When Carleen was surrounded by his scent, she knew she’d found peace with Tex as her mate. Even though she hadn’t realized it until that moment, she had accepted his position as Alpha and it no longer bothered her. What he’d gone through made him who he was, and that’s why he was an Alpha. She couldn’t fault him for what had brought them together and what would keep her safe in the future.

With every step he made toward the bedroom, her life was one step closer to a complete turnaround. She was about to go from the wallflower of the clan, always trying not to draw attention to herself, to the Alpha Female of his clan. She was terrified, but having him by her side meant she’d overcome anything the future threw at them. There was something truly special happening between them and she wasn’t going to let it go. For years, she lived in fear that one day her life would end. That she would piss Lee off so much that he’d kill her. That was no longer an issue and she was ready to live life on her own terms—with Tex. She wanted the mating connection, joining them so completely that she didn’t know where one of them ended and the other began. They were destined to be together, like two sides of the same coin. All she needed to do was give in to what her body craved and her tigress would do the rest.

Without pausing, he clicked the door shut behind them as he headed straight for the bed. “I need you naked.” His voice was more of a growl as he lowered her onto the mattress.

“Really, now?” Shoving her nervousness aside, she leaned close to him, her fingers latching onto his belt buckle. This would be their first time. While it wouldn’t be their last, she didn’t want just a quick fuck. She wanted to show him how much she cared about him.

Unhooking the buckle, she kept her gaze on his face, watching as she slowly undid the leather from the metal buckle before she could reach the button and zipper of his jeans. Under the rough material, his shaft was already rock hard, straining to find freedom.

“Carleen.” His tone held warning as she unhooked his jeans, but instead of freeing his shaft she pulled his shirt up. Slowly, she worked the long-sleeved shirt up his stomach, her fingers barely brushing along the contours of his chest. As she ran her hands over his pecs, he grabbed hold of the shirt and tugged it over his head.

The soft glow from the lamp on the dresser was just enough to allow her to take in the man before her. From cuddling against him earlier, she expected to find his body chiseled from working out, but what she hadn’t expected was the scars that seemed to stripe his chest. For a moment, she thought they were the same mark as his tiger, that he’d been born with them, but as her fingers trailed across them she realized they were much worse.

Air escaped her lungs as she was pulled from the present, spiraling downward. She couldn’t move to stop it and she found herself back in the cold, dark tunnel. This time it was a different room and there was a draft, making her shiver. As she tried to adjust to the darkness, a moan echoed off the stone walls and she forced herself forward. There before her, Tex had been strapped to a slab of stone. Blood dripped from a cut near his hairline, but it was the second man who caught her attention. Wearing fire protective gloves, he doused the rope in gasoline before lighting it on fire.

“No!” Tex hollered, but it was too late. The first slice of the rope cut through the air before landing on its target.

She reached out to him, unsure if she was reaching out to the one who was on the table before her or the one she knew stood in front of her. Fingers dug into her biceps, pulling her up and breaking her contact with his scars. The images before her began to fade, but she reached out to the man tied to the slab. Her chest tightened for the pain he was about to suffered.

“You don’t need to see that.” His words were enough to snap the rest of the vision like a rubber band, bringing her back to the moment.

“Oh, Tex.” She stared into his eyes, unsure what to say. She wanted to touch him again, but fear of sparking another flashback kept her hands at her sides. “I’m sor—”

“Don’t!” He growled, his fingers digging in a little tighter. “I don’t want your sympathy.”

“That’s not what I meant.” She reached up and pressed her hand to the side of his face, cupping his cheek in her palm. “I meant I was sorry that I brought the memories forward. You said it was our connection and you not shielding yourself from me, but I feel like I caused that.”

“It’s both of us.” He let go of her arms and pulled his cowboy hat off, quickly tossing it on the nightstand, next to the picture of her family. “As you touched the rough, hideous scars, it shattered the shields I had in place.”

“Why?” He was silent for long enough that she wasn’t sure he’d answer her.

“You’re the first person who has ever touched them. The simple caress was my undoing. You touched them as if they weren’t as hideous as I know they are. As if they didn’t matter to you.”

“They don’t.” She slid her hand down his cheek, slowly working her way back to the scars. They both had enough control over themselves that she didn’t slip back into the vision. As the tips of her fingers made contact with the edge of the first scar, his muscles tightened and he started to pull away from her. Hooking her finger in the belt loop of his jeans, she kept him close as her other hand continued to explore the contours of each horrible wound. She didn’t have to look at each of the lashes to know he’d received ten different ones. Three of them intersected, making them appear larger than the others.

“They’re part of you and how you received them is horrible, but they’re not hideous.” Staring into his eyes, she waited for his body to relax. “Focus on me and you’ll know that I’m not disgusted by these. They change nothing.”

“I felt your sympathy.”

