Winter stood on the balcony outside their chambers at Curaidh. She loved it here. There was something about this place that called to her soul. She was naked and it was cold, but she didn’t care. No one could see, and Sean was walking up softly behind her.

“A penny for your thoughts,” he purred, incredibly satisfied with himself. He took a great deal of satisfaction in seeing how much pleasure he could provide for her. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her back into his front.

“See, there you go being a penny-pinching Scotsman.”

“Frugal. We’re frugal.”

“Frugal? Is that what you call that extravagance?”

“I’m frugal unless I think it will bring a smile to the face of my beautiful mate who works too hard.”

“You work harder and longer than I do.”

“Only so you don’t make me look bad,” he teased.

It wasn’t true. Sean was everything a good alpha should be. He cared about his people and put their welfare ahead of his own. And now with having to deal with the League and trying to bring Graeme MacLean into the fold, he was working harder than ever.

“Are you sure I can’t appeal to MacLean?”

“And how would you do that—steal into his stronghold and let him wake up with you sitting at the foot of his bed, flipping your knife around?”

“Well, you must admit, it was effective with my father.”

Sean chuckled. “You have a point, but no. We’ll invite him to dine with us later this week and see if we can’t get anywhere with him. I was thinking you might appeal to him to pass a message to Kyra. If we can get Scott and Kyra to come join us here, that might be the tipping point for MacLean.”

She rubbed her head against him. “You’re really quite the romantic.”

“No. I am being practical.”

“No. You are trying to reunite Colby with his sister, and I love you all the more for it.”

“As I said, I owe him a debt I can never repay. I will do what I can to help him reunite with his sister.”

“Mm-hmm. Shall we go for a run?”

They had fallen into a pattern of going for a daily run. It hadn’t been something Sean had done until she’d returned to him—or rather, until he’d brought her home. Not only was it good to do for their health, but there was something deeply intimate and restorative about becoming a snow leopard and running through the Highlands.

She stepped away from him and called forth her snow leopard in a swirling mist of light, color, power, and thunder. Their people had become accustomed to them shifting in their chambers and using the escape tunnel Winter had used when she’d run from him two years before.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re human or snow leopard—you are exquisite, and I love you madly.”

He did know how to say the sweetest things, and he never failed to tell her how much he adored her. It hadn’t come as easily to her—loving him was easy but telling him had taken a bit longer. Sean followed her example, opening the escape hatch, shifting, and then bounding down into the tunnel in front of her before leading the way.

She needed to thank him again for not killing her father. He had resented the more than two years he’d been kept in Sean’s dungeon, although that seemed like a bit of a misnomer, given that it was a huge suite of rooms, her father could have visitors, and he had access to all the reading material he wanted. He groused that his communications had been subject to review before being sent out or delivered to him. What did the man expect? He had, after all, taken part in an uprising against Sean. And then the old bastard had wanted to be compensated in some way for joining those in the Highlands who meant to fight the Shadow League.

One uncharitable thought had occurred to Winter. Clyde, the wolverine, had indicated that Sean had been the target and not her. Might her father know something about that? If he did, he wouldn’t have to worry about Sean’s taking vengeance, because she would take care of the matter herself.

Winter ran alongside him, rubbing up against him, purring, and tangling her tail with his. Sean never failed to return the caress and he bounded down the stairs and into the tunnel that would take them down the cliff and to the town and beach below. At first, they had always chosen to run where no one could see them, but Winter had come to believe it did their people good to know that their alpha and his mate were truly fated and were happy together.

They galloped and bounded over the various obstacles until they began to run the roads coming in and out of the village. People raised their hands and waved, calling their good wishes to the powerful couple that ruled their clan.

After a nice, long run, they made their way back to the castle. Winter always had to smile when she realized she lived in an actual castle. One that had seen its share of battles and sieges, but one that had never failed the snow leopards of Curaidh.

Once they’d entered their room, Winter shifted back and went to stand on the balcony once again. Sean joined her, hauling her body back into his, wrapping his arms around her and holding her tight. Even without the bonding link there would be no missing what was on her mate’s mind. His hard cock was nestled in the cleft of her buttocks, reaching up to the small of her back.

“I’ve had another report that your father is acting up again.”

“I swear to God, you should put him back in the dungeon and replace him as alpha. I’m so sorry, my love.”

