Where we're marked, heat flares between us. The blood ritual this morning created a bridge. This will make it unbreakable.
GRAYSON
The moment I touch her, control becomes optional.
My bear surges beneath my skin, demanding I claim what's mine. Isla's naked body pressed against mine is perfect, her curves fitting my larger frame like they were designed for this. For me.
I walk her backward through the water until her back hits the smooth cave wall. She gasps at the contact, cool stonecontrasting with the heat of my body covering her front. My hands slide down her sides, tracing every curve, learning her through touch and the new awareness singing between us.
When I cup her breast, she arches into my palm. The pendant between us glows brighter, pulsing in time with our heartbeats. I sense her arousal building, matching mine.
"The bond amplifies everything." I speak against her ear, my voice rough with need. "What I give you, I receive. What you want, I want."
"Then stop talking and show me." She pulls my head down, kissing me with demanding hunger. "I want you. Want this. Want us."
I lift her easily, supporting her weight against the cave wall. Her legs wrap around my waist automatically, opening for me. The water around us churns, responding to the magic building between us.
When I enter her, the world narrows to this moment. This woman. This completion of everything we've been building toward since the moment we met.
Where we're marked, the burn intensifies. Magical energy flowing through the symbol, sealing what we're creating. I feel her mark responding to mine.
"Move." She gasps the word against my neck. "Please, Grayson, I need?—"
I give her what she needs. What we both need. Deep thrusts that make her cry out, make the water splash against stone, make the bioluminescence flare brighter in response to our joined magic.
Her pleasure builds with mine, climbing higher. Every thrust pushes her closer, every touch adds pressure. I adjust the angle, hitting deeper, and suddenly she's there. Crying out my name, her body clenching around mine, pleasure crashing through her so intense it feeds back and nearly takes me with her.
"Not yet." I grit my teeth, fighting to hold back. "Again. I want to watch you come apart again before I finish."
"Grayson—" My name is half plea, half curse on her lips.
"Again." I capture her mouth, swallowing her protests. "Trust me."
I change the rhythm, slower now but deeper. Each stroke deliberate, pushing her higher. I know exactly what she needs. Where to touch, how much pressure, what angle drives her wild.
When she comes the second time, I go with her. Can't hold back anymore, can't fight the overwhelming need to finish inside her, complete the claiming in the most primal way possible. Pleasure explodes through me, through her, until I can't tell where my climax ends and hers begins.
Our markings flare so bright they illuminate the entire cave. Power flows between us, sealing the bond. What was created in blood this morning is completed in flesh now. Permanent. Unbreakable. Eternal.
The magic settles slowly, leaving us entwined in the sacred pool.
Her legs are still wrapped around my waist, my arms supporting her weight against the cave wall. Our breathing gradually slows, heartbeats syncing until they pulse in perfect rhythm.
"That was..." She trails off, lacking words adequate for what just happened.
"Intense." I finish for her, pressing a kiss to her temple. "Selkie-bear pairings are rare. Powerful. We're tied together now in ways that will last lifetimes."
She pulls back enough to look at me, studying my face in the moonlight filtering down. "Do you regret it? Being permanently connected to someone you've known less than a month?"
"I know everything I need to know." I touch where we're marked, tracing the pattern with gentle fingers. "You're brave.Stubborn. Willing to risk everything for what you believe in. You saved my life multiple times." I capture her mouth in a kiss. "No regrets. Never."
She smiles against my lips. "Good. Because I'm not letting you go. Ever."
"Best possible outcome." I lift her easily, carrying her toward the shallow end of the pool. "But we should get out before Moira comes back to check on us."
She cups my face in her hands, making me look at her. "I love you. Not because of the bond or the magic. Because you showed me what I really am. Gave me a place to belong."
My expression softens in a way I've never felt before. "I love you too. You saved me long before the claiming ritual. Gave me something worth protecting beyond obligation." I kiss her, soft and sweet and full of promise. "You're mine now. Completely."
