Chapter 23
Rob
By the time we make it back to my house, I’m hanging on by a thread.
Not from restraint.
From need.
From the sheer, overwhelming pull of her.
Hadley.
My mate.
My Tiger is alive under my skin, pacing, prowling, practically vibrating with anticipation.
Now, he demands.
Take her. Keep her. Claim her.
I don’t argue.
I can’t.
Because the second we cross the threshold—it is on.
Whatever distance we tried to keep? Gone.
I have her against me in seconds, my hands on her, pulling her close like I need to feel every inch of her to breathe.
We don’t make it to the bedroom.
Not even close.
Clothes become obstacles.
Barriers.
Things to get rid of.
Fast.
Because I’m starving for her.
Feral with it.
And the best part?
She meets me there.
My sexy little she-Bear is every bit as hungry for me.
Her eyes glow—that deep, velvet shimmer of her Bear watching, awake, aware.
Answering my Tiger.
Matching him.
Choosing him.
Choosing me.
And fuck me, I think she is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.
“Rob,” she breathes, her voice soft but urgent, her hands gripping me like she’s afraid I’ll disappear. “I need you.”
Those words—they hit something deep.
Something raw.
I slow.
Just enough.
Because this?
This isn’t just about need.
This is about us.
I cup her face, forcing her to look at me.
Really look.
“Listen to me, Cookie,” I murmur, my voice rough but steady.
Her breathing stutters.
But she nods.
That’s my good girl.
“My Tiger knew the second I caught your scent,” I tell her. “Before I even saw you. Before I knew your name.”
I brush my thumb along her cheek.
Soft.
Reverent.
“I walked into that shop like I was being pulled in by an invisible line, and there you were—standing there like you’d always been part of my world.”
Her lips part.
Her eyes search mine.
“And I tried to ignore it,” I admit, a low huff of a laugh escaping me. “Told myself I wasn’t built for this. That I don’t get to have something like you.”
My hand slides down, over her shoulder, anchoring her to me.
“But I was wrong.”
The words feel heavy.
True.
Final.
“You’re not something I found, Hadley,” I say, quieter now. “You’re something I was missing. I fucked up today, and I’m gonna have to work to get my place back with the Pride, but I’ll do it. For you. For us. Because this is where I belong.”
Her breath catches.
“I feel it here,” I press a hand to my chest. “Like something in me finally settled the second you walked into my life.”
My forehead drops to hers.
My voice lowers.
Raw.
“You complete me in a way I didn’t think was real, Hadley Smith. I love you. You’re my everything.”
Her hands come up, framing my face now.
Mirroring me.
“Rob,” she whispers, whines a little.
“I love you,” I say it again, because there’s no point holding it back anymore. “Not just tonight. Not just because of this. I love all of you. Every part. Forever.”
My Tiger hums, satisfied.
Mate.
“And I need you,” I add, my voice roughening. “Not like a want. Not like something I want like pretzels or a beer. I yearn for you, Cookie.”
I lift my head, meeting her gaze fully.
“This? This is it for me,” I say. “You’re it for me.”
Tears shine in her eyes, but she’s smiling.
God, she’s beautiful.
“I choose you,” I tell her. “Every part of you. Every day. For as long as I’ve got.”
Silence hangs between us for a heartbeat.
Two.
Then she leans into me.
And that’s it.
That’s all I need.
I pull her close again, slower this time, more deliberate.
Not frantic.
Not rushed.
Because this?
This matters.
Every touch becomes something more.
Every kiss deeper.
Not just heat.
Not just want.
A connection.
Our matebond.
Like something ancient and powerful rising between us as our beasts settle into each other.
Recognizing.
Accepting.
Claiming.
And when I finally whisper against her lips, “Mine.”
It’s not possession.
It’s promise.
And the way she answers me?
Soft.
Certain.
“Yours.”
Yeah.
That’s it.
That’s everything.