Sage offered to help clear away the dishes. But domestic goddess was not what I pictured for her. Declining politely, we settled in the lounge, well when I say lounge it's more like a library of sorts – not that I came in here to read. But I wanted her to think there's more to me than just the womanising prick that I'm sure she's heard about, in graphic detail no doubt.

Dinner had gone well, I thought. She'd relaxed, and I'd enjoyed listening to her talk. And every time she smiled my stomach clenched and my balls tightened. It was surreal—that's for sure.

She would however avoid some questions, cleverly—by answering my question with a question.

But she seemed open and honest about others. Especially sharing about her family. And when she mentioned losing her family so young, the ache in my chest was overwhelming. I had to clamp myself to the chair, curbing the urge to get up and pull her against me.

What the—!?

Never in all my life had that happened. Whenever a woman usually shared anything personal about themselves. I was outta there faster than Usain Bolt on speed.

Offering her a drink, she shook her head, giving me that shy smile that prompted the same reaction every single time. I couldn't do this for much longer. This getting to know her and not touch her was killing me... albeit slowly.

But who says I couldn't touch?

You did mate, remember?

My wolf stirred, grumbling.

Sage walked around the books gently running her fingers over each leather-bound edge.

Jesus Christ. I wanted her hand on me, touching me. Who the fuck was I kidding, there was no way I couldn't not touch her.

Ignoring the fact that I was about to pour myself a drink. I put the glass down and three long strides I was standing behind her as her head tilted to read the book spine title .

Standing this close her scent was all over me, making my wolf sit up and sniff the air too. He paced restless. The awareness of her coated my skin with a prickle of goosebumps. I shivered, still not understanding the effect she had on me. The control almost, tugging at me, telling me to reach out and touch her.

She pivoted, her eyes wide as she backed up slightly, now pressed flat against the bookcase. She opened her mouth to speak but then it snapped shut, before slowly letting her eyes fall to my mouth and her pink tongue swiped over her full pouty bottom lip.

I couldn't stop. I moved closer into her personal space and leant down, pressing my lips to hers.

Shittin' hell!

Her lips were perfect. Warm, soft with the subtle taste of what we'd just eaten tickling my taste-buds.

I was gentle at first, teasing her mouth open. She responded, allowing me to become more forceful. Starved, I increased the pressure on her soft lips, possessive almost, as my tongue searched out hers, stroking, sucking, tasting.

I wanted to taste all of her.

She tasted fucking delicious.

My hands found their way to her waist as her hands snaked either side of my arms, burning as they moved upwards. The soft indent under my fingers allowed me to dig into her slightly, as I pulled her closer.

She would've been able to feel my dick pressed against her, pretty hard to miss and I knew I should have stopped.

I didn't want to.

I wanted her—all of her.

It was like unravelling and I couldn't stop

I'm fucked!

I was so hot as I continued my greedy kissing of her mouth. I had to dig my fingers a little tighter on her waist to keep them there. The urge to lift her dress and run my hands up her thigh was all consuming. I'd never felt desire like it, It pulsed through my head, my veins and definitely through my dick!

Sage turned her head to the side, breaking the kiss as her hands came around placing them flat on my chest. She must have felt my heart banging against them.

I pulled away, just a fraction. Both of us were breathing hard and fast. She looked at me like she didn't have a clue what just happened. Her plump perfect lips, wet and red, begged for me to do it again.

Hell she wouldn't need to beg. I wanted to kiss them again. But with wide eyes and her chest rising and falling I didn't. I had to curl my toes and plant myself where I stood, much much to my wolfs disapproval.

Dropping my hand from her waist, I adjusted my erection. He' was throbbing like a bitch in heat and then my wolf kicked off—he was howling like a banshee.

The going slow; getting to know her 'plan' has been well and truly pissed up the wall.

"Why did you do that?" she whispered, her bright blue eyes now inquisitive.

Scraping my teeth across my bottom lip. I wanted to tell her I couldn't stop myself—something and I didn't know what was pulling me towards her, urging me to kiss her. The words were on the tip of my tongue; burning—but I couldn't say them.

Hell, I didn't understand myself; it all sounded crazy in my head. So how the fuck do you say something like that without sounding batshit?

"You know why?" was what I said.

Fucking stupid answer—but there you go. Seriously, what do you expect when my brain just been electrocuted by a kiss?

"Do I?" she said.

Obvious fucking question. Didn't think that through, did you, prick?

I ran my hand through my hair and blew out a puff of air. "I just wanted to kiss you Sage." There... at least that was half-way the truth.

Her cheeks flushed again. She's thinking about. She doesn't understand it—or does she?

I decided now was the time that she met him. We couldn't just stand here staring all night, with my eyes undressing her and dick and my wolf making their intentions known.

"Let's go outside," I said, showing her towards the door.

She thought about it before inhaling a deep intake of breath, nodding her head.

I walked towards the large patio door, unlocking, pushing them open. A gentle breeze rushed over me. The moon was out and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. It helped calm me and my blood slowed its incessant rushing around my body —especially to my dick.

We walked across the balcony patio and down some steps. I could hear her following. But I didn't want to look at her, because if I did, I'd want to kiss her again. And it's time she knew the other side of me...and I wanted to know hers.

My wolf ran close under my skin, bubbling, itching for the change. I turned to face her as I reached up to my first unopened button on my shirt. Her mouth popped open, she blinked as if thinking. 'What the hell is he doing?'

As I got to the third button, she put up hand, palm up and took a step back. "Hunter, what are you doing?" Her voice quivered slightly.

