I was still reeling from the orgasm that had racked my body, hitting every nerve and taking me to heights of ecstasy I had never known before. My muscles felt as if I had run a marathon and my heart thundered in my chest.
My breath stuttered when Rad grabbed me by the back of the neck and turned my head just until our lips could meet. I might have forgotten how to breathe when his lips settled over mine. I grabbed onto his hips when he deepened the kiss, his tongue pressing between my lips.
I groaned with wanton lust. It was a needy sound, but I didn't care. Ze'ev was kissing me, touching me. He was holding me tight against his muscular body.
I groaned when the knot inside of me deflated and Rad pulled out of me. Before I could protest the loss, he flipped me around and pressed my face against his neck. "Claim me, mate."
My teeth sank into Rad's shoulder without hesitation, easily breaking the skin. I shuddered as a coppery taste filled my mouth. There was an explosion of white light behind my eyeballs.
Something inside of me felt as if it had ripped away and joined Rad, leaving me feeling as though no other man besides Rad would ever satisfy me.
My wolf howled with delight.
I retracted my fangs and lifted my head to stare up at Rad in wonder. "Mate," I whispered.
Rad grinned. "Mate."
"You're really mine."
"Did you doubt me?"
"No, but..." My brow flickered. "I guess I just never thought I'd meet my mate. It always seemed like a fantasy, you know?"
"How do you think I feel?" Rad sat down on the ground next to me, pulling me to his side. "I'd always been taught that dire wolves don't get mates. Our sole purpose in life was to protect our pack, except I didn't have one until I joined Ze'ev's."
I frowned as I glanced at Rad. "Why didn't you have a pack?"
"My pack was wiped out when I was thirteen. I was the only survivor. After that I just never wanted to belong to a pack again."
"Then why join Ze'ev's pack?"
Rad snickered. "He asked."
I wasn't sure that was a good enough reason to join a pack.
"You're really good friends, aren't you?"
"We are," Rad replied. "We've all known each other for years and we've been through a lot together. I know without a doubt that any of them would give their lives for mine if the situation ever presented itself."
"And you think they will do the same thing for me?"
"I know they will because you're my mate and that means you are important to them. Just not as important as you are to me." Rad leaned in to give me a quick peck on the lips. "You're my world, Ajag."
That was good because I was pretty sure he was going to be mine.
Chapter Sixteen
~ Rad ~
Watching Ajag slowly moving around the next morning made me delighted, but also made me feel guilty as hell. I probably shouldn't have gone so hard on him the night before, but I couldn't help myself. Once he became mine, I couldn't keep my hands off of him.
I was still reeling from the fact that he'd allowed me to claim him. He'd even claimed me. For the rest of our lives, we would be connected, bonded together as true mates.
I would never be alone again.
There was a small fear at the back of my mind that I tried not to think about. After my pack had been slaughtered, I was alone and I thought that I would always be alone. Friends were friends, even the close ones, but a mate was something else.
Mates were forever.
