Finley’s bear was rumbling happily inside his mind. His mate was in the protective circle of his family. She was relaxed and smiling, and no hint of fear or worry was coming from her.

He kept catching his mother’s eyes and she kept pretending to flick her hair away when really she was brushing a tear from her eye.

His mother had three mated sons and a daughter that was happy working but still watching for the universe to show her the One for her.

She had grandbabies and the prospect for many more. His parents were happy, he was happy, and it looked like Zara was happy.

After the evening wore on and the babies had fallen asleep, Fin gave his dad a knowing look. His dad took the cue and started rounding up the clan. His family all gave Zara hugs and many of them whispered in her ear things that he was sure were either about him or about tolerating him. He didn’t care. He wanted her to know that she had a huge support team behind her and his sisters-in-law would always take her side over him. It was a built in Rochon sisterhood that came out of necessity.

When the last person left, Fin turned to find Zara staring at him. Her eyes unreadable.

“Babe?”

“I need to see your bear again.”

“What? Really? Here?”

“I do. I need to see him, touch him to know that all of this is real.”

Finley could only imagine how strange an evening with his overly attached family and two baby cubs might be for a human.

He didn’t ask anything further, he just walked towards the bedroom where there the windows could be covered. He pulled the soft sheer drapes closed and started stripping off his clothes. Getting naked was part of his plan for the evening so this was fine by him and his bear.

Zara was leaning with her back against the doorframe of the room. Her hands tucked behind her in a casual pose that didn’t match the vibe that was coming off of her.

Fin let his bear shine through his eyes; the yellow burning through showing her what was to come. He didn’t want to startle her, but with the way he was feeling he was worried his shift might happen a little harder than he’d like.

Telling his bear they needed to be calm and let her approach them. Whatever she needed tonight was important enough for her to ask. They both needed to hold back their true selves to make sure their mate was comfortable.

His bear started to push forward and he felt the shift start over his body, his last vision as a man was his mate’s hands clutching the doorframe behind her as his bear shoved through his skin and the air around him swirled with light.

His animal took a seat immediately after his paws had hit the ground and he waited. His mate was watching him, her eyes scanning up and down the length of him.

Finley was seeing what his bear saw and his mate was assessing, categorizing, and examining his animal.

It was a few moments before she pushed away from the door. Her steps were hesitant but she walked straight to his animal, standing just a foot away from him.

His bear huffed at her, a soft noise, meant to encourage her. Her hand rose up from her side; her fingers had the slightest tremble. He wouldn’t expect less from a human that was going to pet a bear. He felt his bear pull himself still and waited. Her small hand trembled but reached for the top of the animal’s head.

She let her fingers touch just the tips of the fur, then let her hand drop until she was touching his head, her fingers running through his fur. Zara started a scratching movement that made his bear twist his head where he wanted her fingers to go. He was never one to resist a good rub.

Zara’s face changed from hesitant to amazed, then a smile stretched over her lips.

“You’re not as soft as I thought you’d be. Your fur is tough, like you.”

Fin’s bear felt a moment of pride at that.

“You’re full size. I looked it up. How big real bears are. Your bear outweighs you by hundreds of pounds. Where does that matter go when you shift? How does it come and go? It’s amazing.”

Finley reminded his bear to let her have her fill of him. His animal wasn’t complaining. Their mate was touching them, he didn’t care how long she wanted to do it.

Zara ran her hands over his ears then pulled her hand back. “Is this okay?” she asked in a moment of unease.

His bear huffed and lowered his head so she had easier access. She continued her examination, even getting bold enough to touch his huge paws and trace the length of his claws.

Finley was watching but was almost as lulled into relaxation as his animal was. Zara had taken a seat in front of them to be able to touch what she wanted, her hands moving sometimes to examine and sometimes to caress. It was what a mate would do.

“I don’t know what to call you, but can Finley come back?” she asked after she had found whatever she was looking for with her perusal.

Finley reminded his bear it was only temporary and he’d be out again soon enough. Fin had plans to take her to his family home and show her the woods he loved.

Letting the shift happen, his vision came back into focus and he was sitting on the floor, naked, next to his mate.

“I needed to make sure he was real again. I know the twins were real. I held them as they shifted, but I needed to see you, see him again, before I could be sure.”

“Sure?”

