Julian didn’t release her, not even when the last of his climax pulsed through her and her body went limp beneath him. His knot kept them locked, his weight anchoring her into the grass. She sobbed softly, her face pressed into the earth, trembling with the aftershocks that left her both sated and hollow.

When the knot finally began to ease, he shifted, lifting her as though she weighed nothing. Her legs hung weak around his hips, her body still trembling, but his grip was firm — possessive. He carried her inside, the back door banging open against the wall.

Kaelani stirred, weakly pressing at his chest. “Stop… please…”

But his wolf was relentless. He set her down on the kitchen table, her damp hair fanning across the wood, and pressed back inside her before she could catch her breath. Her cry echoed off the walls, but so did his growl, low and hungry, as he thrust deep, hard, merciless.

The table shook beneath them. Plates clattered to the floor. She clung to him, nails digging into his shoulders, torn between fighting and holding on as the fire rose in her again.

He didn’t stop. He couldn’t.

When he knotted her a second time, her scream broke into a sob, then into a moan she couldn’t swallow. The knot stretched her impossibly full, locking her against him until there was no escape.

Hours blurred. Counter. Floor. Against the wall. Again and again he took her, rut-blind, her body pliant and trembling, her voice breaking into cries she couldn’t swallow. Pleas, sobs, gasps — none of them formed his name. She didn’t know him. Not really. All she knew was the burn, the overwhelming need, and the way his body drowned it out every time he forced himself inside her.

Every time his knot swelled, locking her to him, his wolf growled that same word against her skin:

Mine.

At some point, the frenzy blurred into exhaustion. Julian carried her into the bedroom, his body heavy over hers, his cock still buried deep. She whimpered as he settled them onto the mattress, the knot anchoring them together even as her eyelids fluttered shut. The fire dulled only because he stayed inside her, stretching her full, keeping the ache at bay.

Sleep came in fragments. Her body jerked with aftershocks, her thighs quivering around him. His body was sprawled over hers—heavy, protective, possessive. His lips brushed the mark he’d bitten into her skin like he owned it. Like he owned her.

Suddenly, Kaelani woke to emptiness.

Her eyes shot open, panic clawing at her chest as the burn returned sharper, vicious in his absence. Her body convulsed, desperate for what had kept the fire at bay. “No,” she gasped, clutching at the sheets.

The door creaked.

Julian stepped back into the room, chest slick with sweat, a bottle of water in his hand. He tilted it back, draining it in seconds, then crushed another before striding toward her.

Her lips parted, a plea forming, but he pressed a bottle to her lips. “Drink,” he commanded, voice hoarse.

She obeyed without thought, tilting her head back. The water slid cool down her throat, and only then did she realize how parched she was. By the time he lowered the empty bottle, her skin was already burning again, her hips shifting restlessly against the sheets.

Julian’s eyes darkened. His cock swelled, already hard and ready, pressing against her thigh as he crawled onto the bed.

Before she could catch her breath, he thrust into her again, a broken cry tearing from her lips as the fire was consumed once more. His rhythm was brutal, demanding, but when he flipped her and pulled her astride him, the shift shocked her.

Kaelani trembled, thighs straddling his hips, his cock buried to the hilt inside her. He gripped her waist, forcing her to ride him, each thrust driving him deeper. The pleasure was unbearable, coiling tight, snapping sharp as she came around him, collapsing forward onto his chest.

Julian grunted beneath her, his hips jerking, his knot swelling impossibly thick until she was locked on him, helpless, exactly where he wanted her.

Pinned to him. Stuck.

His.

Kaelani stirred awake to the weight of him still inside her. Her body ached everywhere, her thighs trembling even in stillness, but the thick swell of his knot sat locked deep, anchoring her to him through the night. She tried to shift, but the movement only drew a sharp growl from the chest pressed against her back.

Then he moved.

The knot had softened just enough for him to slip free, slick heat spilling from her, leaving her hollow. Relief barely touched her before his hands tightened on her hips and he thrust back inside, burying himself in a single, punishing stroke.

