Jaxon's POV

My lips brushed against hers, featherlight and tentative. I was silently giving her a chance to pull away, but she didn’t. I knew she couldn’t. The moment our mouths met, the world seemed to dissolve, leaving only me and her.

The kiss was slow at first, but it quickly deepened. I let my hands slide around her waist to pull me closer. Her fingers tangled in my air, and a low growl rumbled in my chest, startling even me. Every thought, every worry, every shred of guilt melted away, replaced by the raw, undeniable need for my mate.

Scooping her into my arms, trapping her hands, I kissed...