Claire woke slowly, confused for a few seconds before everything came rushing back.

The cave... The attack... Vaelor...

A soft sound escaped her when warm fingers slid across her back. A hard body pressed against hers. She looked up immediately.

Green eyes watched her closely.

"Vaelor." A slow smile spread across her face before she kissed him softly.

"Claire." His hand slipped into her hair. "How do you feel?"

"I'm fine." Her gaze dropped over his body instantly. Her fingers slid across his stomach, hard muscle under warm skin. No wounds. No blood. She touched his thigh next.

Nothing.

"You healed completely?" Her hand lingered there.

Vaelor's jaw tightened.

"If you keep touching me like that…" His voice roughened into a growl. "I'll be inside you in two seconds."

Claire stopped breathing.

Heat slammed through her body when she felt the hard length pressed against her hip. Huge. Hot. Pulsing against her.

Desire hit so hard it almost hurt.

Her fingers slid slowly along his thigh again before moving up his side. Then she climbed over him completely.

"Then why aren't you?" she whispered against his mouth.

His eyes flashed gold instantly.

She could feel him fighting for control.

"Because you're hurt." Vaelor exhaled hard, brushing her hair back gently before pressing a quick kiss to her lips and pulling away again.

"I'm not hurt." Claire grabbed his mouth again immediately.

She needed his kiss.

Needed the way his lips moved against hers. Slow at first. Then deeper. Hotter.

His hands slid down to her ass, nails scraping lightly over her skin.

Electricity shot between her thighs.

Their tongues tangled slowly, neither willing to give ground. Claire moaned against his mouth and rocked against him desperately.

Vaelor groaned low in his throat.

Then suddenly pulled away.

"Soon, Claire." His teeth clenched hard. Golden eyes burned into hers. Wild. Hungry. "But not here."

"Why not?" she breathed.

Her whole body burned for more.

Vaelor touched her face carefully.

"Here." His thumb brushed beneath her lip.

Then lower.

"Here."

His hand slid across her waist.

Then down her thigh.

"And here."

Claire looked down finally.

Purple bruises covered her skin.

Scratches too.

"But they don't even hurt…"

"Maybe not." Vaelor caught her chin gently, forcing her to look at him. "You'll be mine." His mouth crashed against hers again, possessive this time. "But not here."

His eyes lifted toward the cave entrance.

"We need to leave."

Claire blinked hard.

The other wolves.

She had forgotten completely.

Vaelor stood first.

"Wait here." His voice turned sharp again. "I'm checking outside."

"No chance. I'm coming too." She stood immediately—

—and froze.

Completely froze.

Vaelor stood naked in front of her beneath the moonlight.

Every muscle. Every inch of him.

Her mouth went dry instantly.

His clothes had been destroyed when he shifted.

"Oh my God…"

Heat exploded through her body again. Her eyes dragged slowly down his chest, lower, lower—

Straight to the thick erection still standing proudly between his thighs.

"Claire…" Vaelor inhaled sharply, growling low. "Stop looking at me like that unless you want problems."

"Right." She wet her lips quickly and tried to move past him. "We should go."

"When exactly are you planning to start obeying me?" Vaelor grabbed her arm before she could walk ahead of him.

"Maybe when you ask instead of ordering."

Her voice came out rougher than before.

One eyebrow lifted slowly.

"Is that so?"

Claire sighed.

"I don't follow orders I think are stupid."

Vaelor stared at her for a second.

Then suddenly pulled her against him.

"Fine. You win."

Her head fell against his shoulder automatically. His body heat wrapped around her instantly.

The moon barely lit the forest around them.

Perfect conditions for another ambush.

They were halfway back to the city when three wolves stepped out of the trees.

Claire gasped and grabbed Vaelor's neck immediately, panic slamming back into her chest.

"Easy, sweet thing." Vaelor tightened his arms around her and kissed her mouth softly. "It's just Kaelen."

"What happened?" Kaelen stepped forward quickly before shifting back into human form the second he saw Claire bruised in Vaelor's arms.

"We were attacked." Vaelor's growl rolled through the clearing instantly.

"Attacked?" Kaelen looked around sharply, scanning the woods. "Who the hell was stupid enough to try it?"

"Stay close to her." Vaelor lowered Claire carefully before looking toward the two wolves beside Kaelen. "Stay alert."

Then he pulled Kaelen aside to speak privately.

Apparently everyone here was comfortable with nudity except her.

Claire tried not to stare.

Failed completely.

Because Vaelor looked insane under the moonlight.

Before, he already destroyed her self-control.

Now?

Now the moonlight made everything worse.

His erection still hadn't gone down.

Every time he looked at her, it twitched.

Her body reacted instantly.

Heat flooded between her thighs so suddenly she almost lost her balance.

She had never wanted a man this badly before.

"Claire."

Vaelor's voice cracked through the clearing like thunder.

She looked up instantly.

His eyes burned gold.

Fangs visible now.

Dangerous.

Possessive.

"Y-Yes?"

Kaelen stood beside him with the exact same tense posture.

A chill crawled down her spine.

"What happened?"

Vaelor stared directly at her.

"Don't." His voice came slow. Controlled. Barely. "Move."