Walking towards her. "I think you know Sage, and before you think, does he do this with everyone? The answer is most definitely, no. This is another first for me." I needed to make that point clear.

I heard her breath hitch as her chest was rising and falling in quick succession. Her blood was whooshing through her veins and her heart was beating so fast, I wasn't sure if it would burst from her chest, as was mine.

"Why me?" she asked, breathless now.

I was on the last button, stepping closer—I was stopped by her hand as it pressed up against my bare chest, sending ripples flooding my body. I pushed my shirt over my shoulders letting it drop. Her eyes were as wide as they could go. I reached up taking her hand in mine, now only inches away—I leant in closer.

"The second I scented you Sage, you smelled like wolf, you smelled like home." Unable to stop myself. I licked up the side of her neck forcing my eyes to close as the taste of her sweet skin did unimaginable things to me.

She shivered beneath my tongue and although my wolf was barely being contained. I pulled back.

My eyes changed, allowing the night to come alive. I reached for the buckle on my pants and heard the clinking of metal, pulling it apart, flipping the button before dragging down the zipper. I wasn't gonna be able to hold him for much longer. I stepped further back and placed both my hands on either side of my trousers hitching my boxers at the same time.

"If you don't want an eye full Sage, then I suggest you either close those pretty blue eyes or turn around, because he's coming out. Ready or not."

My head was thumping as I swallowed hard to hold him back a few more seconds. I didn't want her to bolt off.

"What do you want from me Hunter?" she asked, and that's when I noticed her eyes. They hadn't darkened like normal wolves. Fuck no! Hers were glowing even brighter, like they've captured all available light. They're now so blue, they pierced mine like an arctic blast but with more warmth than the rays of a midday sun.

I thought about my answer for a second and decided. This time I didn't hold back what I was thinking.

"Everything Sage, I want it all. The whole fuckin' package, yeah."

Turning from her, I dropped to the ground on all fours. I didn't have time to get my trousers fully off before the tore, shredding and falling beneath me. I arched my back—my spine splintered, forcing my entire body to tighten. The pain hit hard; burning every muscle as bones shattered and reformed. Thousands of tiny pin-pricks mercilessly tore through my skin as the rush of fur spread quickly across my body. My jaw cracked and lengthened, allowing my canines to fully extend. What used to be a slow and painful transition, now only took me less than a minute for the transformation to be complete. I turned to face her; as a howl escaped my lungs.

She sucked in another breath, stumbling backwards. I padded towards her, my huge paws thudding on the soft ground of grass beneath them. As I approached she stared before reaching for the zipper on her dress. A low rumble started in my chest.

Stretching forward I nudged her.

"Turn around, because I'm not doing this if you are watching me," she said in a defiant tone.

My wolf didn't hesitate and as much as I wanted to see her naked. I did as instructed. Literally a few moments later I heard her howl, and it's fuckin' beautiful and kid you not —even her howl had a French lilt to it.

Fucking hell, that's such a turn on.

Suddenly like a bullet she whooshed past me heading off to the nearby woods. I heard a clipped bark and I didn't need any invitation as I'm after her quicker than lightning. She was breathtaking.

Her greyish almost silvery fur shone as the moonlight bounced from each strand as its lifted in the wind. It was mesmerising to see. And I purposely kept a few feet behind as she hit the woods, darting around trees, jumping over dead stumps. The wind streamed over my nose, over my back and down my enormous body. Her scent, now stronger than ever, was intoxicating and my wolf sent a strange urge, radiating desire through my head.

Mate her.

What the—!?

Did he just say, Mate her?

He didn't reply.

As we approached an opening in the trees towards a small ravine. I pushed aside his thoughts and focused on my own. My head was swimming with so many strange novel sensations.

She suddenly stopped and turned. Shaking her entire frame, she's now stood still with her head tilted slightly upwards. Even in her wolf form she held herself with class—who was I kidding; Sage Dufrene was in a class all of her own.

I shook my vast frame rearranging my dark sable fur. I didn't intend to stalk her, but my wolf had other ideas. His enormous paws almost as big as my hands started padding closer to her, but still keeping a wide berth so not to frighten her.

She watched me curiously with those eyes shining so bright, pearlescent now. I'd never seen a wolf with that colour eyes before.

Everything about Sage Dufrene was a first for me.

She didn't move as we came within touching distance. My wolf slowed, sniffing, inhaling every rich scent she offered. I'd never done this before. Yeah, I'd ran with my brother and my dad and I used to run with the John's pack near Scotland. But this was different, my wolf wanted to impress her wolf.

Mate her...mark her, he said. My tongue ran over my large canines.

Fuckin' hell.

Unsure if I would be able to stop him if he really wanted to bite her.

I threw him a warning, telling him to stand down. But he wasn't listening.

We're now stood directly in front of her and then he moved closer still, almost nuzzling her neck and then he fucking whimpered.

Yeah, whimpered. Looks like he was just as crazy about her wolf as I was about her.

That when it hits me hard and fast like a fucking freight train. And we both thought it at the same time.

Mine!

Fuck me!

He was about to bite her as I forced him back, shaking my head, fur lifting and falling in the breeze. I forced him to take more steps back; each step was like fighting a one-ton bear.

A huge roaring howl escaped my mouth and I began to transform back. He tried to fight me, but I won out and now I was on all fours—naked in front of her.

Bollocks. She didn't hang around; she belted off towards the trees.

I stood upright watching the tail end of her as she dodged around some bushes.

He wasn't happy. Not happy at all. He's pacing behind my eyes, wanting to tear me a new one, as he repeated over and over.

Mate. Mine. Mate.

Was that even possible?