Echoes of Fire (The Mercury Pack #4)(71)

Bracken rolled them onto their sides, keeping her flush against him. “All mine.”

She snickered. “Typical dominant male.” Her cat did a languid stretch, calm and content.

“How are you feeling?”

Balanced. Anchored. Peaceful. Whole. “Well, my ass is stinging a little after the zealousness of your finger.”

He laughed. “You can’t play this down, I can feel how happy and centered you are.”

“Then why ask?” Snuggling into him, she kissed his throat. “The bond hasn’t fully snapped into place yet, but strangely enough, that doesn’t make me uneasy.”

“You’re a girl who likes things to move at a steady pace,” he pointed out.

She frowned. “Maybe Kathy was right; maybe I should have just reached for this in the beginning instead of making you work for it.” Now that they were connected, it didn’t seem so scary.

His brows lifted. “She said that? No, baby, that’s bullshit. You still had doubts. We were doing the right thing by waiting.” He lapped at the mark on her neck. It was no longer just a bite—it was a brand that declared to the world that she was taken, that there was someone who would rain fresh hell on anyone who dared to harm her.

“I didn’t cling to my independence because I’m stubborn. Well, not just because I’m stubborn.”

“I know that. For a long time, you only really had you. You were your own rock. Made your own choices. Made your own mistakes. Never depended on anyone. I shook all that up, made myself a place in your life, asked you to rely on me in ways that made you feel off-balance. It would have been strange if you hadn’t tried to cling to what you knew and what felt safest to you—which was being alone.” He sifted his fingers through her hair. “But you’re not alone anymore. Never will be again.”

“Never again,” she agreed. As he breezed his finger over the claiming mark on his neck, mouth curving, she chuckled. “You want to go look at it, don’t you?”

“I will as soon as I can feel my legs.” He tugged her closer so that he could kiss, lick, and sip from her mouth. “I’ll be even happier when our scents mix.” There were certain steps that needed to be taken before a mating bond could fully form. He wondered what it would take to advance theirs, and he suspected that maybe Madisyn’s doubts weren’t all completely soothed. If that was so, she didn’t appear to be conscious of it. “How’s your cat?”

“Content. Your wolf?”

“At peace.” Catching her face between his hands, he kissed her again, thanking her for that. “Still up for a run?”

Her mouth curled. “Yeah, why not? But we’d better do it outside. My cat has a lot of fur, and we both know you’ll have a hernia if it ends up all over the bed.”

He frowned, trying to look offended. “I’m not that bad.”

“Sure you’re not,” she said, voice dry as a bone.

Hand in hand, they walked through the lodge and out onto the back porch. “Don’t shift straightaway,” said Bracken. “My wolf wants some attention from you.”

She saluted him. “It’ll be nice to see your wolf again.” He’d shifted in front of her a few times before, giving his wolf some time with her. He was an impressively built beast. Bones snapped and popped, and then a large gray wolf stood in Bracken’s place.

She squatted as the wolf padded over to her. “Hey, handsome.” She stroked him as he licked at her jaw and pushed into her personal space, just as he always did. “You be careful with my cat. She’s special.” And then Madisyn shifted.

The wolf sniffed at the cat as he circled her, rubbing his body along hers, scent-marking her. The cat batted at him, claws sheathed, and then fled. The wolf gave chase.

They ran for hours, jumping over crumbling logs, ducking low-hanging branches, and skirting mossy rocks. When they weren’t wrestling each other to the ground, they were playfully chasing rabbits and squirrels. Several times, the wolf had to stop the cat from trying to squeeze into burrows in the ground to follow their prey.

The sky was dark when they returned to the lodge, tired and sleepy. The cat lazed on the porch, and the wolf curled himself protectively around her. Instinctively bristling at the protective move, she gave a low snarl. He licked at her fur, soothing her until she settled. Then they both drifted to sleep.





CHAPTER FOURTEEN



Mug of coffee in hand, Bracken stepped onto the back porch the next morning and glanced around. There was still no sign of his mate.

He’d woken alone, but her cat’s scent had been fresh enough for him to be sure that she hadn’t been gone long. His wolf had wanted to hunt her down, but Bracken had urged the beast to give the cat her space. If they made her feel smothered, she’d be less inclined to relax here. Plus, it was a good sign that she’d risen with the drive to explore the surrounding land.

Bracken had expected her to be back by the time he’d finished his coffee and bagel. She hadn’t. And despite not needing to worry, despite feeling through the mating bond that she wasn’t afraid or in pain, panic began to choke him nonetheless. He wondered if it would always be like that. If he’d always feel that knot of irrational fear in his stomach whenever he had no idea where she was. He hoped not, because it would drive her crazy over time.