Page 108 of Never Submit

She’s tired of being strong.

The thought flares in my head before she stifles it down.

“If the Moon Goddess did choose me for something bigger…what does that mean for us? For Noble? For everyone?” She blinks rapidly.

“It means we figure it out. Together. Whatever this is, whatever it means—we’ll face it. You’re not alone in this, Ren. You’ve got Noble. You’ve got me.”

Her eyes flicker back to mine, and there’s a spark of hope in her eyes. Or resolve.

“Then let’s hope the Moon Goddess knows what she’s doing,” she says. “Because I sure as hell don’t.”

I offer her a small, wry smile. “If she chose you, sweetheart, then she knows exactly what she’s doing.”

Sweetheart, yeah. Sweet and strong andmine.

Her gaze locks fully onto mine, the snow drifting lazily around us, melting the space between us into something fragile yet electric. The way she looks at me now—not just the weight of her words, but the quiet defiance in her tone. She’s putting her trust in me, in us, even though I can tell it terrifies her.

“The Moon Goddess is rarely wrong,” I say, sucking in a deep breath.

My pack has always put our trust in our lunar deity. It seems she has once again changed my fate.

Ren’s lips part slightly, and her breath fogs between us. Her pulse thrums against her neck, and I can’t tell if it’s the cold or me that’s making her shiver.

“Mathis.”

I reach up and hesitate for a moment before brushing against her cheek. Her skin is warm against my palm, but her eyes…they burn.

Then she leans into me. Barely. Just enough to lift on the tips of her toes, her lips brushing mine like a question. And I answer it without thinking. Pulling her closer as my tongue spears past her lips and the kiss deepens.

Slowly at first but quickly unraveling into somethingwe can’t take back.

She tastes like frost and fire, like everything I didn’t know I was missing until this moment. Her hands find their way to my bare chest and her nails rake across my skin.

She’s afraid I might run. Like this might disappear.

But I’m not going anywhere.

Shifters don’t feel cold like humans do, and instead of cold biting our exposed skin, there’s Ren with her warmth, her scent, her touch. My hands slide up her bare torso and tease the sides of her breasts.

God, she’s so fragile and perfect. My fingertips skim over her velvet softness. I lay her down on the ground.

Snow melts against our skin as our bodies press closer, the chill around us forgotten. When her teeth graze my lower lip, it’s my turn to shiver, heat flaring low and insistent in my chest.

I’m on her in an instant. My hands are at her waist now, pulling her flush against me. She gasps into my mouth and the sound is enough to send me spiraling.

I nip her jaw and down her neck. I want more of this moment. The thought roots itself deep in my chest and I grumble against her skin.

I wanteverythingwith her. A home. A family. A future that feels like hers and mine tangled together, inseparable. I want to see her belly round, carrying my pups, to see her strength and fire in our children.

The idea settles like a truth I can’t deny. It makes me want her even more, here and now, as if this is the start of something so fucking wonderful I’m dumbstruck.

“Ren,” I whisper against her lips, breaking the kiss just enough to meet her eyes. They’re wide, dark, and unguarded. “If you want me to stop…”

Her fingers tangle in the hair at the napeof my neck, and she tugs just hard enough to make me hiss. “Don’t youdare, Mathis.”

That’s all I need to hear. I capture her mouth again.

It’s not sweet. It’s not tentative. It’s a savage claim, ownership, and she melts under it, into me. My tongue seeks hers, and the kiss grows and swells.

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