Wanting him suddenly felt as necessary as the air in my lungs.

Hunter devoured my mouth, claiming me with every lick, bite and suck.

Breathing heavily, my body was on fire; every nerve prickling, desperately wanting what only he could give me.

A growl passed through his chest and the heat radiating from his body was insane.

He lowered more of his weight on top of me, but it wasn't uncomfortable, far from it—it was a necessary weight and with nothing between us, it was skin on skin with our heartbeats synced beating ever faster.

Running my hands up the side of his abdomen, he shivered, tensing above me. Roaming higher, I dug my fingers into his firm flesh and the sparks of energy between us grew like an unstoppable force.

An undisguised part moan, part growl escaped him.

This was unlike anything I had experienced in my entire life.

Was it because we had marked each other?

The mark burned but not painfully, it purified me, making me over anew as if the first time I was being touched. I wanted it to burn, to sink deeper so I could feel it everywhere—I was feeling it everywhere. He was everywhere.

Hunter was a part of me now, heart, body and soul.

His mouth left mine as he kissed and nibbled along my jaw. I heard a sharp intake of breath as he pushed himself back, resting on his knees, his erection hard, twitching, begging for attention. My mouth practically watered, and I had to stop a cry of distress leaving my lips as I felt the loss of his mouth from mine.

My wolf whimpered.

What the hell was he doing?

I wanted him on me—in me!

And hadn't he just said he needed to fuck me?

I pouted as our eyes met. He raised an eyebrow as his gaze dropped from mine; trailing down over my neck, his tongue peeking out, slipping over his bottom lip. His attention paused over my breasts as his hands came over them, moulding perfectly in his feverish hands, my nipples already hard and aching for attention.

"Fucking perfect, yeah?" Lowering himself, taking one nipple into his mouth, his tongue wet and hot as his other hand kneaded and squeezed. I arched slightly as his hand moved down over my stomach; down further. Pushing himself back up, he raised my lower legs, bending at the knees before pushing them apart.

Hunter stared at my most intimate parts and I felt no embarrassment as he gazed down, only lust and yearning in his dark eyes. Sliding one finger inside my heat. "Fuck, you're soaked, baby."

He wasn't wrong, my body was primed and ready. I didn't care that he knew exactly how much I wanted him. And the way he spoke and looked at me turned me on like never before.

"Hunter, please..."

He shifted to position himself and in one thrust he pushed inside me and then stilled so I could adjust.

I didn't need time. "Don't hold anything back."

He didn't.

"Hard and fast it is it."

Pulling out, he thrust back in, holding nothing back.

A sweat broke out across my whole body as my hand moved to his shoulder and my nails almost drew blood.

"Fucking hell," he said out loud as I felt him throbbing inside me.

It had never felt this intense before.

And a strangled animal-like sound ripped from my lungs.

"Christ, You feel so good, baby. Perfect." left his lips. 'Mine,' he spoke to my mind as his thrusts became harder, deeper and more controlled, burning me from the inside out.

His mouth came down on mine, sucking and biting. My nails shamelessly scraped across the skin of his back; sure I'd broken the skin in more than one place now. I tugged him closer. My thighs gripped him tightly and I shut my eyes revelling in the possessive way he was owning my body, claiming me, making me his.

'Yours,' I repeated through our connection to hear him usher out a satisfied moan.

His mouth left mine, trailing kisses along my cheek up towards my ear. "I want you to come on my cock Sage."

Mon Dieu.

I was a ticking time bomb about to detonate. His erotic words fuelled my passion.

"Come now." His voice became strained.

I lost all sense of rational thinking, head arching backwards, abruptly screaming his name without shame as I came harder than ever before.

"Yes Sage, that's it. Let me feel you."

His thrusts became a little erratic as his erotic curses became strangled and an animalistic roar left his lips. "Fuck..."

And I felt his release, deep inside me before his head collapsed into the crook of my neck with unsteady breaths.

I was barely able to breathe... think. Only him—us.

"Fucking hell. That was—" He shook his head. "Fucking amazing, life-altering amazing, fucking hell, yeah?"

Swallowing, my throat dry; unable to speak. He wasn't wrong. ′Amazing.′ I repeated wordlessly.

Running his finger across my lips, eyes wide in awe of what had just taken place.

"It's never felt like that before. Ever! I mean the first time, yeah, I thought wow—but that."

He looked stunned before an utter gaze of contentment spread across his handsome face.

I wanted to tell him I felt the same and more—I wanted to share my feelings of love for him.

Love? Mon Dieu!

We'd mated and yet not shared any declaration of love.

Did I love him?

Oui. Without a doubt.

We both stilled on hearing another wolf approaching.

My head lifted as Hunter growled in response; his muscles tensing as he seemed to grow bigger above me, almost shielding me.

