g low and bright, its silvery shadows dancing in the borrowed room. Everyone was gone to patrol o

hts were deci

Come in," she called, but somehow, she knew w

He had changed into dark sweatpants and a fitted black T-shirt that didn't do much in the way of concealing a muscular

ht?" Emma said, sitting up in bed. "Like th

d because of the bond, that extends to you." Standing off from the bed was a respectful dist

ow

Being closer means the mor

. "Then come here. Because I'm

sitated.

and sit down before I thr

under his weight when he sat, and almost instantly Emma felt some of her rest

he aske

ut this before? All those times we were kids, having sl

claiming mark. More. manageable. After the mark, being away

soft light in the moonlight. "Is that why you

ed hard. "I needed to be near you tonight. The moon, the threat

ly. Is it like. a separate enti

tincts, my deepest emotions. Right now, for instance, my human side knows you need time to adjust, to make

at the words. And what would t

wled soft

though they both knew she was doing mo

her shiver. "The full claim would involve marking you again, properly this time. A bit

eeks flush. "And that

when I'm in danger. The pack bond would extend to you too-not as s

hought made her blush deepen.

's. kind of a celebration in pack culture. The Alpha finding

or anything

"None of that matters. The only thing that matters is w

s touch. "And what

oss her bottom lip. "

me a

fall asleep with you every night. I want to share everything with you-my life, my pack, my heart. I want to

kisse

e hand tangled in her hair while the other splayed across her lower back, pressing her closer. Emma gasped

esperate, confused, tinged with the sadness of good-bye. This was pure hea

ing the hard muscles of his stomach. Lucas broke the k

anted. "We h

ps experimentally, drawi

't stop now, I won't be able to stop at all. And you deserve better than

Still. "Can you stay? Just to sleep? The

ft kiss to her for

s's chest, his arm draped protectively over her waist. The restl

howl pierced the night, one unlike the

er. "That's Cole agai

yelling through the house: "Alpha! The border war

yanking on his shoes. "Stay here," he ordered

uc

fierce gold in the dark. "Promise m

said hastily. "

I love you," he said against her lips. Then he was gone, the sound of b

ther wolves emerging from the trees to join him. Something deep inside her stirred at the sight

plete claim mark on her neck, s

pered into the nigh

n its silvery brightness-like a blessing or some sort of a curse. Somewhere out in that darkness, Marcus waited with re