“Sure that this is right. That we are right. I can’t be away from you anymore, Fin. I’m not sure how that is going to work or what it means for both of us. But I’m not happy when I’m not with you. My heart hurts when you are away. I feel it, like a part of me got left behind. I don’t know what makes that happen, physically I know nothing has changed, but something else makes it different. I can’t see my future without you in it. I don’t care what my parents say; I don’t care if I have to find another way through school. I choose you. I choose you before anything else. Being a doctor, making my father proud, all of it. I need you first.”

“Zara, my love, there isn’t anything that I won’t do to make your dreams come true. I’ll pay for school; you can be whoever you want to be. And I know your parents will be proud of you no matter what. They need time to adjust to you being with me. I’ll help you do that.”

Zara nodded. He watched her shoulders actually drop, relaxing at his words. “Then I choose you.”

“Zee, what does that mean?”

He watched her eyes flare at the name. He loved that they were already at a place that she knew what he meant.

“It means I’m willing to bond with you. I understand what it means and I’m making a conscious decision. I don’t know how my parents will be in the future. I can’t guarantee any of that. But I know how I feel about you and I want to be with you.”

“You know there is no turning back, at least for me. I can’t promise that it won’t be hard for you. You’ll be the same person, but you’ll become a mate. My mate.”

“I understand. I say yes.”

Fin felt like he should continue confirming with her that she knew that she’d be different. That their whole existence would change. But his bear was making it clear that if he didn’t shut up, he was going to make Fin pay for it.

Leaning over, Fin cupped her cheek and looked into her eyes. Trying to see if there was any hesitation, any unease that didn’t match her words. There was nothing, nothing but love.

Her small hand came up to cover his. “I’m sure, Fin. I love you.”

Finley couldn’t stop the growl that erupted from his throat. He’d said he didn’t need the words, but he loved hearing them anyway.

Scooping her up, he had her on the bed and was kissing her fast and hard.

He only broke away from her mouth to strip off her clothes. He was afraid that in his haste he might have torn some, but he’d buy her new ones. She was his now and he would spoil her and take care of her as he saw fit.

* * *

Part of Zara wanted him to slow down, but that was just her being greedy knowing how long he could make her burn. This wasn’t the time or place for that. Her clothes were flying away from her body, tossed across the room. She was sure she heard some tearing but she didn’t care. He was rough and it felt good. His hands were hard and insistent. She wanted him inside her now. No playing, no teasing. Lucky for her, it didn’t seem like Fin was willing to go slow either.

She was naked under him when he leaned back. “I’ll be as careful as I can.”

Zara gave him a smile, “I’m not worried. I like it a little rough.”

“Please don’t tell me that. I’m still holding back.”

“Don’t.”

Zara meant that. She wanted everything Fin had to give her. He turned her crank like he’d built her engine himself and it was amazing.

“Open your legs. Keep them open, wide.”

Zara did as he asked. No, demanded. She liked him bossy in bed. It made her brain stop moving. She could feel and not think.

“Hands over your head. Keep them there until I say.”

Zara reached her arms above her head and arched her breasts at him. His eyes zeroed in on what she was offering and he took the bait.

Zara gasped as his mouth sucked in a dark nipple, his tongue rough and rubbing against the delicate nub. “Yes!”

“Tell me how much you like that,” he growled.

“I do, I like it. Your tongue is so rough. It hurts and burns so good,” she moaned.

“Do you like it when my tongue is in your pussy? Sucking on your clit?”

“Yes, I love that. It’s so good.”

“Do you want me to lick your pussy, Zee?”

“Yes,” she hissed. His teeth were just skipping across her nipple.

“You don’t want me to just lick it though, do you?”

“No, I want you to lick me and bite me, suck my clit hard.”

“I like it when you tell me what you want. You get whatever you desire.”

Zara was shaking at as he sucked her nipple hard. She knew there would be a bruise on her breast the next day. It would be a mark she would be proud to wear. Much like the bite he was going to give her. He said it would show and she didn’t care what anyone thought about it. Her brain having accepted the shifters and that her life now revolved around them.

Fin nipped and bit his way down her body until he got between her legs. “Hold your legs open. Show me what’s mine.”

Zara pulled her legs wide exposing herself to her man. Her man. The last man she’d ever be with. That thought didn’t cause her dread, it made her excited.

Finley leaned over and gave her that long slow lick, back to front that made her pussy gush.

“Mmm, that’s my girl. You want my cock?”

“Yes, please,” she begged. She wasn’t sure she had ever been so ramped up before. There was a good chance she’d never said please in bed before.

“I get a taste then you can wet my cock for you.”

