Ten

"Dana."

Cooper's concerned tone drew her attention to the bedroom door. Turning, she frowned. "What's wrong?"

A shadow of a smile formed on his sensual lips. "I was going to ask you the same thing."

Tilting her head, she studied him for several long moments. "For the first time since before I mated Ross, I actually feel in control of my future."

He crossed the room and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her flush against him. Desire heated her from the inside out, threatening to consume her. The depths of his green eyes captivated her. The draw to him was almost too much to fight.

Almost.

She broke the eye contact and flattened her hands on his chest. "I need to go see Darin, see if there is any more news. We need to formulate a plan to track Edwin down."

"Tonight? It's almost dark out." Cooper pressed his lips to hers. The promise of passion and the heat of dominance flooded her. She groaned, which made the wolf holding her smile wickedly. "Let's stay here one more night. We can leave at sunrise."

He traced his lips across her cheek to her throat. Her heart pounded, and her pussy pulsed with need. Damn the sexy-ass wolf. She slid her hands up his chest and wrapped her arms around his neck. "You make me weak."

He chuckled. "No, I don't. Together, we will be strong. Together, we will rebuild Bloodrose."

"We will definitely be changing the name of the Pack."

"You sound like you're considering this mating thing."

She averted her gaze to study his shirt. "I can't deny that you are my mate. Although I need time before we can make it official."

With a finger under her chin, he forced her to meet his gaze again. "I won't push you. All I ask is that you don’t shut me out. We do this together. I'm not an Alpha, and would be happy to let you take the position. I'll do whatever you need me to in order to prove it to you."

The truth in his words melted her heart. There was no hesitation, no sour scent of a lie. Why was she so stubborn?

Threading her fingers through his hair, she tugged. "Shut up and fuck me."

Cooper gripped her ass and lifted. She wrapped her legs around him as he carried her to the bed. He laid her down and proceeded to remove her shirt. A smile tugged at her lips. She couldn't hold back her amusement.

With a thought, she used her magic to remove their clothes.

Cooper scowled. "I wanted to enjoy undressing you."

She took his hard length in her hand and stroked. He hissed out a curse and pumped his hips. "I'm impatient," she said before leaning forward to take him into her mouth.

Cooper stopped her by pushing her back against the bed, then climbed on, hovering over her. "I won't last if your mouth is on me."

With a quick thrust, he entered her, making all her arguments fall away and turn to moans. She scored his shoulders with her nails and moved her hips in rhythm with his. Each in and out came harder and faster. Pleasure built while the wildfire flared out of control. Yet her magic remained as stable as it had been since she’d released it into the earth earlier that morning.

The sharp pain at the curve of her neck where it met her shoulder broke her train of thought. Pain turned to pleasure as dizzying need rushed through her veins and her mind. A new magical thread formed, bright and beautiful.

Cooper tightened his hold on her, and she did the same to him. They moved together, intensifying the pleasure. Then she saw it. Her wolf had started the mating bond. What the hell?

Every muscle tensed as they both cried out in release. The bond snapped into place.

She held onto Cooper, feeling his regret and guilt. "You didn't do that."

He nodded. "I started it. I felt your wolf call to mine like a siren. I should’ve stopped."

Breaking her hold, he got up and closed himself in the bathroom.

Oh. Hell. No. He was not running from this and blaming himself! She rolled off the bed and stormed to the bathroom door. It was locked. She growled. "Open the damn door."

"Give me a minute."

My ass. "You know I can come in, and I will if you don't open."

He didn't answer so she started counting.

"One."

Silence.

"Two."

The shower turned on. She gripped the handle, and the door opened. Cooper glared at her. "You didn't get to three."

Her lips twitched at the corners. "One thing I learned at a very young age was to never deny my wolf what she wants. She has waited long enough for me to make the decision. It's my fault she is so wild. I allow her too much control."

He crossed his arms. "You spoil her."

"My first mate wasn’t exactly nice. I had to let her take the reins more times than normal." She glanced down at her hands. “For our own safety and the Pack’s.”

Relaxing, Cooper held out his hand. Dana took it and then stepped closer and hugged him tightly. With her ear pressed to his bare chest, she listened to his heartbeat. She’d been so wrong about the mating thing. At least, with true matings. Which is what she and Cooper had.

He was compassionate, loving, calm, and a protector. An alpha male to the core.

And he was all hers.

"This is so not what I expected. It's like our power is balanced." She smiled against his chest.

He sighed. "I told you I wouldn't push."

She glanced up at him. "You didn't. My wolf did. It's all her fault."

The wolf snorted and curled up beside Cooper's wolf. The traitor.

"I don't want you to resent this, or me."

Framing his face in her hands, she quickly kissed him. "I can't unless you betray me. I don't see how you could with this kind of bond. With Ross, it wasn't...like this. I mean, the connection seemed one-way, like he kept me out. The bond between us is open."

When he didn’t speak right away, she added, “I was too afraid to let you in. I guess my wolf knows better than I do.”

That brought a smile to his lips. “They do seem to know us better than we do.” He pulled her farther into the bathroom and shut the door. “Let’s take a shower and then get some sleep. We’ll go to Whiskey Hollow in the morning.”