And then he crawled out of the woods like a fucking disease.
His hands on her thighs. Her body arching into him. His mouth almost on her?—
No, no, no.
She was supposed to scream for me—beg for me.
She would’ve let him fuck her. Right there, in front of me.
And now the image of her lips parted, eyes half-lidded, hands braced on those disgusting antlers—I can’t get it out of my head. It’s burned there, etched into my skull for eternity.
She’s tainted now. Marked by his scent, his bond, his fucking filthy claws.
But I’ll scrub him out.I’ll tear the bond out of her with my bare hands if I have to.
I wonder what sound she’d make if I sank my teeth into her neck instead. I bet she’d taste like surrender, like honey dripping down my throat. And I wouldn’t stop—wouldn’t hold back like he does, not until every part of her remembers who she belongs to.
My fists clench as blood rushes behind my eyes. The screen in front of me flickers from being squeezed so hard.
I’ll erase him from her skin. I can fix this.I will fix this.
If she won’t run from the monster in her bed… maybe she’ll kneel for the one on her rooftop.
One of us is going to break, little dove.
And I promise you,it won’t be me.
Lumi-
The crash is still echoing through my mind. I don’t know if I screamed or if the sound was ripped from me. Andrik is completely shielding me with his body. He doesn’t say anything. He stays suspended over me perfectly still with one hand braced beside my head, the other clenched so tightly, I can hear something straining under his skin. His chest rises and falls in ragged bursts, and all I can think is—don’t leave me.
My pulse won’t settle, and I can’t stop my hands from shaking. Cold rushes in from the broken window, but it’s the way his lip curls—baring his teeth in fury—that has me shaking.
The air feels heavier, but I still want him.
My thighs ache from the way they were open for him. I’m still tingling along the frost-laced trails his tongue left shimmering across my skin. His low, raspy voice plays over and over again in my mind.
I can still feel the ghost of his touch, burning me from the inside out. What the hell is wrong with me? A brick just came through the fucking window.Someone was out there.Someone could still be out there... and all I can think about is the way his voice cracked when he said my name. The way his claws pulled back the moment I saidI trust you.
“Lumi,” his voice crackles. I flinch when the sound snaps me from my thoughts. He notices, and his jaw clenches. Sadnessflickers across his face before he buries it beneath his usual carefulness.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, though I don’t know what I’m apologizing for.
His head bows, and he slowly eases back from me, his antlers casting shadows over both of us.
“You shouldn’t have to be afraid of me,” he says softly.
Does he think I was apologizing because he was scaring me?
“You didn’t scare me, Andri.” And I’ve never meant anything more, even with glass everywhere and a threat just outside, I’m not scared. I know he’d lay his life down for mine without hesitation.
He lifts his gaze slowly, eyes like stormy seas, his hand reaches for my shoulder—but falls short before he pulls it back toward himself.
“Are you hurt?” he asks, voice hoarse.
If you count being upset that a minute ago you couldn’t keep your hands off me, and now you look scared to touch me, then yes. I’m hurt.
“No.”
