SAGE

I have half a mind to bite Liam's cladded ass jeans. He had somehow flipped me over his shoulder like a rag doll. He did it all with little effort too. I wanted everyone to fear me, not laugh at me. I'm absolutely appalled at his behavior and wanted him to know that it was unacceptable to manhandle a Gamma of the pack.

My head flopped up and down and the beautiful earthy ground flashed quickly below me. Nausea began to roll in and each time he ran, he jostled me to the point where his shoulder rams into my stomach but on accident. It was more like he was in a rush to get home and wasn't realizing he was doing it.

"Liam, what are you doing?" I asked sternly.

He grunted his response. Something he does often when he doesn't want to answer me. He did it so well in the past few months that I could now distinguish every grunt.

A lower grunt mixed with a growl revealed he was frustrated or irritated. A low, slow drawl was more of him not paying attention to me. This happens rarely because he seems to cling onto every word I say.

Suddenly, familiar porch flooring appeared in my line of vision. I propped my hand on his backside to lift my upper body up. Looking around, I was shocked to find us home in our cozy little cabin.

He opened the door, slammed it shut with his foot, and strutted toward the bedroom.

"What—ahh!" I screamed as he suddenly tossed me onto our bed.

My hair flying all over my face. I pushed it back to glare at him. He wasn't smiling and his face was impassive.

Was he angry with me?

Did his beast want out?

Then I remembered he had tossed me over his shoulder like a burlap sack in front of everyone. I pushed myself up into a sitting position but changed my mind the second he leaned forward and towered over me. I plopped back down onto the bed with wide eyes. My hands raised to press onto his shoulders. I wasn't sure what he was doing and it was throwing me off my guard.

"W-what are you doing?" I questioned.

He was so close, I could smell the honey tonic mixed drink he was drinking earlier on his breath. I could see the little light gold shards that surround his pupil. Then the overgrowth of beard on his chin. I wondered how it would feel on my skin.

We stared at each other. My fingers playing gently with the cotton t-shirt he had on. I forced myself to look down at his strong neck and chiseled chin.

"Why did you do that?" I asked.

When he didn't answer me, I looked up. As soon as I looked at him, he snatched my lips into a rough kiss. My hands trembled furiously between us before I grasped onto his shirt.

He thrust his tongue inside possessively. I slid my hands up his neck and into his long hair, slanting my mouth and deepening the kiss. He seemed to like it because he throatily groaned.

It has been so long since I felt his lips on mine that the instant I felt them, I was at a loss. I couldn't breathe. Half of me was afraid he would stop and run away but there was a stronger part of me that craved this intimacy between mates so much.

I felt him bite my bottom lip gently. Eliciting shock waves down between my legs. I throbbed with mating needs. Yet I told myself to go slow. Dr. Sorenson said that I needed to be patient with Liam. He has gone through more trauma than anyone should ever encounter in a lifetime.

It was at that moment that I felt Liam's palm on one of my breasts. He fondled and squeezed until I couldn't resist but arch my back for more. Liam broke the kiss long enough to whisper against my lips.

I couldn't hear what he said because he switched direction and moved his lips down to the crook of my neck. Biting and nibbling on my skin. He whispered again.

"Kitten," he said huskily but in a firmer tone.

He lifted his head to look down at me again. I pushed through the sexual fog to stare at him. He lifted a hand to trace my lips and I realized I was pouting.

"You're beautiful. Even when I didn't recognize you, I was still drawn to you," he whispered.

We never talked about it. The night that he was brainwashed, came inside the cell, and almost killed me. I was afraid to bring up his past nightmares. I was afraid he would run away. His eyes were glassy with emotions as he looked down at me. His fingers stopped tracing my lips.

"I love you, Sage Collins," he gently said.

Hearing those words brought renewed the hope inside of me. I felt unconquerable. My mate loves me and that means more than our past memories.

He stood up suddenly and I clung to him like a baby monkey. My arms and legs were wrapped around him tightly. I looked down our bodies before looking at him. He was looking at me with one raised eyebrow.

"I-I'm sorry," I whispered and tried to get down. The heat was crawling quickly up my face. He stopped me from dropping to my feet though. Liam wrapped one arm around my waist and threaded his finger through my hair.

Finding his eyes again, he lowered his eyes and slowly brushed his lips against my lips. It was a soft graze. A complete tease but my lips parted already.

