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A dangerous, predatory smile tugged at his lips. “You just repelled an attack that should have killed three dozen lesser practitioners. You didn’t do it with diplomacy or a well-worded contract. You did it with raw instinct. You want protection, little red. And you want the one protecting you to be strong enough to hold the world back while you find your footing.”

He moved swiftly, finally closing the distance between us, but he did not kiss me. Instead, he leaned in until his mouth was mere inches from mine, his warm and rough breath ghosting over my lips. His gaze dropped to the silver ring on my finger, then back to my eyes, pinning me in place.

“Now,” he murmured, his voice dropping into a low, gravelly register that made my knees weak. “Let’s practise that control. Let’s see how much you squirm when the only threat in the room is me.”

The tension was suffocating, a heavy and delicious weight. I closed my eyes, a low whimper escaping my throat despite my best efforts to remain composed. I was completely and shamelessly at his mercy, and the most terrifying part was that I trusted him more than I had ever trusted anyone in my life.

Instead of pulling away, Kael held the agonising tension between us. His mouth was a promise I could not reach, and my body tightened, humming with frantic anticipation.

“Open your eyes,” he commanded, his voice a low growl.

I obeyed, my green eyes meeting his dark ones. My pulse was thundering in my ears, a rhythmic war drum that matched the vibration of the shard.

“Magic,” he whispered, his lips barely moving. “Focus on your energy. Where is it? Can you feel the shard’s pulse through the floor? Now, slowly feel mine and let your energy mingle with it. We agreed on control, little red. Don’t just react.”

I tried to focus, drawing my scattered magic inward. The faint hum of the shard through the floorboards was a steady anchor, a constant in the chaos. I reached out, my magical energy tentatively touching his. The connection was instantaneous and explosive, rough, wild power meeting my own untapped strength. A shared gasp escaped us as the air between us crackled with heat.

“Good,” Kael breathed, his eyes darkening. “Now, pull back. Regain your own centre. Don’t let me consume you.”

The mental effort was immense, like pulling a rope from a bonfire. I managed to sever the direct connection, and the sharp, hot clarity receded, leaving me breathless and aching.

He smirked, satisfied. “That was impressive. You almost lost yourself, but you pulled back.”

“I’m trying to control the desire, too,” I admitted, my voice strained.

Kael leaned back slightly, finally giving me air. “The desire isn’t the enemy, little red. It’s the conduit. Desire creates heat. Heat creates power. We need that heat to stabilise the shard.”

He stood up, pulling me effortlessly to my feet. He kept my hands trapped between his chest and mine, forcing a powerful and controlled intimacy.

“I’m going to make you burn for me,” he promised, his voice low and rough. “I’m going to push you to the edge of control, where you will find your anchor. Do you trust me to guide you back, Ivy? Do you trust the wolf?”

Everything about him screamed danger and hunger, but every instinct told me he would never let me fall.

“Yes,” I whispered, the word shaky but firm. “I trust you, Kael.”

A flash of deep satisfaction crossed his eyes. He gently released my hands, stepping back to let me breathe, leaving the air between us vibrating. Kael did not stay back for long. His dark gaze dropped to my mouth.

“You need grounding, little red, and I need to burn off this protective rage.”

He closed the distance, his hands gripping my waist with a possessiveness that sent a tremor of heat through me. His mouth covered mine, rough and demanding, full of the unique scent of his wolf. I responded instantly, clinging to the front of his shirt while my body arched into his hard form.

The kiss was a necessary release. Our breath came fast and ragged, mixing with low, guttural sounds. I felt the powerful thrum of his magic surging, and mine instinctively reached out, wrapping around his to contain the sheer force of his desire. We were not even having sex, but the friction of our bodies was a conduit for the explosive power we were struggling to control.

I was pressed against the wall, panting, the silver ring on my finger humming wildly, when the front door chimed softly and clicked shut.

Secrets, Confessions, and Connection

Kael froze, a low and fierce growl vibrating deep in his chest. I gasped, my eyes flying open as my hands remained trapped between his chest and the wall. Lucien stood in the living room, his tailored suit immaculate, but his amber eyes were blazing with a consuming, raw heat. He did not move for a long moment, simply observing the frantic energy.

“Well,” Lucien purred, his voice molten and low. He walked slowly toward us. “It seems I underestimated the urgency of your practice, Kael. However, it seems I am right on time.”

He reached us in three strides. Kael shifted, stepping back just enough to allow Lucien to move. In a fluid, silent motion, Lucien slid behind me, his chest pressing firmly against my back, while Kael remained a solid, immovable wall in front of me. I was sandwiched between them, a slip of a girl held fast by two titans.

“You’re vibrating, little red,” Lucien whispered against the shell of my ear, his breath a cool contrast to the fever burning under my skin. His hands slid around my waist, overlapping with Kael’s larger, calloused ones. The contact was a shock to my system, a jagged alignment that made my knees buckle.

Kael caught my weight, his fingers digging into my hips. “She’s peaking, Lucien. Her magic is trying to ground itself, but she is fighting the pull.”

“Then don’t fight it, Ivy,” Lucien murmured, his lips grazing my neck. “Let it bleed into us. We are built to hold this. To hold you.”