Finley delved between her thighs and ate at her pussy like a starving man. Zara wanted to grab his head and push him harder against her clit. She wanted more friction, more sweet pressure that would bring her a release. But she held her legs open, giving Fin what he wanted.

Zara kept coming so close to orgasm, just the edge and Fin would back off. He only did this a few times. Not like their first time that drove her mad. He seemed to be in a hurry too.

“Zee, wet my cock.”

Zara couldn’t even be ashamed at how fast she dropped her legs and flipped around, her hand wrapping around his cock and guiding it to her mouth. He tasted so good, he was long and hard, the dark head of his cock velvety soft. She licked along the underside, stopping at the tip to dip her tongue in the end and heard him hiss. She loved that. Loved that she could make him gasp as much as he did her.

“Damn, baby. You’re gonna make me lose my focus.”

Zara sucked him deep into her mouth that dragged him back out over her tongue slowly. Holding him tight, the tip of his cock brushing her lips. “Who needs focus?”

“I do so I don’t hurt you. I’ll let you suck my dick later. Now hands and knees.”

Zara flipped on her hands and knees and wiggled her ass at Fin.

“Don’t tease, Zee,” he said, giving her ass a slap.

Zara purred and wiggled again. Fin gave a chuckle and gave her other cheek a slap.

“I see a new game for us tomorrow. I’ll happily tan your ass for you.”

“It makes me burn. Why?”

“Because you are a sexy passionate woman and I can’t wait to figure out all the ways to make you scream.”

Zara couldn’t wait either. She wanted to know why a slap on the ass could make her wet. Why the idea that flashed in her head of being bent over Finley’s lap and paddled made her eyes roll into her head at the amount of pleasure it would bring.

“Promise me,” she said, looking over her shoulder to him.

“I promise I will make you breakfast in the morning, but not before I make your ass cheeks glow and you come screaming.”

Zara felt herself purr as she turned back away from him. She almost felt animalistic. Nothing but pleasure was allowed in her thoughts. Just bodies, sex, and orgasms. It was a narrow view that she was enjoying.

Finley was behind her and she was waiting as his hands kept rubbing over her ass where his hand had made contact.

“I’m gonna get you there, Zee, then I’ll bond us together. Do you trust me?”

“Yes, of course I do,” she breathed.

The tip of his cock dragged between her pussy lips, so close but never sinking in. She waited, her breath held as he did this over and over.

“Fin,” she ground out.

She felt him slam into her, the tip of his cock hitting deep inside her, and her body arched at the delicious invasion.

“You are mine,” he ground out as he pumped his hips into her. She kept squeezing her pussy trying to keep him inside her which only caused more friction. His hand reached around the front of her and slid between her legs to stroke over her clit. His other arm wrapped around her side and cupped her breast, rolling her nipple just as his other hand was rolling her clit.

He didn’t stop, he didn’t slow down. It was a ferocious onslaught of sweet blissful pain that had her body bucking back against him. It was too much, it was too strong and she could feel her body trying to pull away from his fingers that tormented her.

“Fin, baby,” she cried. Her body was shaking and she just couldn’t see how she would survive if she came with her body so out of control.

She felt Fin near her ear as his body covered over hers.

“Mine,” he growled, the low rumble of his bear easily heard.

Zara felt his mouth seal over her shoulder where her neck started to slope and the moment his sharp teeth slipped into her skin she screamed. Not in pain, no—in mind blowing, fucking ecstasy.

She came, her pussy pouring slick honey over his cock as he slammed into her. His mouth sucking at her neck, the second of pain from his teeth long gone. Zara was grabbing at the pillows, scraping her hands against the headboard as she pushed back on his cock, grinding them closer together. Her vision was gone, replaced by nothing but darkness and pinpoints of light. She could feel the hot spurts of cum pumping into her as her ears registered the growling roar next to her head. Fin had marked her inside and out. Their lives sealed together and Zara could have sworn she could hear his heart beating in time with hers.

Fin was kissing along her back, holding her up as she went limp in his arms.

“My Zee. My beautiful mate. I love you.”

Zara wanted to say something insightful back. All she managed was a quiet, “Mmm-hmm.”

She felt him chuckled against her. It was followed by more kisses along her spine and long licks to the area at her neck that was a little tender.

“You know that’s not sanitary, right?” she finally managed to say.

“Nothing about me could ever hurt you. This will make it heal faster, trust me.”

Zara wanted to argue but she was too tired and too happy to point out how he was wrong.