Chapter 22 THE CLAIM
ALICIA’s POV
The air between us crackles with anticipation and nervousness and three years of pent-up wanting finally allowed to surface.
"We don't have to rush," Monty says, moving closer to the bed. "We can take our time. Make this good for you."
"I've never…" Heat floods my face. "With Ray, the bond happened so fast, and we didn't really…I mean, we did, but…"
"Shh." His finger touches my lips, gentle. "I know. And I'm going to make this better than whatever fumbling you did with Ray." His voice is low like he is making promise and a vow. His eyes which were usually so light, darken with possessive desire. I believe him completely, a deep, resonant certainty settling in my soul. He smiled briefly. “I'm going to make you forget every other man exists."
His confidence should be arrogant. Instead, it's arousing.
Monty climbs onto the bed slowly, giving me time to refuse. When I don't, he settles beside me, close enough that I can feel his body heat.
"Three years," he murmurs, hand cupping my face. "I've imagined this for three years. Thought about how you'd taste, how you'd feel, what sounds you'd make." His finger traces my lower lip. "Reality is better than any fantasy."
"Monty..."
He kisses me before I can finish. Soft at first, testing, then deeper as I respond. His hand slides into my hair, angling my head for better access.
This is different from kissing Ray. Ray was desperate possession. Monty is controlled seduction.
His lips trail from my mouth to my jaw, down my neck to where the mate mark will go. "Tell me if you want me to stop."
"Don't stop."
His responding growl vibrates against my throat. Hands slide under my shirt,Ray's shirt that I'm still wearing, pushing it up and off. Cool air hits my skin, followed immediately by Monty's warm palms.
"Beautiful," he breathes. "You're so damn beautiful."
He maps my body with hands and mouth, taking his time, learning what makes me gasp and arch and moan. When his mouth closes around my breast, I thread my fingers through his hair, holding him there.
The bond pulses stronger with each touch. I can feel his desire bleeding through it, matching my own. Can feel his years of longing finally finding release.
Clothes began to come off piece by piece. His. Mine. Until there's nothing between us except skin and heat and need.
"Last chance," Monty says, positioned between my legs, restraint written in every line of his body. "Once we do this, the bond is permanent. Forever. Are you sure?"
"I'm sure." I pull him down for another kiss. "I choose you, Monty. I want this."
He enters me slowly, carefully, watching my face for any sign of pain. There's a stretch, a moment of adjustment, then fullness and rightness and the bond screaming with completion.
We move together, building building heat. Monty's control fractures, his thrusts becoming harder, faster, desperate. I meet him stroke for stroke, nails digging into his back.
The power inside me rises with the pleasure. I feel it building, cresting, about to explode—
"Let go," Monty gasps against my neck. "Let the power flow through the bond. Through me. I can take it."
I do. The orgasm hits like lightning, and with it comes the surge of True Luna power. But this time, instead of exploding outward, it flows through our mate bond into Monty.
He throws his head back with a roar, climaxing hard, accepting my power into himself. The bond solidifies with a flash of golden light.
Then his teeth sink into my neck.
The marking bite is pure pleasure-pain. I cry out, body arching, as the claiming completes. The mate bond locks into place, permanent and unbreakable.
When it's over, we collapse together, breathing hard. Monty's still inside me, his weight pleasant and grounding. "Mine," he murmurs against my skin. "Finally mine."
"Yours," I agree. "And you're mine too."
He lifts his head, and his eyes are glowing faintly gold. The power I channeled through him is still visible, dancing under his skin.
"Did I hurt you?" I touch his face, he is worried.
"No." He catches my hand, kissing the palm. "You made me stronger. I can feel it. The bond between us is incredible."
A howl cuts through the night. Long, mournful, and very close.
Monty tenses. "What?"
More howls join the first. Not aggressive. Almost... reverent?
We scramble for clothes. Monty's dressed first, moving to the window. His entire body goes rigid.
"What is it?" I join him, pulling on my shirt.
Outside, surrounding the entire territory, are wolves. Dozens of them. Maybe more. Not attacking. Just sitting. Watching. Waiting.
And they're all chanting the same thing, over and over:
"True Luna. True Luna. True Luna."
The door bursts open. Ray, Kai, and Logan rush in, weapons drawn.
"We're surrounded," Ray reports. "Rogue pack. At least fifty wolves."
"They haven't attacked," Kai adds. "Just... appeared. Started chanting."
Monty's arm wraps around my waist, protective. "What do they want?"
As if in answer, one wolf separates from the pack. She shifts to human, a woman with silver-streaked black hair and a scar running from temple to jaw. She's tall, muscular, and moves with predatory grace.
Her voice carries clearly across the distance:
"We come to serve the True Luna. We've waited a thousand years for her awakening. We felt her power tonight. We've come to pledge our allegiance."
Ray growls. "And if we refuse?"
The woman's smile showing all her teeth. "Then we wait. The True Luna will need an army when the real enemies come. We intend to be that army."
She tilts her head back and a release long, pure, powerful howls.
Every rogue wolf joins her. The sound is deafening, full of promise and threat in equal measure.
And through it all, they keep chanting:
"True Luna. True Luna. True Luna."
I lean into Monty's embrace, feeling his completed bond steady inside me.
But looking at the army of rogues surrounding us, I realize that surviving tonight was just the beginning.
Now the real complications start.