11. Brielle

The radio crackled in and out as I drove along the isolated country road toward Mill Creek. My fingers drummed against the steering wheel, trying to match the rhythms of the static-laced song drifting through the speakers.

Anything to keep my mind off my final destination.

Days had passed since the confrontation with my father and his associates. Days filled with awkward silences from Cass and Max, days without any word from Orion. Space, he'd said. Space I'd needed—at first.

But as the days stretched on and the silences grew thick enough to choke on, that space turned sour and worrisome.

He'd risked everything for me. His place in his pack for choosing a human. His life. Hell, I could hardly think of him without remembering the bright flash of his eyes as he fought for my right to keep on breathing.

As he fought my father.

I drew down a shaky breath and frowned as the radio cut out again, leaving me free of distraction.

What was I supposed to say when I saw him again? A simple "thank you" seemed too shallow and silly. "You're the best thing that ever happened to me" felt a little too much like dancing on a grave. I didn't even know if he wanted to hear those things or anything in between. Maybe the space was an unspoken acknowledgement of his complete and total regret.

My chest tightened as nerves and preemptive embarrassment whirled in a dizzying loop. The radio cut back in and I continued my finger drumming, trying desperately to let fate take its course.

I was ready to climb out of my skin by the time I flicked the blinker and turned down the dirt path leading to Orion's cabin.

And there he was.

Orion, shirtless and glistening with sweat, paused mid-swing of an ax to the mangled remains of a roof-threatening branch. Sunlight dappled his broad shoulders, accentuating every ripple of muscle as he straightened to his full height. His green eyes, those same eyes that had burned so unnaturally bright out of his furry, wolfy face, now widened in surprise.

I sat frozen for a moment, my heart hammering against my ribcage. Then, as if moving on autopilot, I opened the car door and stepped out into the yard.

"Brielle." My name fell from his lips like a prayer, a question. "What are you doing here?"

I swallowed hard, my mouth dry. "I needed to see you."

Not a lie. Not anywhere near to a lie. The days without him had dragged on and on, the quiet and concerned glances grating more with every passing second.

Only now, with him in front of me, did the air feel easy again.

"I wasn't sure you'd want to." Orion set the ax down and took a tentative step forward. His brow furrowed, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his features. "I didn't know if you'd want anything to do with me or my kind again."

The words hung heavy in the air between us. I could see the conflict in his eyes, the way his body tensed as if preparing for rejection.

"Orion, I..." I started, my voice catching. I cleared my throat and tried again. "What you did for me, what you risked... I can't even begin to thank you."

He shook his head, a rueful smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "I would do it again in a heartbeat."

The sincerity in his voice, the raw emotion, sent a shiver down my spine. I didn't deserve that selflessness after everything my family had done. Cassidy and Orion and everyone they knew were just a handful of those harmed by my father.

I took a step closer, my eyes never leaving his. "I know. And that's why I'm here. Because despite everything, despite the craziness of this whole situation, I realized something."

Orion's gaze intensified, his body going still. "What's that?"

"I realized that I needed to find the right pack." His words, but I felt them from my head to my toes. I drew in a deep breath, gathering my courage. "I realized I ran with the wrong pack my whole life, and I want to change that. With you. As your mate."

For a moment, Orion didn't move, didn't breathe. Then, in a flash, he closed the distance between us and pulled me into his arms.

His skin was hot against mine, his heartbeat thundering in his chest. I melted into his embrace, burying my face in the crook of his neck and inhaling his scent—pine and musk and something uniquely Orion. Pure comfort rolled over me, soothing the aching tension of the last few days.

I could have lost him. Forever.

My father could have taken everything from me.

"Brielle," he murmured, his voice rough with emotion. "This life, my world, is not easy. What you're saying, there's no going back. Mates don't split."

I eased away just enough to meet his gaze. Hot, possessive need burned in unnaturally green eyes, but there was hesitation, too. A willingness to give me as much space as I needed, even if he wanted the exact opposite.

I loved that lack of pressure and total acceptance. He'd given me the out at every step, never once pushing past my limits. He didn't look at me like the daughter of his enemy; he looked at me as if he needed me to breathe.

I didn't want space.

I wanted him.

I leaned into his hold and smiled. "I know. And I choose you, Orion. I choose your life. I choose you as my mate."

