26. Rhys

Ihad been slipping away into sweet oblivion. The allure of losing myself in my bear”s form was almost too tempting to resist. But even as a bear, I couldn’t ignore the call of my mate. I could feel the pull of his presence like a magnetic force. There was still enough of him in there to understand what Jaxson was telling him.

Hearing Jaxson’s words, a spark of recognition and excitement flared within me. I began charging towards Jaxson, eager to close the distance between us. As I bounded towards him, my body started to shift back into human form. By the time I reached Jaxson, I was fully human again, my momentum pushing Jaxson over.

We landed on the forest floor, with me on top of me, naked and breathless. His face was inches from mine, and I couldn’t stop myself. I started kissing him all over—his cheeks, his forehead, his lips. Each kiss was an acceptance of his apology, a reassurance he was here. He was real.

“I love you too,” I whispered between kisses, my voice choked with emotion. “I thought I’d lost you.”

“I’m here,” he said. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Well, I was only human.

We lay there on the forest floor, holding each other tightly. It was like we were both trying to remind ourselves it was real. We were back together. I revelled in the feel of Jaxson. His kisses and his whispered words of love were everything I needed to know that we could get through this.

I pulled back slightly, looking into Jaxson’s eyes. “I was so scared,” I admitted, my voice trembling. “I thought I’d lost you and Emilia.”

Jaxson brushed a tear from my cheek, his touch gentle and reassuring. “We’ll figure it out together,” he promised, his voice steady. “I don’t care, I love you, and I’m here for you. Always.”

I nodded, a small smile breaking through my tears. “Together,” I repeated, feeling a newfound strength in my voice.

As we slowly got to our feet, my brothers emerged from the trees, my brother’s expressions a mix of relief and concern. I’d known they were close by. I could sense them. And I wasn’t surprised they were ready to intervene if needed, but I was grateful they’d hung back, giving us space.

Hunter stepped forward, his eyes filled with understanding. “You okay?” he asked, his voice soft.

I nodded, squeezing Jaxson’s hand. “Yeah. We’re okay.”

Jaxson looked around at each of my brothers. “Thank you,” he said to them, his voice sincere, “for helping me find him.”

Gabe smiled, a hint of pride in his eyes. “That’s what family’s for.”

As we made our way back to the ranch, I felt a renewed sense of hope. I knew we still had to talk, and I probably had more to explain. But he was here, he knew my secret, and he said he loved me. And most of all, he trusted me. I’d seen it when he’d put the gun down even as I charged towards him in full shift.

Jaxson and I had found our way back to each other, and it gave me hope that we would figure the rest out. I knew from my parents and brothers that being mated didn’t magically fix everything. But we would figure it out. Just like my brothers and their mates did.

We headed back to the estate, which I really hadn’t strayed too far from, but it still took almost twenty minutes walking back.

I headed for my patio, since the only thing covering me was Jaxson’s coat he’d given me.

“I’ll go get a Emilia and meet you,” Jaxson said.

I wasn’t ready to be apart from him yet. “I’ll come with you.”

“How about Kian and I keep her overnight while you two—” his voice trailed off.

My cheeks heated, and I glanced at my mate to see what he thought of the suggestion. Our eyes met and held and then he looked over at Gabe. “Thank you, we’d appreciate it.”

Not thirty minutes later, I had Jaxson pinned to the shower wall. I’d drug him into the bathroom, stripped him naked, and pushed us both under the hot stream of water. I’d kissed him like there was no tomorrow as we soaped each other up, washing away the past.

Dropping to my knees, I swallowed him to the root, sucking until he made familiar grunting and moaning noises that only pushed me on, desperate for his release.

“B-bay,” he moaned. His hands were in my hair, directing me exactly how he wanted me.

I groaned in return as I slipped a seeking finger around to his hole. Jaxson bucked his hips and thrust harder into my mouth, making my eyes roll back into my head.

Jaxson tugged my head back, and I looked up to meet his eyes. “Baby, I’m gonna cum and this is going to be over. You gotta stop that wicked mouth of yours and get up here.”

I grinned as he extended his hand to pull me up. “You didn’t have to ask me twice.”

Leaning into him, chest to chest, my mate took my face in his hands, and brought his mouth to mine. His kiss was desperate, but loving. He needed me, and I felt all his love in that single moment standing in my shower.

The longer we kissed, the more worked up I got. I needed him all over me. Inside me. And I was sure all I had to do was tell him.

“Love, I need you to fill me.”

Jaxson kissed down my jaw to my neck, leaving me hard as one of the trees in the forest I loved. Reaching under my thighs, he lifted me effortlessly and turned us so my back was against the wall.

“I want you right here,” he growled, his lips seeking more of my neck. And I wanted that too.

“Jaxson,” I moaned, “I need you inside me now. I need you to mark me as yours. I need you to fill me up and never let me go.”

Water streamed over us as he looked into my eyes. “I’ll never leave you again.”

Holding me in place against the wall, Jaxson lowered himself enough for his cock to press against my hole. I whined at the sensation. “Push, do it.”

He obeyed and pushed into me, agonisingly slowly, until I was full seated on his big cock.

“Move, my love,” I whispered into his ear. “And when you’re ready to cum, I need you to bite me right here.”

I snaked a hand between us and pointed to the juncture where my neck met my shoulder. Jaxson nodded, but didn’t seem to need an explanation as to why. I’m sure he’d ask later, but now was not the time to explain what it meant in detail. He seemed to know what it meant with only a few words.

“Why? Are you a kinky little slut bucket?” he teased.

“Yes, I’m your slut bucket, but this is how you mark me as yours. Anyone seeing that mark will know I belong to you. So bite me fucking hard. And make it bleed so I scar.”

His eyes filled with passion as he began to pound into me. My eyes closed as my head rolled along the wall, absorbing the sensations. When his dick began to throb, Jaxson dipped his head down to my shoulder and bit me hard as he found his release.

Pain scorched my skin as he bit me exactly where I’d instructed. He continued to suck the spot until I found my release.

Coming down from the high, I rested my forehead against his. I was exhausted, but never felt better.

“I’m yours,” I whispered.

Jaxson rubbed his stubbled face along mine. “And I’m yours. Forever.”