Not so now. After what they’d just shared and how linked they were, there would never be any walls erected again.

Letting her head fall back, she groaned low in her throat as he began to feather kisses along her collarbone. She wrapped her legs around him, plastering herself to him like a second skin. His erection was nestled against her lower abdomen, still pulsing despite his recent orgasm. She shivered, knowing the night wasn’t close to being over.

That was when she remembered that he too was supposed to receive a mark after they bonded, something to let the world know he was taken now.

Hers.

Her inner wolf smiled at the thought. Curling her fingers against his shoulders, she lifted herself up, trying to get a better look at the back of his shoulders. On his left side, a tiny red rose bloomed. She ran her fingers over it, feeling the slightly raised mark. It was similar to a tattoo. He’d told her that their bonding would create a symbol on him but seeing it was amazing. The symbol surprised her, though.

“What is it?” he asked quietly.

She bit her bottom lip, hoping he liked it. It wasn’t very masculine. “Well, it’s a red rose.”

“Figures.” He laughed under his breath, his grip around her tightening.

“Why do you say that?” Kat continued tracing it, loving that it was there permanently.

“It’s what you smell like. All the time we were apart, every time I got a whiff of a rose, I got rock hard. Damn embarrassing,” he murmured.

She leaned back to look at him. “You mean that’s my natural scent?”

“Mm-hm, and it’s also the symbol of love.”

She smiled, thinking it was sweet that he knew that, but . . . “You really like it? I assumed you’d want something more . . . kick-ass.”

“Sweetheart, I honestly don’t care what it is, as long as you’re mine.” Before she could say another word he kissed her again, this time slow and sensual, as if they had all the time in the world.

And they did.

Chapter 21

Jayce slipped his hand into Kat’s as they walked across the main yard toward Ana and Connor’s home. This morning Jayce had a feeling it would be empty except for the Alpha and his mate. Normally pack members milled in and out of the main home, but Connor had called Jayce earlier telling them they needed to sit down and talk.

They’d just come from visiting with Kat’s father, who was still worried about her safety even though the APL members had all been arrested. He was a guest at the ranch, so they didn’t have far to walk.

Even when they’d been dating Jayce had never held her hand. Not so casually, as if they were a normal couple. He’d always held a part of himself back. Well, no more.

Kat owned him, body and soul. Hell, he had her mark on his shoulder and carried her scent. Everyone would know they were bondmates now. While the thought of not always being able to protect her terrified him on a primal level, life without her was a hell of a lot worse.

Kat gently squeezed his hand. “You seem edgy.”

I’m not, he projected, flexing his telepathic muscles.

“That is so gonna take some getting used to,” she said as they reached the front door of her Alpha’s house.

Before they could knock, the door flew open and Vivian jerked to a halt in front of them. “Are you guys in trouble?” she whispered conspiratorially.

“No, why?” Jayce asked just as quietly.

“Because I’ve been kicked out of the house for a while. Ana told me to go find Lucas and play,” she grumbled.

“Which is what you should be doing. I’ve already called Ryan and told him you’re on the way. You’ve got ten seconds to get over to their cabin,” Ana’s voice called out.

Vivian’s eyes widened and she sprinted past them, diving off the porch, her dark hair flying behind her.

Jayce glanced at Kat to find her fighting a smile. Shaking his head, he entered the house, Kat still holding tight to his hand.

They found Ana and Connor in the living room, sitting side by side on a long couch. Connor held Ana’s hand, idly stroking her palm with his thumb.

Jayce nodded at the couple as they entered the room and sat down. He didn’t care if this was a formal meeting; he pulled Kat into his lap and kept a protective arm around her anyway.

What are you doing? she asked.

You’re mine. It was the only answer she was getting because it was the only one that mattered.

“So, you two are bonded?” Connor asked quietly.

Jayce nodded and Kat said, “Last night.”

Ana smiled warmly. “Congrats.”

Connor murmured his congratulations as well, then continued. “We need to discuss your role here for as long as you live at the ranch.” His words were directed at Jayce.

Kat stiffened in his arms. As long as you live here?

