STORY EXCERPT

When Alex burst into the clearing, the man looked up at him. The whole world seemed to stop.

If he died a million deaths, Alex would never forget that face, those beautiful eyes, that perfect skin. But seeing his mate there, in front of him, was like a dream. He could barely bring himself to believe it. “W-Willow?” he stammered.

In an ideal world, Willow would have shot to his feet and thrown himself into Alex’s arms. They would have kissed, maybe even made love under the trees, like they had so many times in the past. But this wasn’t an ideal world, so instead, Willow asked, “You know me?”

For a few seconds, the words didn’t process. After all, how could Willow ask that? Of course Alex knew him. He was Alex’s whole life and soul.

And then, reason kicked in, and Alex took in the confusion in Willow’s silver eyes. “Yes, I... You... You don’t remember.”

Willow’s whole body trembled, as if his spirit was flinching. Alex had seen him do that before, so many times. “I knew you, too,” he whispered.

Willow struggled to his feet, his arm twitching and his chest heaving with every breath he took. And that was when Alex understood how selfish he was acting.

Wherever Willow had been, he’d clearly just come back. He was struggling with his return, and death was never kind to someone’s mind. Alex had survived the worst of the damage, but it had taken time for him to recover. He’d only done so because of his brother’s talents. Others would not be so lucky.

When Willow fell forward, Alex wasn’t surprised. He caught his beautiful forest sprite before he could hit the ground and hurt himself. “It’s all right,” he said. “You don’t need to remember. How about this? I can introduce myself again. We can start over.”

It hurt to have Willow lose all the precious memories they’d made, but in the long run, it didn’t matter. They could make other memories, as long as they were together, as long as Willow was no longer in danger.

Already, they’d made a huge step forward compared to where they’d been before. Willow’s feet were pressing into the ground, leaving indentations in the grass. That meant he was no longer a simple spirit. Alex and Willow had always been able to touch each other, but Willow couldn’t physically affect the outside world. It was the first time he’d managed to do it—and he didn’t even realize how momentous it was .

Willow acknowledged his words with a nod. Alex was gratified to note his beautiful forest sprite didn’t pull away. On some level, his mate remembered him, just not consciously. Maybe he could figure out what had gone wrong, if Willow’s state was the consequence of his resurrection or something else entirely. “I’m Alexandros Floros,” he said. “Do you know what happened? How you ended up here?”

Willow grimaced and shook his head. “I remember an attack, but nothing specific. Everything is a blur.”

The beast inside Alex stirred at the thought of someone attacking his mate. He reined it in all over again, knowing Willow would just be alarmed if he displayed his savagery. “Don’t worry about that now. Whatever got you here and whoever attacked you, you’re safe with me. I won’t let them harm you ever again.”

Following a sudden instinct, Alex picked Willow up in his arms. He didn’t move, giving Willow time to reject him. Willow didn’t. Instead, he leaned against Alex’s chest, so trusting, so beautiful, like he had always been.

Countless words and desires bubbled in Alex’s chest. He’d have liked to run his hands all over Willow’s body and check him over for injuries, to kiss those sweet lips and make sure he was really breathing. But he did none of those things. His biology might be irritating on a good day, but it came with abilities that told him Willow’s physical injuries were minimal. And so he walked back the way he’d come, heading toward the car.

Technically, he hadn’t checked on the area Niko had decided to investigate, but he had a feeling he didn’t have to. If Niko had sent him here tonight, it certainly wasn’t because he was concerned about the consequences of Georg Kuhn’s death.

He’d worry about that later, when he had the time and mental capacity to process just how many things his brother must be keeping from him. For the moment, Willow mattered more.

His beautiful forest sprite was silent, and Alex gave Willow the time he needed to gather his thoughts. The woods were still somewhat restless, but, as expected, its power didn’t dare to touch Willow. They got back to Alex’s car undisturbed.

It was only when Alex opened the car and slid Willow into the front seat that his mate broke the silence. “Thank you. Thank you for waiting for me.”

Alex’s hands froze as he was reaching for the seatbelt. It was a strange thing to say. His mate didn’t have his memories, so he couldn’t have known just how long Alex had waited and how much it had cost him.

Willow blinked, confusion settling over his face once again. “Ah, I’m sorry. I don’t know why I said that.”

“I do,” Alex replied. “But you don’t have to worry. And you don’t have to thank me for anything. I’d wait for you as long as you need. We’re not in a rush, all right? So don’t force yourself.”

