"Under the light of the Mother Goddess," Bowman said, his words booming over the crowd. "As your Shifter leader . . ." He broke off, his eyes sparkling with mirth. "Are you sure you two want to do this?"
Around him Shifters shouted and screamed, crying out in rising frenzy.
Kenzie draped her arm around Bowman's shoulder. "Get on with it, sweetie. Marcus is about to explode."
Marcus winked at Kenzie. Bianca giggled, looking as though she wanted to jump Marcus's bones any second.
"All right then." Bowman drew a long breath. He raised his arms again, playing it up, then he threw his head back and howled.
The sound, even from his human throat, cut through the night. The wolves of his pack, attuned to their leader, took up the howl. Those in wolf form let it rise in crazed joy, celebrating the Goddess, and her symbol, the moon.
Kenzie felt her wolf respond. Her fingers slid into claws, and her throat wanted to take up the howl. Only great effort kept her from shifting all the way.
Bowman's howl wound to a close. He brought his arms down slowly, but the Lupines' cries went on. Joining it were the yowls and roars of the Felines and the rumbling growls of the bears.
Bowman spoke in a loud voice. "Under the light of the Mother Goddess, as the leader of the O'Donnell pack . . . and Marcus's boss . . ."
"He acknowledges this mating," Ryan yelled from his father's feet. "Like Mom said, get on with it, Dad."
Laughter burst out, softening the crazed screaming and howling. Bowman's face split with a grin, and he said loudly, "What he said. I acknowledge this mating!"
Kenzie was laughing at her son and mate so hard that she could barely get out her words. "The blessings of the Goddess be upon you!"
Another long whoop went up, followed by more screaming, roaring, howling, shouting. Kenzie had once gone to a concert with Bianca and her cousins, in a crowd that had filled an arena. The noise had been crazy, but it was nothing compared to what the entire Shiftertown could do when they were rejoicing. Shifters knew how to party.
Bianca and Marcus were lifted away on shoulders, carried through the chanting crowd. Kenzie found herself lifted as well, passed over heads from hand to hand while she laughed.
Ryan was being bounced around too, and loving it. Bowman, everyone left alone.
The cubs ran around like crazed streaks, paying no attention to the adults. Clothes began to come off, Kenzie's female cousins throwing off their shirts as they were lifted by the crowd, moonlight touching bare breasts.
In her younger years, Kenzie had joined them, but as leader's mate, she kept her clothes firmly on. No use tempting males to come after her, which would make Bowman have to discipline them. She had enough sense, even on a night like this, to keep from that kind of mess.
Cade enjoyed it plenty though, as did Jamie. Cade was already half unclothed in the cold, his jeans sagging around his hips. Jamie had shifted, dashing around in his cheetah form so fast his spots seemed to blur.
Cade jumped onto a tall tree stump, putting himself above the crowd. "Hey!" he shouted. "Up at my house. Zip-line streaking!"
About half the Shifters cheered and followed him, the other half too intent on dancing, disrobing, and seeking mates for the night.
The elder Shifters started to round up the cubs to herd them indoors, the cubs protesting all the way. But Afina and the others were firm. In they went, but for a big slumber party involving lots of hot chocolate. The cubs had the right to celebrate too.
Bowman's arms came around Kenzie from behind, as she stood on her feet again, catching her breath. His body vibrated with tension and need as he kissed her neck. "You all right?"
"I'm fine," Kenzie said, closing her eyes to feel his heat. "It's a happy time."
"I know." Another nip to her neck. "But . . ."
"No buts." Kenzie turned in his arms and cupped his face in her hands. "No regrets, Bowman. Not tonight."
Bowman regarded her steadily. She saw raw pain in the depths of his gray eyes, but also vast hunger.
"I agree." He turned his head and kissed her palm. "No regrets tonight."
Kenzie shook her head. The other Shifters faded into the distance as they followed Cade or the cubs, or found the nearest soft thing to land on with a partner.