Jayce squeezed her hip, keeping his focus on the Alpha. Kat might not understand what Connor was saying, but he had a pretty good idea. “You’re Kat’s Alpha and while we’re here—which will likely be a semi-permanent situation—I’ll respect your land and your rules, but you’re not my Alpha.” He didn’t have one and never would. His father had been his only Alpha, and since he’d died, Jayce had known that another would never rule him. He just wasn’t wired that way. Either Connor accepted that or he didn’t.

“You’ve made a lot of enemies over the years,” Connor said. It was more a statement than a question.

Jayce nodded. “I have. If you let me live here, it’s a risk you’ll be taking on.”

Connor looked at his mate, then at Kat and Jayce. “As long as you support this pack, it’s one we’re willing to take. I don’t know if you saw the sectioned-off parcel of land next to December and Liam’s house, but that’s going to be your place. I’ve already spoken to a local crew about expediting the house. They’re going to be starting next week, and with the help of the pack, it shouldn’t be more than a month until it’s finished.”

That was pretty fast, but something told Jayce that Connor had made a nice deal with the contractors. “Just let me know how much—”

Connor shook his head. “Kat’s a member of the pack, so by extension you are as well. This is our gift to our newest members.”

It was his instinct to argue. Jayce had more than enough money to take care of his mate and he wanted to. With every fiber of his being, he needed to take care of her in every way possible. But this was a gift he couldn’t turn down without insulting Connor and Ana. He glanced from Ana to Connor and said, “Thank you.”

Next to him, Kat joined in. “Thank you so much. Do you think . . .” She trailed off, the scent of her concern filling the room.

Jayce looked at Kat in confusion, but Ana smiled, kissed her mate, and stood up. “You want to pick out your own tile designs and appliances?”

Kat’s cheeks tinged a delicious shade of pink. “Well, yeah.”

Ana’s smile widened. “I’d be the same way. Come on. They left a book for you to look at.”

Jayce waited until Kat and Ana had left. From the murmur of their voices he knew they hadn’t gone far, only to the kitchen. The knowledge soothed his wolf. He didn’t really want his bondmate out of his sight. Maybe that would change later, but for now the thought of her being too far away made his beast claw angrily at him.

“It doesn’t get easier, but you do learn to tame your wolf,” Connor said quietly, as if he’d read Jayce’s mind.

Jayce grunted, tearing his gaze from the empty doorway and focusing on Connor again. “I can pay for the construction.”

“I know you can, but you’re not going to.” His words held a slight bite.

“Fair enough,” Jayce replied, settling back in his seat. “That’s not all you want to talk about, is it?”

Connor shook his head. “I need to know what your plans for Erin and Leila are, and I want to talk about the issue of humans trafficking vamp blood.”

Jayce had known this was coming. The first two issues were easy. “I plan to continue training Erin and I want to start soon with Leila. However, I have a job I think Erin can handle without my help. It’s in New Orleans. She’d need to leave in a few days.”

Connor’s eyebrows rose. “That’s where Noah’s old pack lives.”

“Yep.”

The Alpha gave him a calculating look. “You want him to go with her, don’t you?”

“Yep.”

Connor was silent for a long moment. “They’ll probably come back as bondmates.”

Jayce hoped so, but he didn’t say that out loud. He wasn’t sending Noah with her because he was a fucking matchmaker. Noah seemed to calm Erin in the same way that Kat calmed Jayce. Everyone of their breed needed an anchor, and though Erin wouldn’t admit it, Noah anchored her. If he didn’t, she wouldn’t hang out with him so much. “Are you willing to give up two of your warriors?”

Connor immediately shook his head. “I can’t. Not without temporary replacements.”

“Done.” Jayce had already put out a few feelers. In addition to enemies, he’d made a hell of a lot of contacts over the years and a lot of people owed him favors. He wasn’t sure if he would really call any of those contacts friends, but he trusted the men he was thinking of enough that he didn’t mind them being around his mate. That said something about their sense of honor.

“How many men?”

“Four males, two of them mated, so six total. Only two of the males are alpha in nature, but no born Alphas. If you’re willing, it wouldn’t be a temporary arrangement.”

Connor was silent for a long moment. “You trust them?”

He answered without hesitation. “With my life. They’re all related. Lost their Alpha a couple years ago and haven’t joined another pack since.”

“A couple years ago . . . You mean the Gomez pack? I thought they’d all found new packs.”