Maria stepped through the door of Buck's house, the afternoon sunlight filtering through the curtains.

“You live with your brother Jessie?” she asked.

“I do, but Jessie's building himself a cabin to live in.”

“That's nice,” she said.

“Leland and Jessie are both up on the mountain today, filling the quota for my timber shipment this week.”

“Nobody's going to be coming home anytime soon?” Maria asked, pulling the blanket tighter around her shoulders that she'd worn home in Buck's truck.

“No. We’re all alone,” he said, stepping closer to her and brushing her long hair over her shoulder. “Tonight, I'm going to take care of you. The first thing I want to do is show you my bathroom remodel.”

“Bathroom remodel?” she repeated with a teasing smile.

“I built this house myself. Then a few years later, I remodeled the master bathroom to put in a garden tub. It has Jacuzzi jets.”

“That sounds so good,” she moaned.

“Let me show you,” he said taking her hand. They walked up the stairs to the second floor of Buck's three-bedroom house and into the master bedroom.

There was a big king-size bed with a fluffy blue down comforter spread across it. The bed itself had thick wooden posts. The chest of drawers and ends tables had the same thick masculine wood.

“I had Angus Grant make me this bedroom set,” Buck said. “He’s the one they call Big Bear on the Rescue Bears.”

“The Rescue Bears?”

“Oh, darn it,” Buck said, pulling his phone out of his pocket. “I'm going to start your bath. Then I'm going to inform everyone that I found you and brought you home safe.”

The plan set, he led her into the bathroom. The floor was covered with white subway tile and a matching marble countertop stood against the wall. An elegant stainless steel faucet completed the clean look. The tub he’d chosen wasn't your run-of-the-mill plastic tub. It was porcelain and with a beveled edge with inlaid tile all around the backsplash. It sat under a window, lined with potted plants. She could see a view of the sky and the cattle pasture below. Buck turned on the faucet and tested the temperature.

“This should take a few minutes to fill. I'm going to leave you to your bath while I make some calls.”

“What about Alex Terry?” Maria asked. “Shouldn't we tell someone where to find his body?”

Buck sighed. “We probably should.”

“Are we going to get into trouble for that?” Maria asked.

“It was self-defense.”

“I’m just so sorry it happened. I hated him but I didn’t want him dead.”

“I know babe. You’ve been through a lot. You don't have to feel sorry.”

“Thank you for being you, Buck. I know it couldn't have been easy.”

“Don't mention it,” Buck said. “You’re my mate. I know that I could have done more for you sooner. If I hadn't left to fulfill my obligations to the ranch, you never would have been kidnapped by Alex. I would've been there for you, but instead I left you, and a man's dead now.”

“You can't blame yourself for that, Buck. Your loyalty to your family is one of the many reasons I love you so much.”

He stepped away from the door and approached her, taking her face in his hands. He let out a long sigh and then pressed his lips to hers.

“I love you too, Maria. I have from the very first moment I saw your picture. I wish things had been easier for us. I wish I could have given you more, taken you on real dates and brought you flowers.”

“You gave me more than anyone could ever expect.”

“I hope it was enough,” he said, kissing her forehead.

“It was more than enough, Buck.”

“Thank you for saying that, Maria,” he said, resting his forehead against hers. “You take your bath. I’m going to make a few calls and get us something to eat.”

“Okay,” she said, unbuttoning the top button of her shirt with a smile.

Buck gave her a look filled with confusion and lust before he turned out the door. She peeled out of her clothes and stepped into the warm water, relieved that she could finally let Buck take care of her.

She sank into the bathtub and the hot water enveloped her. She sprinkled lemon verbena bath oil into the water and the delicate aroma filled her lungs. She let out a long sigh of contentment and slid below the surface of the water to soak her hair.

Maria rubbed shampoo into her hair and rinsed it out, then shampooed again a second time. Her hair had been a mess since she’d taken to the forest. She hadn't had a proper comb through it in weeks. She repeated the process with conditioner multiple times before her long brown locks were soft and she could run her fingers through the strands to remove the tangles. Once she had scrubbed the dirt encrusted in her skin clean and her body returned to the proper shade of dusty tan, a contented smile crept across her lips.

Buck knocked on the door softly and then peeked inside. There were bubbles on the surface of the water, shielding her body from his eyes. Not that she didn’t want him to see her. On the contrary, she wanted him to see everything. She was ready to give him all she had.

Maria slowly stood, soapsuds and water droplets running down her skin. She stepped out and stood on the bathmat, naked and soaking.

“What do you want for lunch?” he grunted.

“I don't want lunch,” she purred, stepping toward him as she wrapped a bathrobe lazily around her shoulders.

She approached and stood right before him. The smell of his grizzly’s masculine scent sent a thrill through her lioness and the now subdued feline purred behind her eyes. Her body woke with arousal as she smelled the scent of her mate. Buck growled and cupped the nape of her neck, pulling her forcefully to him. Her wet body crushed against his clothes, soaking him through. He kissed her unabashedly, thrusting his tongue into her mouth. She was so wet and relaxed and open that she melted in his strong arms.

