In the kitchen, Rayne was clearing away the breakfast dishes. She blushed helplessly at the memory of the past night. Cael was burning with fever, and she’d worried herself sick about him despite her medical training. It didn’t make things any easier that her Wolf was worried too.

She brewed the Bloodroot tea the way Sherry Morgan had taught her. She spoon-fed it to him and bathed his face with a cool towel to keep his temperature down. He whimpered under her careful ministrations, and she couldn’t help but feel for him.

The kisses she placed on his eyelids were for her benefit as much as his. She remembered pressing her forehead to his and whispering encouragement and other things, things she didn’t have the guts to say in the light of day.

He had to get better first. That was what she needed to focus on. She went back into the room and found him asleep again. She looked at his pale face and traced it lovingly with her eyes.

Get well, Cael, she thought, then you can show them who you are.

She went outside to gather some wood for the pot-bellied stove and huddled inside her jacket against the howling wind. Her phone was fully charged, but a fat lot of good it did her. There was no reception out here. Besides, she wouldn’t leave him until he was back on his feet.

She went back inside as fast as she could and placed the wood near the fire. The logs would have to dry out a bit before she could add them to the flames. Somehow, they’d gotten damp under the tarp.

Rayne didn’t pretend to know anything about that. She was a doctor for Pete’s sake, despite being a Werewolf. Her parents were educated and proper. Neither of them had gone through the Change, and it was quite a shock for them when she had at just sixteen years old.

She’d had to face down the still present sexism in her small neighborhood, and it wasn’t until she came to Maccon City that she saw the amazing steps towards equality amongst the sexes within the Pack that her Alpha, Rafe Maccon had made. He was amazingly progressive for an Alpha Wolf.

He’d even made her an official Pack doctor. She’d been honored and overwhelmed, but her training and amazing inner calm had kept her steady. She worked hard her entire life, this was everything she wanted for herself.

She hardly dated while she was in school as her studies were incredibly difficult. Her residency was even worse on her social life. By the time she met Cael, she was resigned to being alone. But her Wolf had recognized his, and she lost her heart in the space of a few dates. Her one regret was not making love with him, but he’d put her aside the one time they’d gotten close to it. She’d been too afraid to ask why.

She really didn’t want to hear that she didn’t appeal to him like that. She was a doctor and understood that the male body could sometimes react in the presence of other bodies that had nothing at all to do with feelings. In other words, a hard-on did not equal true love.

Rayne told herself that he respected her too much to use her that way. That was why he had stopped. It was easier than the truth. He’d been somehow disgusted with her forwardness. She’d practically thrown herself at him. It embarrassed her now, but at the time she was willing to do anything for him.

Cael struggled with the same memories as he lay in bed. He felt much better after Rayne’s doctoring and couldn’t allow himself to wallow in self-pity. God, she was still as beautiful as ever. He’d never forgotten the way her sweet little mouth felt when he used to kiss her. Damn, last night had felt so real! He could still taste her, lavender and honey, on his lips. But how?

She listened and heard the water running from the small shower. Cael was up. That was a good sign. She went into the bathroom and stopped when she saw him with the shower curtain open and the water spraying over his beautiful, though thin, body.

“Yes?” he asked, and there was a heat in his eyes she didn’t realize he was quite healthy enough to have.

“I, uh,” was going to tell you to call me if you needed help getting out of the shower,” she said matter-of-factly. Then she licked her lips and ruined the professional image she was trying desperately to portray.

“I think I need help with my leg, doctor,” his voice was deep, but she saw nothing unusual in his request.

She walked over to him and bent to look at the wound. He’d removed the bandage, and the small, straight stitches looked infinitely better.

“The stitches are holding, and the swelling and redness have gone down. I can probably take these out by the end of the day. Any dizziness? Pain? Itching?”

“I have an itch,” he said and as she looked up to ask where he lifted her with more strength than she would have given him credit for and tugged her inside the stall with him.

Rayne gasped as the warm water hit her, soaking through her clothes. It was just the opening he needed. He pressed his firm lips down on hers and ignored her protests as her clothing clung to her like a second skin.

“Let’s get you out of these wet things, doctor,” he murmured against her shocked mouth as he opened buttons and pulled her wet clothing from her body.

Rayne could hardly move. She couldn’t believe this was happening. Now?! In less time then she had to wrap her mind around the scenario, she was as nude as he was, and he had her trapped in his hard embrace.

“What’s wrong, doctor? You’re a medical professional, nothing here can shock you.”

“I, I am a professional.”

“So, when I do this, it’s only natural, right?” He lifted his large hands and cupped her suddenly swollen breasts. She gasped at the tingling sensations that were racing through her body at his masterful touch.

“Cael!”

“You look shocked, doctor, but this is just biology, right?” He pushed himself fully against her and let her feel the evidence of his arousal for the first time with nothing between them.

“But, you, you’re sick. You’ve had a fever that’s why you’re doing this-”

“I have a fever alright,” he growled and took her mouth with his. His long fingers caressed and teased her body, arousing her in ways she’d never felt before.

“I ache,” she whispered as if it were some dark secret, “Cael don’t-”

“Please Rayne, I need you,” he breathed into her mouth. He bent his head, his brows furrowed as he kissed her with an expression as close to anguish as she’d ever seen.

“Don’t play with me. Please.”

“Who said I’m playing?”

He kissed her again, wildly hard and passionate with everything he’d been holding inside of him for over a year. It had been a long dry spell and he’d missed her. She was pure sweet passion in his arms.

He shut off the water and grabbed a towel from the rack without ever stopping his kiss. He wrapped her up against him and walked with her in his arms until he hit the bed with his legs.

“Are you sure?”

“Oh, yes,” she said, and she tumbled them both onto the bed.

“I’ve been dreaming about this for more than a year,” he growled as he nipped at her lower lip and grabbed her hips with both his hands.

“Me too,” Rayne moaned and opened her legs wider, breathless with anticipation. Frightening new sensations pulsated through her body. She’d never felt this way before, not with anyone else. It’d always been Cael.

Before either of them could get a handle on the situation, he pressed his engorged manhood inside of her welcoming heat. Cael growled, his Wolf was shining brightly behind his glowing green eyes as he claimed her.

“I need you, Rayne. You’ve been mine from the first time I ever saw you,” he growled and felt his teeth elongate in his mouth.

“Yes, Cael, I am yours,” she moaned her response. Her body seemed to know what to do and expect from his fierce desire. She was not afraid. She watched and lifted to meet him. Excitement and more made her heart thud wildly inside her chest. Mine.

“I need to claim you,” he growled and looked at her, begging her permission. She could see her future in his eyes and she wanted it. The good, the bad, she wanted it all. She would take whatever he gave her.

“Yes,” she answered. His eyes glowed brighter as he thrust his hips and opened his beautiful mouth.

It was savage and primal, the way he bit down on her shoulder as Rayne gave herself to him. She felt her maidenhead break. The fleeting moment of pain had her wide-eyed with wonder. She gasped with joy as the pleasure began to build. She felt her Wolf as close as ever. Mine.

She felt the power of their connection, hers and Cael’s and their Wolves, course through her veins like a shock of beautiful white light in her very blood. She turned her head and nipped his shoulder with her sharp teeth as a million nerve-endings she never even knew she had started to sing as he built up speed and continued to thrust inside of her.

Rayne felt tears roll down her face at the sheer magic of what they were sharing. She’d found her mate. Mine. Forever.