Bowman gave Kenzie a hot smile, completing the river of fire inside her. "You want to go zip-line streaking?"
"No," Kenzie said softly. "Not right now."
Bowman touched his forehead to hers. "Kenz."
The one word was filled with longing, need, heartache, and frustration.
The next thing she knew, Kenzie was against a tree, its bark digging into her back, Bowman's strong hands tearing at her clothes.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Kenzie smelled and tasted like the night. Her breath was hot, her skin chilled from the winter cold. Fire and ice, that was Kenzie.
Her scent had Bowman wound high. He'd been hard since she'd wrapped her arm around him at the ceremony, giving him the sassy admonishment to get on with it.
His howl had been for Kenzie, for the night and the powerful wanting inside him. For his need, and the longing to be with her forever.
Bowman fumbled with the zipper of her jeans, working it open to find her bare beneath. She never bothered with underwear when there was a possibility she'd be shifting. Fine with Bowman. He grasped her smooth bottom and dragged her close, capturing her mouth in a firm kiss. Kenzie dug her fingers into his sweatshirt, hanging on, while their tongues stroked, lips and mouths seeking.
Her frantic hands tugged his shirt upward, her cold fingers landing on his hot skin. Bowman broke the kiss to strip his shirt from his body, then he pushed her jacket from her and skimmed her shirt off over her head. With her shirt gone and her jeans sagging down her hips, Kenzie was an erotic sight.
The beauty of her in the moonlight made his breath catch. Her breasts were touched by silver, the nipples dark and tight. She shook out her hair, the rumpled brown and gold brushed by moonlight.
Her jeans fell, and now she was bare. Kenzie clung to Bowman while she wrapped first one leg, then the other around his hips, the heat of her planted exactly over the ridge inside his jeans. She began to rub him, while Bowman held her against him, the friction driving him wild.
He bit her chin, then her neck. He loved the scent of her, her beauty only for him.
Kenzie. Mate.
Her look turned to one of pure pleasure as she worked herself against the solid denim of his jeans. His cock pounded beneath the cloth, wanting something less tame than simply rubbing against her. Any other night he might slow down and enjoy the myriad sensations, but tonight was electrifying, blotting out all but his rawest needs.
He unlocked Kenzie's legs from him and set her back down, her small noise of protest making him nearly lose all control. Then he unbuckled, unzipped, and kicked his way out of his pants. He was bare beneath as well, also for ease of shifting.
He had Kenzie against the tree again before she could draw a breath. He lifted her, wrapping her legs around his hips, positioning himself at the spread of her.
She leaned back, his strong mate, and Bowman held her behind her waist, her hands locked around his neck. His cock brushed her opening, then slid inside, until she was taking all of him.
Their first mating, long ago, had been primal, so full of torn clothing and rug burns that Bowman hadn't had time to register the pleasure of it. It had been the most intense sex of his life up until that point.
But every time since then had been even better. Tonight was no exception. Those who believed coupling with the same person palled over time, or that the sex could never be as good as the first time, had to be insane. Or maybe they just weren't very good at it.
Kenzie made each experience amazing. Just when Bowman thought he'd never feel more explosive pleasure, Kenzie showed him he was wrong. She knew exactly how to touch him, how to stroke him. Even Kenzie running light fingers across his chest could have him hard and ready in an instant.
When she'd crawled under the covers last night to take him in her mouth, Bowman had thought he'd die. He'd wanted to pin her down and make love to her and never stop.
Now he turned in a circle with her, buried deep inside her. She moved against him, her eyes softening as she found pleasure, which she was giving back to him tenfold.
Goddess, I love you, Kenzie. How could I ever be without you?
Moonlight bathed her face in radiance. Her breasts moved with their rhythm, her breath quickening to gasps of delight. Bowman didn't dampen his groans and the growling laughter in his throat. This was a mating ceremony night, when Shifters gave in to their carnal desires, answering that most basic instinct-to mate, to make cubs.