject that is made by the slightest percentile. We really can’t say because we don’t have the technology to study it in this day and age how much that affects a true change in the person.”

“Yes, that.” Chad slammed the door closed on the container. “And the whole nature versus nurture issue. Just because we have the memories doesn’t necessarily mean we lived the experience. This body never did.”

I sighed. “I feel like I’m back in high school science.”

Deacon leaned against the wall. “I can’t follow it at all. I think they should let me attend school with the teenagers here.”

Chad grinned at Deacon. “Feel free, if you want. You’re on the council. Who’s going to tell you no? Go hang out in your wife’s preschool class if you want.”

Deacon threw a towel at Chad. “Kiss my ass.”

“But seriously.” Chad stared right at me. “Some things can’t be explained. They’re just different. They’re changed. The way we felt about something or someone is different. The essentials remain the same, maybe. But we’re different.”

Margot raised her hand in the air. “Enough with the cloning. Three out of four of us in here are science experiments. Let’s move on from that subject. I think I’m going to have to gas him. Deacon, could you go get it for me? From the storage locker?”

He nodded. “On it, Doc.” He pointed at Margot. “This woman is why I’m alive. Why Micah’s wife is alive, too. Anything she needs, anytime.”

That was fascinating, and after I’d seen that she was willing to take huge steps to procure antibiotics, not surprising. Still I couldn’t pull my head out of the conversation we’d been in before. Some things were different. Big things. I’d been going off the assumption I was exactly the same but certainly that wasn’t the truth in just the way I wasn’t reacting to Rachel and really was to Margot.

The Vampire roared, and threw himself against the side so hard the container shook a little bit. Chad whistled through his teeth. “Damn.”

My hand started to shake, and I looked down at it. I was about to get sick. Looked like my time was up. They’d gotten me. I was just going to have to wait this out. I shoved my hand in my pocket. “Gotta go.”

Margot whirled around. “Why?”

Chad looked between us before turning around to stare at the Vampire.

I put my other hand, now shaking, in my pocket. “I got bit and scratched by the companion to this Vamp. I’m going to, as you know, knock out for a while, get sick, whatever. I’ll go to my tent and come back when it’s over. Sorry I can’t help more but this is out of my realm anyway. If you need another Vampire or have any trouble with them, my pack mates aren’t particularly lethal, but they can work together and take down one for you.”

Margot’s eyes widened. “Oh no. You are not going to go get sick alone in that terrible tent like you don’t have people who take care of you.”

I blinked. “My pack aren’t really cut out for that. Maybe the one my father used to run had some Alpha-like tendencies who want to help out but these guys would be made so afraid by me getting sick that they couldn’t handle it.”

She walked over, placing her hand on my arm. “I don’t mean them. I mean them. We’re… friends right? That’s what we do for each other. I’m a doctor. This is what I do. Go lie down on the table in the room next door. I’ll watch you again. If you need anything you’ll get it.” She paused. “Jason, now.”

No one ever ordered me around. I might be a reluctant Alpha, but I was Alpha nonetheless. My inner Wolf stood up and took notice. Still, I didn’t want to growl at her or strike back verbally. Instead, what I kind of wanted to do was rub up against her and show her my inner belly.

I cleared my throat. “Well, if you’re sure it won’t be any trouble for you. You’ve got a lot going on. People want to see you all day, every day.” They were lined up in a medical tent nearby. “And you’ve got that Vamp.”

Her dark eyes seemed to implore me for something. The problem was I couldn’t decide what. “Oh he’ll be no trouble now. Here’s Deacon with the gas.”

She took a tank from him, hooking it up to the side of the container that had the Vamp. “He’s going to go to sleep very shortly. Then I can come check on you. I’m coming regardless, so you can be here or you can make me trudge across Genesis to do so.”

“Okay, I’ll go wait it out in there. Thanks.”

What had just happened? With my hands shaking and the side effect of the Vamp bite about to take me over, I didn’t have time to dwell for long. I’d no sooner gotten onto the table when the first round of dizziness hit me. This was going to be a long day.

I dreamed of my mother. I couldn’t really make sense of anything, just that she was there and I was home again. Things were as they’d been before it all went to hell in a handbasket. This body might not have lived with her, might not have actually been her son, but it sure felt real to me.

