She’d called him to let him know and he’d been so angry. Hurt. But then he’d let it go because he understood it. Understood that she needed him, but was giving that up so she could go be there for Kathy, not trusting anyone else to tell her about Allie with as much kindness and compassion as Michelle could. Needing to grieve with someone who loved Allie too.

So he’d tied up his loose ends and had packed a bag and headed to her. The longer they were separated, the more antsy he was.

What he hadn’t expected was the way his wolf had risen and refused to back down. He needed to claim her. Being separated when she was in such an emotional state had pushed him to the breaking point. The wolf had let the man handle it for a week, but now it was time to let the man know he wasn’t human and his mate was unclaimed.

Claimed, he could protect her better. Claimed, he’d have a tie to her that would enable him to soothe, comfort and defend. He knew she’d had a lot to manage in the last week. Knew the bond would add more to that list. And yet, he also knew the thing between them was real. Knew the bond would make things better. Not totally, she had a lot of grieving in her future, he understood that too.

After he’d prowled the grounds and before the cops got called due to a man hanging around the area, he headed back to his car to wait for her to wake up. He wanted her to get as much rest as she could.

He did some work and tried to not look up every two minutes toward the building where her apartment was. And like magick—he supposed it was magick of sorts—he knew when she’d woken up. Even without the bond he knew it. He got out and walked to her door, knocking after he’d taken a deep breath to try to gain some control.

She shuffled into her kitchen and started a pot of coffee. She’d need to call Josh in a bit, let him know she was awake and also that she’d missed him. Just hearing his voice would make her feel better.

Being back in Roseburg, even after that short time in Portland, had made everything far more clear. Now that Allie was gone, she had nothing holding her in town and everything beckoning her to Portland.

What she had now, well it wasn’t logical really, though she had known him a very long time. She could tell herself it couldn’t possibly be love. And she could tell herself that in the face of the knowledge that she did love him. But what would be served?

Allie would have told her to shut up and accept it like the gift it was. Sometimes you just knew things. Another thing she knew was that his wolf chafed at the inability to claim her. Gina had broken down and told her how difficult it was for any male to not seal a mate bond, especially when they were living with and having sex and intimacy with their mate. She didn’t want that for him. Not any longer. She wanted him to be able to take that step with her.

They’d talk about it when she got back to Portland.

She peeked into her fridge and pulled out a yogurt and then heard the knock on her door. With a sigh, she headed over. She’d slept in her sweats and a T-shirt so she was relatively decent.

One look through the peephole had her turning off the alarm and yanking the door open to find Josh on her doorstep. Joy filled her at the sight of him.

She smiled but then noted his eyes. Holy shit, his wolf was right there at the surface. She’d seen him change, knew that look.

“I need you,” he said in a low growl.

She knew without a doubt that if she let him in he’d claim her right then and there. There was no turning back from this moment. If she said no, he’d go and eventually find someone else.

But she didn’t want that. She wanted to be his all the way. Damn everything else. This was a gift and she had no intention of letting that go.

She stepped aside, and he came in, kicking the door closed, locking it and pulling the security chain. She set the alarm again, her gaze not leaving him as he circled her like prey.

“I’d ask if you were okay but I know you’re not. And I’m sorry. Sorry for all you’ve lost.”

“You came to me.”

He stepped close and pulled her to him, his arms sliding around her and making her feel as if she’d truly come home. Her body to his, his scent in her nose, his heartbeat against her cheek.

“I will always come to you. Always. Do you accept that? Accept me and what I am? What we are? I know I said I’d wait as long as you needed, but holy shit I need you so much right now it’s sort of scary. My wolf is out of patience.”

She smiled and pulled back, taking his hand and leading him to her bedroom, turning off the coffeemaker as she passed.

He paused and took a deep breath once he’d entered the room. “Smells like you in here.”

She smiled. “I should hope so. Now it’ll smell like you too.”

He held out a hand and she took it. “Come here. You’re all sleep warm. Sad though. I’m sorry.” He brushed the hair away from her face.

She shrugged. “You’re here. So I’m a little bit less sad.”

He pulled her shirt up over her head and hummed, running his hands all over her skin, bending his head to take her mouth. She opened to him immediately, sucking his tongue, delighting in the way he pulled her to him tighter. He kissed down her neck, over her shoulder and then shoved her sweats down so she could step out of them.

When she opened her eyes, he was already on his way to naked, and she frowned a moment before deciding it was okay that she hadn’t seen him start to get undressed because that’s how she wanted him anyway.

She kissed across his chest, licking over his skin as she got his jeans undone and halfway down his thighs. “Off.”