It was twelve hours before we finished for the day. It was as if Mother Nature knew we needed help. She gave us another spectacular sunset, and Tom and I got the sunset scene exactly the way Lance wanted it.

I wasn’t sure how Liam did it, but he stayed out of the way the rest of the day. He was either on the phone or scowling at that black electronic tablet every time I looked for him. He seemed to wear a scowl more than a smile.

When it was time to leave, I felt a level of awkwardness that had built between us.

“Hi.” I smiled shyly.

The prince rose from his seat. He clutched the device. “Done for the day, or are you on another break?” he asked.

I draped the leather jacket over my injured arm. The costume department had to sew another one this morning before we tried a re-take of the sunset scene. Yesterday’s was ruined from the fountain.

“I’m done.” I rocked back on my heels. I wondered if the offer to go back to the palace and talk was off the table. I would understand if we both accepted that we didn’t belong in each other’s worlds.

The stage hands hustled around us, cleaning up the props for the day and storing the sound equipment.

Liam wrapped an arm around my waist. “Let’s go, love.”

“Go?” I was surprised.

“Home,” he answered. “I think we’ve promised each other a conversation that can’t wait any longer.”

I nodded. This would be it. It had been a wild and romantic twenty-four hours, but I knew deep down this breakup was coming. I couldn’t sustain a relationship overseas, and if I was being honest, I couldn’t see myself with a man who didn’t respect my profession. One of Tom’s kisses shouldn’t have thrown him into overdrive like that. It wasn’t as if I looked forward to those scenes. I didn’t want to kiss Tom any more than he wanted to kiss me. I’d never heard Leo complain.

“All right. We should talk.” I straightened my shoulders. I was prepared for the worst, and prepared to bring up all the arguments about how his jealousy was way over the top.

“I believe we have Charles and Romero again tonight.”

“Do you usually have different security?” I asked as he led me to the car.

“They rotate often. I know most of the guys, but they filter through the family.”

“Oh,” I said. I ducked inside the car and Liam closed the door behind me. He walked around to the other side.

When he slid in next to me the anger that had gripped me all day, started to fade. I couldn’t help it. His fingers curled against mine as he brought my hand over his chest. I turned toward him just as his lips crushed mine with a powerful kiss. Powerful enough to make the stars spin overhead. And the oceans surge as we rolled past the waves beneath the cliffs. It was powerful enough to erase the reason I wanted to end our quick relationship. Powerful enough to make me want to stay.

By the time we reached the palace I had to crawl out of Liam’s lap. I tried to wipe the smeared lipgloss back in place before Romero opened the door.

“Your Highness,” he greeted Liam first.

Liam nodded and took my hand, leading me from the backseat. We walked quietly along the corridor and to the private elevator.

The royal staff stopped as we passed and either bowed or curtsied. Liam didn’t seem to notice. I wondered if he ever noticed it.

The elevator deposited us in his empty apartments. I wanted to talk. I did. I wanted to have the conversation about what happened today, but as soon as our feet touched the marble foyer, his arms circled my waist and his hands tangled in my hair.

I moaned as his tongue twirled in my mouth. I climbed out of my leather and onto the round table in front of us. I pulled on his jacket and tugged the buttons on his shirt. I couldn’t get to his skin fast enough. His fingers dipped below my panties. I was so wet and hot for him.

“Shit, Gillian.” He snapped the lace until it was tattered in his hands. “I want you here and now.”

“God, yes.” I nodded, kissing him harder and deeper. I wiggled to the edge of the table, hiking my thighs against his waist.

He pushed his boxer briefs to the floor and his giant cock bounced in front of me.

“I need you,” I whimpered.

“You have no idea what you do to me,” he groaned, pushing the tip to my center.

I hissed at the contact. It was as if his cock was on fire for me. It seared my sensitive skin with just one touch. He pushed inside me and I moaned with pleasure. He felt so good. He stretched me until I coated his shaft with honey and he began to thrust in and out.

“What do I do to you?” I taunted.

He grunted.

“Oomph,” I squealed. He threaded his arm under my knee, hiking my leg higher in the air.

“You tap into the beast inside me, Gillian,” he growled. I heard the hollow vibration in his chest. I looked in his eyes as he pumped inside me.

I was close to my climax. The sudden passion, combined with a day of delayed gratification brought me to the brink quickly.

“You’re mine, baby. Mine.” He kissed me and I whimpered. “You belong to me in every way. When I fuck you like this, I could lose my damn mind.”

The tears stung the corners of my eyes. “Oh Liam,” I whispered. I’d never had an orgasm push the limits like this one did. What was happening to my body? To my sanity? To my sexuality?

