*Nikko's POV*My mate has a wolf?Byron kept me calm as we tried to help her.It took us a few minutes after Jo passed out to bring her back to consciousness, and make sure she was alright. She still looked weak, but at least she was alert.I stared down at her shivering body pressed up against my chest, and couldn't help but feel worried. I glanced up at Byron, but he looked just as shocked as me. But now that I was focusing on it, I could smell her wolf barely on her."What do you mean she's not strong enough to shift, Jo?" I asked. "Is she talking to you?"Jo nodded, and opened her eyes to look at me. They were still glowing a brilliant gold color.While we had been talking I had seen her eyes flash a few times, but I had chalked it up to the rising sunlight streaming into the bedroom. But when she had started to growl, Byron and I both became cautious and concerned. I had never heard of any human doing that before.It became obvious that it was wolf-related though when I he

*Jo's POV*My body was buzzing in pleasure as it was pressed up against Nikko's, and I couldn't tear my lips away from his. He let go of my hands to press his own against my lower back, pulling me even closer, if possible.I brought my free hands up into his hair and gripped it hard, pulling his face closer to mine as I slipped my tongue into his mouth. He opened his mouth happily in response and let me deepen the kiss.Being so close with him felt amazing after the last 24 hours in my head. And the relief of talking about everything I had been overthinking was making the pleasure of the moment even sweeter. I felt both of Nikko's hands trail down my jeans, and then gasped in surprise as he cupped just under my a*s and pulled my legs around him.I pulled away from him for a second to catch my breath, and he took this as an opportunity to trail kisses down my jaw and onto my neck. His teeth scraped against part of my neck and I felt my body tense as I let out a gasp."Sorry," he wh

*Jo's POV*After a short goodbye, and a long hug from my mom, I was getting into the car with Nikko and Byron. This time I chose to sit in the back with Nikko, which he seemed very happy about. As soon as I shut the door, he pulled me onto his lap and nuzzled into me.I looked at Byron's eyes in the mirror, embarrassed, but he seemed to think nothing of it, so I relaxed into Nikko's arms. The drive would be much better next to him. I curled up against him and breathed in the lavender evergreen I loved so much.Next thing I knew, I heard a car door shut and felt somebody moving me around. I grabbed Nikko's shirt tighter and hid my eyes. I felt as he stood up and began walking, but I didn't want to wake up the rest of the way and make it real.He had told my mother that we needed to leave because he had been away from the pack all day, so I was just waiting for the moment he would tell me he needed to leave. And I didn't want to hear it.After such a draining day, I just wanted him

*Nikko's POV*Stupid.Within minutes I returned to the cabin with the materials to fix the bedroom door. Seeing it broken had reminded me of how destroyed my mate had been this morning, and that it was my fault. I couldn't stand to look at it.When I walked back into the room, Jo instantly ran over and wrapped her arms around me. She pulled away and I set the stuff down. I looked and saw that she had been in the process of unpacking the bags that had been on the bed, and I appreciated her so much more. Those were another reminder of how she almost left."Next time, please don't just leave without saying anything," Jo said softly. "I was worried."The soft voice threw me for a loop. If anything, I expected her to be mad. But to see her looking sad made me feel guilty all over again."I'm so sorry," I said, pulling her back into my arms. "I had already told you I was spending nights here, I assumed you would know I would be right back. I just went and got stuff to fix the door.""

*Jo's POV*I woke up to feel something hard poking into my back. My eyes blinked and adjusted to the morning sunlight that was pouring through the window. It took me a second to remember where I was, but when I did I smiled.Nikko's arm was draped across my side as I laid in the middle of the bed, facing the window. My body was curled perfectly into his, and my cheeks turned red as I realized what the hard thing poking into my back was.I was still just wearing my sexy lace undies and Nikko's shirt, but it had moved its way up past my belly button. Fixing it might wake up Nikko though, so I left it alone and took a deep breath. I laid there and enjoyed the feeling of him around me and the sunlight on my face.After a few moments, Nikko grunted and rolled onto his back. I laid still for a second to see if he was still asleep, and then proceeded to roll over to face him. He was still sleeping, but the second I laid back down against his arm, he tightened it around me subconsciously.