Not bothering to shrug off Marco’s touch, Adri tore into the pie, suddenly aware of his ravenous hunger now that he had food in his hands.
“Good kitten,” Marco murmured when he’d finished.
“Hey, only I get to call him that,” Rafe said, voice soft and raspy from disuse.
A strangled sob left Adri as he pulled himself away from their Alpha and flew into his mate’s arms.
“Oof. Gentle, kitten. It’s okay. I’ve got you.”
Adri clung to Rafe as the doc continued his string of reassurances, his trembling hand petting Adri’s skin, soothing him with the reassurance that he was finallythere.
“Don’t you ever fucking do that to me again,” Adri growled, as he clung even tighter.
“I have no plans to go digging in your brain again if I can help it,” Rafe said, pushing himself up until he was sitting.
“Notthat,” Adri snapped, rolling his eyes. “I don’t give a shit what you have to do to me to save me. Don’t everleave melike that again. Don’t go where I can’t follow.”
“I think I’ll leave you two to it. Come find me when you’re bonded,” Marco murmured, silently sliding out of the cabin and closing the door with a decisive click.
“Come here, kitten,” Rafe said, pulling him closer in his arms and entwining their bodies until Adri couldn’t tell where he ended and Rafe began. “I’m not going anywhere. I’myours.”
Adri nuzzled in under Rafe’s jaw, breathing in his scent and grounding himself in his solid calm. His eyes slipped shut as they lay together, revelling in his mate’s presence.
“I need everyone to know I’m yours, too.”
Rafe’s gentle stroking paused. “You mean that, kitten? You’re ready to wear my mark for real?”
Adri’s words finally caught up with him and his heart rate sped, but it wasn’t nerves. It was excitement. He was past ready, but his mate was still burned out.
“You need to eat first. And sleep.”
Rafe rolled him onto his back, pinning him to the bed and staring deep into his eyes. “You really mean it?”
Oh, this man. How had Adri made him wait all these years until he couldn’t quite believe what was happening? He’d have to make sure Rafe never had any doubts again.
“I’ve never meant anything more in my life. I want you to fuck me under the moon like you wolves are so keen on, sink those beautiful fangs into my neck, bond us for eternity, and then fill me with your knot until our bodies are as tied together as our souls.”
“Even if it means being pack?”
Adri thought of the way Marco had come through for him and his fighters, of the welcome he’d had at the pack run, and the care he’d been shown when he woke scared and confused and howling for his mate the previous day.
“I’m already pack.”
“Fuck, I love you,” Rafe murmured, pressing a kiss to his lips. “I’ve loved you for thirteen fuckingyears, and I will love every single breath, every fight, every act of defiance for the rest of our lives.”
“What about every act of submission?” Adri asked. “I love you, too.” Then he tilted his head and bared his throat to his mate.
Rafe moaned, mouthing at the sensitive skin there. “Fuck, you’re too tempting, kitten. You’re going to make me forget I don’t have the strength for what I need to do to you.”
Adri’s brow furrowed in concern, and he rolled Rafe off him so he could go grab another pie from the kitchen. When he turned back, Rafe was watching him with a smile.
“What?”
“My wolf loves that you want to feed us.”
Adri huffed a breath and sat back on the bed next to him, breaking off a piece of pastry and meat and pressing it to Rafe’s lips instead of handing him the food. Rafe held eye contact as he licked the juices from his fingers before biting down gently. Once he’d finished, Rafe pulled him right back into his arms, like he couldn’t bear not having every inch of their skin pressing close from chest to toes. Adri’s chest vibrated as he finally let himself relax now that his mate was fed and conscious.
“Are youpurring, kitten?”
