Page 11 of Rescued

As I lay with him tucked against me, the scent of worn hide and clean musk has me clinging to the last shred of control as the memory in the washroom comes flooding back.

I watch Gabe retreat through the door, his broad shoulders stiff as if he’s holding something back. His scent lingers in the air, warm and rich, filling my lungs and settling like a balm over my aching body.

The moment Gabe arrived at the barn, I knew. That pull, sharp and undeniable, hit me with such force it almost overshadowed the pain of mywounds. My mate. I found him—or maybe he found me—but it doesn’t matter. What matters is that he’s mine.

The bond was instant. It started as recognition, a rush of relief and desire all at once. And then the dream solidified it. Linking our minds, slipping into his thoughts while he slept—that wasn’t just coincidence. It was proof of what I already knew in my heart.

The dream was more than just erotic; it was a declaration. A claiming. There’s no way to establish that kind of connection unless we’re fated for each other.

Fated mates.

The thought is almost too much. I never thought I’d have this—someone who is mine, someone I can belong to. Being cast out stripped everything from me—my pack, my home, my identity. It left a gaping wound inside me that I thought would never heal.

Out there, alone and hunted, I’d resigned myself to death. I thought it would be better to let the emptiness consume me than keep fighting a battle I was destined to lose. But now…? Now everything has changed.

Gabe doesn’t know yet. He doesn’t understand who I am or what I am. It’s going to shake him to his core when he finds out.

I won’t blame him for that. A man like Gabe—a human with his feet firmly planted in a world of logic and rules—isn’t going to accept the existence of shifters easily. But I have faith in us.

I feel the bond strengthening every moment we’re near each other. The pheromones are already starting to take hold, nudging him toward me even if he doesn’t realize it yet. It’s subtle for now, but it’s there. The way he stroked my fur, the gentleness in his hands—he already feels it, even if he doesn’t understand why.

It won’t be long before the connection between us becomes impossible to ignore.

I stretch slightly, careful not to aggravate the wounds along my back and neck. They’re healing slowly, the pain a dull throb compared to the heat building under my skin. It’s not from the injuries—it’s something deeper, something primal.

It’s the bond.

Gabe might think I’m just a wounded animal, but I’m more than that. I’m a wolf, yes, but also a man. And soon, Gabe will see me for everything I am. I won’t rush him. He needs time, and I’ll give it to him.

But tonight…? Tonight I couldn’t resist.

The dream I shared with him wasn’t accidental. I wanted him to feel me, to see me—not just the wolf, but the man, too. I didn’t expect it to be so powerful. His pleasure rippled through the bond like lightning, igniting every nerve in my body.

I can still feel it now, the echoes of his release pulsing in my chest as if it were my own. It made me ache, but not with pain. No, this ache is deeper, hotter. It’s the longing to claim him, to finish what we started in the dream.

Soon.

Gabe’s voice drifts through the air from the shower, soft and low. I close my eyes, letting the sound wrap around me like a well-worn coat on a cold night. It’s a good voice—strong, a little rough around the edges. The kind of voice that soothes without even trying.

I shiver despite the warmth of the room, the intensity of my feelings almost overwhelming. I’ve waited so long for this, for him. The loneliness I carried for so many years threatened to destroy me, but now it feels like a distant memory.

There’s still a long road ahead. Gabe’s acceptance won’t come easily, and I know the truth will shock him. But I trust in what we are, in the bond that ties us together.

I’ll take it slow, step by step. I’ll ease into his dreams, filling them with the image of the wolf and the man, until he sees the connection between us as clearly as I do.

Fate brought us together for a reason. And I won’t let anything stand in the way of claiming what’s mine.

Ah, God. My mate is aroused.

The thought flares through me, sharp and undeniable, as I watch Gabe through barely slitted eyes. His chest rises and falls unevenly, his breaths catching every time his hand moves over his body. My sensitive nose picks up the faint but unmistakable scent of pre-cum, and it ignites a fire in me that I can barely contain.

Gabe’s hand moves more insistently, palming his cock through the rough fabric of his jeans. Soft noises slip from his lips, low and breathy, and it takes everything I have not to shift right then and there.

I could. I could shift, cross the space between us, and free him from the confines of those jeans. My mouth waters at the thought of taking him into my throat, swallowing him down until I can taste him fully. The idea makes my muscles tense, my claws itching to release and claim him.

But it’s too early.

I need to stay in this form, stay patient, and let the IV do its job. The ordeal I’ve been through has drained me more than I want to admit, and as much as I crave him, I know I’m not ready yet. My body isn’t ready yet.

---