The words were barely out of my mouth before his lips crashed down on mine in a bruising kiss. I melted into him, a thrill coursing through my veins. Orion's hand fisted in my hair, pulling me closer as his tongue slipped past my lips. He tasted like sin and seduction, his touch sending shivers of desire down my spine. I pressed against him, wanting more, needing more.

As the kiss deepened, his body responded, the evidence of his arousal growing against my belly. I moaned against his mouth, a new wave of heat rushing through me. Orion broke the kiss, his breath ragged and his eyes burning with lust.

"I need you, Brielle. Need to claim you, to make you mine." The raw desire in his voice was intoxicating, sending me spiraling deeper into the moment. I nodded, my heart pounding, and his eyes narrowed. "Words. I need your words."

"Yes," I whispered, my voice husky with desire. "I'm yours."

With a low growl, Orion hooked his hands under my ass and hauled me into his arms. His mouth found mine again in a demanding, desperate clash of teeth and tongues. I clung to him, my legs wrapping around his waist, as he carried me up the short steps of the porch.

My back pressed against the door and I met Orion's kiss stroke for stroke. His hands explored my curves with a frenzied urgency. I gasped as his mouth trailed down my neck, leaving a searing trail of kisses in his wake. He growled low in his throat as I squirmed against him, the vibration sending a fresh jolt of pleasure through me.

"Say it again," he demanded, his voice rough with need. "Tell me you're mine."

We weren't going to make it into the house.

"I'm yours," I breathed, arching into his touch.

Another growl rolled through him as he let me down to my feet. His knees crashed to the porch, trembling fingers working open my jeans. I dug my nails into his scalp, encouraging his every movement. The need for him was overwhelming, my entire body alight with desire.

Orion's eyes locked onto mine as he hooked his fingers under the waistband of my jeans and panties and yanked them down around my thighs, burying his face between my legs.

I cried out as his tongue found my center, swirling and sucking with a practiced rhythm. Pleasure rocketed through me, building with each stroke. I moaned, my head falling back against the door as I surrendered to the exquisite sensations.

"So fucking sweet," Orion murmured, his voice muffled against my skin. "I could stay down here all day."

"Please," I whimpered, the word half-begging, half-commanding.

He grinned and the look in his eyes was nothing short of pure hunger. He obliged, diving back in with renewed fervor. His hands roamed up my thighs, tracing a teasing path along my hips before cupping my breasts through the thin material of my bra. He toyed with my nipples, sending sparks of pleasure racing through my body. I arched into his touch, grinding my hips against his mouth.

"That's it, baby. Mark this place as yours," he groaned. "I want to smell this pussy every day before I walk through the door." His lips closed on my clit and sucked. "Want to know what I'm about to feast on."

Orion's fingers plunged into my heat, curling just right to send me flying over the edge. I cried out, my body trembling with release. Orion didn't let up, driving me higher and higher until I was nearly delirious with the intensity of it all.

When I finally came down, Orion rose to his feet, capturing my lips in another bruising kiss. I could taste myself on his tongue, mingling with the salty, masculine flavor that was all him. My hands danced over the rippling muscles of his stomach, reaching down to cup his swollen cock through the denim of his pants.

Orion groaned, bucking against my touch. I fumbled with the zipper, my eagerness to feel his skin against mine growing by the second. I freed him from the confines of his boxers and stroked, earning a low moan of approval. He was hard and ready, throbbing in my palm.

"Brielle," Orion whispered, the word ragged with need. "I want to claim every inch of you."

"Do it." The words spilled from my lips without hesitation, my voice breathless with anticipation. "I want you, Orion. All of you."

A shudder ran through him and he buried his face in my neck, inhaling my scent. "Mine."

"Yours." I reached behind me, fumbling for the doorknob. "So claim me like I belong to you."

Orion's dark chuckle rolled through me as I managed to turn the knob and stumble backwards into the house. I kicked off my shoes, letting my jeans drop to the floor. Orion's hands were on me in an instant, helping me peel off the rest of my clothes before scooping me back into his arms.

My lips found his, hungry and impatient. We stumbled through the small cabin, our bodies crashing together as we made our way to the bedroom. I shoved at his jeans, he toed off his shoes. The second I hit the bed, he was on top of me, his body pinning mine as his mouth ravaged my skin.

