AVERY“ What did you say to her that day? ” I hear Aleister asking someone.Silence meets his question. I shift under the overheated blanket and groan. Why am I sweating so much? It’s like someone put me in the oven. “ Are you okay? ” Lips ghost my forehead as soon as the sound leaves my mouth.My body stiffens. The sensation of those lips, when I am not even dizzy, feels the same—Soothing, and soft. But I want to be angry instead.Slowly, I blink my eyes open. And there he is. My mind freezes, like my gaze that stays on his face. The color has returned to his skin and lips. Relief washes over me, as my hand unconsciously reaches for his cheek.He is not burning up anymore. Aleister’s gaze is drawn to my hand. My heart sinks as I run my thumb down his cheek. I love you. His words are still echoing at the back of my mind.“ You are fine. ” I whisper, my throat feeling scratchy.The trance breaks with my words. His eyes are soft, but mine turn cold. I pull my hand back and sit up
ALEISTERPush her away. That’s what I was thinking. When I thought she didn’t trust me or was using me, and when I thought her goal was to hurt me and get revenge by humiliating me in front of my people…A voice said inside my head.Push her away.Or else, I might just let her do everything she wanted. If only it meant she would accept me—the man and the monster, with the inability to bear the thought of falling in love or staying in love, with all my flaws and my tainted past. Push her away. That was the answer.Now, that I have done it…I can’t carry the weight of my decision.When it came to the matters of heart, I have always been a coward. The fact remains the same.But, the guilt has amassed.People say you can’t feel for anyone even if you suffer the same pain. But what if you are put in the place of that person, to experience their emotions, see the world from their eyes, and just trade places for once? It was brutal. I felt what she did. When everyone she knew abandoned
AVERYI wished for him to suffer the same way I did. I must have wanted him to kneel. Lose face. Lose pride. Lose…himself. The world seems to come to a halt. The men ahead of me are suddenly kneeling. All of them. I turn around, my heartbeat slowing down and almost coming to a halt.Aleister is kneeling. For me. A Lycan King never does that. Not for family, not for mates, not even for himself. I have never felt something like this. It feels like…my heart is filled with serenity, so full that it’s about to burst. All my life, all I ever wanted was for someone to choose me. Choosing me over a person would have been fine. Choosing me over the sense of duty would have been fine too.But I never thought someone—someone like him would choose me over himself, over everything he stands for. I had only ever asked for a drop of hope to keep going, but he is right here…trying to give me a whole sea of it. His eyes, those beautiful grey eyes are void of guilt for the first time. The darkne
AVERY It’s awkward. Why is that hard thing poking my thigh again?I choke on my breath, “ Are you still… ”In heat? “ I mean, are you still uncomfortable Aleister? ” I mumble, squirming to get out of his arms.I almost fell asleep. But then I felt him getting hard. Now, I can’t sleep.“ No. ” He denies it and tightens his arms around me.I sigh, “ You are still in heat. Don’t lie. ”He releases a warm breath over my neck and refuses to let go. I listen to his quick heartbeats and silently wait for him to get enough of the embrace.A few minutes pass…But he shows no signs of moving away. “ Staying like this will only make it worse for you. ” I tell him honestly.“ I will be fine after a cold shower. ” Aleister says quietly.“ You should go for that cold shower now. ” I mumble. He is as warm as a thick blanket in the summer heat. I don’t want to get burned just yet.“ You are right, Princess. ” He nods.I loosen my arms around his biceps, allowing him to leave but he still shows no
AVERY“ What are you doing, Princess? ” Aleister’s throat bobs as he swallows.“ I am… ” I drop the dress over the floor. “ taking my clothes off. ”His brows lift, his eyes darken and then, he is in front of me. My back hits the door as Aleister steps closer, his breaths labored.“ You know, Princess… ” His gaze lowers to my lips before he shakes his head and shifts his attention to my eyes. “ I am not a saint. There is a limit to what I can control inside me. ”My stomach flips. I exhale a shuddery breath and clench my fists.Aleister takes another step close. His naked, wet body is so close to mine. If I take one breath my chest might become one with his heated skin. “ You—You are in heat. ” I utter, my heart beginning to change its rhythm to a dangerous tune again. “ You can’t possibly feel fine after taking a cold shower. I just want to help. ”He places his palms atop my head and leans in. “ what are you suggesting, Princess? ”His breath, his voice, the proximity of his huge b
AVERY“ I…want you inside, Aleister. ” My breath stutters. His hands comply with my demand, ripping my panties apart instead of sliding them down my legs. The primal urge to reach for pleasure can’t be restrained any longer.“ Alei—Aleister… ” My core clenches. He releases my nipple with a hard suck before meeting my blurred vision with his hooded eyes.“ I hurt you last time. ” Aleister whispers, his grip tightening on my thighs. “ If you want me inside you again, you have to do it, Princess. Take me in that sweet pussy and use me like you want. ”My heart misses a beat as my hands shake around his shoulders. “ I—I don’t… ”“ Fuck, it hurts, Princess. ” He bucks his hips, his length sliding between my folds just slightly.But it’s enough to send my mind into a downward spiral again. I am going insane with the heat, and the cold that underlies it. “ Take me inside, please. ” His head leans against the wall behind him, his eyes half closed.My toes curl as I slide down on him. His l
AVERYThe surface under me is so warm and hard. It’s him. I am sleeping on top of him, something that I thought I would never do again in this life. I yawn, rubbing my forehead against his skin. His fingers caress my lower back, hinting that he is wide awake unlike me who is still feeling groggy.After waking up, I keep my eyes closed and stay there, just feeling his electric warmth and his gentle touch over my skin. This feels peaceful. “ Were you staying with Nellie all this time? ” Aleister asks.My muscles stiffen. Amidst my struggle to save Aleister and what came afterward, I completely forgot about everything else.I put my chin over the back of my hand and look up at him. As usual, he already has his eyes on me but his gaze is still soft.“ What are you planning on doing with the villagers? ” I whisper, my voice hoarse because of all the screaming from before.“ If I follow in the footsteps of my ancestors, they will be dead by tomorrow. There will be no one left to tell the
AVERY“ What did you do with Draven? ” I mumble, standing beside Aleister.He is sitting on the wing chair in the living room of the little cottage while we wait for the warriors to bring Nellie, Sara, and Marco, the village head. “ For now… ” Aleister glances at the door. “ Nothing. ”I shoot him a side glance before following his line of sight. Nellie and Sara are being dragged inside by the warriors with Marco following shortly after. They don’t fight to break free. Instead, they have this proud look on their faces, one that is void of any guilt or fear—It’s a symbol of their self-confidence, a belief that whatever they did is right. Most of the rebels always have this look on their faces. People don’t risk their lives for a cause they don’t believe in, not when they are going against a Lycan King, a ruler chosen by the Moon Goddess herself.“ Did you forgive him? ” Nellie turns to me.“ I thought you hated the King, Avery. ” Sara mumbles under her breath. “ you were scared when