Peyton

He meant every word, too. That he wanted her to finish her degree.

And learn how to shoot.

Because there was no way he could be in two places at once, and while every cell in his body wanted nothing more than to wrap around Gillian and spend the rest of their lives in bed together…

Dewi.

Their pack.

This was bigger than him and he hoped he hadn't fucked up mating and marking her without having a conversation first.

Seconds after kicked the front door closed behind them and snapped the deadbolt, he and Gillian shed their clothes before they'd even taken a step toward the bathroom.

So when they hit the shower, they were already naked and kissing. He grabbed her by the hips, lifting her, easily notching himself again and loving her soft moans into his mouth. She hooked one hand around the back of his neck and with the other flailed for a moment to find the water knob and turn it on.

As they kissed he long-stroked her, loving how perfect her body felt against his, how her legs wrapped around his waist, how his hands cupped the sweetly rounded curves of her ass—all of it.

Every bit of her.

This time he didn't bother waiting for her to finish, burying himself inside her with a final groan, holding still with her pinned between him and the bathroom wall, and snaked a hand between them to find her clit.

She tipped her head back, exposing her throat and he lightly grazed a path down it with his teeth, lapping at the hollow, savoring every moan escaping her and every flutter of her body around his cock when he pulled several orgasms out of her like that.

And still he was hard.

He kissed a trail down the valley between her breasts, licking and sucking first one nipple, then the other, drawing sweet moans from her, the sounds of which deeply embedded themselves in his soul and he knew he'd take the memory of them to his grave.

Her.

His.

"Look at me, baby." Her eyes fluttered open, a gorgeous leafy green, and he wasn't sure if she could even process English at that moment.

Let's get scrubbed and rinse off and move to your bed, hmm? I want to taste that sweet pussy."

She eagerly nodded. Ten minutes later, they were both still slightly damp—and de-alley-stenched—when he playfully shoved her back onto her bed, shouldered his way between her thighs, and stared up at her.

"You won't hurt my feelings if you need to give me directions," he said, meaning it, before dipping his head.

Her fingers tangled in his hair as he slowly traced her folds with his tongue, circling her clit, dipping inside to taste her sweet juices. From the moans she made, and the way she ground against his mouth, he suspected he was on the right track.

He could do this with and to her all night—wanted to do it for the rest of their lives.

Wanted to savor this sweet slice of perfection before they had to face the real world and deal with responsibilities.

The magic number was apparently three before she begged and squirmed and tried to push him away. He rose, grabbing her by the hips and easily sliding her down the bed so he could bury himself inside her again.

With his initial, desperate need temporarily slaked, he could take his time now and caged her body with his arms, staring down into her eyes and kissing her.

"You're mine," he whispered. "My beauty, my love, my mate."

Her soft gaze looked unfocused and come-drunk and he hoped he'd be able to keep making her look like that. She reached up and cupped his cheek. "My mate," she whispered.

That finished him faster than he'd expected. With a few strokes he filled her again, resting on his elbows and nuzzling her lips with his.

"I hope you don't mind being the Pack Alpha's mate," he softly said.

Her lips quirked in a delicious smile as she reached up and tousled his hair. "Hope you don't mind having a pushy beta attorney for a mate."

"I think I can deal."

She grinned. "Good. Because you bit it, you bought it."

That pulled a belly laugh out of him that, at some point, turned into unexpected tears. As they lay cradled in each others arms a few minutes later, he pressed his forehead to hers. "God, I wish Mom and Dad were here. I miss them so fucking much. I feel like I have no clue what I'm doing."

She cradled his face in her hands, her gaze meeting his. "I'm your mate. I don't have any clue what we're doing either, but I promise you, no matter what, I've got your back. Always."

"I hope you don't regret that promise."

She grinned again. "Oooh, I'm getting the better deal."

"Think so?"

"Yeah." She snuggled against him. "Because as my mate, you're the one who gets to persuade Mom to calm her tits."

rubbed his face in her hair, still not able to get enough of her scent all over him. "Anything for you, baby. Anything."

THE END