Lizzy’s jaw clenched and unclenched as she took a slow, deep breath, willing herself not to say something she would regret. None of this was Finn’s fault. It wasn’t his fault that shehadto have his blood to survive. It wasn’t his fault that taking his blood was, well,notlike eating food. It was much, much more satisfying in more ways than one. “I’m fine,”she lied, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. His fault or not, she hated this—hated the way her hybrid nature made her dependent on him in a way that felt so … intimate. Their relationship was both familiar and fresh at the same time.
They’d been through so much together in such a short amount of time,andthey were true mates. So to some degree intimacy came naturally. But this type of closeness? This was somethingmore.Feeding from her mate was something she’d barely come to terms with, and doing it when they had no idea how their pack was felt like she was betraying them. They could be fighting for their lives and here she was sucking on her mate’s neck like a juice box, getting her rocks off. She mentally groaned. Finn heard everything she was thinking because he wasn’t bothering to stay out of her head, and she was too emotional to block him.
Finn growled low in her mind.“Taking in the sustenance you need is not getting your rocks off. Though if you’re into juice boxes, we can figure something out. You’re not fine. Stop being stubborn, and stop thinking you’re betraying anyone by taking care of yourself.”Finn’s voice rumbled through their bond, low and commanding, but it was tinged with an undercurrent of frustration and something deeper—something raw.“You’re mine, Lizzy. Let me take care of you. Let me help you.”
Lizzy shook her head, her steps faltering again as her fisted hands trembled at her sides. Her mind wandered to the last time she’d fed from Finn, and her face flushed. It wasn’t just about survival; it was something far more intimate, far more consuming, and she still wasn’t sure how to handle it.
Finn stood abruptly, his movements deliberate, and Lizzy’s heart stuttered in her chest. He crossed the clearing in a few long strides, every ounce of his energy radiating determination and a hint of exasperation.
“You’re going to drive me insane.” His voice was low and rough as he stopped in front of her. His copper eyes, intense and unyielding, locked onto hers. “You’re standing there, pale as a ghost, shaking like a leaf, and you still refuse to admit that you need me.”
“I don’t?—”
“You do.” His tone brooked no argument. “And I’m done letting you push me away because you’re too stubborn to accept it.”
Before she could protest, Finn reached out and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her flush against him. Lizzy gasped, her hands coming up instinctively to push against his chest, but the warmth of his body seeped into hers, stealing her breath and her resolve.
“Finn.” Her voice was barely above a whisper. What was she going to say? He could feel her emotions and hear her thoughts. There was nothing she could hide from him, but for some reason she’d attempted to lie even knowing he would be able to prove her wrong.
“You’re mine,” he said again, his voice softer now but no less firm. “And I’m yours. This bond between us—it’s not just about survival, Lizzy. It’s about trust. It’s about letting me be there for you, letting me give you what you need.”
Lizzy’s throat tightened, her emotions threatening to spill over. She couldn’t look away from him, couldn’t ignore the way his words wrapped around her heart and squeezed.
“I know you’re scared.” Finn’s hands slid up to cup her face, his thumbs brushing gently over her cheekbones. “I know you’re struggling with needing andwantingthis. It’s still new and overwhelming, but you’re not alone in that. I’m nervous, too.”
“You?” Lizzy’s face scrunched up. “What the hell do you have to be nervous about? All you have to do is stand there and let me suck on your neck while I attempt not to molest you.”
A smirk formed on his much too inviting lips. “It’s not molesting me if I’m a willing participant.” He leaned closer to her and took a deep breath, and she knew Finn was taking in her scent. He’d shared with her one night, when it was quiet and the world around them was asleep, that her scent could create different reactions in him, depending on the situation. Sometimes it was comforting, like coming home after a long day. Sometimes her scent calmed his wolf when he felt she was in danger. And other times, well, other times it made both man and wolf perk up and take notice. She looked up into his glowing, brown eyes, saw the hunger in them, and knew this was one of the latter reactions.
His emotions flooded the bond. Only then did Lizzy realize that he’d been holding back much of his feelings. It wasn’t only his concern, irritation, and frustration that she was feeling now. Along with those emotions—actually overshadowing those emotions—were love, desire, and unadulterated need. Finnwantedher, and he was letting her feel just how strongly he did. They’d yet to take their relationship any further than some serious kissing and the obvious neck biting. And up until now, Finn, apparently, had been keeping the extent of that desire tamped down. A lot.
