Chapter 39
Chapter
Thirty-Nine
Max’s heart pounded in his chest as he led Laney into the bedroom at the back of the cabin. The bedroom was simply furnished with a queen-sized bed covered in a handmade quilt. He turned to face her, taking in her uncertain smile, the trust in her eyes that humbled him. This was Laney—his mate, his partner, the woman who had captured his heart from the first moment she'd stumbled into his brewery. Now she stood before him, ready to fully accept their bond.
“Are you sure about this?” Max asked, his voice low and gentle.
Laney nodded, stepping closer to him. “I've never been more certain of anything.”
Max cupped her face in his hands, leaning down to press his lips to hers. The kiss began softly as Laney wound her arms around his neck. He could feel her heartbeat quicken, could smell the subtle changes in her scent that signaled her growing desire.
With reverent hands, he reached for the hem of her sweater, slowly drawing it upward. Laney raised her arms, allowing him to pull it over her head. In the soft lamplight, her skin glowed like honey. Max traced his fingers along her collarbone, marveling at her beauty.
“You're so perfect,” he murmured, unhooking her bra and letting it fall away.
Laney blushed but didn't try to cover herself. “I've never felt perfect before.”
“Then I'll spend every day showing you that you are,” Max promised, lowering his head to kiss the curve of her neck, the swell of her breast.
He continued undressing her with patient care, removing her jeans and underwear until she was naked before him. Max dropped to his knees, pressing his lips to her stomach, her hipbones, the tops of her thighs. Her skin was warm and soft beneath his touch, her breathing quickening with each caress.
“Max,” she whispered, fingers threading through his hair.
He looked up at her, seeing the desire darkening her eyes. “Let me worship you, Laney. Let me show you how precious you are.”
Max guided her to the bed, laying her down gently against the pillows. He quickly shed his own clothes, never taking his eyes off her. The bear within him rumbled with need. He joined her on the bed, covering her body with his own.
Their skin touched from chest to toe, the contact sending electricity through him. Max kissed her deeply, his hands exploring the curves and planes of her body. Laney responded eagerly, her own hands tracing patterns across his back and shoulders.
Gradually, Max worked his way down her body, trailing kisses along her neck, across her collarbones, between her breasts. Max’s hands gripped Laney’s hips like he was claiming territory. His claws threatened to break the surface, the primal urge to mark her as his own simmering just beneath his skin.
Her thighs were spread wide, the scent of her arousal—sweet and musky, like a feast for his bear—hit him hard, making his cock throb. He knelt between her legs, ready to worship her with his tongue until she screamed his name.
He leaned in, his breath hot against her slick folds, and inhaled deeply, savoring the intoxicating mix of her natural musk and the tang of her wetness. His bear growled low in his chest, a possessive rumble that vibrated through the room. Mine , it snarled. Laney was his, and he was going to claim her tonight.
He dragged his tongue slowly up her slit, taking his time, relishing the way she shuddered and gasped above him. Her pussy was wet and ready for him, and he groaned as her taste flooded his mouth. He flicked his tongue over her clit, teasing the swollen nub with just enough pressure to make her hips jerk and a desperate whimper escape her lips.
“Max,” she moaned, her voice shaky and broken. It sent a jolt of raw need straight to his cock. He loved the way she said his name, like he was the only thing that could save her from the edge she was teetering on.
He didn’t let up, working her clit with a relentless rhythm, his tongue swirling and pressing, driving her higher and higher. Her hands fisted in the sheets, her body writhing under his touch, and he could feel her getting closer, her thighs trembling as she tried to grind against his face. He gripped her hips tighter, holding her in place as she took every stroke of his tongue.
When he slipped a finger inside her, she cried out, her cunt clenching around him like a vice. He crooked his finger, finding her G-spot. He stroked her while his mouth stayed locked on her clit. The sounds she made—gasps, moans, little broken cries—were like music to his ears.
“Please,” she begged.
He growled against her pussy, the vibration making her legs shake. He added a second finger, stretching her tight walls, and she screamed, her back arching off the bed as her orgasm hit her like a tidal wave. Her pussy pulsed around his fingers, her juices dripping down his hand as she came so hard she could barely breathe.
Max didn’t stop. He kept licking, sucking, fucking her with his fingers until she was writhing and sobbing, her hands pulling at his hair. His bear was so close to the surface, so hungry for her. He needed to see her come again, needed to feel her body surrender to him completely.
