Savage could barely understand what was going on, but he knew one thing for sure, Zuri was his. His. Only his. He was never letting her go. He watched her sleep after being inside her most of the night.

He knew it was only a matter of time before Tyson showed up trying to take his mate. He wasn’t going to let them take her. He left the room and headed down to the kitchen, where he’d put his cell phone. He had forty missed calls. Most from Tyson. Some from Poppy. The rest from Greer.

He had the phone in his hand for five seconds before it rang.

“What do you want?”

“Bring her back, man,” Tyson sighed. “You know she’s human. You know that’s not how this goes. You threw her over your shoulder like a fucking Neanderthal and ran so fast my guys couldn’t keep up with you.”

“She’s my mate.”

There was silence before something slammed. “How the hell am I supposed to explain her disappearance to her family? Her sisters are alarmed and calling me for information. They heard from the handful of humans there what happened. They think you’re going to hurt her.”

Savage growled. “I’d never hurt her.”

“I know that. You know that. They don’t. You’ll have to bring her in.”

“No,” he growled, his animal pushing for a shift at the idea of losing his mate. “She stays.”

“Goddammit, Sav! What am I supposed to tell her family?” Tyson yelled.

“That she’s fine. That I’m taking care of her,” he told him, glancing out at the dark forest.

“You’ve got twenty-four hours to bring her home, Sav. Get to know her well because if you don’t bring her in tomorrow evening, I’m coming to get her.”

The phone clicked off and Sav cursed. The bear needed out. Savage hated leaving his mate alone, but his animal had to get out and roam for a while. It worked best when he gave the beast time to let out his frustrations. Now was not the time to try and control it.

He opened the back door and walked into the cold night. The shift came quickly. He ran toward the river to allow his bear to eat and wander. Restless, he kept glancing back at his home. His mate was there. He couldn’t leave her alone too long.

As he closed the distance to the river, movement caught his eye from the trees not far to his left. He barely got a chance to acknowledge something wrong when two massive brown bears charged him.

His first thought went to his mate. He had to protect her. He roared loudly and grunted when the first bear tried to knock him down. Savage was bigger, badder, and a whole fucking lot angrier than these assholes realized.

You’re far the fuck away from Midway Point, asshole. What the fuck are you doing on my land? he asked through the animal telepathic connection.

None of your fucking business, old man.

Of course. A motherfucking kid. Did Billy the Snot Nose put you up to this?

So what if he did? He said you have a lot of women here you don’t need. We came to get our own.

He bit down on the first guy’s shoulder, swiping deathly claws across the bear’s side.

The bear pulled back, his whimper of pain music to Sav’s ears.

You’re in over your head, Junior. I think you need to learn what no trespassing means. When the second bear hit into his side, Sav shoved him off, clawing at him in the chest.

We smell pussy, the second guy said.

It’s coming from your cabin, asshole number one said.

Sav bit into the first bear’s face, trying to get a good grasp of his muzzle. The second bear pushed him, but Savage shoved him hard enough to make him land several feet away. Savage got back on two legs and fought the first bear. He was bigger and tougher than the second. They fought hard, shoving and biting each other while at the same time Sav shoved off the smaller guy every few minutes.

Something happened that he didn’t expect. A loud gunshot rang out. Then another. They grew closer and closer. Until the smaller bear grunted that he’d been hit. He ran for the trees with number one following close behind.

Sav glanced over his shoulder and saw his mate not fifty feet away with his shotgun in hand and one of his T-shirts hanging down to her knees. He’d never seen something so fucking sexy.

He shifted on his way to her. She stood there, staring at him, her eyes full of concern and her body smelling of all the sex they’d just had.

“Are you okay?” she asked in that husky voice that made his dick ache to slip inside her tight heat.

He didn’t slow down in his steps. He picked her up in a swift move and she immediately curled her legs around his waist, his hand cupping her bare ass. “I’m fine.”

She clung to him and he loved it. “Are you sure?”

Her little voice drove him crazy. He loved knowing this woman wanted to touch him. To be with him. He’d never known what a mate was. Not until he saw her and lost all ability to think straight.

He took her to the kitchen island and set her on it. Their lips met and held, his tongue driving into her mouth, drawing her to explore with him. There was not much of a workup and he’d apologize to her later, but right now all he wanted was to feel her. He shoved his shirt up until his hand met her pussy.

She was still wet and hot. God, how could he ever walk away from her? The heat of her sex controlled him like he was a fucking horny teenager unable to stop thinking of pussy. He continued kissing her, letting her suck on his lip and loving how she nibbled on him.

Her hands were all over his chest, scraping over his nipples and down his abs. He grabbed her small hand and placed it between them on his cock. A soft moan came from her. He pulled back and stared into her beautiful eyes.

“Put me inside you,” he told her, watching her lick her lips and her grip tighten on his dick. “I want to watch you guide me into you.”

She didn’t hesitate. She spread her legs wider and wiggled closer to the edge. Then she placed the head of his cock in her entrance. “Oh, god.”

Sav grabbed her by the waist and pulled her all the way to him until he was fully seated in her. She felt amazing, his mate. He knew she loved having him in her as much as he loved being there.

He rocked in and out of her, dragging his length through her slick folds and making her scream the faster he went. He couldn’t stop himself. She moaned louder, scratching and scraping her nails on his shoulders and arms.

“How can you feel even better now?” she asked breathlessly, her voice filled with confusion and wonder.

“We’re mates. It will always be better.” He continued stroking deeper and deeper, faster and faster. She arched her back and pressed her pussy closer to his pelvis. He held back from giving her all, unsure if she could take it so quickly after all the sex upstairs. She could be sore.

“Savage…” she whimpered on a shallow breath.

“Tell me. Do you like it?” He continued gliding his cock through her pussy folds, thrusting deep and pulling back slowly.

“Yesss,” she hissed. “Harder.”

He thrust harder, rocking his hips to give her all of him. Every. Fucking. Inch. No more holding back, and she gasped, her eyes wide.

Another harsh thrust until he was balls deep and her pussy firmly tightened around his dick like a slick wet tongue. She quivered, her body shaking as she climaxed, her sex clenching hard. She gave a sharp cry, her nails digging into his arms.

His body followed right behind, loving the snug feel of her tightness. She mesmerized him with the look of pleasure on her face as she rode her orgasm. That fucking look would live in his heart until he died.

He’d given her that look and he was going to make it his life’s mission to keep that look on her face for the rest of her life.

“Tell me you’re mine,” he growled, driving into her like a fucking maniac. “Tell me. I want to hear you say it.”

She stared at him with a soft grin and nodded. “Nobody else’s.”

“Tell me to fill you with my cum. You want my babies in your womb, don’t you?”

She groaned and licked her lips. “Fill me. I want you. I want it.”

He pumped into her in a frenzy of shallow thrusts until he stiffened. Her pussy gripped and sucked his cock in a sexy mind-blowing way that sent him over the edge. He growled loud enough to be heard all over the mountain.

He shot his cum deeply inside her, filling her once again with his seed. He’d marked her on the outside with his bite and now she was once again full of his cum. She’d always be his.