She took in a shaky breath as she searched for her confidence and found herself lacking. Lizzy’s hands gripped the front of his shirt as if he were the only thing keeping her upright. “I don’t know how to do this,” she admitted, her voice breaking. “I don’t know how to be … this person. This mate.” There were times, in the heat of the moment, when Lizzy was able to lose herself in their passion and she didn’t feel so self-conscious. But then there were moments, like now, where feeding seemed like a burden and inappropriate, as did the desire to jump her mate. And for some reason, it was in these moments that she struggled the most. All those insecurities, fears, and doubts came rushing in and held her back.
Finn’s gaze softened, his wolf shining through the copper of his eyes as he leaned closer. “You’re already everything I need, Lizzy. You just have to let yourself believe it.”
And then he tilted her head gently to the side, his lips brushing against the curve of her neck, and Lizzy’s breath hitched.
“Let me help you,” he murmured, saying the words again, his voice a low rumble that sent shivers down her spine. “Let me show you how good it can be when you stop fighting it.”
“I know how good it can be,” she whispered. “That’s part of the problem. We should be looking for our pack. Not peeling each other's clothes off. And I thought you wanted to wait until we’d had a bonding ceremony. There’s been no time for that. The few moments that I did feel confident enough to pursue you, and the world wasn’t completely coming down around us, you stopped things. So, really, this is your fault.” She sounded like a petulant child, and she was grasping at straws, and for what? Because she was afraid of her need for him?
Finn stared down at her patiently. The intensity of his gaze never wavered under her scrutinizing words. His breathing was slow, even, and he seemed to be under complete control, despite the fact that the bond was rolling with emotions between them. “The bonding ceremony is important because I want you to know that I am committed to this relationship. Though we’ve completed the Blood Rites, so you couldn’t escape me even if you wanted to, the ceremony is the formal event of the mating. But, as you pointed out, there hasn’t exactly been time to press pause so that we could do that.” He paused, his head tilting to the side in a very wolf-like gesture. His eyes glowed even brighter. “We will do the ceremony, when Kara can be present, as well as the rest of our pack. However…” There was another pause, and after breathing deep, he let out a shuddering breath. “I find that my beast and myself are in need of solidifying the bond. I will not push you, if you’re not ready.” She felt the sincerity in those words, and it warmed her. “But if you are, I will not deny you any longer. And as you said, this is my fault. I have stopped us from going further, and even though I tried to reassure you so that you wouldn’t feel insecure, I think I still, though inadvertently, made you feel that way. I ask your forgiveness, Lizzy. And if all you want to do is feed, then that is all we will do. But youwillfeed.”
Her heart pounded in her chest, the pull of their bond stronger than ever as his words settled in her bones. Finn was right. The times when she’d pushed the boundaries he’d set, because feeding did create a flame inside of her that burned insatiably for him, had made her feel unsure of herself. Maybe Lizzy hadn’t realized that, or she’d simply pushed it aside because it’s easier to ignore an insecurity than feed it with attention, but she was aware of it now.
“I don’t ever want you to feel unwanted, especially by me.” Finn’s voice was gruff with his wolf. “You are precious, and if I gave you the full force of the ferocity of my desire it would probably terrify you.”
After several heartbeats, Lizzy leaned forward and pressed a kiss over his heart. “I trust you,” she whispered, “And I believe you.” Setting aside her own doubts, she chose to believe his words and the feelings flooding the bond. She could feel his warmth, his strength, his unwavering love for her, and it was impossible to resist.
Finn’s arms tightened around her, and he pressed a kiss to her temple before tilting his head to the side, exposing his neck to her. The scent of him, rich and intoxicating, filled her senses, and her fangs ached in response.
“Take what you need.” His voice was low and steady.
Lizzy hesitated for only a moment before giving in, sinking her fangs into the strong column of his neck. The taste of him—warm and electric—flooded her senses, and she couldn’t hold back the soft moan that escaped her lips.
Finn’s body tensed beneath her, his hands gripping her waist as a low growl rumbled in his chest. He wasn’t unaffected—far from it. The act of her feeding was more than physical; it was a merging of their souls, a deep intimacy that left them both breathless. Electricity flowed through her veins as the warmth of him filled her, and she bit down even harder, causing him to grunt.
The moment Lizzy’s fangs pierced his skin, Finn’s world narrowed to her. The bond between them flared to life, blazing with a heat that made his wolf howl in satisfaction. Her need for him was like a drug, and he’d gladly give her everything he had if it meant seeing her whole again. He hated that he’d made her doubt herself or his desire for her. And he planned to rectify that situation immediately.
