The air grew thick and heavy with warm steam as Jagger carried her through the narrow tunnel.

They emerged into a hidden cavern. A natural geothermal hot spring bubbled in the center, the water crystal clear and radiating heat. Bioluminescent ferns clung to the walls, casting a soft, ethereal blue glow over the water.

Jagger set Cora down on a smooth, flat rock at the edge of the pool. He pointed at the water.

Cora looked at her ruined clothes, then up at Jagger. He was standing there, arms crossed over his massive chest, watching her intently.

Heat rushed to her cheeks. She wrapped her arms around herself, biting her lower lip. She couldn't undress with him staring at her like a predator watching its next meal.

She gestured with her hand, silently begging him to turn around.

Jagger raised a thick eyebrow. The concept of modesty didn't exist for him. Mates didn't hide from each other. But he saw the deep flush on her face and the way she shrank into herself.

He let out a low, rough chuckle that vibrated in his chest. Slowly, he turned his back to the water.

Cora let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. She quickly unzipped the ruined hazard suit, peeling the stiff, filthy fabric off her skin.

She stepped into the hot spring. The hot water enveloped her aching muscles, and a soft, involuntary sigh escaped her lips.

The sound echoed in the quiet cavern.

Jagger's broad back went completely rigid. His hands curled into tight fists at his sides. The muscles in his neck strained as he fought the overwhelming, primal urge to turn around and drag her out of the water.

Cora didn't notice. She pulled the plant-fiber towel from her system inventory and began scrubbing the grime from her skin.

Under the hot water, the mud and dried blood washed away, revealing her pale, delicate skin. The heat brought a healthy, pink flush to her cheeks.

As she finished washing her hair, a sudden realization hit her.

Her hazard suit was destroyed. She had absolutely nothing to wear.

Panic flared. She sank deeper into the water, bringing her knees to her chest until only her head was visible.

"Jagger..." her voice trembled slightly. "I don't have any clothes."

He didn't turn around. "Wait," he grunted, his voice tighter than before.

He marched out of the cavern.

Cora sat in the hot water, the silence pressing in on her. Ten minutes passed. Then fifteen.

Heavy footsteps echoed in the tunnel. Jagger returned, his arms full, and immediately turned his back to the pool again. He tossed a bundle over his shoulder. It landed softly on the rock next to the water.

Cora swam to the edge and pulled the bundle down.

It was a massive, incredibly soft white animal pelt. But beneath it was something else.

It was a crude, makeshift skirt woven from thick, green vines and broad leaves.

Cora stared at it. The knots were messy, tied by massive fingers that were used to killing, not weaving. A hard lump formed in her throat. This terrifying, lethal beast had sat outside and clumsily tied leaves together just because she asked for clothes.

She quickly wrapped the soft white pelt around her torso, securing it tightly, and pulled the vine skirt over her hips. It was bulky, but it covered her.

She climbed out of the water, using the towel to squeeze the excess water from her dark hair.

"I'm done," she said softly. "You can turn around."

Jagger turned.

The moment his golden eyes landed on her, he froze.

With the mud and grime gone, her skin was luminous in the blue light. The white pelt clung to the curves of her breasts and hips, and the damp hair resting on her bare shoulders made her look impossibly fragile and breathtakingly beautiful.

Jagger stopped breathing.

The gold in his eyes flared, burning away all restraint. His chest he heave as a raw, possessive hunger took over his features.

He took a slow, heavy step toward her.

Jagger's massive frame blocked out the light as he closed the distance. The heat radiating from his skin was palpable.

Cora took a nervous step back, her bare heel hitting the slick edge of the rock. She had nowhere to run.

He reached out. His rough, calloused thumb traced the line of her jaw, his touch feather-light but trembling with suppressed power.

"Mine," he rasped. His voice was a dark, dangerous promise.

He lowered his head, his gaze fixed on her lips.

Panic flared in Cora's chest. This was moving too fast. She pressed both hands flat against his rock-hard chest. "Wait! I... I'm not ready."

Jagger's body jerked to a halt. His jaw locked so tight the muscles ticked. He stared down at her, his breathing ragged and heavy. The violent clash between his alpha instincts and her rejection played out in the tightening of his muscles.

He let out a frustrated, guttural snarl, stepping back so abruptly it startled her.

"Hurry," he barked, turning on his heel and storming out of the cavern, needing distance before his control snapped completely.

Cora collapsed against the cavern wall, her heart hammering against her ribs. She had survived, for now.

She quickly opened her inventory and pulled out the small vial of Earth-grade Appearance Restoration Serum. She popped the cork and downed the blue liquid in one gulp.

A cool, tingling sensation rushed through her veins.

The small cuts and bruises on her legs faded. The dullness in her skin vanished, replaced by a flawless, porcelain smoothness. Her features refined, returning to their absolute peak state before the crash.

She looked at her reflection in the still water. She was stunning.

Taking a deep breath, Cora adjusted the white pelt and walked out of the tunnel into the main cave.

Jagger was sitting by the fire, aggressively sharpening his bone knife against a rock.

He looked up as she entered.

The bone knife slipped from his hand, clattering loudly against the stone floor.

Jagger stood up, his body rigid. If she was beautiful before, she was a goddess now. The sheer perfection of her face hit him like a physical blow.