“Tis not your fault. I think it pisses him off that we’re so happy, and that you have carved out a unique place in our clan,” he said as his hand slithered down her body until his finger found her clit. She moaned and arched into his touch. “Such a good mate to respond properly to my touch. I don’t wish to dishonor him or keep him in our dungeon.”

“But he needs to get his head out of his ass and quit vexing you.”

Sean chuckled as he continued to play with her swollen nub. “Your father doesn’t vex me; I don’t give him that much time. I’m far too busy ensuring my mate’s giant libido is well satisfied. I don’t want to banish him, but I fear I may be forced to do just that or toss him back in the dungeon.”

“If you don’t quit discussing mundane things like how much of a sonofabitch my father can be while you’re playing with my sex, I may just stomp onwho says  your instep again.”

He parted her labia, stroking it gently before dipping his fingers into her wet heat, making her breath catch. “I can’t have that. I need to know that when we are naked and alone, I am the one who commands all of your attention.”

Winter laughed softly. People could see the support and pleasure they gave each other, but she sincerely doubted they had any idea of the peace and joy he brought to her—inside their bed and out. She sagged against him, giving him better access, then held her hand over his while he pleasured her. It wasn’t the cold night air that beaded her nipples and raised goosebumps along her skin. No, that was her mate, the man she had denied for more than two years, but who she now knew to be the only man in whose arms she belonged.

He groaned, his engorged member throbbing against her. Every part of her body came alive in his arms. Their earlier lovemaking had been primitive and wild. But now, as he slowly caressed her, crooning and purring to her, her synapses fired in ways that only Sean could spark. Her body trembled as he continued to stroke her pussy, his other hands strumming and plucking her nipples as if she were a fine musical instrument.

Sean ceased his teasing, scooping her up in his arms and carrying her back to their bed. He covered her mouth with his as he laid her out, standing next to her and stroking his manhood as he watched her body come alive under his lustful gaze.

He dragged her toward him until he cradled her ass in his hands, then lifted and angled her body to take his hard cock in a single thrust, which might have been brutal if he hadn’t coaxed her arousal to a deep state of need. He held her close as she cried out—her climax locking her sheath to his cock via the spiked barbs all along his length. He fucked deep inside her, and she pulled herself up using his muscular biceps as a hold so she could offer him her mouth, which he devoured like a starving man.

When her trembling had normalized, he pushed forward and then pulled back, fucking her with smaller, more shallow thrusts. When her body surrendered to his, his movements became harder, more forceful, and much deeper. The barbs released and rubbed her inner walls as he plunged in and scored them as he dragged himself back.

Sean gripped her tight, pounding into her in a way that would leave her sore, but incredibly happy come morning. Harder and harder, again and again, he rammed into her, only to draw back before thrusting home. The pleasure built until she came again, bowing her body in his hands and screaming out her need and satisfaction. He let her ride the wave of her climax as he rode her steadily into the next.

Winter dug her nails into his arms and wrapped her legs around his waist, trying to trap him within her body, urging him never to leave. One hand continued to cup her buttocks while the other lifted one thigh so that it was resting on his shoulder. He drove his cock deep until he threw his head back at last and roared in triumph as he sent his seed streaming into her in what felt like an endless torrent.

A primal satisfaction raced down the tether to surround and reassure her as he stepped back. Winter raised herself, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling his head back to hers. She fused their mouths together and ran her tongue along his bottom lip, probing the seam before he took over the kiss and their tongues tangled in a dance of power and need before he ended it.

“How the fuck did I live more than two years without you?” he growled.

“I have no idea,” she said, launching herself at him, “but let’s not do that again.” Her hand slipped between them to rub his cock lightly. “Instead, how about we do this again?”

His was still partially engorged and the mere idea of having her again made his dick rise. God, she loved his dick. He smiled seductively and placed his hand on her head, pressing down to help her sink to her knees. He tugged on her hair to tilt her head back and she opened her lips for him to press his cock forward into the deepest recesses of her mouth.

“You really are the perfect combination of beta, intelligence officer, and mate.”

She sucked on him as she swirled her tongue all around his cock. She laved affection on the underside as she let it slip past her lips, saying “Who says I can’t multi-task?” before deep throating him all the way to his root.