I feel my face turn red but force myself to ask what I need to. “I get mating. What is bonding?”
“Bonding is the precursor to mating. Bonding will happen when I bite you with my claiming mark. It’s permanent andmarks you as mine. When other wolves scent you, they’ll smell me. When they see my mark on your shoulder, they’ll know you’re mine.” His words are fierce, and there’s an intensity radiating off him.
“Does it hurt?” I ask.
He pauses. “Some. I’m not sure if it’s more painful for humans; we’ll have to ask Evie.”
“So, once you bite me, we’re bonded?”
He nods, his eyes locked on mine. “Yes. It’s only slightly less permanent than mating. And once we’re bonded, we’ll be connected telepathically. We’ll be able to communicate without words through our mind link.”
“Can Evie and Zane do that?” I ask in awe.
He nods. “Any wolf pairs that are bonded.”
“That’s so cool.” The tense expression on his face eases the slightest bit. “So, when do we do it?”
His face goes blank. “Do what?”
“The bonding thing? When do you bite me?”
He stares at me. “Tess, once I do it, it can never be undone. We will forever be bonded.” I nod. “You can never be with another male. Only me. Ever.”
“Okay.”
“You’ll be tying yourself to me forever.”
I cock my head to the side. “I get the idea that you don’t want to do this with me.”
His eyes widen in shock. “What? No!”
“Well, then why are you trying to talk me out of it? Do you not want to tie yourself to me forever? I mean, I get that one hundred percent.”
He stares at me, thunderstruck. “Tess, you’re my mate. Of course I want to tie myself to you.”
“Okay, then why are you trying to talk me out of it?”
“I’m not trying to talk you out of it; I’m just trying to make sure you fully understand what all you’re getting into.”
I pretend to think about it. “Tying myself to you forever? Got it.”
“It can’t be that easy, Tess.”
“Can’t it?”
“No.”
I stare at him. “Is it simple for you? Or is it complicated?”
“It’s simple. I want you.”
“Are you sure?” I question.
“Tessa Parker,” he growls. “You are my mate. I want you today; I wanted you yesterday; and I will want you tomorrow and forever.”
I meet his gaze, even as warmth flows through me at his words. “Slater Thorne, I want you today. I wanted you yesterday, and I will want you tomorrow and forever. There is no other male for me. There never has been.”
He cocks his head to the side. “Wait, what do you mean?”