“Harder,” I begged. “I need more of you inside me,” I pleaded.

“I know you do. I know, love.” He tilted my chin upward. “Because you belong to me, and I belong to you. You want me to crawl under your skin and kiss you from the inside out. You want to feel the burn and the pain. You want the pleasure and the joy. I want all of it too.”

I thought he was trying to explain our intense connection. I knew it made sense, even though it was nonsensical. He pulled my other leg higher toward his shoulder and my pussy was wide open. If anyone walked off that elevator now they would never forget what they walked in on. I was having the best sex of my life. Exposed. Open. Enjoying every single second of giving myself to this complete alpha of a man.

“I need to come inside you again,” he groaned.

He thrust hard and I screamed.

“Yes,” I agreed. Just last night I was deadest on condoms. Now I was going to do everything in my power to keep one off his glorious cock. Nothing could describe how he felt pushing inside me naked and raw. “Fill me again. I want it so much.”

“Fuck, baby.” Liam’s face was determined and dark. I saw him seize as we both climbed to the top of the peak.

Our bodies rattled and shook. They vibrated with pure bliss as he came deep inside my walls. I moved to spread myself for him, so he could spear me over and over with his incredible shaft. I’d never loved a cock inside me like I loved his. I didn’t want this to end.

“Oh, oh, oh,” I moaned as the orgasm clutched me in violent consuming twinges of light and pleasure.

“I own you, love,” Liam growled as his release shot inside me. I felt the heat spread through my body, coating my walls with glorious bursts of flame.

I gasped, searching for breath. Liam pressed his forehead to mine. The sweat dripped along his neck. God, he looked even sexier now than he did before we had sex. I licked his shoulder.

“Salty,” I murmured, smiling with satisfaction.

His arms circled my waist. I felt his cock jerk inside me with aftershocks. He kissed me square on the mouth. “Love, I need to tell you something.”

I sighed. “Can’t we just agree that we’re amazing at fucking each other and leave it at that?” I didn’t want anything to ruin this moment. I didn’t want to think. I felt too good for logic or rationale.

“No.” He picked me as I wrapped my legs tightly against his waist.

He carried me through the royal apartments. Our naked bodies entwined and glowing from epic lovemaking.

He lowered me to his bed, keeping his cock buried inside me.

I looked in his dark eyes. What in holy hell was happening? He was still hard as a rod of steel.

“We are more than just good at fucking each other.” His eyes flickered with mischief.

“That was meant as a compliment,” I teased. My fingernails coasted over the sculpted lines of his torso. How did he get abs like that?

“It is a compliment, but it’s also our connection. It is us, love.”

I wanted to sit up and talk properly, but I was pinned by his massive frame and even though I was completely satisfied, I couldn’t deny how wonderful it felt having him inside me still. I clutched at his cock and he smiled.

“Don’t worry, love. There’s more. I have to tell you this and then I’ll fuck you with a purpose you never knew was possible. I’ll fuck with the kind of love you didn’t know existed.”

My skin prickled. My nipples hardened involuntarily. I felt the heat between my legs. I was wet again with his promise.

“Oh God,” I whispered. “You are going to lock me up in your tower and make me a sex slave.” I grinned, playing along with whatever game he was playing.

He ran a finger over one of my breasts. “You are so damn sexy. So beautiful.” He closed his eyes and his long lashes fluttered back open. “Gillian, you are more to me than a casual hookup. Surely, you feel this intense connection.”

I nodded. “I do, but I don’t want to read anything into it. Ok? Just focus on the sex. While I’m here at least, and then we can both go back to our normal lives.”

I felt the tears welling at the corners of my eyes. This time it wasn’t because my body was exploding with sensation, it was pure sadness. I didn’t want to leave his bed. I didn’t want to leave his country.

He brushed the first one away with the pad of his thumb. I felt his cock begin to move inside me and I sighed.

“I’m going to tell you something that will change your life. Mine has already changed since I met you. You just don’t know to what extent.”

I looked for the playboy glimmer in his eye, but it wasn’t there. He was serious.

“What are you talking about?” My hips rocked to meet his movements. Our bodies had a language they shared with each other. It was like we communicated on a different plane.

“You. Me.” He paused. “We are fated mates, love. Fated forever. Destined to live this life in love with our family.”

Oh God, he was already filling me with so much pleasure. My clit throbbed and my body ached for him.

“F-family? Mates?” I stuttered. The thought hit me. I wanted his baby. I wanted his baby inside me. I wanted it like I wanted air to breathe.

