“I love you enough that if you really wanted to leave, I’d let you go, but if you’re considering leaving simply because you think I’m in danger, you wouldn’t get off this mountain before I dragged your ass back here, Anna. I will fight for you—for us—until you realize the only place you belong is by my side.”

Tears splashed against my cheeks. Adam swept a thumb across my face to brush them away.

“Are you planning on leaving?”

I met his eyes, my hands shaking from the mixture of my own emotions combined with Adam’s. We stared in silence for a long time before I answered. While I hadn’t planned to leave, I did have to consider it, especially after the vision of Adam dying.

“You would be safe, and I care more about that than myself. If I walked away, it wouldn’t be because I wanted to.”

Adam gave me a small smile. “It still bothers me that you even considered it, but I’m happy that it’s because you were thinking of my safety and not because you don’t want to be with me. That being said, if you ever even think about leaving again, I will lock your ass in your room until you come to your senses. Have a little more faith in us, Anna.”

I looked away, guilty and a little angry. Adam didn’t understand where I was coming from, and if I were in his shoes, I might not have either. Adam didn’t look at the scars on our palms as anything other than what they were—a sign we were meant to be together. I, however, could see the curse through the love-induced fog. Being tied to anyone was dangerous. If that tether were cut, the other would suffer. How could he not see the weight of that resting on my shoulders? I knew the answer; it was his pride. It made him believe that he was strong enough to take care of both of us.

“Have you had anyone check out the forest where I spotted the attacker?” In the chaos of our guests and events, no one seemed to bat an eyelash at the attack from the ceremony. “Wade thinks it was a vampire.”

“We’ll talk about this tomorrow,” Adam said. “Tonight, I have plans. I don’t want to talk about anything other than the present.”

He walked over to my dresser and lifted a small clay bowl I hadn’t noticed before. Handing it to me, he said, “Let me pledge my wolf to you, Chante.”

I gave him a tightlipped smile and nodded. Being a young werewolf, I hadn’t come to respect the rituals the way Adam did. I could tell this meant a lot to him, so I wouldn’t press the issues that were heavy in my mind. Tonight, I would give him what he wanted and try to pretend there wasn’t a possible vampire trying to kill either Adam or me—that the scars marring our palms weren’t an invisible tether linking our souls together, and that whenever I looked into Adam’s eyes, I didn’t see the Adam from my visions dying. Sometimes, when you love someone, pretending is the only thing you can do for him or her.

Adam transformed into his wolf. I envied the graceful transition. He did it with such ease. A large black wolf stood in front of me, its shoulders coming to my waist. Reaching a hand out, I ran my fingers through Adam’s inky fur and bent down to kiss the top of his head. My wolf turned to goo, warming me from the inside out.

Setting the clay bowl down, I tugged my tank top over my head to expose my stomach. Standing, I picked up the bowl and held it out to Adam. We watched each other in silence. I couldn’t help myself—a smile bent my lips. I loved Adam; I loved everything about him. When I first arrived at the compound, I’d thought I was crazy when I watched a man transform into a beast. Now, when I saw Adam standing on all fours, my heart swelled with an unfathomable amount of all the great emotions: love, pride, lust, and happiness. Knowing you’re where you’re supposed to be is a profound feeling. I knew whenever I looked at Adam he was my home. All the times I felt lost in my life, felt like I was stumbling through life only to find another dead end, it all led me to this moment. It led me to his arms.

Adam dipped the pad of his paw into the mixture and reached out to me. I expected him to place his mark on my stomach like the others had. He didn’t. He reached up and placed his paw on my chest. I looked down at the mark of his paw print over my heart and closed my eyes. A livewire of energy filled me, rushing through my veins and filling me with power. I took a shuddered breath, opening my eyes to find Adam in human form again. I panted as though I’d just run ten miles and was coming down from the exertion.

“This is …”

“A pretty amazing high, right?”

I nodded, looking up at Adam. I thought the energy of having my pack pledge themselves to me was powerful. It was weak compared to the power consuming me now. I looked down again and watched as Adam’s paw print dissolved into my skin. Throwing my head back, I closed my eyes and panted. I was alive and on fire, an alpha in a sea of betas. It was exhilarating and amplified every emotion filling me. I locked eyes with Adam and charged him.

Wrapping my arms around his neck, I dragged my mouth across his and slipped my tongue inside. I moaned as his tongue tangled with mine. His hands were everywhere, roaming my back, my behind, and in my hair, stoking the fire already filling me. My mind was on one track, and the destination was Adam. I worked the button on my shorts and let them fall to my feet. Next were my panties. I couldn’t get naked fast enough, and when my underwear tangled around my ankles, a growl slipped up my throat. Adam laughed, helping me out of my lingerie debacle.