Not recognising the wolf; instinct told me it was his brother. Hunter turned back to me as he rolled his eyes in an irritated manner, his chest heaving, before returning his attention to the wolf. "Give us a minute, yeah? I'll meet you back at the car."

The wolf stood staring, eyes narrowing.

"Do I have to make you leave Zander?" said Hunter with a low rumble in his chest.

His brother huffed, shaking his enormous head of dark fur before leaving.

"Sorry, he's pissed."

"Why is he upset with you?"

Hunter huffed. "I left his sorry arse at home to come and find you, plus he's always been jealous of my fine naked form." A full-blown smile erupted.

I giggled. "Ah, humble as ever Mr Stone."

He hummed before leaning down, rubbing his nose on mine. "Fuck, I don't want to move; I want to bury myself in you—do it all again, fucking ruin you, so you never remember anyone before me."

My insides rolled as a throb down below echoed his sentiment. "Me too, and nobody even comes close to touching this Hunter."

He pulled up slightly, surprised by my words. "Yeah?"

"Oui."

He nodded proudly before his soft gaze intensified. "I meant what I said earlier Sage, I don't want us to spend another day apart. You're 'it' for me."

He paused, nibbling his bottom lip as if he wanted to tell me more. "I've never needed anyone Sage, but when I think of us being apart, It hurts as if someone is sitting on my chest or pummelling my brain."

Smiling, aware I felt the same. "I've read about the connection... bond, but I honestly never believed it, and you can speak to my mind."

His face lit up. "I can hear you too, do you think your gift now works on me?"

I thought for a second. "No, this—it's different."

He looked at me, another smile fixed in place before he bit down on his bottom lip. "I don't think I'll ever get enough of you, Sage Dufrene."

A few moments passed with us not needing words, buried in our emotions and feelings before Hunter finally sighed. "We had better head back."

"Oui, you're probably right, we should head back."

He leant down and kissed me slowly before running his tongue along my bottom lip. "Wolf?"

"Oui, wolf," she whimpered impatiently.

After heading back to where I'd stripped; I quickly dressed with Hunter's wolf watching me. It amazed me we could talk to each other through our shared link.

He tilted his head. "What?" I asked him.

'Just thinking about changing and ripping your clothes off and fucking you up against that tree.' His large wolf's head gestured towards a large old oak tree.

Blushing furiously, I turned, my eyes trailing the length of it. He wanted me to picture the image, and I did, with ease, inflicting goosebumps across my body.

Shaking my head. ′Another time.′ I stepped barefoot towards him and kissed his wolf's nose. "There, that will have to keep you satisfied for now, we need to head back."

His wolf huffed. 'Fine, after you and if you walk ahead, I can at least look at your arse in those tight-fitting pants. You're giving him a hard-on.'

I giggled. "Him?"

'Yeah, my wolf.'

"You're relentless."

'Nah, you're so fucking sexy, you make me and him crazy. And you realise you're gonna have to let him fuck your wolf and soon, I'm barely able to stop him from mounting your leg right now!'

I laughed out loud. "I can't believe you just said that." It felt a little surreal to have this conversation with his wolf. Heaven knows what people would think if they could hear me talking to him.

'Yeah well, I'm serious, he's very demanding. You have no idea what you've let yourself in for!'

My wolf whimpered. "The feeling is mutual; she wants him too."

He let out a howl.

Hunter led us back to his car and I heard Pearl squeal as she rushed towards me, still wearing her dress from my engagement party. My stomach dropped with thoughts of yesterday. Hunter picked up on my anxiety, nudging me with his nose.

'You okay, Sage?'

Glancing down, his eyes watched me intently. 'I'm good,' I silently communicated.

'Give me a sec, yeah?' He disappeared to the other side of the car to change and dress as I was swamped in Pearl's desperate grasp.

"My god, Sage. Shit! You're okay, I've been so worried?"

"I'm fine Pearl, but you're squishing me."

"Oops." She released me but leaned in to whisper. "What the hell happened back there—at the old man's place?"

Before I could answer, I watched her eyes widen as they trailed down to the side of my neck. "You're shitting me... that's not what I think it is?" She squealed, almost deafening me this time.

"Pearl!" I glanced around to see Zander, Hunter's brother staring at me and then my mark. I shyly placed my hand over it. "Shush Pearl, not now." I gave her my best hard glare, not that it would work as she pulled me in for another hug, whispering into my ear.

"I'm so happy for you. And not to mention... jealous. I could burst and cover you head to toe in all my jelly," she giggled.

My heart doubled. "Thanks, Pearl." At least one member of my family was happy for me.

It would be as sure as the sun rises that my grandfather wouldn't be—What?

I had to correct myself.

Why should I give two hoots to what my murdering, controlling grandfather would think or want?

Those days were over.

My wolf agreed.

I just hope my brother would be just as happy for me.