His lips trailed down my neck, his teeth grazing my collarbone in a hint of the bite to come. He palmed one breast, squeezing and massaging just the right side of rough. I gasped, arching into him as his tongue traced lazy circles around my nipple. Heat pooled between my thighs, the need for him building with every passing second.

I could feel the beast within him, just below the surface. Ready to take control, to claim me. It was primal and dangerous, but I couldn't get enough. I wanted more, more of his wildness, more of him.

Orion kissed me again, a claiming kiss, full of promise and possession. Then, with one smooth movement, he thrust inside me.

I gasped as he stretched and filled me, my body adjusting to the delicious sensation. He held still for a moment, giving me time to adjust, then began to move. Slow, measured strokes at first, then faster as I urged him on with my body and my moans.

Pleasure roared through me like a wildfire, consuming everything in its path. Our bodies moved in perfect synchronicity, each thrust hitting just the right spot to send me hurtling towards another earth-shattering orgasm.

Orion's fingers dug into my hips, his pace quickening as his own pleasure built. His thrusts became more urgent, more erratic, and I knew he was close. I wrapped my legs around his waist, meeting him stroke for stroke as my second climax washed over me. I cried out, my body writhing beneath his as pleasure coursed through every fiber of my being.

He pulled out with a groan, then urged me over. His hands grabbed my hips and lifted me onto hands and knees. My breath caught as the head of his cock teased my entrance before sliding in with ease. I pushed back against him, wanting to feel every inch of him inside me.

He sank into me, his fingers digging into my skin as he held me in place. Then, with a low growl, he began to move. Each thrust was harder, deeper than the last, sending shockwaves of ecstasy through me. I could feel the primal urge taking over, his animalistic side rising to the surface.

His hand landed hard on my ass, the sudden sting mixing with the pleasure in a heady cocktail of bliss.

"Who do you belong to?" Orion asked, his voice a low rumble.

I answered with a throaty moan.

He gave me another spank, this one even harder.

"Who do you belong to, Brielle?"

I knew he wouldn't continue unless I answered, but I felt drunk on the pleasure rolling through me. The answer was on my lips, the words falling out of my mouth like a chant.

"I'm yours, Orion. All yours."

That was it. The tipping point.

Orion's thrusts became harder, faster, more desperate. I gripped the sheets, holding on for dear life as he pounded into me from behind. Smacks echoed in the room with a harsh sound as he spanked my ass again and again.

"Come on my cock, my beautiful mate," he growled against my shoulder. Against the spot where he'd mark me as his. Another smack to my ass and I was on the razor's edge. "Fucking come for your mate."

And I was gone. A cry of sheer, unfiltered, toe-curling bliss flew from my lungs as I came apart around him. His rhythm faltered as his own orgasm hit, his hips jerking forward as he buried himself deep within me. Warmth ghosted over my skin a second before pain flashed through my shoulder. I threw back my head, my eyes squeezing closed as pleasure shuttered out everything else in the world.

For a moment, Orion was still, his breath warm and damp on my skin as he held me close. And then, as the haze of my orgasm faded, his fangs released. My chest heaved as I struggled to catch my breath. I could feel Orion's heart pounding against my back, matching the frantic rhythm of my own.

I was marked. Bitten and claimed.

And I had never been happier.

A soft kiss brushed the sensitive spot where he'd bitten and he slid out of me. I collapsed to the sheets, exhaustion rolling over me in a heavy wave. Orion's hands moved in gentle motions as he helped me settle down onto my back. He hovered above me, his eyes full of awe and adoration as he studied my face.

I reached up to trace his jaw, his stubble tickling my fingertips. There was a flush on his cheeks, a satisfied smirk on his face. I couldn't help but return the grin, a warm glow spreading through my chest.

I'd lost so much, and gained even more.

There was still so much to be settled, but in that moment, none of it mattered.

Because I was his, and he was mine, and I knew the pack we formed would be strong.

An unexpected gift of love in the face of death.

"I love you, Brielle." His words were soft and reverent, but they shook me to the core. I sucked in a sharp breath, my heart leaping into my throat.

"I love you, too," I said, my voice barely a whisper.

I blinked back the tears that pricked at the corners of my eyes. Orion leaned in, brushing his lips against mine in a kiss that started tender and sweet and quickly turned heated and hungry.