Spreading her knees, Tabitha looked in his eyes, then deliberately reached between her legs, trailing her fingers back and forth between her saturated folds. Goddess, how she wanted him! He snarled; eyes glowing brighter as he watched.

“Want this?” she taunted, as he threw himself against his bonds in a frenzy.

This. This was what she wanted. Needed.

Now.

With a thought from Tabitha, Jarrad’s bonds disappeared, and he pounced, taking her to the ground and thrusting her legs in the air. There was no warning, no foreplay as his mouth fastened onto her aching clit. Feasted on her cream. The man was a beast, but the beast knew what it wanted—her passion.

And he got it.

Tabitha flew over the edge when his fang grazed her clit. She screamed her pleasure to the stars when he continued to feast through her orgasm. When his first two fingers entered her, stretched her, she almost came again.

“Please, Jarrad,” she begged. It didn’t matter that the tables were turned now. She just wanted him, inside her, whichever way he’d have her.

In what seemed like seconds, she was up and in his arms, then spread like a feast on the stone altar. New energy thrummed through her, coming from the stone, but Jarrad didn’t give her time to analyse it. Nor did she want to in this instant. His cock nudged at her folds, teasing her, even as his mouth latched onto her nipple, circling the peaked tip.

The man continued to tease her, leashing his beast, never penetrating fully when she wanted him savage. Tabitha grabbed his hair, fastening her mouth to his. It wasn’t enough, not nearly. She wrapped her legs tightly behind his arse and slammed his full length into her.

Her eyes just about rolled into her head. He was longer than she’d thought, and a little wider. This first time, there would be a little pain, but he was perfect. Made for her. She looked up into his concerned face and smiled in smug satisfaction. A feral glint lit his eye. Finally, his wolf was shining through.

He grabbed her hips and thrust again, the force of it pushing her up the smooth altar. Then back down again as he pounded into her, again and again. A relentless rhythm that left her breathless, her pleasure beating at her as he ground his pelvis into her clit on each thrust.

She clutched at his arse, his hair, anything to spur him to greater heights. He didn’t disappoint. Jarrad’s fangs flashed and fastened on her throat. Power ripped through her, filled her to the brim. Both hers and the earthier magic of the wolves.

Tabitha screamed out her orgasm as the bond wove itself between them, burning through them both. With a triumphant howl, Jarrad came, continuing to thrust into her as they rode out their pleasure. The bond settled as an enormous wave of power rolled out from between them both, settling over the pack lands as Tabitha wove her spell.

Her magic made itself at home inside him. She could feel it knit tightly around his heart as his wolf now lay curled around hers. She was boneless, bodiless. A soul now merged with its other half.

Tabitha wanted to lay there forever.

The first thing that intruded was the cold of the stone beneath her bare body. The second was the wet glide of his cum as it slid out of her and onto the altar. Sealing the magic further.

She smiled. Sex magic was even better than blood magic, an added bonus of their union. It would protect the whole property for many years. Long after the Inquisition lost interest in her and Luna, his whole pack would be safe.

“That was some pretty powerful magic.”

Jarrad echoed her thought, although hurt and suspicion tinged his words. She felt it radiating along their newly forged bond. That would take some getting used to.

“Did you know that would happen?”

Tabitha looked at him in surprise. Why was he hurt? “Of course,” she said. “Magic always comes with sex. Why not use our energy to our advantage? Luna needs to be protected at any cost. And this place is ripe with magic.” After all, the Goddess had led her there.

He shook his head, the hurt snaking through the bond becoming stronger, laced with disgust.

“This is a sacred site, Tabitha. It’s where Alphas from my pack come to claim their mate. I thought you understood. That you were—”

That she was what? What was she supposed to understand when she barely knew anything about him?

Just that they were made for each other.

Jarrad shook his head, stalking back towards the woods without even a glance over his shoulder.

“That I was what, Jarrad?”

He didn’t look back, just kept walking as though he didn’t hear her. Or wouldn’t.

Confusion and anger chased themselves in circles inside Tabitha. What had she done wrong? She’d given herself to him, and there he was, walking away from her without a backwards glance.

Is that how mates were supposed to behave?

With a heavy heart, she drew herself up and trudged behind him towards the house. Trying not to let the hurt fester.

Now that the magic was done, she needed to rest. Maybe everything would look better in the morning.

If it didn’t… well, she had faith. Didn’t she? Somehow, the Goddess would provide. She trudged through the house and flopped into the bed in the empty guest room, battling hurt again because she’d hoped to fall asleep next to Jarrad.

All night Nathan’s mutilated body haunted her. Only this time it wasn’t his face she identified. No. The face flicked between that of Luna, then Jarrad. Sometimes it was her own.

Dread followed her to sleep.