He kissed me again but this time it was soft and gentle. It felt like a choreographed symphony. Every stroke and touch had a purpose and sent rippling electric waves throughout my body.

He turned and pushed me up against the wall. The bohemian printed mini sundress slid higher on my waist. I felt his hand moved underneath the dress to grope my ass. I began rocking my hips over his bulge. It was straining against his jeans. He growled lowly and ripped my satin panties off with one clawed jerk.

I moaned at the loss of his lower body but I felt him fumbling with his buttons and zipper.

After months of recovery and patience, those words were no longer in our vocabulary. Our hands fumbled impatiently. Just as I felt myself slipping, he thrust inside of me in one smooth jerk.

I inhaled sharply as he stretched me to the tip. He groaned and dropped his face into the crook of my neck. I felt his lips and his hot breath fanning my sensitive skin provoking me further over the edge.

He began a slow rocking motion. Pulling out completely before ramming it deep and smoothly back inside me. I tightened my arms around his shoulders.

The wall felt like it was shaking behind me. My body shook with each thrust. I released a series of disconnected encouragement but ended with a cry of his name. The intensity was beyond my imagination.

Suddenly, I am lifted away from the wall. He spun us around, dropped me onto the ground before bending me over the edge of the bed. Gripping my waist, he plunged inside of me.

I threw my head in ecstasy. Liam's hands slid up to grip my dress in a closed fist.

For days, I dreamt about this day. Every time I think about it, I reprimand myself for being selfish and inconsiderate but a girl has needs. Seeing her mate being dangled in front of her like this was torture.

I felt Liam's lips touch the back of my right shoulder before it hotly trailed up to my the back of my neck. I shivered underneath his lips and hard thrust.

My whole body felt like it was on fire. A million neurons in my body shooting and firing alive. I felt his lips moved to the crook of my neck where his mark was and my body tense.

My stomach muscles clenched and I inhaled deeply.

Was he going to re-mark me?

The onslaught of emotions both physically and mentally hits me in waves.

Then I felt his lips pulled back and the sharpness of his canines. A second later, he pierced my skin.

I screamed his name. Clinging onto the sheets beneath me, I felt myself fall over the edge and touch the sky at once. There were so many emotions and feelings, I felt my world shift.

Liam marking me meant so much to me. I didn't realize how much I missed all of this---all of him until now.

I didn't realize I was crying until I felt his hands cradled my face. He gently turned my head to kiss my cheek.

"I love you, Sage. You are my life. I thought I would always be alone. I thought loneliness was what I needed to protect both myself and everyone around me but being with you, I couldn't resist the company. In your presence, I craved more. I wanted more. To the point that I needed it and no longer wanted it. I need you to live, mate."

He lifted me up, turned my fragile body around while he sat down on the edge of the bed. I straddled his hips. He was still hard inside of me.

Opening my teary eyes, I gaze into his deep and passionate ones.

I began rocking while he exposed his neck for me. Leaning in, I wrapped my arms around his shoulders comfortably as I pulled back my own lips and pierced his skin. He groaned his pleasure as I rocked him to his release.

When we were done, he had pulled us apart and we showered.

After we laid in bed with me wrapped around his body. I could still feel my emotions pushing against my walls. They were overflowing. I wanted to cry but I told myself, I couldn't. This moment was too precious. I didn't want to ruin it.

I ran my hand up and down his bare chest.

"I love you, " I said, thinking back to what he had confessed during our lovemaking.

"You are one of a kind, Sage. I'm broken and may never heal but you are still here. Sometimes, I am afraid to go to sleep at night. It isn't because I am afraid of my demons. It is because I am afraid that one day I will wake up and you are gone, " Liam rasped in pain. I can hear the fear and anguish in his voice. He was still so afraid.

"But every morning, you are still here. Sleeping in the same bed as me. Never leaving my side. For that, I will always be jealous and possessive of you because I know now what kind of light you can bring into my life. Never will I let you go, " he added and tilted my chin up for a long-lasting kiss.

Authors note:

Omg. It's been so longgggggg. I am so sorry! I am not officially back but with COVID, work has made some arrangements for me to work from home. This caused me to write less since I mainly write at work to avoid my little kids vying for my attention.

I hope everyone is doing okay during these harsh times. I haven't forgotten you.

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Next chap is indeed the epilogue.