“That you had to suffer through that torment, not because there are scars.” Her chest tightened as she remembered the fierce pain of the rope lashing his skin and the flames burning his stomach. It was as if she’d suffered through it, but she only witnessed it through his memory. “The pain I felt in that brief scene was nothing like what you went through. I know they kept you tied to that slab with a collar on, to keep you from shifting. Even after the infection set in, you were left there to deal with the pain until the wounds healed. That’s why you felt my empathy.”

Unsure what to do and not wanting to push him, she waited for him to say something but he remained quiet. With a deep breath, she decided it was time to go all in. Taking hold of the hem of her shirt, she slowly pulled it up and over her head. “Don’t push me away, Tex. Nothing has changed. I want you. All of you.”

“Are you sure about this? Before this mating is cemented, you’re going to see more…”

“Just as you’re going to see things about me. That’s how mating works. There are no secrets between mates. By the time we’re through, I’ll know everything there is to know about you, just as you will with me.” She pressed her lips to his, kissing him softly before drawing his bottom lip between her teeth and nipping lightly before letting go again. “Our past doesn’t matter. It’s our future together that does.”

“So wise and beautiful. No wonder you’re my perfect match.” He tangled his fingers in her hair. “I came here to pick out guards, but if it wasn’t for Rhett that would have been a neglected task. I can’t get you out of my thoughts. My tiger demands to be near you and when I’m not, he’s on edge, ready to fight anyone who makes the wrong move.”

“Soon that connection will be cemented and even when we’re not in the same room, we’ll be connected, putting your tiger at ease.” She eased the waistband of his jeans down, letting them fall. “You’re an Alpha, you want to protect those around you, especially your mate and without that connection your beast is worried he’ll fail.”

“Something could happen and I wouldn’t have known you were in danger.”

“No.” She shook her head. “This connection between us is stronger than that. You’d have known, but it doesn’t matter now. Claim me.”

His arms wrapped around her body as his mouth claimed her lips as his fingers unhooked her bra. Not satisfied with the sweet kiss, she wanted more, so she slipped her tongue into his mouth. She wanted him more than anything else and to prove that, she tugged at the waistband of his boxers, easing them downward and wrapping her hand around his shaft.

She rubbed down the length, painstakingly slow, applying just enough pressure that he arched toward her. She loved the soft moan escaping his lips. “Tex, please…I need you,” she whispered.

He pulled gently away, forcing her to let go of him, and stripped her bra from her. “Take off your jeans and lie back on the bed.”

Doing what he asked, she stripped out of her remaining clothes, including her panties, and crawled onto the bed to recline on the pillows. “Are you going to join me?”

His clothes were off and he was crouched on top of her in a blink of an eye. He pressed his lips to hers with such desire that she moaned around his unrelenting kiss. Reaching for his biceps, she tried to bring him closer, but he kept his arms straight, refusing to give in. When the kiss ended, leaving her breathless, he stayed arched above her. “Beautiful. The ruby red waves of your hair, spilling around your shoulders brings out the warm golden hues of your amber eyes. Your pale skin with these adorable freckles make me want to run my tongue over every inch of you, connecting the dots.”

He nipped and licked along her skin, working his way toward her breast, gently purring. His body vibrated against hers, keeping her on edge until his mouth locked feverishly around her nipple. As his tongue flicked over the hardened bud, her last shred of patience slipped away. She needed him and she couldn’t wait any longer. She reached out, placing her hand firmly on his chest, her desire escalating. His shaft pressed tight against her thigh, pulsing with his own need, and she arched her body into him.

“Please—” All words were stolen from her as he slipped his fingers between her legs, sliding over her clit, pulling the pleasure from her inch by inch. He thrust his fingers into her as his thumb continued to pull more pleasure from her core.

She couldn’t stop herself from touching him. She reached out and caressed the arch of his hips, teasing along the curve and up his sides. Desire poured through her as she wiggled against him, needing his touch, wanting more than his finger. She wanted him inside of her. “I need you. Please…”

“Peaches.” He sucked her earlobe into his mouth, his teeth grazing around her earring, his hand sliding down her body, following her curves. “What do you need?”

“I need you.”

“You have me.” His thumb teased over her clit at a new angle, causing her body to jerk against his.

“Inside me. Please, Tex, inside me!” Her voice rose and she could only hope that no one outside could hear her. Practically panting, she arched toward him. Desperation flooded through her. “Now…” The mating desire rolled within her, unwilling to be denied. Her tigress was anxious to have her mate. She needed him inside of her and she wanted it now.

“Didn’t anyone teach you that an Alpha doesn’t take orders?” His lips circled her nipple, grazing his teeth over it until she arched into him.

“Don’t consider it an order…I’m begging,” she moaned as his hand slid away from her pussy.

He tore his lips away from her breast, leaning up to look at her. “Your tigress has been vibrating along the surface, urging me on, but when I pulled back I could feel her snarling at me. Baby, do you really think I’d deny you what you need?” Watching her, he waited for an answer.

“You want it as bad as I do. I…we need this.” Her fingers wrapped around his bicep to stop herself from clawing down his body.

Slipping between her legs, he positioned himself just above her pussy. “Are you sure you’re ready?”