I woke covered in sweat. That had been easier to get through in my Wolf body, and if I ever had to do it again, I was shifting before I went under. When had I ever felt so weak?

“Sshh.” Margot’s scent hit me before my eyes opened. It was so welcoming. “You’re okay. This one was harder. Or maybe not. It was hard to tell because you were a Wolf last time.”

She placed her hand on top of my forehead, and I took it in mine, squeezing it. “I was just thinking that myself. Sorry. How long have I been sick?”

“About a day.” She squeezed back. “Want to sit up?”

I did, and I managed to do so without embarrassing myself too much, I hoped. “I never did sick very well. My mother used to say I was always two years old whenever I had a cold.”

“Amazing you had too many colds. Must be your half human side.”

She’d taken her hair down. It had been half-up when I’d knocked out. I let go of her hand to tug on the end of it before I realized what I’d done. I dropped my fingers. “Sorry.”

Her cheeks pinkened. “I like when you touch me, Jason. If I hadn’t, I’d have stopped it when you started it. Maybe I should have. I know this has to be hard for you, being back here with Rachel. It has to be sort of miserable. But I like when you… reach out to me. And I’m not doing a very good job of guarding my heart. How’s that for honesty?”

If she was going to be, then I was going to be, too. “I don’t feel a thing for Rachel other than awkward. Nothing. I’m not harboring any love or lust or anything, really. It’s kind of bizarre. I know that I once felt incredibly passionate toward her, that I believed her to be my mate. Now? Nothing at all. I keep thinking that it has got to be what you and Chad meant about the differences in clones. Or maybe not. I don’t know. I just know I can’t stop staring at your breasts, listening to you talk, and touching you.”

Now would be when she told me to fuck off. Instead, her eyes widened in the way she did when she was interested in something. She sat on the edge of the medical table. “My breasts? They’re not special. They’re just sort of average, maybe borderline small.”

Was she kidding? My heart rate kicked up, and I was completely awake, losing the tiredness that came with waking from an illness. I could have run a marathon in my human form if I needed to. “Margot your breasts are like… perfection. I’m sorry I can’t come up with a better word. I can’t keep my eyes off of them.”

She moved her head closer to mine, my Werewolf ears hearing the sound of her breathing catching in her throat. “I’m deeply attracted to you, and I have no idea what I’m doing.”

I kissed her. I’d never thought to lock lips again with anyone in my entire life, but here I was, getting to caress Margot with my mouth. She tasted like apples. It was the best taste ever and I pulled her closer to get more of her. She wrapped her arms around me, essentially pushing me down beneath her when she did.

I gave into this feeling like it was the most natural thing in the world. Margot would not hurt me. I could lie here beneath her and kiss her until I lost time. She was exactly who I wanted to be here with. My cock stood to attention. I moaned, grinding my hips against her. Her answering sigh was the best sound I’d ever heard.

“Oh,” her breath whispered against my face. “I can’t believe you want this, too.”

I cupped her cheek. “Beautiful lady, how could you doubt it?”

“I… I don’t think of myself this way. It’s like you woke my body up, Jason. And all I’ve been able to think is that I was going to be in this all alone because you were not going to be able to be interested in me even if you wanted to be.”

I shook my head. I wasn’t going to pretend to misunderstand her. I’d use Chad’s words. I liked them. They fit. “This body never loved her. Okay? And I know I’ve only known you for days. My Wolf is all fucked up right now. But I want you like I can’t breathe for it.” I rolled her beneath me, and she stared up at me with the hugest eyes I’d ever seen. “I have so little experience with this, too.”

“What do you mean your Wolf is fucked up right now?”

I bit her bottom lips, and she made that sigh noise again. I wanted to hear that, over and over. “Doctor me later.”

“Okay.” She didn’t argue and that was a relief. “Should we just stumble through this?”

“I think most people do their first time. Are we alone? Private?” I hadn’t even asked. There could be a ward’s worth of people waiting to storm through the door needing her attention.

She nodded. “Entirely alone. The Vamp got transported to the jail. We’re going to examine him there for safety’s sake. And I sent everyone else on. Unless someone gets very sick no one is coming near me tonight except you. I just wanted to spend it with you.”

No one had ever wanted just to be with me. Her words were intoxicating. I kissed her again, this time trying to make sure there was no mistake that I was claiming her. She was going to be mine. Margot seemed to get it. She squirmed beneath me but not to get away, instead as though she wanted to be closer.

