Lucas stared into her eyes and she knew he was conflicted. Taking matters into her own hands, she grabbed his ass and thrust up against him, whimpering as his cock tore through her virginity.

“Fuck, Mabel.” He captured her hands, pressing them against her head.

“I’ve done it. Now you can finish it.”

“Your first time shouldn’t be like this.”

“Like what? On the beach? Beneath the full moon? With my mate?” she asked.

They were both panting.

“I can’t think of a better way.”

“Mabel, you don’t know what you’re doing.”

“For the first time in my life, I’m clear, Lucas. I want this.”

“And in the morning?”

“Nothing will change. Don’t you feel this?” Her skin felt like it was on fire. The prickling, aching need had been developing all day long. Only now could she think or feel without pain. This was what she needed. Him, her mate, deep inside her, all night long.

He locked their fingers together, and she moaned as he began to slowly thrust within her. It was a small thrust but enough to make her moan for more.

“I’ve got you,” he said.

He filled her to the hilt. He wasn’t small at all, and she thrust up against him. The pain was there, but it didn’t consume her. It was nothing more than a memory.

This was right. This was what she wanted, what they both needed.

In and out he took her. “You feel so fucking good. So tight.” He groaned. His face went to her neck as he rode her body.

The pleasure washed over them. She closed her eyes and gave herself over to him, to the full moon, to being mated. To all of it. This was what she’d wanted and hadn’t even realized it. She couldn’t believe they’d waited so long.

****

The waves lapped at their feet, and Lucas stared at the ocean then down at his woman. All night long, he’d been making love to her. Wiping out the first memory of the pain, leading into a second, then a third.

Several times, he’d been tempted to mark her and finally claim her as his own, but he held himself back. She wasn’t ready to belong to him.

Being mated and fucking were two very different things.

Mabel frowned and opened her eyes.

He tensed up. He couldn’t help it.

There was a smile on her lips, but it didn’t quite meet her eyes.

In his gut, he knew. There was no doubt about it—she regretted what had happened last night. He got to his feet and he heard her get to hers. They were both naked.

“I’m going to head to the house.”

“Wait,” he said.