Page 58 of Bite the Power
"Marry me, Tessa." His voice held no trace of doubt or hesitation. "Be my queen, my partner, my everything. Rule beside me, challenge me, drive me crazy for the next hundred years." He paused for a moment and took a deep breath. "I love you with every breath in my body, and I want the whole world to know you're mine."
Tears blurred her vision as she stared down at him, this fierce king who'd conquered her heart completely. Her throat felt tight with overwhelming emotion.
"You really don't do anything halfway, do you?" she whispered.
His smile was radiant, transforming his usually serious features into something boyish and hopeful. "Not when it comes to you. So what do you say, Dr. Monroe? Ready to become a queen?"
"Yes." The word tumbled out before she could second-guess herself. "Yes, I'll be your queen."
When he slipped the ring onto her finger, their bond hummed like live electricity—warm, alive, and eternal. The sensation was so powerful she gasped, feeling his joy and love pour through their connection like liquid starlight.
Hours later, the sound of voices drifting up from the courtyard below interrupted their quiet celebration. Tessa peered over the balcony railing to see shifters gathering in growing numbers, their faces turned upward expectantly.
"Word travels fast in a small kingdom," Kaidan murmured, his arm tightening around her waist.
Her heart skipped at seeing the crowd's enthusiasm. These were the same people who'd viewed her with suspicion not long ago, and now they were celebrating her engagement to their king.
Kaidan stepped forward, his voice carrying easily across the courtyard. "My people! Tonight, I present to you your future queen—Queen Tessa!"
The roar of approval that erupted from below made her ears ring. For the first time since arriving in Frosthaven, she saw no suspicion or fear in the faces below—only respect, acceptance, and genuine joy.
The northern lights seemed to pulse brighter overhead, as if the very sky was celebrating their union. Kaidan turned her in his arms, his eyes burning with possession and promise.
When his mouth claimed hers in a kiss that was both tender and demanding, the crowd below erupted in fresh cheers. But Tessa heard nothing except the thundering of her own heart and the whispered promises of forever that passed between them in the Arctic night.
TESSA
Tessa stretched languidly in the four-poster bed of her former guest suite as the golden morning light shone bright through the tall windows. Today was her wedding day. After three months of meticulous planning and Kaidan's increasingly possessive demands about security arrangements, the day had finally arrived.
A smile tugged at her lips as she thought about how dramatically her life had changed. The past three months had been nothing short of magical—rebuilding the research station into something three times its original size, complete with state-of-the-art equipment that made her old university lab look primitive by comparison. Even better, Melanie had shocked everyone by accepting the permanent position Tessa had offered, trading her comfortable Seattle apartment for a cozy cabin near the expanded research facility.
Their work had evolved beyond investigating mysterious environmental anomalies. Now they partnered with the shifter clans to develop sustainable practices that would preserve Frosthaven's delicate ecosystem for centuries to come. Watching Melanie adapt to shifter politics had been endlessly entertaining and rewarding—her best friend approached polarbear diplomacy with the same flair she used when networking in prestigious academic circles.
But the professional achievements paled compared to the personal transformations. Kaidan had revealed layers of himself she'd never suspected during that first tense meeting three months ago. The rigid king facade had completely melted away to reveal a man who left wildflowers on her pillow, who carried her to bed when she fell asleep over research data, and who made her laugh until her sides ached with his dry humor.
The mate bond had intensified everything between them. His bear's hunger seemed insatiable—not just sexually, though their nights together left her breathless and thoroughly claimed—but emotionally. He craved her presence, her touch, and her voice. Sometimes she'd catch him watching her work with such naked adoration it made her stomach flip.
A sharp knock interrupted her reminiscing. Tessa grinned, sliding out of bed and padding barefoot across the plush rug. Melanie and Elora were probably armed with coffee, pastries, and the wedding dress that had required three fittings to satisfy Tessa's keen eye to detail.
She opened the door wearing nothing but the tiny silk slip she'd wear under her wedding gown, expecting to see her maid of honor and future sister-in-law laden with bridal accessories.
Instead, Kaidan filled the doorframe, his massive shoulders blocking out the corridor light. His golden hair was perfectly styled and his formal wedding suit impeccable. But it was the predatory gleam in his light blue eyes as his gaze traveled slowly down her silk-clad body that caught her attention.
"What are you doing here?" Tessa stepped back instinctively, heat flooding her body. "You're not supposed to see the bride before the ceremony. It's bad luck."
His mouth curved into that wickedly confident smile that never failed to make her knees weak. "I couldn't wait to see you."He stepped inside without invitation, his presence immediately overwhelming the spacious suite. "I need to be with you right now. I can't wait until tonight."
The raw need in his deep voice sent electricity coursing through their powerful bond. Three months of amazing sex had done nothing to diminish his alpha intensity—if anything it continuously unleashed something primal and possessive that left her breathless on a daily basis.
"Kaidan," she breathed, her body responding with arousal to his proximity. The silk slip suddenly felt thin as tissue paper under his heated stare.
She forced herself to focus, even as desire pooled between her thighs. "Melanie and Elora will be here any minute with my dress. We can't?—"
"Lock the door," he commanded, his voice lowering to that authoritative rumble that made her inner muscles clench with want. "Now."
Despite her protests, her hand moved to turn the lock with automatic obedience. The soft click seemed to echo through the charged air between them.
"This is crazy," she whispered, even as she leaned back against the door, her pulse hammering. "We have a schedule. People are expecting?—"
