He didn't use finesse. He used instinct. His mouth dropped to my breast, his teeth grazing the nipple with a sharp pressure that sent a lightning bolt of heat straight to my core. I arched off the bed, a jagged moan escaping me, and the bond flared—a white-hot connection that let me feel his absolute, singular obsession with my body.
When he moved between my legs, he paused for only a second, his muscles quivering with the effort of restraint. He looked at me, his face a mask of raw, animal longing.
"Mine," he growled.
He surged into me in one deep, possessing thrust. I screamed his name, my eyes snapping shut as the fullness of him stretched me, anchoring me to the present moment. It wasn't the polished lovemaking of a man; it was the claiming of a wolf. He moved with a heavy, driving rhythm that was relentless and powerful, his body knowing exactly what I needed even if his mind couldn't find the words.
I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him down, wanting the weight of him to crush the air from my lungs. I felt the fear of the Council session wither away. There was only the friction, the sweat, and the overwhelming scent of a male who had finally come home.
I hit my peak first, my body shattering into a thousand points of light. Cal didn't slow down. He watched me break, his grip on my hips tightening until I knew I’d have bruises the next day. With a final, guttural roar that shook the small room, he followed me, his body stiffening as he poured years of loneliness and newly found love into me.
Afterward, the silence was thick and golden. Cal didn't move; he stayed draped over me, his head buried in the crook of my neck, his heart hammering against my ribs.
His fingers traced lazy, possessive patterns on my damp skin. Through the bond, I felt his contentment—it felt slow and sweet and life-giving.
"Thank you," I murmured, my voice a thready whisper.
"For what?"
"For knowing. For staying."
He lifted his head, his dark eyes clear and focused. He looked like a man who had finally stepped out of the woods for good. "You don't have to carry the pack alone, Lumi. I’m the one who stands guard now."
He kissed my forehead, a gesture so tender it made my chest ache. "I love you," I said, the words feeling right for the first time.
"I know," he whispered.
"I love you too." Cal pressed a kiss to the top of my head. "Now sleep. Actually sleep. I'll wake you if anything—"
The alarm shattered the silence.
We both jerked upright, the peace of the moment evaporating like mist. Through the bond, I felt Stone's immediate spike of fear, James's distant surge of alertness, Neal's sharp focus snapping into place.
"East wing," Cal said, already moving. He was shifting before his feet hit the floor—clothes abandoned, human form giving way to wolf in a heartbeat.
I grabbed my shirt, pulled on pants, shoved my feet into shoes.
I ran.
The corridor was chaos.
Staff members shouting. Security personnel converging. The acrid smell of fear thick. I pushed through the bodies, following the pull in my chest, following the screaming.
Not human screaming. Wolf.
I rounded the corner and stopped.
The door was open to the feral wolves room.
In the hall was one of the smaller wolves, darker fur, eyes that held nothing but terror and rage. He'd been one of the quieter ones—not responding to treatment, but not violent either. Just... absent. Retreating further with each passing day.
Until now.
Now he was very much present. And very much out of control. Cal, in wolf form, ran by me and entered the room behind the out-of-control wolf. He was checking on the others, knowing the staff could take care of this.
"Everyone back!" someone shouted. "Tranquilizers, now!"
"Wait!" I pushed forward, ignoring the hands that tried to grab me. "Let me try. Let me—"