Kaelani cried out, her palms fisting the sheets. “Please, I can’t—”

His answer was another savage thrust, rocking her forward against the mattress. His groans vibrated through her spine, rough and desperate, more beast than man. He didn’t ask. He didn’t slow. He simply took.

Her body betrayed her again, clenching around him despite the soreness, desperate for the fullness that dulled the fire. Every stroke ground the ache deeper, feeding that hunger she hated, until her protest dissolved into a broken scream of intense pleasure.

Julian’s breath rasped against her ear, his rhythm brutal, primal. His cock swelled again, locking her in place, sealing her against him until there was no escape. She sobbed into the pillow, trembling as ecstasy and pain tangled until she no longer knew the difference.

“Mine,” he growled against her neck, the bite still throbbing where his fangs had claimed her.

Hours blurred into darkness and back again, the world narrowed to the heat of his body pounding into hers, the weight of him holding her down, the knot stretching her until she couldn’t breathe without him. Kaelani lost track of how many times he took her — how many times her body shattered, only to be pulled into need again before she could recover.

At some point, he pulled away, chest heaving, sweat dripping down his temples. He stumbled to the nightstand, grabbed a bottle of water, and pressed it to her lips.

“Drink,” he rasped, voice thick with gravel.

Her lips parted on instinct, the cool liquid sliding down her throat. She drank greedily, not realizing how dry her mouth had been, how parched her body felt until the bottle was gone.

Before she could lower it, Julian crawled back over her, his cock already swollen and angry against her thigh. The demand in his eyes was clear, undeniable. He shoved the empty bottle aside and entered her again, hard and deep, forcing a cry from her chest.

Kaelani’s nails dug into his shoulders, her body clenching around him. The fire raged inside her, but for the first time, an urge burned sharper than the need for release. Her gaze locked on the thick cord of his neck, the place where a mate’s mark should be. Without thinking, she leaned forward, biting down hard.

Her teeth sank into his skin, but nothing happened. No spark. No bond. Just the taste of sweat and salt.

Frustration knifed through her. She wanted it — needed it — but she couldn’t leave a mark. She couldn’t claim him back.

Julian snarled, rut-drunk, grinding deeper into her as if punishing her for her failed attempt. His fangs sank into her neck again, reopening the wound, the taste of blood sharp on the air.

“Mine,” he growled, brutal and final.

The last knot swelled inside her, thicker, deeper, stretching her so full she screamed. Her body convulsed, pleasure and pain detonating at once, dragging her under until she was nothing but trembling limbs and shattered breath.

Julian groaned, his hips bucking, flooding her one final time. His weight crashed over her, his cock locked inside her, knot sealing them together so tightly she couldn’t move if she tried.

They collapsed tangled in sweat and blood and heat, her body wrecked, his wolf finally satisfied.

And for the first time in three days, silence followed.

Kaelani woke slowly, her body sore, every inch of her aching with bruises and bites that marked where he had claimed her again and again. For one fragile heartbeat, she thought it was a dream. That maybe she would turn and find herself alone.

But he was there.

Julian stood at the window, tall and untouchable, the early light sharpening the angles of his face. Jace hovered near him, wordless, handing over folded clothes like a dutiful shadow.

Her throat tightened. Kaelani yanked the sheet higher, covering herself to the chin, her eyes peeking over the edge. She prayed they wouldn’t notice her, though the air was heavy with the scent of what had happened.

Julian’s voice broke the silence, flat and venom-laced.

“Three days… three fucking days trapped in rut intoxication.” He shoved his arm through a sleeve, every movement clipped, furious. His eyes never touched her. “How does this happen, Jace?”

Jace hesitated. Just a flicker. His gaze shifted toward her, meeting her eyes for the briefest second. There was something there—a glimmer of sympathy, shame maybe—but it vanished as quickly as it came. He looked away, jaw tightening.

