ANMELDENHis vision blacks out, and sound recedes. He’s suspended in nothing. Then, when he comes to, she’s still soft underneath him, and clearly in the middle of a little speech. “. . . did it to you, so it would be only, you know, fair. And you said, a few weeks ago, that you wanted to bite me, too . . .” The cheeks— now that he’s regained his eyesight, he can tell that they’re even pinker. He thinks that he might come again just from looking at them. And then the true meaning of her words sinks in. “You asked me to bite you,” he rasps out. She nods quickly. “The mating bite.” More nodding. “Mine.” Nod. “On you.” “You never really brought it up again. I was wondering if it was something I did, or— ” A “I was fucking— ” A deep, growly, unspeakable sound rises from deep in his chest. Zane had not known he was capable of that. “I was giving you space.” She frowns. “What?” “I was being a patient, considerate, respectful, non-intrusive, accommodating mate. I was try
But it feels like torture when he returns to her after three days (and three hours and twenty minutes) away. Anna’s with Twinkles, waiting for Zane on the cabin’s porch, but sprints toward him before he even slows down the car. He’s terrified he’ll run her over, so he parks right in the middle of the driveway, gets out of the vehicle, and lets her softening body slam against his when she throws herself into his arms.She stretches up for a kiss, two, a million, but she’s too little and maybe too eager and clearly hasn’t planned this out, so he has to pick her up and slide his hands down to squeeze her thighs as she wraps her legs around him.“Can you,” she says between kisses, “never”— kiss— “leave again?” Kiss. “Like, ever?” Kiss.The only response he can manage is a groan. He breathes her in, nose buried into the gland at the base of her neck. Yeah, of course he’ll never leave again. He’ll do her one better: they’ll stay in his cabin forever. Brick up all entrances. Sounds like a pr
“She might not know that it’s a thing,” Saul says after Zane almost snaps his spine in two during play-fight.“She does know,” Zane mumbles.“How can you be so— ”“I told her.”“Did you tell her what a mating bite is?” Amanda asks, as obnoxiously shrewd as always. “Or did you tell her that you specifically want to bite her to finally seal the mating ritual, and that restraining yourself is driving you banana pants?”Zane glares. “She was fucking Human until three hours ago. The decent thing to do is let her get used to being a Were before I mangle her with my meat-mincing jaws and leave a scar, for my own personal pleasure.”“The former, huh?” Amanda smirks knowingly. “Did you explain to her the immense peace of mind the bite would give you?”“How would that not be pressuring her?”“The thing is,” Saul points out, “I understand wanting to give her space, but until you bite her you’ll be sullen and ill-tempered and crusty. I bet Anna’s not enjoying it very much, either.”“Oh, come on,
As feats go, this one is so Herculean, so strenuous, so immensely exacting, Zane is certain that it’ll make up for every single shitty thing he’s done during his wretched, questionable life. He is able to control his instincts and deny himself the one thing he wants with an all-consuming, ferocious, overwhelming passion. That, if nothing else, will guarantee him a place in his particular brand of Were heaven.Which, he’s come to realize, requires only one single thing: Anna.“ARE YOU BORED YET?” SHE ASKS HIM A MONTH OR SO AFTER MOVING in for good.It’s an absurd question. And yet, in a rational, detached sort of way, Zane understands what she’s getting at.They had a rocky start. The near murders and the kidnappings and that other bullshit. The medical scares. The fact that he had to push her away over and over, even as keeping his distance tore him apart.Bottom line, their first few months were very eventful. Compared to all that, the last few weeks have been strikingly low stakes.
I swallow past the lump in my throat. It’s fine. Better than fine, it’s exactly what I wanted. Zane, staying with the Northwest. The right thing to do.“Good,” I echo. I need to change the topic, before I beg him to do something he shouldn’t. “Were the huddle leaders fuckwaffles about . . . stuff?”“No more than usual. They said that I’m emotionally compromised over you. Which is true.” His thumb traces my lower lip. “Has been true for a while, really.”“Maybe. So you have— so you have feelings. Big deal.” I might be indignant on his behalf, which is ridiculous. Zane doesn’t need me to protect him or advocate for him, and yet here I am. “It changes nothing. Every single decision you have ever made has taken into consideration the good of the pack.”“Yeah. They would agree with that.”“Good. Because it’s bullshit. You can— you can be in love with someone and still be a fantastic Alpha. The thing is, I love you, and mate or not, I wouldn’t love you half as much if you weren’t the kind o
I swallow past the lump in my throat. It’s fine. Better than fine, it’s exactly what I wanted. Zane, staying with the Northwest. The right thing to do.“Good,” I echo. I need to change the topic, before I beg him to do something he shouldn’t. “Were the huddle leaders fuckwaffles about . . . stuff?”“No more than usual. They said that I’m emotionally compromised over you. Which is true.” His thumb traces my lower lip. “Has been true for a while, really.”“Maybe. So you have— so you have feelings. Big deal.” I might be indignant on his behalf, which is ridiculous. Zane doesn’t need me to protect him or advocate for him, and yet here I am. “It changes nothing. Every single decision you have ever made has taken into consideration the good of the pack.”“Yeah. They would agree with that.”“Good. Because it’s bullshit. You can— you can be in love with someone and still be a fantastic Alpha. The thing is, I love you, and mate or not, I wouldn’t love you half as much if you weren’t the kind o
Some nights, when he’s walking past her door, he has to whisper to himself: “Keep going.”Two things can be true at once.For instance: I like Alex, because he’s an intelligent, pleasant young man.And: spending time together and watching him be terrified of me sparks joy.Just for fun, I’m tempted
“She never mentioned the Weres to me, not even in passing. But she didn’t love her colleagues in the financial division. Maybe she was angling for a better job and exploring nonfinancial stories. Though she would have told me.”Would she? She was clearly hiding stuff from you, a nagging voice offer
The following day I sleep until late afternoon. I’m tired enough that I could go longer, but there’s something going on outside, on the usually calm lakeshore. It involves screaming laughter and charred smells, and I drag myself to the window to check it out, making sure to avoid the direct light s
She shrugs. I shrug, too, and go back to my bed.It's not like I’m gonna tattle her out. “Which one is it?” she asks.“What?”“A spider monkey. Is it a spider that looks like a monkey, or a monkey that looks like a spider?”“Hmm, not sure. Let me google and—” I pull my computer onto my lap, then re







