The claiming doesn't happen the way I expected.There's no ritual, no ceremony, just Adrian and me in the emergency bunker safe room, and the bond between us burning so bright I can barely breathe."Tell me if you want to stop," Adrian says. His voice is raw, his eyes are completely gold. The wolf is so close to the surface that his skin flickers between human and something else. "Tell me if this is too much and I'll wait.""I don't want to wait," I say.The mark on his neck pulses. Gold light spreading across his skin like veins of electricity. When he touches my face, I feel it too. The claiming started, my skin responding to his touch with marks of my own.We move together, not graceful but desperate, his hands are shaking, mine are shaking too."I can feel your fear," Adrian says, pulling back slightly. "Through the bond. Bella, if you're not ready…""I'm not afraid of you," I say. "I'm terrified of what happens after this. Once we're bonded, I can't go back.""No," Adrian agrees.
Last Updated : 2026-04-06 Read more