Julian didn’t notice. Or didn’t care. He fastened his cuff with ruthless precision. “Clean it up, Jace. Nobody learns of this.”

Her stomach dropped. Clean it up. Like she was a mess on the floor, not a woman whose body still ached from him.

He kept going, relentless, merciless. “I want her tested. Properly. Goddess knows how many fucking times I knotted her.” He adjusted his collar, his tone almost mocking. “Push back the mating ceremony. Make sure my future Luna stays put, since now I’ll be carrying that woman’s scent for days.”

Julian reached for his jacket, slipping it on like armor. His eyes flicked over the room once, deliberately skimming past the bed, past her. “Take care of it, Jace. I want no ties with this woman whatsoever.”

Then he was gone, the front door slamming shut behind him like a verdict.

Silence filled the room once Julian was gone, thick and suffocating. Kaelani didn’t move. She lay rigid beneath the sheets, her eyes burning, her chest tight. The scent of him still clung to her skin, raw and humiliating, a brand she couldn’t wash away.

Jace cleared his throat quietly, the sound careful, cautious. When she looked at him, he wasn’t staring—he had turned slightly, giving her his profile, gaze fixed on the far wall as though the floorboards were infinitely more intriguing than the sight of her.

“I’m going to leave the room and give you your privacy,” he said, his voice even but softer than she expected. “You can shower. Dress. Whatever you need.”

Her grip tightened on the sheet, knuckles white.

Jace nodded once, still not looking at her. “Take as long as you like. When you’re ready, meet me in your living area. You and I will… discuss what happens from here.”

With that, he moved to the door, pausing just long enough that she almost thought he might say more. But then he left, the click of the latch far gentler than Julian’s brutal slam.

Kaelani exhaled shakily into the silence. Her throat ached, her body ached, but worse was the hollow ache in her chest. The bed smelled of him, the room filled with his absence. For the first time in days, she was alone—and it felt like the cruelest blow of all.

Kaelani forced herself out of bed, her legs trembling as she stood. The sheet slipped from her shoulders, pooling at her feet, but she barely noticed. The mirror above her dresser caught her eye.

She froze.

The mark burned vivid against her neck, stark against her honey-beige complexion—his claim, etched in teeth and fire. Her fingers lifted before she could stop them, grazing the swollen punctures. Heat prickled behind her eyes, a thousand emotions clawing up her throat. Hurt. Rage. Shame. Something else she refused to name.

She swallowed hard. No. She wouldn’t break. Not here. Not over him.

Kaelani tore her gaze away, crossing into the bathroom. She turned the shower on as hot as it would go, then changed her mind and twisted the dial to cold. The spray bit into her skin, but nothing could wash away the phantom heat of his hands, his body. She scrubbed quickly, methodically, until her skin was raw and clean. When she stepped out, she wrapped herself in a towel and dressed with mechanical precision.

By the time she stepped into the living room, her face was calm, composed — though her heart thudded like a drum in her chest.

Jace stood in the center of the room, hands on his hips, surveying the wreckage. Broken glass glittered near the window. A table lay overturned. One of her lamps was shattered. The chaos of three days’ frenzy.

He glanced at her once, then back to the mess. “I’ll make arrangements. Everything will be replaced, every cost covered.” His voice was brisk, business-like, as though running down figures on a ledger.

“Don’t bother,” Kaelani said quickly, her tone sharper than intended. She folded her arms tight across her chest. “Just leave it.”

Jace exhaled, lowering his hands from his hips. His gaze softened, just a fraction, as he gestured toward the sitting area.

“Can we sit?”

Kaelani hesitated, then gave a small nod. She perched on the armchair nearest the window, tucking her legs beneath her, while Jace settled onto the couch opposite, his posture still sharp but less imposing.

He leaned forward slightly, forearms resting on his knees. “Let’s start properly.” His voice was low, measured. “I’m Beta Jace…” He paused, as though weighing how much to reveal. “…of Blackthorn Pack. And, well—you’ve already met Alpha Julian Hale.”