When I was free, he hoisted me up. I wrapped my legs around his waist, and together we slammed against the wall. Adam fisted my hair and tugged my head to the side, his mouth searing a path along my neck. Thrusting upward, he buried himself in me. I dug my fingernails into his shoulders as he pounded into me relentlessly. One of his hands came up to palm my breast. He worried my nipple between his fingers, pinching slightly. A deep guttural moan fell from my lips as I worked my hips against his thrusts. I was lost in a lust-induced fog, needing more of Adam. My number one priority was finding that sweet release only he could provide.

Adam leaned in for a kiss, this time slower. He trailed the tip of his tongue along my bottom lip before delving into my mouth. He kissed me with precision, turning my legs to jelly and causing my toes to curl. He slowed his rapid pumps to meet the rhythm of his kiss. Gripping my hips, he thrust into me hard, only to withdraw slowly and repeat the process.

“God, that’s so fucking good,” I said.

Adam growled, his fingers digging into my hips. Our eyes connected, and then the floodgates of ecstasy burst open, and I was riding another delicious high. My legs trembled around his hard waist as he continued to move inside of me. When he was happy that I was done, Adam walked over to the bed and lay me down so that I was on my stomach. Reaching an arm under me, he lifted my behind into the air and then he was filling me again.

He leaned over my back, his hair tickling my shoulders. With one hand on my hip, he used the other to turn my face toward him and claimed my mouth. I fisted my hands in the sheet, quivering as he enticed my sensitive folds for another orgasm. That exciting tingle built back up with each pump of his hips.

Adam stopped, withdrawing himself from me. “Turn over.”

I did as he said and flipped onto my back, my behind at the edge of the mattress. Adam knelt down in from of me, his hands sliding up my thighs to spread me open before him.

“You’re so fucking beautiful, Chante. So fucking eager for me all the time.” He lowered his mouth to me, his tongue replacing the disappearance of his dick. I wanted to wrap my legs around his head but he held them open, spread eagle on my bed, as his tongue licked, prodded, and penetrated my swollen folds. I whimpered, moaned, and was panting by the time he lifted his head. With one last soft kiss, Adam gripped my hips and buried himself in me again. I was on the edge, tiptoeing, and on the verge of falling off. I closed my eyes as I waited for yet another Earth shattering release.

“Open your eyes,” Adam said, pumping into me hard. “I want to see that look when you come for me, Anna.”

I opened my eyes and met his. Locked in each other’s gazes, Adam increased his thrusts, pumping into me harder and harder.

“Whose are you, Chante?”

“Yours,” I breathed, yearning for the pressure to break free.

“That’s right, baby. You’re mine. You will always be mine.”

I nodded, words failing my foggy brain. Then that sweet release was mine—washing through me and giving my body what it desired. I stared up at Adam and bit my bottom lip.

“Fuck, I can feel you twitching around me.” With one last thrust, Adam too found his release. He rested his sweaty forehead against my chest, placing a kiss at my cleavage. We took a couple minutes to catch our breath. I ran my fingers through Adam’s hair and along his shoulders. My body was still amped up from his pledge, but sated enough that I didn’t feel like I was going to jump out of my skin.

Adam moved down my body. Gripping my waist with both hands, he placed a kiss to my navel. He looked up the length of me, his eyes softening.

“The heat will be consuming you soon.”

I thought he was trying to sexy talk and smiled. “I think it already has.”

Adam laughed and lay beside me, propping himself up on an elbow. “I mean, heat as in ovulation, Anna. Every female werewolf goes through it twice a year, and you’re six months old. It’ll be happening soon.”

My breath caught in my throat. Babies, that’s what he was talking about? My relaxation dissolved, nervousness taking its place. I shot up in bed and took a moment to wrap my head around what he was saying. I made sure to stay on the pill even after turning. I wasn’t ready for a baby at twenty-three.

“What’s wrong, Chante?”

I half turned, looking at Adam. “Are you saying you want to have kids … already? We’ve only been together for a couple weeks.”

Adam sat up and held my hand. “I’m twenty-nine, Anna. I always imagined having kids, but never found the right woman to give them to. It would make me very happy to see your swollen belly, knowing it was my child growing inside you. I can see you’re apprehensive, but when the heat is upon you, you’ll want them as much as I do.”