“Lunch can wait,” he growled, lifting her in his arms. He took her into his room and laid her across the bed, her bathrobe falling open to reveal her naked body.

Buck ripped his flannel shirt open, his buttons popping violently across the room. Maria shrieked playfully as he ripped off the rest of his clothing. He climbed on the bed above her, the feral glow in his eyes full of lust and dominance. She melted, her back arching her legs spreading wide. She cupped his cheek and gazed into his powerful eyes.

“Oh, Buck,” she whispered. “I've wanted to give myself to you for so long.”

He was hard as a stone above her and she reached down to stroke his length. Maria had never been with a man, but her lioness had no fear of what was to come. Buck slid between her legs. Not saying a word. He pressed the head of his cock between her folds, dipping his face into the crook of her neck to take a long draw of her scent.

“Mine,” he said in an animalistic voice.

He thrust once, hard, slicing through her. He split her open, pressing through the virgin resistance of her hymen. She groaned, but the pain subsided quickly as Buck held her close. The strength of his arms around her made her feel safe and protected.

“Yes,” she whimpered.

“Mine,” Buck growled, pulling back and thrusting with just as much intensity.

It didn’t hurt anymore, and the tears that had gathered in the corners of her eyes fell down her cheeks. She gasped and arched her neck, looking up at the ceiling. Buck had her now. He’d saved her. He’d helped her gain power over herself. And now she could finally let him have her, claim her, and make her his.

As Buck slid his thick rod into her body over and over, she knew that she needed to claim him too. She needed to know that they were both committed to each other in every way.

“Mine,” she said too, opening her mouth to press her teeth around Buck’s jugular vein.

He let out an animal roar as his own teeth pressed against her skin. He thrust and bit just as her teeth broke through into his neck. She tasted his blood as she gave him her mating bite. His teeth clamped down on her and her body throbbed and contracted in orgasm. Her body clenched his and he came deep inside her, as they bit hard into each other’s necks, claiming each other completely.

Maria could feel the bond of mates that had connected them all along spring into crystal clear focus. She gasped, even as she continued to hold firm to Buck’s neck, his teeth still buried in her, their bodies still intertwined.

The moment seemed to last for a lifetime as all of her pain and all of her past unraveled and released. All that was Buck, his goodness, his honor, his loyalty, his ethics, his morality his kind heart, it all enveloped her like a cocoon. Then all the broken pieces of herself, like scattered shards of glass, snapped back together to create a mirror. It showed a reflection of herself. How she was before she'd met Buck and then after. She knew then and there that she could be whole, she could be healed. All she had ever needed was to trust herself and Buck.

The moment seemed to last for eternity. Finally, Buck slid his teeth from her neck and she from his. They untangled their bodies from each other, and Buck rolled over on his back, pulling her against his chest.

“I’ve been waiting so long for that,” he said, kissing her forehead.

“Me too.”

They lay together in the sunlight for a long time. Maria's head gently lying on Buck's chest. After a while he rose with the promise of bringing sandwiches back to the bedroom. When he returned a while later, Maria was wrapped in a bathrobe sitting on the bed with her hair piled up on a bun at the top of her head. Buck had made BLTs with potato chips and large glasses of sweet lemonade.

“Oh my gosh, that looks so delicious. I'm starving.”

“You eat all you need, baby. If you're still hungry, I'll make you another sandwich.”

He sat beside her in his boxer shorts and they shared their sandwiches in the afterglow of their mating. Their new mate bond ping-ponged between them like a super excited electron. Every time it came back to her, she felt a whole new level of contentment. With every passing second, the connection grew stronger.

By the time she finished her sandwich, she could barely remember what life had been like before they'd mated. She felt a deep sense of liberation and love cover her and all the wounds she'd ever suffered. It made her think about her sister Rosa and her brother-in-law Heath. They had tried so hard to be parents for her, but it had hadn't been enough to protect her from Alex Terry.

“Does Rosa know I'm safe?” she asked.

“Everyone should know by now,” he said, taking a bite of his sandwich.

“I’ll have to face them eventually.”

“No matter what comes, you won't have to face it alone,” Buck said, reaching to the drawer beside the bed.

He turned back to her with a small box in his hand. Maria's heart nearly stopped when she saw it, knowing what was inside. She could already read him like a book, and there was no way he could hide what he was about to say. His lips moved, and she had to keep herself from shouting the answer before he asked the question.

“Maria Reyes,” Buck said, opening the box to reveal a magnificent diamond ring. “Will you marry me?”

“Yes,” she said, jumping up and wrapping her arms around his neck so hard she almost toppled over the lemonade on the tray on the bed between them. She shrieked and giggled, catching the glass before it fell.

“You make me the happiest man in the world.”

“And you've made me whole again,” she said. “I can never repay you.”

