“MATE,” her Lycan breathes.
Mine answers instantly...
MINE.
My teeth press against her skin. And I stop. The force of it nearly rips a growl from my chest. Every muscle locks, control snapping back into place through sheer will. “Not yet,” I rasp, “Not while they still breathe.”
She stills beneath me, breath uneven, eyes searching mine. “Rylan…?” she whispers. I press my forehead to hers, grounding both of us, forcing the bond back under control.
“After the truth rite is finished,” I say low, steady. “After we end this.” Her brows draw slightly. “End…?”
“Them,” I growl, the word edged with promise. “What they started. What they did.” Understanding flickers in her eyes.
The anger. The purpose. Her hand slides up to my jaw, steady despite everything.
“Together,” she says. That settles it. My wolf stills, not denied... just… waiting. I exhale slowly, my grip on her tightening just slightly.
“Together,” I repeat.
And this time, when I pull back from her throat...
It isn’t restraint alone.
It’s a promise.
12
Rylan’s POV
Icollapse beside her, pulling her into my arms, my cock still twitching inside her. She’s glistening, her skin slick with sweat, her breath coming in slow, soft, uneven.
And for the first time in years, I feelwhole.
I rise from the bed, take her in my arms bridal style and open the door to our bathroom. I gently place her in the tub and start running her bath water.
For long moments, we lie tangled together, breathing hard. I can feel her confusion through the bond, not at what we’ve done, but what I’m doing now. I catch her expression and murmur, “Aftercare.”
The large tub fills quickly with steaming water and the scent of mint. When it’s ready, I join her, positioning her between my legs with her back against my chest.
Understanding dawns in her expression, followed by something deeper, gratitude, affection, the beginning of something I’m afraid to name.
“How do you feel?” I ask, gently washing her with a soft cloth.
“Complete,” she answers simply. “For the first time, I feel... right.”
I press a kiss to her temple, allowing myself to savor this moment of peace. The water laps around us, soothing tired muscles and washing away the evidence of our joining. I’m careful with her, attentive to every wince or sigh.
The water settles around us, warm and steady, but the tension hasn’t fully left her body.
Selena leans back against my chest, quieter now, but not at peace. My hand moves slowly along her arm, grounding her, feeling the subtle tremor still beneath her skin.
Her body relaxes against mine… but her mind doesn’t. I feel it.
“You’ve been quiet,” I murmur against her temple. “What’s on your mind?”
A pause. Then she asks, “What happened… after I died?”
“My wolf and I felt it the second it happened. The spark of a mate bond. We were holding you in your last moments until your body went rigid and the light left your eyes.” I exhale slowly. “That’s when we realized… you were our second chance mate.”
