I bounced on the bed when he tossed me down onto the plush duvet. Gabriel never liked wearing a shirt, so I wasn't surprised when he quite literally ripped it off his body. The sight of his muscles flexing as he rid himself of the useless fabric made my mouth go dry, my thighs pressed together. It had been far too long since I had this man under me, behind me, on top of me….dominating me. I sat up, hurrying to my knees at the edge of the bed, impatient for him to join me. The need to feel his lips against mine was that of a starving woman. He bent down, capturing my mouth, holding the back of my neck to keep me close. When he tilted my head, my hair fell back behind my shoulder, and I paused. My injuries had mostly healed, but there was still some grey and yellow discoloration where my bruises once were. Most of my scabs had come off in the shower, but the fresh pink marks of the healing flesh were hard to look at. Gabriel seemed to notice how I tensed and lost rhythm in our kiss. H

I wore my mark with pride. My hair was pulled up in my usual bun, and the tank top I had slipped on displayed the new addition to my skin beautifully.There were still some yellow and grey bruising along my body, but I didn't feel the need to hide them anymore. I wanted everyone to see that my mate had marked me, and boy, did they ever. Gabriel laughed loudly when I offered to get us breakfast from the dining hall instead of the two of us cooking anything.My hair was up off of my neck, and I was bouncing out the door before he could even collect himself and agree. Every wolf that passed me sent me a knowing smirk or a head nod as a greeting after they eyed Gabriel's claim. With me walking around, covered in his smell and his mark, I was openly claiming him too… or as much as I could for being human.That was all going to change soon.I spotted Athena waiting at the end of the line. The tall warrior woman paused in what she was saying. As I approac

I woke up feeling sore and stiff. It was as if I had regressed and was sent back several days of healing. My entire body felt bruised. There was an air of dread in the room. It was soul-crushing. I rolled over, pulling the blanket up to my chin, only to bump into a warm, hard body. Gabriel was laying on his back, staring at the ceiling wide awake. I could see the conflict in his eyes. My hand freed itself before gently rubbing his shoulder. He didn't turn to face me, but I could feel him relax a small amount. There were several minutes of silence where I had to wonder if he regretted saving me or even meeting me in the first place. Since I had come along, everything had changed for him and not all for the better. "I'm so used to waking up early and never getting a break from all the work I do every day. I don't know what to do with myself now. I've just been laying here for hours." He explained softly as if he didn't want to disturb the calm environme

My anger was washed away when Gabriel let out a sigh and rubbed the back of his neck. My pain did not.Another wave of agony shot through my body, and Gabriel maintained eye contact with me as he tried to help calm me. His hands sent warmth with every touch, my muscled melting beneath him. This time, it took longer for the pain to reduce to a tolerable level. I imagined this must be what it felt like to give birth, only it was my whole body contracting.When I was able to pull in my next breath, he bent forward and pressed a kiss to the top of my sweaty and matted head. "I came as soon as I could, I promise. Alpha Blake is not a very agreeable or fair man, and he did not understand why I needed to be here with you. When I went to end the call, he took it as a sign of disrespect. Jack is back at the office trying to calm him down. I promised you I would be here, and I wasn't going to let you down. I'll deal with that prick later."My chest caved in from the sudde

I had a newfound level of energy when we returned home that night. I had expected to be tired after our run, but it seemed to wipe the soreness away and rejuvenate me. Though it was late, and I was sure Gabriel had to get up early in the morning, as soon as we walked through the front door Gabriel spun me around and pushed me against the hard surface. "You did so well, my mate." He whispered as he ran his nose along my jaw. "I loved seeing you running next to me." My lips parted as he slid his across my neck, finding their way to my mark. The feeling of his warm tongue sliding against the scared skin had me at a loss for words. A thud was heard in the quiet of the room as my head dropped back against the wood of the door. "You've always been so good about submitting to me." The rasp in his voice had my panties dampening instantly. I would submit to this man anytime. His fingers tightened around my hips, the tips digging into the softness I had there. My shoulder blades pressed into