He placed his finger on her lips and looked earnestly into her eyes. “You don't owe me anything, Maria. All I need is to know you’re safe and happy. That’s all the thanks I'll ever need.”

“Oh Buck, how did I ever get so lucky?”

“Fate has brought us together, my dear love. And for that, I’ll be eternally grateful.”

15

Maria looked at herself in the mirror as the candles flickered in her bridal tent. Her body had filled out since her time in the cave. Her flowing mermaid cut dress clung to her waist and accentuated her growing curves. She smiled as her sister Rosa helped her into her veil.

“I can’t believe this day is coming so soon,” Rosa said, pulling the veil down over Maria’s face.

“Neither can I. It seems like just yesterday, we were little kids in the barrio.”

“I wish I could have been a better sister, Maria.”

“You were the best sister, Rosa. You always took care of me.”

“I did what I could,” Rosa said, moisture gathering in the corners of her eyes.

“I know you did, Rosa. Don’t cry. You’ll ruin your makeup,” Maria laughed, dabbing her sister’s eyes.

“What happened to you wasn’t fair. What you went through…”

“Those things are all in the past. I have Buck now and we have our life together.”

Maria rubbed her belly, knowing that Buck’s seed had taken hold there the day he’d claimed her. Their child was growing in her womb. Now, on their wedding day, Maria couldn’t be happier.

“I know I made mistakes,” Rosa said in a whisper.

“Don’t ever blame yourself for my struggles, Rosa.”

“It’s been so hard for you. I don’t think I’ve ever given you enough credit.”

“We’re both adults now. The past is the past. Plus, I don’t think I could have done what you did, taking care of us both after mom and dad died. You were so young.”

“I know you always felt like you came in second to me. Even before mom and dad died.”

“I don’t feel that way anymore, Rosa. I have everything I could ever want with my whole life ahead of me.”

Rosa leaned in and gave Maria a hug, trying not to wrinkle her dress. “Are you ready?” she asked.

“So ready,” Maria said with a smile.

Rosa walked to the door flaps on the bridal tent and pushed it open. Heath stood on the other side, wearing a tuxedo. His hair was brushed back, and he was freshly shaved with a gleam in his eyes.

“We’re ready,” Rosa whispered to her mate.

Heath nodded to the string quartet, giving them the signal. The bridesmaids and groomsmen began to walk in twos down the aisle to where the minister stood with Buck under an arch of flowers. Maria stood back, watching it all through the tent flap, barely able to breath.

Rollo and his mate Zoe walked out. Then Rosa walked out with Jessie. Leland walked out with Sylvia. Willow and Corey Bright joined the rest of the bears and their mates around Buck under the arch.

Maria kept herself hidden from Buck’s eyes. She knew that silly things like wedding traditions couldn’t affect the hand of fate, but she still wanted her dress to be a surprise when she walked out with her brother-in-law, Heath.

“Okay,” Heath said, holding out his elbow for Maria.

She took a deep breath as the wedding march started. Maria stepped out of the tent and started down the aisle with Heath. All the bears from Fate Mountain were gathered with their mates and cubs. The orange glow of evening sunlight filled the air with a subtle sense of peace and beauty.

The field around the wedding party was filled with wildflowers and native grasses. Seed pods danced on a breeze, translucent and mystical as the light caught them and illuminated them in a radiant glow.

The music played and she approached Buck under an arch of wildflowers and roses. Buck reached out and took her hand from Heath’s. They faced each other under the arch of flowers. The sunlight streamed behind Buck and cast a halo around his head and shoulders. He wore a tailored tuxedo, perfect for an outdoor summer wedding.

The minister started the ceremony and directed them to say their vows. Buck started, clearing his throat. His words came out in a strangled croak at first, but he soon found his voice.

“Maria Reyes, my heart, my world. When I first found you alone and scared, I could never have imagined this day would come so soon. We had a hard road, getting to this point. But I would gladly walk through fire, just to see you smile. I never gave up on you at the worst of times, and I never will give up on us in the best. Our love was fated to heal us both. And with you, I’m complete.”

Maria’s heart fluttered and her knees went weak. She held onto Buck for support, getting lost in his blue eyes.

“Buck Kincaid. My hero. What can I say about a man as loyal and brave as you are? I am at a loss for words because words can’t begin to express my gratitude for what you’ve done for me. You never gave up, no matter how hard I pushed you away. The kind of strength your actions required is beyond my comprehension. You will always be my greatest inspiration, Buck Kincaid. From the first moment your bear threw me out of my wild shift, to today as I stand here with your baby in my belly.”

The minister finally gave Buck leave to kiss the bride. Buck gathered Maria in his arms, pulling her tight against his chest. He planted a kiss on her lips, hard and solid, his arms wrapped around her. She’d never felt so safe, so claimed, so protected.

When he let her up for air, everyone was on their feet, cheering and clapping for the happy new couple. Maria gasped and smiled as Buck took her hand and they led each other away as man and wife.