Epilogue
Two months later…
Racing through the forest outside the pack house, my wolf’s claws dig into the earth beneath us and he howls, gaining speed, eager to get back to our mate. Though, so am I. I wouldn’t even be out here now, but he asked for a run before tonight.
It’s been eight weeks since Jules found me on that mountain. Every day has been better than the previous one up until this last week. With every passing hour, I’ve grown more and more impatient, and it took me until yesterday to figure out why.
I need to claim my mate.
We need to claim our mate, my wolf amends.
That we do, but because of how pent-up we’ve felt, my wolf suggested a run before we go home to Jules. An idea I agreed to because I don’t want to risk being too animalistic and hurting her.
She’s been patient and kind and supportive, almost to a fault. Yet, she’s exactly perfect and, more importantly, all mine.
And tonight, we get to make that official.
With one last howl toward the full moon, a thank you of sorts to our Moon Goddess, my wolf comes to a stop outside the home we share with Jules. I push forward, shifting back to two feet and heading straight for the door.
I can hear her inside. She’s humming a soft melody, something I’ve noticed she does when she’s happiest. At least I know we’re both eager for this evening.
Not that I had any doubts. We’ve talked about sex and completing our bond many times, and even though there were some days that I couldn’t remember why it was a good idea to wait, I’m glad we did.
Not only have I gotten to know Jules better, but I have gotten to know myself. I thought I knew who I was before, that being a protector was in my blood, but I know differently now. I’ve officially quit my job since coming back and found that helping keep our pack—and my family—safe is all that matters to me.
I’m still me, just more singularly focused, and while that took some getting used to, I realized that by admitting that, it doesn’t mean I’m selfish. It just means I know what I want.
And tonight, that’s Jules.
After entering the house, I close and lock the door behind me. Halfway down the hallway, I tug my shirt over my head with one hand and open the bedroom door with the other, dropping the clothing onto the carpet.
Jules is standing in front of our bed, candles flickering inside the otherwise dark room, and she pats the mattress with a smirk. “You look tired, Mate. Why don’t you get into bed?”
She wears nothing other than a silk black negligée. Her hair falls in soft waves around her shoulders, and her creamy skin glows from the moonlight peeking in through a crack between the curtains.
I almost pinch myself, because I can’t believe this stunning creature is all mine.
A growl from deep within my chest echoes through the bedroom. “Tired is the wrong word for what I am.”
I close the distance between us in two long strides and pick her up, tossing her onto the bed. She squeals and giggles as she bounces on the mattress, but I kiss the sounds right off her lips.
She pulls in a sharp breath, and my teeth scrape across her sensitive skin right before she looks up at me with a loving gaze. “I missed you and you were only gone for an hour.”
“Soon, you won’t have to miss me at all,” I promise, placing my finger next to her temple then covering her heart with my palm. “With the bond, you’ll always have a part of me.”
Her head tilts to the side, exposing her neck. Her veins pulse, and my mouth salivates as my canines elongate.
Eagerness and desire overtake me, like I didn’t just spend an hour running every bit of energy out of me as I could.
I kick off my boots and lift up until I can get my pants off. Soon, the only things separating us are my boxers and her lingerie.
It doesn’t matter that neither of us have ever had sex before, all that’s important is that she’s mine and I am hers. Now and always.
She reaches for me, her eyes bright with need and her heart racing in time with mine. The way she smiles up at me as she pushes away the fabric separating us makes me feel as if I don’t deserve her. Yet, there’s no letting this woman out of my life.
I have waited so long for her, and as I position myself between her legs, I know nothing will ever be more perfect than my mate.
Our mate, my wolf reminds me as I slide into her, inch by inch.
Jules holds on to my arms, her head tilting back, exposing her neck even more. I try to pay more attention to what I’m doing so that I don’t hurt her, but the need to claim our mate in all forms is just too strong.
“Now, River,” she pants and that’s all the permission I need.
With razor sharp teeth, I lean forward and drag them over her creamy skin. My tongue traces over the red lines I’ve left behind, and then I bite.
As my canines puncture her neck, Jules’ hands tangle with my still-longer hair, and she lifts up from the pillow. I start to pull back, thinking something is wrong, but in the next second, she’s marking me in return.
Stars appear in my eyes as the bond flares to life, stealing all the air from my lungs and filling my body with an energy unlike I’ve ever known. Jules’ presence lights up my entire being as I rock back and forth over her, then pull back from marking her.
Two small holes from my canines are left behind, but they’re healing rapidly. Though, the pinprick scars will always be a reminder of this night and something I cherish until my dying breath.
Jules runs her tongue over my new marks and moans. Holy shit, this is incredible.
Her words echo through my mind, making my grin widen almost painfully.
You’re incredible.
Her gasp gets lost as I kiss her again, moving over her, and feeling not only every inch of her body beneath mine, but every emotion. I thought I understood how much Jules loves me before because I knew how much I love her. Now, I realize I had no clue.
A tether grows between us, wrapping around my heart and connecting me to hers, but not only that, her mind, which is the best part about my mate.
She’s kind and patient and loving and everything I’ve needed and more.
I brush long strands of hair from her face and nearly lose myself as I look into her powerful stare. “I’m going to spend the rest of my life loving you and making sure there’s never a day that passes that you don’t know how much I cherish you and how incredible you are.”
Her smile pierces through my heart, making my body tremble as she replies, “I thought I knew how much I loved you before, but this bond? This is almost too much joy to handle.”
Almost, but also just enough, and I never intend to take this moment, this woman, or these emotions for granted.
I’ve found my happily-ever-after and I’m never letting her go.