Page 50 of Auctioned Wolf Bride

“People change. And he definitely has. I’ve seen the way he looks at you, and you didn’t see what it was like when you went missing that second time. He was beside himself. I know he’s going to do everything in his power to protect you.”

“Not going to lie, this feels like a complete one-eighty from earlier.”

She snorted into her drink. “That’s because there was a supposed forced claiming bond,” she said. “Neither of you had a choice in the matter. I didn’t want you getting hurt if it didn’t work out.”

“Yeah, but it wasn’t real.”

“I’m glad. I don’t know if you two would have been able to sort out your feelings properly if it had been. Or maybe I’m not giving you two enough credit.” She paused, glancing down at the drink clutched in her hand. “Are you two considering it?” she asked. “A real claiming bond?”

I glanced over at Tannen, his brown hair slightly messy and his blue eyes piercing even from this distance. A rush of affection washed over me at the sight.

“We talked about it,” I admitted it. “And we might at some point. But for now, I think we’re happy with things as they are. And we’ve got plenty of time if we change our mind.”

Tannen chose that moment to walk up. “Thanks for the party, Astrid,” he said. “I was hoping I could steal Thea for a bit.”

My sister gave him a knowing look, her lips pursed with sisterly protection and amusement at the same time. “Fine by me,” she said. “You two have fun.”

Astrid made to walk away, then paused, rounding on Tannen. Jabbing a finger in his chest, she said, “I swear to god, Tannen, if you end up hurting her, you’ll have me to answer to.”

“Trust me. You have nothing to worry about,” Tannen said, staring at me instead of Astrid. “There’s no way in hell I’ll do anything of the sort.”

The look he gave me warmed me from my head to my toes. I nuzzled against him, letting his scent blend with mine as his arm slipped around my shoulder and held me tight. Astrid, mollified, nodded and walked away to join up with her own mate.

Tannen came to stand in front of me, his body only inches from mine. His hand ran up and down my arm as he stared at me before leaning down.

“You wanna get out of here for a bit?” he whispered in my ear. “Because I don’t think I’ve gotten to properly show you our new bedroom.”

Shivers ran down my neck where his breath had brushed against my skin. My eyes met his, and I knew exactly what he had in mind. Heat blossomed below my stomach, and I nodded.

He guided me by the wrist, weaving us through the throng and up the stairs to his bedroom.

“Are you still doing okay?” he asked. “After everything?”

“Yeah,” I said. “Now that things are a bit calmer. It’s nice not jumping at shadows.”

He growled. “I’m sorry you had to go through all that. If I’d been smarter about the whole thing, none of that would have happened.”

“The annoying thing is, I feel like I should thank them,” I admitted. “If it weren’t for them, I don’t think any of this would have happened.”

He tilted his head. “I like to think it would have happened regardless.”

He grabbed my wrist and pulled me toward him. One hand snaked around to the small of my back, pressing me against him. A jolt of excitement ran through me as I felt him stiffening. His free hand went to my chin, thumb running along my lips as he glanced down at me, a hungry look in his eyes.

“I’d have figured out eventually how badly I wanted you,” he said. “And after that first taste, there’s no way in hell I’d ever go back.”

His mouth replaced his thumb, pressing against my lips slowly, almost teasingly. The kiss deepened, his grip on me tightening as a fire ignited between my legs. I groaned, leaning toward him.

The sound seemed to ignite something inside him. He growled, a predatory need resonating through him. I could feel his cock stiffening through his pants as he kept his lips locked on mine, his hands holding me captive against him as he pushed me backward.

He pressed me against the wall, his hand roaming up my leg beneath the dress, moving dangerously close to my pussy as his fingers caressed my inner thigh. I sighed, my head pressing against the wall as his fingers continued exploring, sending new shivers of excitement racing through me.

He moved slowly, teasing me. Then his fingers grazed against my bare pussy. He paused, tilting his head as he raised an eyebrow. “No underwear?” he asked.

I gave a wicked grin. “Let’s just say if you hadn’t initiated this, I would have.”

A snarl of longing escaped his mouth before his lips found mine again. Even as his tongue explored my mouth, his fingers ran along my slit as he toyed with me. I moaned, hips shifting, grinding against him in need as the fire burned hot. I needed him inside me, not taunting me like this.

As if reading my mind, his fingers thrust inside me. I cried out, not caring if anyone heard, though his lips slammed against mine, muffling the noise as he claimed my mouth. He had me pinned against the wall, completely at his mercy as he continued pleasuring me.

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