“Not yet,” Grayson said against Ryan’s back. “Wait.”
“Can’t,” Ryan managed. His voice broke on the word. “Can’t wait. Too close.”
Grayson’s thrusts picked up speed. The sound of skin meeting skin filled the room, mixing with Ryan’s desperate sounds. His mate was trembling, his body wound tight. Grayson could feel him getting closer, could smell the arousal spiking.
The bond pulled at Grayson’s consciousness. Incomplete. Waiting. His mate was here, offering himself, and the lion demanded completion. Demanded that Grayson make Ryan understand what he was, what they were to each other.
Grayson’s mouth found Ryan’s shoulder. The skin there was damp with sweat, salty under his tongue. Ryan’s pulse hammered against his lips. The trust in that gesture made something fierce rise in Grayson’s throat. His mate was offering his throat, his vulnerability, everything.
Ryan’s body clenched around him. The orgasm hit Ryan hard, his back arching, a broken sound tearing from his throat. Grayson felt it in the way Ryan’s muscles seized, in the way his cock pulsed in Grayson’s hand. His mate was coming apart, and Grayson was the one doing it to him.
The bond snapped into place. Grayson’s teeth found Ryan’s shoulder at the same moment his own orgasm hit. He bit down, not hard enough to break skin but enough to mark. To claim. The taste of Ryan flooded his mouth with salt and something deeper. Something that sang through Grayson’s blood like recognition.
His release pulsed through him, white-hot and consuming. His hips jerked forward, driving deeper into Ryan’s body. The lion roared its satisfaction, finally, finally claiming what belonged to it. Ryan’s sounds had gone quiet, just ragged breathing and small whimpers. His body went slack, held up only by Grayson’s hands on his hips.
Grayson released his shoulder and pressed his forehead between Ryan’s shoulder blades. His breathing came hard, his heart slamming against his ribs. The bond thrummed between them now, no longer waiting. Complete. His mate. Finally his mate.
Ryan’s arms gave out. He collapsed forward onto the mattress, taking Grayson with him. The movement made them both groan. Grayson was still inside him, still hard enough that the friction sent aftershocks through his system. He pulled out slowly, watching Ryan’s body release him. His mate made a soft sound into the pillow, something that might have been protest.
“Stay there,” Grayson said.
Ryan turned his head on the pillow. His hair was plastered to his forehead, his face flushed. “Not sure I could move if I wanted to. Pretty sure my bones have dissolved.”
Grayson climbed off the bed and headed to the bathroom. The tile was cold under his feet. He grabbed a washcloth from the cabinet and ran it under warm water, testing the temperature against his wrist. Not too hot. Ryan’s skin would be sensitive right now.
When he returned to the bedroom, Ryan hadn’t moved. He lay sprawled on his stomach, his legs slightly parted, his breathing still uneven. The sight of him made something possessive curl through Grayson’s gut. His mate. Marked and claimed and his.
Grayson sat on the edge of the bed and pressed the warm cloth between Ryan’s legs. Ryan’s whole body jerked, a gasp escaping his throat.
“Cold,” Ryan said into the pillow.
“Warm,” Grayson corrected. He cleaned Ryan gently, wiping away the evidence of what they'd done. His mate's body was still relaxed, still open. The trust in that made Grayson’s lion purr with satisfaction.
Ryan made soft sounds as Grayson worked, little gasps and sighs that went straight to Grayson’s cock. He ignored it. His mate needed care right now, not another round. Grayson finished cleaning him and tossed the washcloth toward the bathroom. It landed somewhere in the darkness. He’d deal with it later.
“Roll over,” Grayson said.
Ryan obeyed slowly, his movements uncoordinated. He ended up on his back, staring up at Grayson with glazed eyes. His cock lay soft against his stomach, spent. The bite mark on his shoulder was already darkening, a perfect impression of Grayson’s teeth.
Grayson’s hand moved to touch it. Ryan flinched at the contact then relaxed. The skin was hot under Grayson’s fingers, slightly raised. His mark. His claim. Everyone who saw it would know Ryan belonged to someone.
“You bit me,” Ryan said. His voice came out hoarse. “During. You bit my shoulder.”
“Yes.” Grayson traced the edge of the mark with his thumb. The shape of it was clear, each tooth visible. He hadn’t broken the skin, but he’d come close. The bruise would last for days.
“Is that a shifter thing?” Ryan’s hand came up to touch the mark, his fingers brushing against Grayson’s. “The biting? Does it mean something?”
“It means you’re mine.” The words came out rougher than Grayson intended. The lion was too close to the surface, still riding the high of finally completing the bond. “It’s a claim. So everyone knows.”
Ryan’s eyes went wide. “Everyone. As in other shifters? As in they’ll be able to look at me and know I’m your mate.”
“Yes.”
“That’s kind of hot.” Ryan’s laugh came out breathy. “In a possessive caveman sort of way. Should I be concerned about the possessive-caveman vibes?”
“No.” Grayson leaned down and kissed the mark gently. Ryan’s pulse jumped under his lips. “You liked it.”
“I mean I was kind of busy having the best orgasm of my life, so I wasn't really in a position to form opinions about the biting.” Ryan’s hand moved to Grayson’s hair, his fingers threading through the strands. “But yeah. I liked it. I like that people will know I’m yours. That’s probably weird. I’m probably weird.”