“Yes!” The answer was filled with need.

“An orgasm will tear down all the walls between us, so you need to brace yourself for what you’ll see and the flood of emotions you’ll feel from the clan as you accept your position as Alpha Female.”

Forcing herself to open her eyes, she looked up at him and the anxiety that reflected in his gaze tightened her chest. “Baby, you’re worrying for nothing. I’m ready. Nothing is going to change this. This is our destiny.” She reached up and dragged her finger along the curve of his cheek. “We’ll handle it and everything else that life throws at us, together.”

“When it starts, just remember it will be over quickly. I’ll be there with you and I’ll never break contact.” He leaned down to her and pressed his lips to hers in a soft kiss. “Mate, in the few days I’ve know you, I’ve fallen in love with you. The emotions you spark within me are ones I thought were long dead. I never thought I’d have someone in my life who means what you mean to me. I love you already and the future will be brighter just having you by my side. You’re mine as I’m yours.” Before she could reply, he kissed her again, this time deeper, more passionately, stealing the breath from her.

He pulled his mouth from hers and kissed a path down her neck. His breath was cool against her skin, sending goosebumps down her body as he nipped and kissed along her shoulder. She had wanted to say she looked forward to that, but the words were stuck in her throat as she fought to keep the screams of desire from springing forward. Sensations collided and threatened to overwhelm her, but she pushed her beast away, trying to savor the moment.

“You’re mine. I’ll protect and cherish you until my dying day.” He kissed down her chest until he reached her breasts, dragging his tongue in lazy circles around her nipples. The intensity of her desire shot through every cell of her body. Teasing her nipples gently, pulling them between his teeth until they stood at attention, he rested his weight on an elbow and used the other hand to explore the length of her body. His fingers teased along every curve until it felt like fire sparked between them, growing stronger and hotter with each touch.

Her mind was in a sexual haze, and her beast was just below the surface, speeding the pace, clawing at her insides, demanding to be set free to mingle with his. Words wouldn’t come to her but as her hands roamed along his body, she hoped he could sense what she was feeling for him. The love she already had for him was something she knew would grow as they got to know each other better.

Lifting her hips off the bed, he spread her legs farther, giving him the access he needed. Their gazes met for a moment as she watched the battle within his eyes. His beast clashed against his control, fighting to be set free. The foreplay had snapped his tiger’s tolerance and he needed to claim her. He tried to draw it out, giving her everything he thought she needed, when what she craved most was him inside of her.

“Baby…now.” In that moment, all that mattered was joining the two of them together in a bond stronger than anything else on this planet. She needed her mate, her Alpha. He was the piece within her that had been missing and now she could be whole.

Without waiting a moment longer, he slid his shaft into her warm, wet core, his manhood filling her completely. Her tigress leapt forward to meet him. With every thrust, his pace sped and their beasts mingled together like an invisible blanket surrounding them. Stroke after stroke, the tempo between them intensified until his hips where slamming off hers, a driving force with each pump. The thrusts became deeper and faster, falling into a perfect rhythm. Their bodies rocked back and forth and she arched into him, holding onto his lower back to bring them closer together. The tension strained through their muscles as she fought for the release she longed for.

She stared up at him, lost in his eyes. They were no longer the normal storm gray, but had turned the bright yellow of his tiger. Still within them, she could see the slivers of gray that reminded her of lightning. The power she saw drew her in as she clung to him. “Tex.”

“It’s okay, sweetie.” His voice was barely more than a growl. “Yours are, too.”

She tipped her head to the side to look into the mirror above the dresser. In the reflection, her tiger’s eyes shined back but that wasn’t what caught her attention; it was Tex’s body as he pumped into her. An image popped into her head, but before she could focus on it, Tex nipped at her neck, bringing her back to the moment.

“You’ll give a man a complex if you keep staring in that mirror.”

“I love watching you fuck me.” Growing more excited, she arched up to meet him. Faster and deeper, they met each other’s thrusts. They climbed the mountain, both seeking the apex. Their moans mixed with purrs and growls as the tsunami of ecstasy flooded toward her.

“Tex!” Screaming his name, she arched her body into his as her release coursed through her, her nails digging into his shoulders and leaving angry red scratches. He continued to pump into her, his tempo never missing a beat as the waves tore through her. With one final push, he drove into her, tipped his head back and roared as his release followed.

She sank back onto the pillows as the flood of memories and emotions hit her. Every aspect of his life flashed before her closed eyes and she shuddered at the horrors she saw. She reached for him, but he was no longer on top of her.

“I’m here, sweetie.” Unable to open her eyes, she felt him roll her toward him, cuddling her against his body.

She clung to him, reminding herself that everything she’d witnessed made him the man he was. The tortures he suffered at the hands of Avery were over. Avery was dead and Tex was alive. Nothing would change that. Knowing the horrors he’d suffered through would never happened to anyone else did little to ease the knot in her chest, because he still had to live with the memories and the scars. Her mate had survived, but how many others had died because of his tormenter?