Page 35 of Pack to the Wall

The water cascaded over them both, creating rivulets that traced the contours of his muscular chest before disappearing down the drain. Chrissy felt her heart swell with an emotion so powerful it threatened to overwhelm her. Looking at him—this powerful Alpha standing before her like some primal guardian—she realized with stunning clarity that this wasn't just pretty words or romantic promises. This man would literally die for her.

That thought should have terrified her. Instead, it ignited twin flames of excitement and security that burned through her veins.

"Turn around now," Zev commanded softly, his voice a velvet rumble that sent shivers across her skin despite the steam surrounding them.

She obeyed, presenting her back to him. The vulnerability of the position didn't frighten her. With anyone else—especially after a year of being controlled and manipulated—she might have tensed. But with Zev, surrender felt like freedom.

His large hands, slick with expensive soap, moved across her shoulders with reverent care. "You're simply beautiful," he murmured, working the lather down her spine.

Chrissy closed her eyes, savoring the sensation of his strong fingers massaging her muscles, tracing the curve where her waist flared into her hips. "This feels better than any spa treatment I've ever had."

"As it should." His thumbs pressed gently into the small of her back. "No one else should touch you like this."

The possessiveness in his tone made her smile. With Marty, such declarations had felt suffocating. With Zev, they felt like shelter.

He worked his way down her legs, dropping to his knees behind her to soap each calf, each ankle, between each toe with surprising tenderness. The sight of the powerful Alpha on his knees, devoted to her comfort, created an intimacy that transcended even their passionate night.

"My turn," she insisted when he finished, turning to face him.

He arched his eyebrow but handed her the soap without protest. She lathered her hands and started at his broad shoulders, marveling at how the muscles shifted beneath her touch.

"I still can't believe you're real," she whispered, working her way across his chest. "That I found you. That we found each other."

"Mate bonds are never wrong," he replied, his voice deepening when her fingers traced the ridges of his abdomen. "Though I admit, even I didn't expect it to feel this... complete."

She moved to his hair next, standing on tiptoes to work the shampoo into his thick brown waves. His eyes closed in pleasure, and she felt a surge of satisfaction at being able to provide him comfort.

"Four days," she said softly, her fingers massaging his scalp. "I've only known you four days. Logically, I should be terrified about falling this hard this fast."

His eyes opened, pinning her with that intense blue gaze. "And are you? Terrified?"

"No," she admitted, rinsing the soap from his hair. "That's what's crazy. This feels more right than anything in my life ever has."

Zev caught her wrists gently, pulling her hands down to rest against his chest. "Time doesn't matter with mates. What feels like days to humans has been a lifetime of waiting for my wolf."

Before she could respond, he dropped to his knees again, this time facing her. His hands curved around the backs of her thighs, and his intent was unmistakable in his darkened eyes.

"First," he growled, "I need to taste you again."

Her head fell back against the tile as his mouth found her center, thoughts of contracts and legal battles temporarily evaporating under the expert assault of his lips and tongue. She tangled her fingers in his wet hair, anchoring herself as pleasure built within her.

As she shattered under his ministrations, one delirious thought surfaced through the haze of ecstasy. She wouldn't mind waking up this way every morning for the rest of her life.

But even as bliss rippled through her body, a shadow of reality crept in. Before she could truly be his, before she could claim this paradise permanently, there was Marty to deal with. Her contract. The legal battle that would surely come.

Marty would not play nice, and she knew it. But looking down at Zev, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction and devotion as water streamed over them both, she knew she finally had something worth fighting for.

After stepping out of the steamy shower, Chrissy wrapped a plush towel around her curves, watching as Zev's eyes followed her every movement with undisguised appreciation.

"I was thinking we could explore more of the island today," Zev suggested, securing his own towel around his narrow hips. "There are some places I'd like to show you that not even all the pack members know about."

Chrissy's face lit up at the prospect. "I'd love that. Mind if I swing by my villa first to grab a change of clothes? And my phone? I want to take some pictures—just for us," she added quickly. "Nothing for social media or anything. Just memories for myself."

A slight frown creased Zev's face, his protective instincts clearly warring with his desire not to control her. Chrissy recognized that internal battle and reached out to touch his arm.

"I know you're worried about security," she said softly. "But I promise I'll be careful."

His jaw tightened, but then he nodded. "Of course. I don't want to dictate what you can and can't do, especially something as innocent as taking pictures." He ran his large hands through his damp hair. "That would make me no better than?—"

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