I took my time. Frenzied ownership changed fast to gentle, languid loving. No one was going to take her from me. I didn’t have to worry about it. She didn’t want to be anywhere else or with anyone else. She just wanted to be with me.

Margot chose me. Every part of me loved that.

Eventually, she tugged at my shirt. I let her strip it off me. Her gaze wandered over my exposed flesh. “You’re so beautiful, Jason. I know that you must have heard that a lot. I’ve told you that the people—including me—trying to destroy this world, watched you. There was always so much talk about how gorgeous you were, but the streaming didn’t do you justice.”

I took her chin in my hand. “You’ve never destroyed anything. You had cards dealt to you and you played them as best you could. Look where you are now. You’re not bad, Margot. Take it from someone who is. You’re not.”

She placed her forehead against my chest, placing a kiss right over my heart when she did so. “How can you not see that you were dealt cards, too? Over and over.”

I shook my head. “I am as bad as I think I am. But I want to drown in how much you aren’t.”

I took her shirt off her as she’d done to me. There they were. Her breasts. I thought I was hard, but the ache in my cock intensified until I wasn’t sure I wasn’t going to come in my pants just from looking at her breasts alone. Her nipples were pink, pert, and erect. She’d called them small but they’d fit in my hands. My mouth watered.

“You really do like them?”

I lifted my gaze to meet her eyes. “Did you think I was lying?”

“I’m not used to this.”

Maybe this was going too fast. “Should I slow down?”

She shook her head. “Don’t you dare.”

I took her nipple into my mouth, tasting the salt from her skin, the sweetness of her roses, and the inherent apple taste that would be my undoing. I sucked hard, not wanting to hurt her but needing more than I could even express. I craved Margot.

She cried out, not in pain, her pleasure wafting to my nose and spurring me forward. I squeezed the breast I wasn’t indulging on, kneading it with my hand while I made love to her other nipple. I let go only to change positions. I wanted to taste all of her.

“Jason.” She made my name sound like the sighs she’d given me earlier. I’d never loved anything more. “I didn’t know.”

I let go and kissed down her stomach. She managed to squirm out of her pants, and I’d never be so glad for anything. Margot knew what I wanted. That was another sign she and I were on the same page. I had a tendency to misread even with my extra senses. I wasn’t going to fuck this up.

She tugged at my waste. “Take yours off, too. I want to touch you.”

My cock jumped at the thought. “Please.”

We finally managed to get naked, all arms and legs tangled up together. We weren’t graceful that was for sure but we were there together. Had there ever been anything more wonderful than this?

She took me in her hand, stroking me from balls all the way to the tip. I cried out. Damn, but that was heaven. “Easy. I don’t want to go off in your hand, and I’m close, beautiful.”

I’d gone from no libido to this overnight. I didn’t have a lot of pent up reserves ready to keep me from embarrassing myself and disappointing her. Her scent overwhelmed me. I was bathed in it. My pores absorbed her. I would never lose her now.

I had to push her off. Maybe if I was ever lucky enough to have her again like this, I’d just lie still and bathe in the feel of her jerking me off. Fuck, the thought almost made me come again. But I wanted her to come first. That was all I needed.

I pressed a finger inside of her. She was wet. Thank the universe she was fucking wet. I wasn’t imagining this. I found her clit. I stroked her, trying to imagine how she wanted to be touched and quickly realized that she gave me the best possible instruction with her sighs and moans alone. There was a rhythm she liked. I’d learn it like it was my job.

“Oh, yes,” she called out, and I gave her more. Her hips pressed upward, her body reacting like my hand on her was my cock. Soon she was panting. “Jason, please. Inside of me.”

She didn’t have to ask me twice. I moved fast, all set to press inside of her when the thought dawned on me. “Pregnancy.”

“Shit. Yes. Drawer. There. Condoms.” I reached over where she indicated. The scientists had provided Genesis with plenty of them and for that I’d be grateful for their interference. Someday they might run out but not today. I grabbed one and with shaking hands managed to get myself inside of one before I found my way home inside of her.

Her muscles clenched around me, drawing me home until I shook from the effort to move again. Back and forth, I pulled out of her and then thrust back in. She cried out. I thought she said more. I hoped that was what she said anyway.

