My scent flooded my room, and Rowan froze. He inhaled deeply, again and again. My heat burned my skin, and I smelled my arousal pooling between my legs. "Rowan," I whispered, unable to face him, unable to see his disappointment when he realized I wasn't his mate.

"So fucking stupid," he said. His words struck me hard.

I closed my eyes, feeling the sting of tears. Not again. I took a deep breath and stepped away. "I told you," I said, shaking my head and pinching myself to stop the tears. "Can you please leave now?" A tear escaped anyway; I sniffled. I staggered, then took another deep breath, spinning around to face Rowan.

"You smell like strawberry shortcake," he said, his eyes devoid of color.

I inhaled deeply, his scent filling my lungs, my mind, my soul. "You smell like vanilla and cinnamon," I replied, taking a step toward him. My stomach quivered as his scent enveloped me—like cinnamon rolls.

He grabbed me, lifting me up. "Mate." His eyes shifted, his ice-blue eyes flashing, and I knew Erubus was in control.

When I first discovered I was Brandon's mate, I felt the rush from Megan, whom I assumed was Nix, but I was disappointed because I had spent my life hating him. But Rowan was different. He was everything I had ever wanted. My wolves loved him, and, honestly, I had never stopped loving him.

I felt my fangs descend, my eyes flashing gold. "Mate," Nix's word fell from my lips, the first time I'd felt the rush of excitement I'd longed for. His lips crashed onto mine, my heat surging between us.

Rowan growled, biting my lower lip as he pulled back. "I'm holding on by a thread," he said. "But I'll ask you this once: Do you want me?" His eyes glowed, but I knew Rowan was fighting Erubus.

Nix and Megan were panting, but they pulled back. "You make this choice, Amy," Megan whispered, her voice pained. "We won't force this on you. We promised you this choice, and we meant it."

I trembled, the heat licking my skin, my thoughts fading. But I knew with certainty that I wanted this. I wanted him.

"Yes," I barely managed before Rowan's lips crashed back onto mine. His groan was intoxicating as he lifted me into his arms and carried me toward my bed.

"I've thought about this moment for... years," he said, pulling back to look into my eyes. "I want to tell you this will last all night. And it will. Believe me. But this first time will be fast, rough, and probably not very satisfying." I wanted to chuckle, but I barely had a second to breathe before he slammed his mouth back onto mine. He was back in full force, the brief respite my wolves had given me a forgotten dream. Rowan threw me onto the bed; I bounced with a small shriek. His smirk was delicious as he climbed over me. "Take a breath."

I furrowed my brow. "What?"

"Take a breath," he repeated, a hint of command in his voice. I smiled, taking a deep breath. Rowan leaned down, gripping my shirt, pulling it tight until it dug into my skin as he ripped it off, my bra coming with it. His appreciative rumble as he watched my breasts bounce had me breathless. "Goddess, you are fucking perfect," he murmured, moving to my pants and stripping them away, leaving me naked beneath him. "Fuck," he breathed, wasting no time undressing himself. I watched with hungry eyes. "Do you like what you see, rabbit?" His voice had deepened with need.

"Yes," I breathed, my eyes fixed on his hands as he shed his shirt. I licked my lips as his hands dropped to his belt.

"Tell me what you want," he murmured, his eyes feasting on my naked body.

"Take off your pants," I commanded. He smiled, obeying. His belt slipped from the buckle; he swept it away with a motion that made me moan. His chuckle was dark as he unfastened his trousers.

"Is that all?" he asked, raising an eyebrow as he slowly pulled down his zipper, eliciting a growl from me.

"I want your lips on me, your tongue tracing my skin," I said, pushing myself up from the bed. "I want you inside of me, over and over, until my heat breaks, and then I want to do it all over again." His needy rumble echoed around my room as I rose to my knees, trailing my hands up my sides to cup my breasts. "Now come claim me, mate."