POV: Maya
When Kai finally helped her to her feet, Maya was shaky and exhausted in the most satisfying way.
"Come on," he said, his arm around her waist supporting her weight. "Let's get you cleaned up. You need water. You need food. You need rest."
As they walked back toward the estate together, Maya felt something settle inside her.
This was what being mated meant. Not just the raw intensity of claiming, but the care that came after. The tenderness mixed with possession. The certainty that she was loved completely and would be protected always.
Kai had claimed her ferociously in that forest. But now, as they walked together with his arm around her and his eyes constantly checking on her, she understood that claiming wasn't just about sex.
It was about belonging. About being so completely, utterly important to someone that they would hunt you down and claim you in the middle of a forest.
And that, that was exactly what Maya had always wanted.
