The pain I'd braced for never came.
Instead, the moment Damien's fangs pierced my skin, a wave of heat flooded through me. Not burning—warming. Like sinking into a hot bath after being cold for too long.
"Oh," I gasped, my hands clutching his shoulders. "Oh my God."
He didn't pull away. The bite deepened, and with it came sensations I had no words for. Pleasure, yes, but also something more fundamental. Like puzzle pieces clicking into place. Like coming home.
I felt him everywhere—not just his mouth on my throat, but his presence in my mind, my heart, my very soul. The mate bond, which had been a whisper before, suddenly roared to life.
Mine, his wolf growled in my head, and I heard it. Actually heard it.
Mine, I thought back, not knowing if he could hear me but needing to say it anyway.