The last thread of his control snapped.

He crossed the cave in three massive strides. He grabbed her chin, tilting her face up to meet his burning gaze. "You are my mate. We bond now."

His intensity terrified her. Cora yanked her face away and stumbled backward.

Her shoulder slammed into the cave wall, crushing a cluster of glowing pink flowers that grew naturally from the damp crevices of the stone. Jagger often let them bloom because their scent repelled the venomous cave-centipedes, entirely unaware of their biological effect on alien females.

A thick cloud of pink pollen exploded into the air, directly into Cora's face.

"BEEP! Critical Warning! Inhaled high-concentration 'Lust-Silk' pollen. Extreme aphrodisiac and hallucinogenic effects imminent!"

Cora inhaled sharply in surprise, drawing the pollen deep into her lungs.

Instantly, a scorching, liquid fire ignited in her lower belly. It shot through her veins, melting her bones.

Her legs gave out.

She collapsed forward, falling directly into Jagger's waiting arms.

Jagger caught her easily. But as he looked down, he saw her eyes glaze over with a hazy, unfocused lust. Her skin was burning hot against his bare chest, and a deep, unnatural flush spread across her chest and neck.

He recognized the smell of the crushed pink flowers. Lust-Silk. It was harmless to males, but a devastating breeding drug to females.

Cora moaned, a soft, desperate sound that went straight to Jagger's groin.

She twisted in his arms, her hands sliding up his chest to wrap tightly around his neck. Her hot, rapid breath ghosted across his collarbone.

"Hot," she whimpered, pressing her hips flush against his.

Jagger's sanity shattered.

He scooped her up into his arms, his golden eyes blazing with unchecked fire, and carried her straight to the bed of furs.

Jagger laid her down on the thick white furs.

Cora writhed beneath him, the drug tearing away every shred of her inhibitions. Her bare leg hooked around his thick waist, pulling him down against her.

The friction was agonizing. Jagger let out a harsh groan. His eyes were bloodshot, his fangs extending slightly as he buried his face in the crook of her neck. He bit down, hard enough to leave a red mark, but not enough to break the skin.

He grabbed the edge of the white pelt, ready to rip it away and claim her.

Suddenly, Cora let out a broken, painful whimper. A single, hot tear slipped from her closed eyes and landed directly on the back of Jagger's hand.

The heat of that tear felt like a branding iron.

Jagger froze. He looked at her face. She was completely lost to the drug, her brow furrowed in agony, begging for a release she didn't understand.

If he claimed her now, while she was out of her mind, he would be no better than the feral beasts in the jungle. She would wake up and hate him.

The thought of her looking at him with terror and disgust made his chest ache.

With a roar of sheer, agonizing frustration, Jagger pushed himself up, tearing his body away from hers.

Cora cried out at the loss of his heat. She reached for him blindly, her nails scratching across his chest, begging him to come back.

Jagger grabbed both of her wrists in one massive hand, pinning them above her head. He had to get the drug out of her system, or the fever would cook her brain.

He took a ragged breath. His free hand, rough and calloused, slid down her stomach, slipping beneath the edge of the vine skirt.

When his rough fingers found her, Cora's entire body arched off the furs. She let out a high, sharp gasp that shattered the silence of the cave.

Jagger closed his eyes, his jaw locked tight enough to crack his teeth. He didn't look at her. He couldn't.

His fingers moved with a agonizingly slow, deliberate rhythm.

Cora sobbed, her head thrashing side to side. The pleasure was too intense, mixed with the burning need of the drug. She turned her head and sank her teeth into his thick shoulder muscle, biting down hard.

Jagger didn't flinch. He let her bite him, increasing the pace of his fingers, driving her higher and higher into the inferno.

With a final, broken cry, Cora shattered. Her body convulsed violently against his hand, and then she went completely limp, her chest heaving as the overwhelming, tidal wave of pleasure momentarily suppressed the drug's frantic burning. It wasn't entirely gone from her bloodstream, but the peak of the fever had broken, allowing her exhausted body to finally surrender and fall into a deep, exhausted sleep.

Jagger pulled his hand away. He looked at his trembling fingers, his breathing harsh and ragged. The fire in his blood was screaming for release.

He stood up, sprinted out of the cave, and threw himself directly under the freezing, pounding water of the waterfall.

Hours later, the fire had burned down to glowing embers.

Cora slowly opened her eyes. Her body felt heavy, but her mind was crystal clear.

Then, the memories hit her.

She remembered the heat. The begging. His fingers.

A wave of mortification so intense it made her nauseous washed over her. She pulled the white pelt up to her chin, her face burning.

Jagger was sitting by the fire, crushing green leaves between two stones. He heard her shift and turned his head.

The silence between them was thick, heavy with the memory of what had just happened.

He stood up and walked over to the bed. He sat on the edge, his massive weight dipping the furs. He reached out with the crushed, cooling herbs.

Cora flinched as his rough fingers brushed the sensitive skin of her neck, applying the paste to the bite mark he had left.

"Don't move," he commanded, his voice a low, raspy whisper.

Cora looked at his shoulder. The deep, crescent-shaped teeth marks she had left were bruised and purple.

Her heart did a strange, painful flutter in her chest. He had suffered through absolute agony to protect her dignity.