“Yeah. Some other Pack members were taken during that same ambush, and they got me back, plus Aric, who’d been kidnapped later and tossed in with me. They also recovered Phoenix Monroe from a different lab.”
“He’s the one who’s supposed to be Noah’s Bondmate, but it’s not going very well with them?”
“Yeah. You’ve met them?”
> “They’ve been in the Grizzly a couple of times with the group.”
“Oh. I keep forgetting you’ve met almost all of us.”
“So, this,” she said, touching his cheek again. “What happened?”
“Bowman had me strapped down and poured molten silver on my face. Even Zander, our Healer, can’t fix it, and he can heal damn near anything.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“Like I said, it’s not really my face that bothers me, as much as I’d like for it to be healed.”
“It’s what the damage represents,” she guessed. “The power Bowman wielded over you to keep you under control.”
“You do understand,” he said hoarsely, gazing into her eyes. “I hate what he did to me, but I hate that he forced me to comply even more. I hate that I was used in every possible way, and that they made me, in turn, harm innocent shifters.”
“But you had no choice. I can see that in your eyes and hear it in your voice.”
“There was always a choice.” Bitterness crept into his tone. “I could’ve let them kill a poor girl by refusing to hurt two eagle shifters. I could’ve let the guards tear apart a young boy, had I not allowed the guards to use my body for their desires. Some choice.”
My God. “You did what you had to, Micah. They threatened weaker shifters, knowing your protective instinct would come to the fore, that you would never allow them to be hurt when the stronger ones could take the abuse. They tried to condition you, and they failed.”
“Did they? I hope so.”
“They did.”
“Can I touch you?” he asked softly. “Nobody has laid their hands on me since those horrible days, and I haven’t wanted to touch anyone else. Until now.”
Wrapping her arms around his neck, she kissed his lips. “Yes, please.”
“I won’t claim you tonight, as much as I want to. It’s too soon, and there’s more you need to know about me.” His eyes were dark pools of need.
“Same here. But I do want you, so much.”
“You have me.”
With that, he laid her back on the spongy grass and levered his body slightly over hers. She loved the weight and feel of him, the tickle of his chest hair, the heat of his lengthening shaft on her belly. His hair fell forward to envelop his face, so sexy in the moonlight; he reminded her of some pagan god come to claim her as his own.
Bending, he kissed his way down her jaw, neck, and collarbone. He continued on to her breasts, lavishing attention on one peak, which had hardened to a tight little point. His tongue flicked it, sending shards of delight straight to her sex. She wriggled under him, palms splayed on his back.
His muscles flexed under her hands, and she found his smooth skin was interrupted by more long scars. She wanted to kiss each of them, to love the bad memories away and leave him with nothing but good.
Continuing his journey, his tongue blazed a path down her stomach as his hand slid between her thighs. She parted for him and he explored, rubbing the folds, dipping his fingers inside, and spreading the moisture. Heat spiraled through her sex to her limbs and she moaned, wanting him.
“I’m ready. Please, Micah.”
“I’ve got you, baby.”
Carefully, he positioned himself between her open thighs and brought the head of his cock to her opening. Then he pushed gently inside, moving slightly in and out, deeper each time, until fully seated.
“Sweet Christ, you feel so good,” he breathed, gathering her close.
“So do you.” She clutched at him, moving her hips.