~ CARA ~The house was insane—calling it a cabin was a joke. I might have accepted “lodge.”Tall and imposing, surrounded by clusters of massive, mature pines on both sides, the roof rose in one massive peak, but was peppered with other eaves and dormer windows.It was three levels of wood and stone, exposed beams and hardwood floors scattered with thick furs and rugs.When we walked in the front door it felt like walking into some kind of hotel—massive and echoing, but warm. The wood floors and huge central stone fireplace that was open on both sides and had a river rock chimney that rose all the way up the three levels to the ceiling. Met on one side by the second and third levels, but leaving the open plan living, kitchen, and dining on the grou

~ RIG ~Holding onto myself, rubbing myself against her, I lifted my head to look at her, my breath harsh as I rocked against her and she stopped breathing whenever I passed over that tiny bundle of nerves, and she stopped breathing every time I passed over where we would join, and she stopped breathing every time I held the pressure at the peak of my roll in a parody of what I really wanted to do.“Cara…” I groaned, dropping my face to nip at her neck again.She whispered something that was supposed to be my name, I thought, but she was arching, pressing her breasts higher, begging for my attention there again—and so I gave it, humming with approval when she gave another whimper and shuddered as I passed over her again.And then there was a frant

~ RIG ~Was I the reason the bond hadn’t completed?Did I need to be the one to go first… to let whatever it was come out? Maybe because she was human, that was the only way?Or maybe humans just couldn’t release whatever this thing was?I had a gross mental image for a minute from that movie “Aliens.” I shuddered. Fuck, I hoped when it did come that it wouldn’t hurt.But that was stupid. No one ever talked about the bond hurting. That was the point. Having your mate so close, so connected was the opposite of hurt. Or so I’d been told.So I thought back on the words Mack had chosen. Chewing them over.

If you like music while you read, try “Meaning” by Nathan Wagner. It’s what I listened to while writing Rig’s perspective here.*****~ RIG ~Loving Cara was a bird of prey, with inch-long talons buried in my heart. It lifted me off my feet and shot me into the atmosphere.I could scream and close my eyes, or I could marvel at how small the world looked from here.My entire body trembled.Surrender. Surrender. Surrender.The word rolled in my head like waves pounding the beach, incessant, but comforting.Trust.Give everything.

~ RIG ~My chest heaved. I was afraid I was going to crush her, so I forced myself up onto my elbow, but I couldn’t bear the thought of separating from her yet, so I just laid there, gaping at her like an idiot, my hair falling into my eyes.“Cara… holy shit, did you feel that?”Her eyes sparkled when she opened them, her face softened by a beaming smile. “Are you serious? Of course I felt it. That was the bond?” Then her eyes dropped to my neck and widened and she clapped a hand there. “Shit! Rig—I’m so sorry! I bit you!”I laughed—giggled like a girl. “That’s the marking, Cara. It’s what wolves do when the bond completes. I didn’t even think about it—”