“We’re ready.” A pause. “I want him to ride us. I want the bond complete.”
My heart slammed once in my chest. And then again.
You sure? I asked her.
“I’ve never been more sure of anything.”
I turned to Killian, who was tightening the straps of his black combat vest. “Hey,” I said softly.
He looked up immediately. “Yeah?”
“I… we—Hella and I—we want you to ride us today.”
Something shifted in his gaze. It wasn’t just desire. It was reverence. Wonder. And when his smile came, it wasn’t smug or cocky or teasing. It was pure joy.
“I’d be honored.”
——
We stepped outside into the crisp morning air, sunlight filtering through the trees in golden shafts. The clearing just behind the pack house was quiet, still glistening with dew. A few birds chirped somewhere in the distance, oblivious t
