Her pussy is milking me, drawing out my seed. My beast rises up. It’s time.

Now! Claim her.

I feel my razor-sharp canines bust through my jaws. I don’t want to hurt her, but it’s gotta happen. I bite down on the tender flesh on the side of her neck.

“Oww!” she cries out. But she doesn’t pull away. Instead, she goes soft, relaxing into it. She knows what’s happening.

As my canines break through her skin, my seed pours out of me like liquid fire. Shooting into her fertile young womb.

“Oh, Lock—” Her nails tear into my back and she comes again, her little pussy spasming around my ejaculating cock. Fucking beautiful. Couldn’t have been more perfect if I’d dreamed it up.

When she finally collapses back against the cushions, I pull out real slow, but she still makes a face.

“I’m sorry if I hurt you, baby,” I say, gathering her up into my arms. I pull a blanket over us, checking she’s warm enough.

“That’s okay. You took my virginity,” she says, and breaks into a grin. Then she frowns and fingers her neck. “Think you did something else, too?”

“Mmm… I gave you my mark.”

“What’s that?”

“It shows every other beast that you’re my property.”

“Oh… Is that gonna be there forever?”

“Uh huh.”

“I like that.” She snuggles even closer and my chest warms.

Of course, she does, because she’s my mate.

10

Zoe

Iwake up on the couch, wrapped up in blankets. It’s still dark and Lock is standing in front of the fire, adding some more logs to the embers. He tried to take me up to bed at some point, but something tells me I’m not going to be able to keep quiet when he’s fucking me. So, it’s better for all concerned if we stay down here.

There’s just enough room for both of us if we snuggle really close. Luckily, that’s exactly what I want to do with my big, growly mate. For the first time in my life, I fell asleep with a man’s arms around me. Protecting me, keeping me safe.

Is that how things are going to be from now on?I wonder. Then I remember Lock’s teeth sinking into my neck.

My heart gives a little jump. I’m mated to a big grizzly bear shifter. It seems incredible, but so right, somehow.

“What time is it?” I mutter when Lock straightens up.

He bounds over to me. “Good morning, baby. It’s seven-thirty.” The look he gives me makes me melt. He crouches in front of me, stroking my hair. “How did you sleep?”

“So well. But why are you up so early?”

“I heard my phone going. Guess what?”

“What?”

“Beau, the investigator I got put in touch with, thinks he’s found the kids’ real parents.”

I jolt upright. “What?”

“There’s a family of grizzly shifters a four-hour drive away. They both got shot by hunters, and when they came to, three of their kids were gone. A little girl and twin boys. Their names are different, but I think it’s them.”