“Look at me,” he growled.
Her green eyes locked onto his as she sank down, taking him inside inch by devastating inch. The tight, wet clutch of her body was paradise. When she was fully seated, she stilled, her inner muscles fluttering around him as they both adjusted to the overwhelming fullness.
“You feel…” she breathed, unable to finish.
“I know.” He gripped her hips, his thumbs stroking her skin.
She began to rock, a slow, sensual rhythm that had fire licking up his spine. He met each movement with an upward thrust of his own, angling to hit that deep, perfect spot inside her. He could feel her pleasure through the bond, a rising wave of sensation that crashed against his own.
Her pace soon quickened, her movements growing more urgent and wild. The sight of her riding him, lost in pleasure, was the most potent thing he’d ever known. His thrusts became primal, driving into her with a force that shook the bed. He could feel his release building, a tidal wave at the base of his spine. The need to mark her, to complete the bond, became an unbearable pressure.
“Tess,” he ground out, his hands tightening on her. “I’m going to mark you now.”
Her eyes flew open, blazing with love and absolute trust. “Mark me, Korran,” she demanded, her voice a breathless, hungry plea.
As her climax broke, crashing over her with a cry that was pure music, he let the change ripple through just one hand. His claws extended, sharp and dark. At the exact moment his own orgasm ripped through him, as he spilled his seed deep inside her, he dragged his claws lightly over the smooth skin of her left hip.
She cried out again—a mix of pleasure and sharp sensation—and her inner walls clenched around him in a second, rippling orgasm that milked him utterly dry.
And then he felt it.
The mate bond snapped into place with the force of inevitability. It wasn’t just a connection anymore; it was a fusion. Her fierce love, her brilliance, her unwavering strength flooded into him. Her human essence didn’t dilute his power; it amplified it. He felt stronger, more alive than he ever had in his life. Any lingering doubt was burned away by the undeniable truth: her humanness didn’t make him weak.
It made him whole.
TWENTY-ONE
TESS
Seven days had passed since the Northern Dominion’s world shifted on its axis. Seven days since Queen Lysia had been rescued from that cabin in the wilderness, since Malvek and Varix’s lifeless bodies had been carried away, since a decade of lies had crumbled beneath the weight of truth. The revelation that human-shifter bonds weren’t a weakness but had been weaponized by ambitious men hungry for power had rippled through the clan like wildfire.
Tess adjusted the elegant emerald gown she’d chosen from the massive wardrobe Korran had given her just two weeks ago when she first arrived on Nova Aurora—the green color complementing her eyes and marking her as future queen. The fabric whispered against her skin as she walked beside Korran toward the ceremonial hall, the same building where they had mourned King Voran’s death just one week prior. Today, however, the air thrummed with anticipation rather than grief.
How different everything looks when built on truth instead of lies.
When Korran had announced their completed mate bond three days ago, Tess had braced herself for rejection, for the clan’s ingrained prejudice against humans to rear its ugly head.Instead, she’d been met with relief and genuine warmth. The woman who had exposed the corruption, who had helped save their beloved queen, was staying permanently. The woman who had proven human strength could match bear courage was worthy to stand beside their king.
The acceptance had nearly brought her to tears.
Now, as Korran helped her up the front steps of the ceremonial hall, she could feel his steady confidence and his anticipation crackling like electricity through their completed bond. The connection still amazed her scientific mind—the way emotions flowed between them like shared breath, and how they could communicate without words. Her rational brain kept trying to categorize and analyze the phenomenon, but she’d learned to simply marvel at the intimacy of it instead.
She glanced at him, taking in the way his formal ceremonial suit emphasized his powerful frame, and how his eyes looked bright with purpose and happiness instead of clouded with grief and guilt. He looked every inch the king he was born to be.
“Ready?” Korran asked aloud, his deep voice steady but carrying an undercurrent of emotion.
“With you? Always,” she replied, meaning every word.
They entered the hall together, and Tess’s breath caught. The space had been transformed. Where funeral wreaths had hung, now banners of celebration adorned the walls. The scent of pine and winter flowers filled the air, and hundreds of clan members filled every available seat, their faces bright with hope.
In the front row, Queen Lysia sat by Orric and Gabrielle, her blue eyes sparkling with pride and something that looked like maternal satisfaction. The recent ordeal had left its mark—she was thinner, more fragile-looking than before—but her spine remained straight and her presence commanding. When she caught sight of Tess, her face broke into a radiant smile that made Tess’s chest tighten with emotion.
She looks at you like a daughter,Korran observed through their telepathic link.
I haven’t had a mother in three years,Tess replied, surprised by how much that realization affected her.I’d forgotten how much I missed it.
Korran squeezed her hand briefly before guiding her toward the front of the hall. The crowd’s murmur grew louder, not with hostility but with genuine excitement. Faces that had once regarded her with suspicion now beamed with approval. Children pointed and whispered, their eyes wide with wonder at their future queen.
When they reached the front row, Lysia rose and embraced Tess warmly. “You look absolutely radiant, my dear,” she whispered against Tess’s ear. “Like a queen.”