My ears rung as my body fought the pleasure it craved to give her more. That was all I wanted. More for Margot. So much more.

I altered my movements. I wanted to rub her clit every time I passed and soon I’d found the way. This was sweet torture. I’d dreamed of it. It didn’t take much longer. She shattered around me, calling out my name, her fingers scratching me down my back. She thought I was beautiful, she’d said so, but there was nothing more gorgeous on this earth than Margot right then. She was the most stunning woman I’d ever laid eyes on.

I sank home inside of her. A home I’d never known, never imagined, and even if I had I couldn’t have fathomed she’d ever want me there with her.

And yet somehow she did.

My fangs elongated. I hadn’t thought about them, or maybe I’d been in denial. With no restraints and without another thought I bit down on her neck. She cried out, clenching against me as the horror of what I’d done pushed the pleasure from my brain.

I’d marked her, the sign of mating. I’d not discussed it with her. I’d assaulted her skin, and hurt her. She bled in my mouth, and I couldn’t let go. I wanted to and yet my Wolf rode the moment. This was the beast inside of me, the utter dreadfulness of what I’d done showing just how not okay I’d ever be.

I pulled off, panting hard. “Margot. I’m sorry. I didn’t know it would happen. I didn’t think. How badly did I hurt you?”

She put her hand on my chest, right over my heart. “Stop. Jason. It’s okay. It didn’t hurt, actually. I imagine it has something to do with endorphins. I love it. You marked me. That’s what Werewolves do. Stop. Okay? Don’t take it away from me.”

Margot liked it. I tried to digest that information but I had her blood in my mouth, my mark on her body, and I couldn’t fathom she wasn’t just being nice. “I try to control it. I try not to be this half of me when I don’t have to be.”

She took my cheeks in her hands. “Jason that must be like not breathing.” It was sometimes. She drew me back down, into her arms. Margot held me close to her. “What your marking tells me is that you mean this to be permanent. That you didn’t do this lightly. You’re not just wanting this for now and never again.”

No, that wasn’t what I wanted at all. I did want long term. But my Wolf had decided to go ahead and let her know before we could even discuss it. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

I pulled out of her, grabbing onto the condom and disposing of it in a nearby trashcan before I sat up, getting my weight off of her. She sat up next to me, kissing my arm.

“I’m fine, Jason. I really loved what just happened. That was my first time.” She touched her neck. “I love this, too. I feel connected to you, like it was supposed to be this way. Are you disappointed your Wolf wanted me?”

“What?” I practically shouted. “No, I’m disappointed I’m a Wolf at all.”

There. I had said it. The truth was out there.

She kissed my arm again. “I’m not. How do you not know how wonderful you are? You died for the woman you were in love with once. If you could ever feel even a fraction of that strongly for me I’d be…”

I hauled her onto my lap, which stopped her from speaking. That hadn’t been my intention, I loved to hear her chat, but there it was. “Margot, you’re my mate. If you think there is anything about you that is going to be a fraction of anything to me you’re wrong. I think you can count on me getting obsessive, about seeing to your happiness above all things, of needing you to be okay for all time. You may get sick of me very fast.”

She shook her head. “Never. I didn’t know I was looking for you, Jason. I didn’t understand I needed anyone and then you were there. I promise you. I won’t get sick of it. Can we get out of here? This was fun, being in here, but I’m tired and I’d like you to come with me.”

I loved that Margot said what she needed and asked for what she wanted. That was going to be helpful, considering I was so completely bad at understanding subtle cues. “Yes.”

She grinned. “Maybe you can bite me again.”

“I probably will when it starts to heal.” For the rest of her life, if she didn’t throw me out.

“Good.” She jumped off the table, looking for her clothes. “That was hot. That was my first time. I don’t know if that was obvious.”

I followed her off the table, admiring the look of her bare ass. Yes, I was completely never going to be done with her. “That was mine, too. Was it?”

She grinned. “No, actually.”

Well, I supposed that was a good thing. I hadn’t made a mess out of either of us losing our virginities together. I picked up her shirt and handed it to her. Had she left anything else behind? I didn’t see anything. “When was the last time you ate, Margot? Let’s stop and get you something.”

She leaned against me. “Thanks. I could use some food.”

We didn’t know each other yet, not as well as we would, but so help me I’d keep us both alive long enough to do that.