They’d also told her that Aidan had not only closed his practice, he’d been dealt a thorough beating by someone. When Gwen had mentioned it to Zander, he’d looked at her with such innocence that she knew he was behind it.

Her family melded with the pack just fine. Donnie had loved Mercury territory, and he got along with Shaya’s ex-military human father like a house on fire. Yvonne and Kathy had become fast friends, probably because they both knew what it was like to lose the man they loved. Marlon and Dylan had gravitated toward Caleb and Kent, a mated couple whom Gwen found hilarious.

To her surprise, Kenny hadn’t disowned her on hearing from Geena that she’d mated into a pack. He’d actually passed on a congratulatory message through Geena, who said he wasn’t being sarcastic about it and truly seemed happy for her. Gwen wasn’t sure what to think of that, so she’d decided not to think of it at all. It was probably dumb to expect a normal response from someone like him anyway.

“Roni!” shouted Eli from a deck chair. “Why do you have to be such a goddamn bitch?!”

Lifting his head up from the blanket, Marcus chuckled. “What did she do?” Lying beside him, Roni didn’t even stir.

Face red, Eli ground his teeth. “She changed my Facebook profile picture!”

“To what?” asked Marcus.

“To a picture of a guy in a black rubber bondage suit! She then put on my status, ‘Do I look cute in this or what?’ Roni, you are dead! Do you hear me?”

Roni lifted her head to glare at her brother. “Well, next time you’re thinking about fucking with me, you won’t put laxatives in my coffee machine!”

Marcus arched a brow at Eli. “Did it not bother you that I could have used the coffee machine before her?”

“Nope.” Eli barely ducked the spoon that Marcus flung at his head.

Cassidy wrinkled her nose as she looked at Eli. “What’s a bondage suit?”

Snorting a laugh, Gwen turned to Zander. “Don’t know about you, but I’m tired. Ready to hit the sack yet?”

Zander took her hand, twining his fingers through hers. “Baby, I’ve been hard as a rock watching you suck on a Popsicle for the last fifteen minutes. I’m more than ready to go.”

She chuckled. “Then let’s go.”

They said their good nights and then headed through the trees to their lodge. He liked that it was their lodge. Liked that their combined scent was all over the place and all over their things. Liked that she’d put her own personal touches here and there, making the space theirs and marking her territory.

Inside the lodge, they kicked off their shoes. Zander smiled at Gwen’s sparkly, painted toenails. He never thought he could have described feet as pretty, but hers were.

As they walked into the den, he pulled her to him and kissed her. Savored her. Indulged in a long, deep taste. She melted against him, moaning. He nipped her lip. “I like drunk sex with my baby. And make-up sex. And kinky sex. And just about any sex.”

“You’re easy that way.”

He kissed his way down her neck and licked at the claiming mark there. His wolf rumbled in contentment at the sight of it. Nothing had ever truly belonged to Zander before—not in the way that she did. Gwen had given herself fully to him, held nothing back, and was his with no strings attached. He treasured that. Treasured her.

He yanked out her hair tie and unraveled her braid. He fucking loved her hair. Loved how soft and glossy it was. Loved how it always smelled of vanilla and coconut. Loved the feel of it when it was wrapped around his fist as he fucked her mouth. Zander thrust his hands into the silky curls left by the braid. “So pretty and soft.”

“If you’re finished playing with my hair, can we get down to business?” Gwen’s knees went a little weak as Zander began sucking on her claiming bite. She was in the mood to fuck. Hard and fast. But it was clear that he had no plans to rush, that he was in the mood to savor. She wasn’t sure she had the patience for that. There were ways to eat at that control he kept so carefully over himself.

Slipping her hands under his shirt, she smoothed them up his back. The muscles beneath that sleek skin bunched slightly, and she could almost feel the contained power there. Gwen lightly dragged her nails down to his lower back and then followed the waistline of his jeans around to his stomach. His abdomen reflexively contracted, and he growled.

As Gwen snapped open the top button of his jeans, Zander placed his hands over hers. “Not yet.” Instead of protesting as he’d expected, she smiled, pulled her hands free, and stepped back. Before he could close the distance, she snapped open her own fly. The sound of her zipper lowering made his cock twitch.

Zander shot her a reprimanding look. “I’m not ready for you to get undre—” The little minx let her shorts puddle at her feet. While he was busy admiring her black lacy panties, she peeled off her tank top. No bra. With a smirk, she turned toward the stairs. Apparently his mate thought she was in control.

Gwen wasn’t sure exactly what had happened. She’d been heading for the stairs, quite pleased with herself. Then big hands had grabbed her, and she suddenly found herself flat on her back on the soft rug in front of the fireplace. She smiled at the male standing over her. “Smoothly done, Devlin.”

“Tonight . . . there will be some rules.”

“Rules? I don’t like rules. I vote we scrap the rules.”

“You can’t vote—it’s against the rules.” He pinned her gaze. “Tonight, I say what goes. You don’t argue. You don’t defy me for the hell of it. You don’t try to take control. You do what I tell you to do.”

Gwen pursed her lips. “Yeah, I’m not sure that’s gonna work for me.”

“No point in lying, Gwen. I can sense how much you like that idea.”

Yeah, okay, she did. Damn that fucking bond. Was it weird that she just wanted him to use her? Probably. She’d worry about it tomorrow, when she was sober. When he wasn’t using his sex-tone—it was almost hypnotic, and it seemed to make her entire body melt for him.

Zander whipped off his shirt. “You don’t have to worry, Gwen. I’d never hurt you. I take care of what I own.” He arched a brow. “And I do own you.”

Gwen opened her mouth to speak, but he chose that moment to tear open the rest of his fly, and bam, she was officially distracted. His cock sprang out, so long and thick that her pussy fluttered. She wanted him inside her badly, but he still seemed in no rush.

She let her thighs fall open, inviting him. “You own me, huh? Then what’s stopping you from taking what’s yours?” Oh yeah, that made his eyes blaze with heat. Not just heat, but possessiveness and determination. Still, he remained standing. Awkward fucker.

Drinking in the delectable sight of her from head to toe, Zander felt his mouth water. His wolf released a territorial growl. “There are so many things I want to do to you.” And there was one thing he needed to do. Snatching her gaze, he said, “I’m going to claim your ass tonight.”

Gwen shook her head. “I’m not curious about what it’s like to have my ass split open.”

Mouth curving, Zander shoved his jeans to the floor and kicked them aside. He knew through their bond that she wanted this, that she was using humor to get past her nerves. “We’ve been working up to it. You’re ready. I told you before, you were made to take me.” He fisted his cock. “And you will, because you’re not in control tonight. I am.”