“Fierce.” His fingers found the button of my jeans. He sat back on his heels, dragging my pants and underwear down and off with him.

I felt exposed under his gaze, vulnerable in a way that had nothing to do with my nudity. Here he was, in a position of strength, while I lay naked and panting before him. Normally, I hated feeling weak, but not now. Not with Nico.

He looked at me like he wanted to devour me, and damn if it didn’t turn me on.

“Powerful.” His fingers curled around my ankles, sliding upward, igniting a path of fire along my skin.

Goosebumps broke out everywhere he touched, my breath quickening. Something predatory flickered in his eyes. Something almost feral.

“Let me show you how worthy you are.” Slowly, deliberately, he parted my legs.

I moaned as his fingers danced between my thighs, finally landing where I most desperately needed him. He dipped one finger inside me, teasing, torturing. My hips rocked toward him, begging for more.

Nico chuckled, a low, dirty sound that sent a shiver down my spine. His thumb circled my clit as his fingers sank deeper into my pussy. “That’s it,” he growled. “Let me hear you.”

I cried out as pleasure coiled inside me. Need pulsed through me, pushing everything else out of my mind. No loss. No pain. Nico, Nico, there was only Nico.

He leaned forward and captured my mouth in a brutal kiss, swallowing my cries as he pumped his fingers in and out of me. His palm brushed against my clit with every stroke, driving me closer and closer to the edge.

“Let go,” he commanded against my lips. “You’re so fucking sexy when you’re losing control.”

That was all it took to send me flying over the edge with a cry that might have been his name. Pleasure crashed over me as I writhed under his touch. Fuck, I was pretty sure the entire pack could hear my orgasm from miles away, and I didn’t care. Let them hear. Let them know Nico was mine, and I was his, and fuck anyone who got in the way of that.

I slumped back onto the pillows, boneless and panting. The cedar and espresso and pure fuckingmalescent of him invaded my senses, leaving me drunk on lust and primal satisfaction.

Mine.This wolf, this man, was mine.

Nico sat back, bringing his glistening fingers to his lips and licking them clean. His eyes glinted in the low light, drinking me in. Hungry. Obsessed. And oh, so dangerous.

I parted my legs and slid my fingers over my slick clit. I savored the flare of heat in his eyes, the twitch of his cock. Knowing he was watching gave me a rush. That I had this power over him made me feel invincible.

I slid two fingers inside my aching pussy. “Is this what you want, Nico?”

His answer was a low rumble—half growl, half purr. He was on me in a flash, yanking my hand away. He pinned my wrist above my head as his free hand wrapped around the base of his thick cock. His tip grazed my entrance, making my pussy throb in anticipation.

“Look at me,” he ordered, waiting until I met his gaze before continuing. “You’re incredible, Elise. Powerful. Fierce. Beautiful.”

With each repeated word, he pushed into me a little more. I moaned as my body stretched to accommodate him, the delicious ache amplifying the effect of his praise. By the time he bottomed out, I was shaking with need.

“Fuck, Nico.” I dug my fingers into his shoulder, urging him on. “Please.”

He hooked my leg over his arm, spreading me wide as he began to move. Long, slow strokes that drove me wild. My nails raked down his back, desperate to pull him closer.

“You saved your pack,” he said softly, punctuating the words with a slow roll of his hips. “You put their needs above your own.”

I shook my head, denying his words. But they sank deep anyway, working their way past my walls. Working their way into my soul.

“You’re not weak,” he insisted, picking up the pace, but still so controlled. Each thrust sent shocks of pleasure through me. “You’re not a monster.”

The corners of my eyes burned as I clung to him. I threw my head back, squeezing my eyes shut to escape the sudden, searing vulnerability. But Nico wouldn’t have it. His hand returned to my jaw, forcing me to meet his gaze.

“Look at me while I fuck you,” he said, his voice ragged with need.

His eyes shone with tenderness, but there was fire beneath. The promise of punishment if I defied him. Just thinking about it made my inner wolf howl in triumph. I ached for him to push me, to challenge me, to own me.

“You’re worthy,” Nico growled, his pace increasing. “Say it.”

I struggled to form a coherent response as my pleasure built, but I managed a single word. “Never.”