Her stomach clenched at the name. She kept her face carefully blank.

“And you are?” Jace asked gently.

Her fingers tightened against the armrest. “Kaelani.” She left it at that. No last name—because there wasn’t one, aside from the one she created to blend into the human world.

Jace studied her for a long moment, his eyes narrowing slightly. “Forgive me if this sounds blunt, but… why is a Lycan like you living among humans?”

The question cut sharp, though his tone carried no malice—only genuine confusion.

Kaelani’s mouth went dry. She wanted to look away, but his gaze held hers, steady and searching. Slowly, she drew a breath.

“Because I don’t belong to a pack,” she said at last, the words tasting bitter on her tongue.

Jace’s brow furrowed. “Impossible. Every wolf has a pack.”

“Not me.” Her laugh was hallow. “My wolf never awakened. When I turned eighteen, my Alpha ordered a DNA analysis—just to be certain. It confirmed what he’d always suspected: I was human.” She exhaled sharply. “So they exiled me. Said I was a mistake—just an orphan girl abandoned on their land. Gave me money and sent me on my way.”

She lifted her chin, forcing herself to meet his gaze. “That’s why I live among humans. Because to your kind, I was never one of you.”

Jace leaned back slowly, the weight of her confession settling heavy between them. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes—those betrayed something like pity.

“And yet,” he said quietly, “your heat was strong enough to trigger an Alpha’s rut.” His gaze sharpened, no longer just sympathetic but probing, calculating. “That doesn’t happen to humans.”

Kaelani stiffened. The words pierced straight through her chest, because he was right. No matter how many times she’d told herself she was human, deep down she had always known something was—different.

Her throat bobbed as she tried to swallow. “I didn’t ask for this,” she whispered. “I don’t understand it myself.”

Jace’s expression softened, just slightly. “I know.” His voice was quiet, almost careful. “But the truth is, Kaelani… whether you asked for it or not, it happened. And in our world, what happened between you and my Alpha is a very big deal for someone like him… it can’t get out. Not to the council. Not to anyone. Do you understand?”

“I don’t want it getting out either,” Kaelani said quickly. Her voice was steady, but her fingers twisted against her knee. “I’m not ignorant to the ways of wolves. I know his mark will fade—because I couldn’t mark him back. And I’m on birth control… so the chance of pregnancy is low.”

She exhaled through her nose, steady but quiet.

Thank the Goddess Tessa had talked her into going on the pill a few months ago—“just in case,” she’d said, nudging with a wink.

Kaelani had rolled her eyes at the time.

She was twenty-three. A virgin.

Careful with her time. Cautious with her body. Practically allergic to attachment.

She let people close the way others approached fireflies—briefly, at arm’s length, never quite touching the glow.

Still, something in her had known it was only a matter of time.

Jace’s brows lifted slightly. “Human contraception or Lycan?”

“Human, of course,” she said, a little too fast.

He exhaled. “Ninety-one percent effective in humans, give or take with perfect use. For Lycans?” He paused, eyes narrowing thoughtfully. “Drop that by about twenty percent.”

Her stomach fluttered—but she held his gaze, forcing a calm she didn’t feel.

“Still low,” she murmured. “I’ll get the morning-after pill too.

Still, his Beta instincts pressed. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, gaze steady. “And how do I know I can trust you? How do I know you won’t blackmail him later? Do you want money?”

Kaelani’s head snapped up, eyes flashing. “No.” The word was sharp, almost cutting. “I don’t want his money. I only want secrecy.” Her throat worked as she swallowed. “If the Lycan Council learns that a wolf-less omega triggered an Alpha’s rut, they’ll force me back to my pack. And I will never go back there.”

Her voice cracked on the last word, but her eyes blazed with conviction.

Jace sat back slowly, studying her. And for the first time since he walked into her home, something like respect glimmered in his expression.