He nodded. “You are meant for me alone, love. And I’m meant for no one but you. Everything that happened in our lives before we met, is meaningless. The men and women who came before now are just a speck. Does that feel right to you? Do you see it? Feel it?”

“Yes,” I whispered. He lifted my hips in the air and I groaned as he angled his cock deep inside me. I was already filled with his come and all I could think about was more. “We belong together.” I felt completely drunk and dizzy.

I looked in his eyes. “Remember that when I tell you the next part.”

“Why? What?”

Before he began to speak his mouth parted and I watched as his teeth began to grow. I was already ready to take my building need to a crest. Instead of crashing my orgasm into nothingness, I was suddenly turned on, on a different level. Something primal inside me had awakened. Why wasn’t I screaming about his fangs? Why wasn’t I scared.

I reached forward with my injured arm and my finger touched the tip. He closed his eyes.

“Love, I’m your bear. Your bear.”

I nodded. I was enraptured by the moment. Surrounded by love. Surrounded by the strength and power of the man inside me.

“You’re my mate, Gillian. And I want to finish claiming you. But you have to ask for it. You have to want it. You have to want my bear to make you his.”

“Haven’t I already?” I’d never been so free and giving with my body before. He already owned it in so many ways.

Liam shook his head. “You have to ask my bear. Not the prince. Ask him to fuck you. Ask him to take you. Ask him to give you a cub.”

I felt my clit start to quiver. “Ohh, please. Yes. I want all of it, Liam. I want your bear. I want you. I want all parts of you.” I lifted my hands over my head. I didn’t know why I did it, only that it felt right.

“Gillian,” he growled. He eyed me hungrily.

What transpired over the next few minutes will be a moment in my life I’ll never forget. A moment that forever changed who I was. It changed who I wanted to be. It changed how I loved and how I gave.

Liam licked one nipple before his beautiful fangs sliced across giving me unmatched pleasure. Honey poured from my breast as he began to suck and lap.

“Oh God,” I groaned, wanting more.

“You’re so perfect, love.” He moved to the other side, repeating the ritual. I cried out, wanting my release.

Liam grinned wickedly. “I’ve waited so long to say this to you.” He lifted my ankles to his shoulders. “I love you, Gillian.”

“I love you.” He surged inside me and I was consumed by an overwhelming love. He filled me with his seed.

We panted and quivered as the bonding united us for life. I didn’t know anything about bear shifters. I only knew that my body had instincts about Liam. It knew what to do to make him happy. It knew what to do to make sure we were both satisfied. As he pumped his release inside me, I held harder and clutched tighter, sucking it deep. I wanted his baby. I wanted our love to grow tonight.

We collapsed, sweaty and glowing.

I looked down at my breasts. They were completely healed. Not even a tiny silver scar.

I traced the side of his face.

“So that was the talk you wanted to have, huh?”

He laughed. “That was it.”

I shrugged. “I don’t know what the big deal was.”

He rolled on top of me again, attacking my ribs and waist with his fingers. I laughed and giggled until I begged for mercy. “No big deal?” he taunted. “I tell you the most sacred secret of my family.”

“Ok. Ok.” I wiggled beneath him. “I was kidding.” I looked in his eyes. “I’ve never felt more overwhelmed in my life. Nothing has made absolutely no sense and tons of sense at the same time.”

He chuckled. “I think that’s an accurate description when you find out you have a bear shifter mate.”

“Mate is a strange word.”

“It’s what you are. My mate. Forever.”

My heart pounded. I couldn’t believe this had happened. I couldn’t believe the love I felt for him. The sense of calm and wholeness that lived between us.

“Forever,” I whispered. “I guess we are going to have to have a big talk, after all, aren’t we?”

“Let me guess. You aren’t ready to give up your career and be a princess?”

I shook my head. “I’m not.”

He cleared his throat. “We’ll work through it. It doesn’t have to happen overnight.” His hand traveled to my belly. He palmed it softly. “Cubs change everything, love. Everything.”

“I know. But can we eat first before life gets turned upside down?” I asked. “I’m starving.”

He laughed. “I’ll have Rae fix whatever you like.”

I smiled. “If he’s part of the princess package, I might be ok with it,” I teased.

“Rae? That’s the key?”

“A girl has to eat.”

“That she does.” He scooped me from the bed. “We have plans to make.”

What was ahead for us wasn’t going to be easy, but with Liam I knew we could face it together. I had never been looking for a prince, but I had fallen head over heels for the man of my dreams. The man who would love me for eternity. Protect me. Protect our cubs.

I finally believed in fairytales.