The taste of his blood on my tongue broke the hold he had on me and created a new one somewhere deep inside. I pulled back slightly to look at the small marks I’d left. They had already begun to heal.

The pull he had on me and the euphoria of the moment faded as the horror of what I’d just done washed over me.

Clay stared at me in stunned silence...versus his everyday silence. Behind me, someone moved and called attention to the fact that we still had an audience. A Claiming typically occurred in private.

A deep blush seized my cheeks, and embarrassed tears began to gather. I wiped the blood from my mouth with a shaky hand. I didn’t regret Claiming him, but wished we could have talked first. I needed reassurance. Would this mean I’d have to quit school? Would he want me to live in the woods with him? If he did, I owed it to him to try after everything he’d done for me.

Then, a really ugly question floated to the surface. Had I just forced him?

Panic bloomed in my chest. Before I could scramble off his lap, he reached up and gently stroked my hair. I froze, hands braced on his chest for stability, ready to flee.

“I’ve been waiting for that since the moment I saw you,” he said in a deep and husky voice. He sounded like a midnight radio DJ.

Hearing his perfect voice ignited my temper. Now, he could talk? I scowled at him. The man had the audacity to laugh then scoop me up in his arms.

The room around us erupted in cheers, and I hid my blazing face in his chest, my thoughts a confused jumble. I felt him walk, but didn’t have the courage to look up to meet the faces of the people who’d witnessed our Claiming. The sounds of cheering faded as he moved out of the commons. My tears of embarrassment dried before they spilled over.

Part of me couldn’t wait to get him alone and yell at him for not talking to me for so long. Another part of me wanted to skip talking altogether and get back to the kissing part. And yet another part of me wanted to ask his thoughts about my gifts and the lights I saw.

When he carried me into our little room and set me on my feet after closing the door, I did none of those things. I stood mere inches from him still too stunned, and very unsure, to do anything but stare. Where would we live? How would we support ourselves? What about my education? His job? Was he upset I bit him under the influence? Should I tell him about the other wolf? Did he have ideas about the weird colored lights?

I trembled. He no longer smiled, but his eyes still twinkled.

“Why?” My high, strained voice made me sound like a child. I cleared my throat and tried again. “Why wait until now to talk?” Apparently, my curiosity had won.

He quietly studied me for a moment then opened his arms. I didn’t hesitate, but stepped right into them. I needed his comfort. He tucked me against his chest and gave me his explanation in a simple, heart-melting way.

“If I’d spoken, even just one word, I would have never been able to hold back what I feel for you. You would have run.”

I remembered the day he’d plopped down on the towel next to Rachel. Had he arrived any other way, I would have tried to kick him out. If that wouldn’t have worked, I would have...run. Even then, he’d known me. I hadn’t been ready for any monumental life changes then and wasn’t sure if I was now.

I pulled back and met his gaze.

“Can I finally get answers from you now? You’ll keep talking?”

He smiled at me and nodded. Well, he’d never be a chatterbox.

“Do you think I’m right about the—”

With sudden seriousness, he interrupted me. “Now’s not the time. We’ll talk later.”

“No way, we’re talking now. If not about that, then something else. I’ve waited over six months to hear your voice.”

He didn’t look too motivated to talk, yet.

“You owe me. I bit you.” It sounded a little backwards, but he smiled for a moment before the look turned puzzled.

“How are you feeling?”

His question gave me pause. Where were the waves of backlash? Shouldn’t I feel sick or something by now?

“Good, actually.” I’d felt great since I bit him.

Curious, I stretched my awareness. Two of the waves had already hit me, but I hadn’t felt a thing.

“It’s weird, but I don’t feel sick.” No backlash. Did that mean I would no longer have a pull on men? The idea excited me. I tried pushing my sight further, and it worked.

In Clay’s arms, I focused easily, seeing things I’d missed before. The humans dominated the majority of the space while the werewolves claimed an insignificant portion. Far to the east, a large gathering of blue-grey werewolves hid among the humans. I stayed focused on their group, concerned. If they congregated together, they understood their difference.

“I think we need a safe place to talk.” Although werewolves tried to respect each other’s privacy, I didn’t want to chance anyone overhearing what we needed to discuss.

Clay nodded, but glanced at the door without moving. I followed his gaze and my shoulders slumped as I looked at the wood panel. I had a good idea who hovered outside. He’d given me my answers and now wanted his own.

I slipped from Clay’s arms and yanked the door open. As I expected Sam leaned against the wall opposite the door. Waiting. Probably listening, too.

“Sam, since we don’t have any privacy, we’d like to use the conference room. There are a few things we need to discuss.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Sam said, motioning for me to lead.

“Clay and I, Sam,” I clarified as I stepped from the room. “I don’t have any answers for you.”

“Gabby—”

“No. Now it’s your turn to be bossed around and told what to do. I did what you wanted and Claimed one of you. Lay off.” My stomach churned, and a little fear crept in. Talking to Sam like that was like poking a bear with a stick. Though he’d never given me reason to fear him, he could rip my head off in a blink. I never forgot that.

Sam didn’t say anything behind me, but continued to follow me. I didn’t turn around to look but knew Clay followed Sam. I needed to stop baiting Sam and smelling like fear. It didn’t help any of us.

I opened the door to the soundproofed conference room and turned to face Sam. He’d schooled his features to appear perfectly calm and blank, but his spark glowed like a fanned ember.

“Sam, I’m trying to do what’s best for me, Clay, and the pack. There’s a lot I haven’t told you, things I haven’t told Clay. Give me some time to sort everything out. I need to make sure your goals mesh with mine before I can fully confide in you.” He looked hurt by my words, but I didn’t regret them. I was trying to be honest and give him what information I could to help explain my behavior.

He studied my face for a long moment then stood back and let Clay join me in the room. “I’ll be here.”

I nodded and gently closed the door. I’d figured he would wait.

When I turned to Clay, I found him watching me. He looked puzzled. Probably trying to figure out what I hadn’t told him. He knew so much already. But what would he think about my reaction to the man who’d broken into our house?

I rubbed my hand through my hair. “I’m not sure where to start.”

He pulled me into his arms. “Anywhere. I’ll listen.”

He always did. I smiled and started with the easiest thing. “I can see everything, Clay. Without pain.” I pulled out of his arms and continued to look. “Even without touching you, there’s no pain. I can see so much more than before. Why?”

“It’s our link.”

“Wait. I thought the link happened when...” I didn’t really want to bring that up. We’d moved a little fast with the Claiming, and I didn’t want to seem overly eager about the Mating. No mixed signals.

He read my hesitation and quirked a smile. “The full link happens after the Mating is completed. With the Claiming we have a more limited version of that connection.” His smile faded, and he looked at me sincerely. “It can still be broken. If there’s another potential Mate out there...by biting him, you can break our bond and create one with him.”