As Willow nodded and absently stared out the window, Alex’s heart clenched. He wasn’t blind to the advantages of the situation. Without the burden of his past, Willow wouldn’t have to remember his death and everything he had lost.

ADULT EXCERPT

Alex sensed his momentary hesitation and shot him a questioning look. “Are you sure about this? There’s no rush.”

“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”

He didn’t say his new life had apparently started just days ago. He didn’t say Alex had already been waiting long enough. They both knew it, and there was no reason to burden this moment with something dark and sorrowful.

It was much easier to pull his mate on top of him, just like it was easy for Alex to take the lead and kiss Willow.

Any doubts that might have plagued them faded in the wake of the passion burning between them. Alex’s hands frantically roamed over Willow’s skin, relearning every inch of his flesh. Alex’s kisses grew more frantic by the second, and when his heart kept beating, it no longer seemed off and artificial.

Willow touched him back, just as desperate. Once upon a time, this touch was the only real thing he’d had. Even now, through the fog of his amnesia, he remembered that, remembered how much Alex had anchored him. This moment was just as important, just as deep as everything they’d shared in the past. His arousal grew fiercer, his wolf roaring for more of his mate’s touch. He buried his claws in Alex’s flesh, grinding his erection against Alex, demanding more friction, more pleasure, more of everything Alex could offer him.

Alex didn’t disappoint. He tore his lips away from Willow’s, but only to put his mouth to better use. It should have been impossible, since the kiss alone was already wreaking havoc on Willow’s senses. But when Alex licked over his collarbones, down to his chest, Willow suddenly agreed with the new approach.

He arched against his mate and buried his clawed hand in Alex’s hair. “Come on. Please.”

His grip was probably a little too tight, but Alex didn’t seem to mind. Even if every part of him looked human, his eyes glowed crimson once again. Seconds later, he took Willow’s right nipple in his mouth and bit down, hard. The shock of pleasure-pain made electricity flow over Willow’s body, and he hissed, unsure if he should pull away or demand more. Alex didn’t give him the choice. He sucked on the abused nipple, drinking the blood from the broken skin.

At the back of Willow’s mind, his bond with Alex shook. It was still cracked, but gradually, with every touch, every taste, every sinful caress, it was coming together once again. Through it, Willow felt how much Alex craved him. He knew his mate could have drunk his blood forever, without ever sating his thirst.

Maybe that was exactly why Alex tore his mouth from Willow’s nipple. He kissed down Willow’s chest, lingering over his heart. For a few seconds, he simply pressed his lips to Willow’s skin, as if enjoying the sound of his heartbeat. It was a thirst unlike the one for Willow’s blood, something that came from the deepest part of Alex’s soul. Maybe that was exactly why it echoed into Willow’s heart even more sharply.

“I’m here, Alex,” he couldn’t help but say. “I won’t leave you again.”

It was unfair to make promises. There were so many things about their life that were still uncertain. But Willow was determined, because this time, he refused to let go. He refused to lose Alex and their bond again.

Alex must have believed him, because he shot him a quick smile. “I know.”

There was something dark in those two words, but Willow didn’t get the chance to analyze it too closely. The next thing he knew, Alex was crawling between his legs and taking his cock all the way into his throat.

It wasn’t the first time Willow was getting a blowjob. On some level, his body remembered the sensations. But everything was different now. Alex might superficially pretend he was alive, but he didn’t need to breathe and he had no gag reflex. He was all hunger, and when he bobbed his head up and down Willow’s shaft, he did so with a desperation that Willow couldn’t hope to escape. Occasionally, his fangs scraped over Willow’s sensitive skin, sharp but not enough to draw blood.

It should have scared Willow, or at least torn him out of the moment. It didn’t. On the contrary, the feral nature of Alex’s touch made his wolf respond. He embraced his mate’s passion and fucked Alex’s mouth with abandon. Alex allowed it, taking Willow’s dick with an ease that would have been impossible for a human, and maybe even for a regular werewolf.

That same dark fire bubbled inside Willow, and at that moment, he wanted nothing more than to mark his mate, to claim him as his. Alex must have sensed that, because he released Willow’s cock from his mouth with a wet pop. At the same time, he pressed a dry finger to Willow’s anus. The unexpected jolt of sensation propelled Willow over the edge. He came, and jets of spunk landed in Alex’s hair and over his cheek.

The wolf writhed inside Willow in satisfaction. His bond with Alex pulsed, howling, “Yes, yes. Mate. Mate. More. More."