“Do it, wolf,” I commanded, tilting my head to the side. “Obey your alpha. Make me yours forever.”
Nico snarled, burying his face in my neck. His fangs scraped against my skin, and I felt his entire body tense beneath mine.
One bite is all it would take. One bite to seal our bond. To make us whole.
And then it came—an explosion of pleasure so intense it brought tears to my eyes. My body seized, shuddering in his arms as the waves of ecstasy crashed over me. I turned my head on my wolf’s urge and sank my fangs deep to claim my mate again.
Distantly, I was aware of Nico stiffening beneath me, his cock pulsing inside me as he found his own release.
For a few minutes, neither of us moved. We simply clung to each other, basking in the afterglow of our mate bond.
Finally, Nico stirred, running his fingers through my hair. He pressed a tender kiss to my forehead, and I could feel the smile on his lips.
“So,” he said, his hands sliding down to squeeze my ass. “Ready for round two?”
I laughed, my heart light with joy and contentment. This was everything I’d ever wanted—a partner who could match me in every way, who saw me for who I truly was and wanted me, anyway.
I didn’t know what changes would happen with the pack, or when. But as I leaned down to capture Nico’s lips again, I knew I was right where I belonged.
EPILOGUE - NICO
Our living room buzzed with energy, wolves jostling for position as they settled in for the meeting. The cramped quarters were temporary, only until the renovations on the new pack house were complete.
Too many bad memories,Elise had said.No sense making a family move when we could crash someone else’s home.
I leaned against the wall, arms crossed, content to watch from the sidelines. I swept a look over the assembled pack before landing on Elise.
Fuck, she was magnificent.
Three months as alpha had transformed her. Gone was the uncertainty, replaced with a strong confidence that made my cock twitch. Her shoulders were squared, chin tilted defiantly, as though daring anyone to challenge her authority.
Next to her, Rafe appeared equally comfortable, a small smile tugging at his lips. He’d settled into his role as second-in-command without hesitation, and together they formed an impenetrable wall against the typical fuckery that came out of Orion and Kai.
When Elise finished chatting with Maddy, her gaze landed on me. Her eyes lit up, and a dozen different emotions danced across her face in seconds. Affection. Trust. Desire.
I couldn’t wait to get her alone later.
It still felt surreal sometimes. After years of running alone, driven half-mad by grief and rage, I’d found a home. Found my place. Foundher.
“We have an opportunity,” Elise announced. She waited for conversation to peter out before continuing, “A small pack in Idaho is disbanding. Two of their wolves are looking for a new home.”
Murmurs rippled through the pack. Some excited, others wary. I noted the reactions, cataloging potential trouble spots. It was my job as enforcer to keep the peace, after all.
“What do we know about these wolves?” Maddy asked. “Their skills? Are they going to come in here and start waving their dicks around? Or are they going to be... regular dicks?”
I hid a smirk. Maddy had taken her demotion from alpha’s mate to second’s mate with surprising ease. I didn’t think she truly cared about rank so long as she could still speak her mind.
“Regular dicks, I’m sure.” Elise snorted. “The alpha vouched for them. Said they’re hard workers, loyal. One’s got some medical training, which could be useful.”
My ears perked up at that. Elise had filled me in on their troubles after a healer’s death, and Tara not quite finding her place in the pack. With as many punches and brawls as we had weekly, someone to patch up the worst was necessary.
“They’ll get a trial period, don’t worry,” Elise added. “Give them a chance to prove themselves or royally fuck up before fully committing.”
“Not a bad idea,” Rafe conceded. He frowned, reluctance clinging to him. “Babysitter duty.”
“Not babysitting,” Brielle scolded without any heat. “Frame it as keeping a neighborly eye on them. Show them the ropes, make sure they’re adjusting. Keep Orion from them?—”
Orion drew his mate closer and blew a raspberry on her neck, earning him a squeal of delight.