“Max!” she cried out, her voice raw and desperate, and he finally eased up, pulling his mouth away just enough to look up at her. Her face was flushed, her chest heaving, and she looked so beautiful it made his chest ache.
“You’re mine,” he growled, his voice low and dark. He wasn’t holding back anymore.
“Yours.”
Max’s cock throbbed. He pressed kisses to her inner thighs, her stomach, making his way back up to capture her lips once more. He reached for the bedside table drawer, retrieving a condom. His hands were steady as he rolled it on, despite the almost overwhelming need coursing through him. His bear pushed against his control, eager to claim his mate, but Max held firm. This moment needed to be perfect for Laney.
“Are you ready?” he asked, positioning himself between her legs.
Laney looked up at him, her eyes bright with emotion. “Yes,” she whispered. “Claim me, Max.”
Max’s cock twitched like a beast ready to devour her as he lined himself up. Her pussy was soaked, the slick heat of her arousal glistening in the dim light, and the sight alone made his balls tighten. He gripped the base of his dick, his hand trembling as he pressed the swollen tip against her entrance. Her body trembled with anticipation, her breath hitching as he pushed himself deeper, inch by agonizing inch.
“Laney,” Max growled, his voice thick with need. He was barely inside her, and already she was gripping him like a vice, her walls fluttering around him. Her channel was a furnace, scorching hot and impossibly wet. He watched her face, eyes dark with lust, her lips parted as she let out a shaky moan. She was so beautiful.
He pushed deeper, his cock stretching her open, and Laney’s breath hitched again, her nails digging into his shoulders as she arched against him. “Yes, Max,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “I want you so bad.”
Her words sent a jolt of heat straight to his dick, and he snapped his hips forward, burying himself to the hilt in one brutal stroke. Laney cried out, and her pussy clenched around him. Max let out a guttural groan.
His hips moved in slow, deliberate strokes, each one dragging his cock over that sweet spot inside her. Laney’s head fell back, her throat exposed. Max couldn’t resist leaning down to capture a nipple in his mouth. Her hands tangled in his hair, pulling him closer, and her hips bucked against his.
“More,” she begged.
Max obeyed, his thrusts growing faster, more savage, until the sound of their bodies slapping together filled the room. Laney’s pussy was drenched. He could feel her orgasm building. Then she came, and her scream echoed off the walls. Her pussy spasmed. The feeling of her coming undone around him was too much.
His bear roared inside him. Her neck was exposed, her pulse fluttering beneath her skin. He leaned down, his lips brushing against her throat. Max buried himself deep inside her, his cock pulsing as he emptied himself into her tight, quivering pussy. Max sank his teeth into the soft flesh of her neck, and Laney gripped his shoulder with her less sharp teeth. All at once, he released the claiming and changing venom into her body.
The world around them disappeared. Max found himself floating in what seemed like cosmic space, surrounded by stars and nebulae of incredible beauty. He was in his bear form. Across from him was a delicate red fox with intelligent eyes and a bushy tail, its fur the exact shade of Laney's hair.
Max felt everything that was Laney flowing into him—her brilliance, her determination, her hopes and dreams. He knew his own essence was pouring into her, sharing his strength, his loyalty, his fierce protectiveness. Their souls intertwined, forming a connection that transcended time and space.
He could sense her thoughts, feel her emotions as clearly as his own. Her love for him surrounded him like a warm embrace, pure and unguarded. The bliss of their union pulsed between them, a living thing that bound them together for eternity.
Max had heard stories of the mating bond, but nothing had prepared him for this cosmic communion, this perfect understanding of another being. In this moment, there was no separation between them, no barriers, no secrets. They were one in the truest sense.
Then, as suddenly as it had begun, the vision faded. Max found himself back in the bedroom, his fangs retracting from Laney's neck as he carefully licked the small wounds closed. Their bodies were still joined, slick with sweat, both trembling from the intensity of what they'd just experienced.
Max gently rolled to the side, bringing Laney with him. In the dim light filtering in from the fireplace in the living room, he could see tears glistening in her eyes, but her expression was one of wonder, not pain.
Laney's fingers traced his jawline, her touch reverent. “I can feel my fox, Max. She's so close, so strong now. I've never felt her like this before.”
Max pressed his forehead against hers, their breath mingling in the small space between them. “The changing bite worked.”
“I know it did,” Laney said, a smile spreading across her face. “Tonight is the night, Max. I can feel it. Tonight, I'll finally shift.”