“He’s telling the truth,” Fury verified. “Your mate stays at Homeland with you.”

“Leave!”

The males backed slowly to the door. Justice smiled but it was tense. “I’ll have someone bring the paperwork. We fill out forms—Allison can help you with them—to make her officially your mate. It’s that simple.”

“Moon will bring them,” Fury offered. “You trust him and he will explain our laws regarding mates. You don’t know us well or trust us yet but you will learn to.”

“Good idea,” Justice muttered. “Let’s go.”

“After you.” Fury opened the door and both of them fled, closing it after them.

It was difficult to release the anger that raged inside him over someone daring to take Alli from him. He looked down at her and noticed how pale her features had grown. She just gaped at him but her hug on his thigh had vastly loosened.

“I can’t believe you did that. They think I’m your mate.” Her voice rose. “They are bringing papers, Obsidian! You don’t know what that means but it’s binding.” She released him and fell back on her ass to sit on the carpet, still watching him as though he’d done something so shocking she couldn’t wrap her mind around it. “Legal. Forever.”

Alli wouldn’t lie to him. The papers must be real and so where the words the males had spoken. They wouldn’t take her away from him to be a doctor for the prison. He wouldn’t have to worry anymore.

“Good.” He inched away from her to stare in the direction of the kitchen. “I am hungry for food. You said you’d teach me how to cook.” He stared down at her and offered a hand to help her up. “Now is a good time.”

She didn’t take his help, unmoving except for blinking. Her little nose flared a few times as she breathed hard.

“Alli? I am ready to learn.”

“Do you understand what you just did? They are drawing up mate papers.”

“It means they can’t take you from me.”

“Mating is forever here, Obsidian.” She spoke low, her words slow. “As in ‘until we die’.”

“Good. Teach me to cook.” He faced her and offered his hand again.

She ignored it. “You will be stuck with me. You won’t be able to be with other women—females of your kind.”

“Good. I only want you.”

“For now. What about next month? Next year?”

“I won’t want another. Take my help to stand.” He bent and grabbed her hand, pulling but she refused to straighten her legs, instead just sliding a few inches along the floor. “I am hungry.”

“Obsidian!” She altered from shaken to irritated in an unsettling short span of time. “You have to tell them you changed your mind or just said that in the heat of the moment. I can’t be your mate. You don’t know what you want. You haven’t been free long enough to even leave Medical except to come to my house. That’s insane.”

“You’re mine.” He fought down his irritation. “I say this often. Do you understand?”

He didn’t wait for a response but bent, released her hand, and hooked her in his arms. She gasped when he lifted her against his chest and stalked into the kitchen. He half expected her to punch him but she just watched him warily. He paused by the long island in the center of the kitchen and deposited her there.

“What is the first thing I need to be taught to prepare food?”

“You really want to ignore this argument and pretend nothing is wrong?”

His patience was gone as he spun to grab her hips, jerking her to the edge of the counter to go nose to nose with her to stare deeply into her eyes as he bent a little to make them even in height. “You are mine! There is nothing to fight about. I will win.”

Her hand lifted and he tensed, expecting a slap. He didn’t block it. She wasn’t strong enough to really harm him but he feared he might bruise her tender skin if he threw up his arm. No pain stung his cheek. Her fingers slid into his hair and wrapped around the back of his neck.

“Listen to me. You will regret this and I can’t take that.”

“You make no sense.”

Tears swam in her eyes. “I love you.”

His heart stuttered and he forgot how to breathe.

“I’m in love with you and that’s why I can’t allow you to make a mistake this big.” Those tears spilled over her lower lids and slid down her face. “I would do anything for you and I wish I really was the one you wanted to spend the rest of your life with.” She took a shaky breath while he did too. “This is too fast though and you have no idea what is out there or what your future could be like if you weren’t tied to me.”

“I want you.” All his instincts clamored to claim her, kiss her and mount her. He didn’t care in what order. She loved him. He knew what that meant. It meant her heart belonged to him as well as her body.

“A selfish person would sign those papers and keep you. Don’t think I’m not tempted.” More tears fell and she cleared her throat after her voice broke. “You have no idea how much I want to just hold on to you and never let go.”

He tried to kiss her but her hand fisted to painfully pull the hair at the base of his head. He growled.

“I. Love. You.” She paused. “That’s why I can’t allow you to lock yourself to me. You need time and freedom to be sure I’m the one you want. Tell me in six months that you want me to be your mate and I’ll type out the forms myself. We’ll frame them over our bed.”