Page 56 of Collar Me Crazy
Lucien's expression softened slightly. "Complete focus on your mate. Everything else fades away until there's only her heartbeat, her scent, the connection between you. But that intensity can be overwhelming if you're not prepared for it."
"The claiming mark has to be precise," Callum added. "On her hip, where the bond point is strongest. Too shallow and it won't take. Too deep and you could hurt her."
"And the timing matters," Emmett said. "The mark should come at the moment of climax, when her body is most receptive to the bond."
Heat rose in Ryker's cheeks, but he made himself listen. These men had been through their own claiming rituals. Their advice could mean the difference between success and catastrophe.
"The energy release can be intense," Kieran warned. "My tiger was barely in control during the marking. Have Sonyaguide the magical flow so it doesn't overwhelm the defensive grid."
"What about after?" Ryker asked. "Once the bond is complete?"
"Then you become something new," Luka said quietly. "Not just two individuals who care about each other, but a true mated pair. The connection is permanent, unbreakable. You'll feel what she feels, know when she's in danger, be able to sense her emotions even from a distance."
"It's terrifying and wonderful," Maddox added. "But it's also the strongest magic any of us possess."
They spent the morning drilling formations, practicing rapid deployment, coordinating their different abilities into a cohesive defense. Ryker found himself marveling at how seamlessly they worked together despite their varied backgrounds.
"You know," he said during a break, "a year ago I would never have believed this was possible."
"What, working with a bunch of alpha males without starting a territory war?" Elias asked with dry humor.
"Being part of something bigger than my own fears." Ryker looked around at the gathered men, noting how they'd naturally arranged themselves in a protective circle around him. "Having brothers."
"You always had brothers," Callum said firmly. "You just weren't ready to accept them yet."
"And now you're ready to fight for your family," Emmett said with satisfaction. "That's all any of us can ask for."
As afternoon approached, they finalized their defensive strategy, assigned positions, and coordinated signal systems. But more importantly, Ryker felt something settle in his soul—the peace that came from belonging somewhere, with people who would stand with him no matter what.
"One more day," Lucien said as they prepared to leave.
"One more day," Ryker agreed. "Then we find out if love really can save the world."
"It can," Kieran said with certainty. "I've seen what these bonds can do when we stop fighting them and start embracing them."
As they dispersed to their final preparations, Ryker carried with him not just tactical knowledge, but something far more valuable. The absolute certainty that he wasn't facing tomorrow alone.
He had his pack. He had his community. He had brothers who would die before they let him fall.
And tomorrow, he would finally claim his mate and discover what they could become as one.
The thought no longer terrified him. Instead, it filled him with anticipation.
33
SONYA
The sanctuary felt different in the evening light, peaceful in a way that made Sonya's soul settle as she watched Ryker check on his animals one final time. Tomorrow would bring the claiming ritual, the battle with the Void, and the culmination of everything her visions had been building toward. But tonight was theirs.
"The dryad's grove is looking stronger," she observed, noting how Maple's healing tree pulsed with gentle green light.
"She's been drawing energy from the other couples' bonds," Ryker said, his voice carrying wonder. "Says the love in the air is better than any fertilizer."
"And how do you feel about that? All the love in the air?"
His green eyes were serious in the fading light. "Like maybe I've been fighting the wrong battle all these years."
They walked together toward his cabin, their fingers intertwined with an ease that still amazed her. Three weeks ago, she'd been a lonely seer following cryptic visions across state lines. Now she was about to claim a mate and possibly save two realms in the process.
