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Chapter 103
~Tempest’s POV~
I had begun to get some good control over my irritation perhaps because I was far from Koda, that mate of mine.
Tsk.
Just the thought of his last image—him begging Aira made my insides twist and my anger rise.
I leaned in closer, my lips hovering just above Ryland’s. "You’re the one who said you needed to leave," I whispered, feeling the thrum of his heartbeat through his chest. "But I don’t think you’re ready to walk out that door."
A flicker of something vulnerable passed through his eyes before he pulled me by my arms downward and his mouth claimed mine.
His lips were urgent, his grip tightening around my waist as he pulled me against him, leaving no space between us. Heat flooded my senses, and all thoughts of restraint evaporated as I gave myself over to the moment.
The last remnants of doubt Ryland had vanished as my hands traced over his shoulders, feeling the hard muscles beneath.
Ryland’s lips trailed down my neck, his warm breath grazing my skin, leaving a path of shivers in its wake.
"Tempest," he whispered against my skin, his voice laced with something I couldn’t quite place—something deeper than just desire. It was a question, a hesitation that hung between us.
I pulled back slightly, meeting his gaze. "Stay," I said softly, letting him feel the weight of the word settling between us. "For as long as you want."
His eyes darkened, his fingers trailing down my spine in response. "Careful, Tempest," he murmured. "You’re making it hard to remember why I thought leaving was a good idea."
I gave him a slow smile, my hand moving down his chest. "Then don’t."
Ryland’s hands tightened around my waist, his touch grounding and electric all at once. I could see the conflict lingering in his eyes—a fierce desire tempered by something that felt suspiciously like restraint.
But I wouldn’t let him overthink this—I wanted him right here, without hesitation.
"Ryland," I murmured, tracing my fingers along his jaw, feeling the slight roughness under my fingertips. "For once, don’t think. Just... be here with me."
His eyes searched mine, and after a brief second, he nodded. His lips pressed against mine slowly, as if he were committing every detail to memory.
His mouth moved to my collarbone, his teeth grazing lightly as he worked his way down, sending me a fresh surge of heat.
I wrapped my legs around him, pulling him closer until our bodies were tangled, the connection between us stronger than words. His hands roamed, finding every curve, every inch that seemed to respond to his touch alone.
"Tempest," he breathed my name, his voice thick and barely restrained as if it were all he could manage.
My name on his lips felt like a spark, and I let it fuel me, banishing every thought of past hurts, every reminder of Koda. This wasn’t about him.
This moment was mine, with Ryland—a rare clarity I hadn’t felt in what felt like forever.
"Ryland," I whispered against his lips, "I don’t want to be anywhere else."
The answer in his gaze was raw and silent, but it was enough. We lost ourselves in the rush, the heat building between us until it consumed everything else, every past regret and wound.
All that existed was this—our bodies, our breaths mingling, the world outside fading to nothing.
The warmth and intensity of his presence felt like a shield. Here, wrapped in his arms, I was just Tempest—not a daughter of the Ivory Crescent Pack’s Alpha, not a wolf fighting her mate bond, not broken or jaded.
For the first time, I felt free, and I didn’t care how long this fleeting freedom would last.
"I was me."
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~Author’s POV~
In the dim, cold room across the city where Zara was being held, another form of torture was taking place.
She attempted to move in her chair, but the aftereffects of the wolfsbane injection left her with weary limbs and diminished strength.
Every muscle ached. The silver and iron chains burned through her skin, and when she reached out for Astrid, her wolf’s response was weak, almost a ghostly echo in her mind.
A shiver ran down her spine.
In all her life, Zara had never felt this helpless. Time felt disjointed here—an endless night of silence broken only by her attempts to break free.
She couldn’t shake the growing dread of what could happen to her. If Ivan wanted her to belong to him, then she expected to see him by now, but till this moment there was nothing.
Just the awareness that her situation was slipping further out of her control.
Just then, the door creaked open, and one of Marcus’s men stepped in, his face obscured by the dim light but his menacing stance was unmistakable.
"Ready for a little fun?" he sneered, his voice dripping with malice.
Zara tensed, gritting her teeth as he approached. She steeled herself, determination blazing in her eyes despite her weakened state.
She wouldn’t let them break her, even if it took every last shred of strength she had left.
The man produced a small, jagged blade, flicking it casually as he stepped closer. He didn’t say a word, just let the sharp metal glint in the faint light as he closed the distance between them. She fought to stay calm, clenching her jaw as he circled her, his eyes alight with twisted pleasure.
When the blade pressed against her arm, she bit back a scream, willing herself to remain silent to deny him the satisfaction.
But as he pressed harder, dragging it slowly across her skin, the pain grew blinding, her vision blurring at the edges.
"You really thought you could just walk away, didn’t you?" he taunted, the blade digging deeper. "Thought you were safe, that Snow or someone else would come to your rescue?"
Zara’s breaths came faster and the pain was intense, searing. She clenched her fists, drawing strength from her defiance. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing her falter, even as she felt her strength wane.
But when the blade slid along her skin once more, deeper this time, her control snapped. A scream tore from her throat, filling the room with a raw, agonized sound.
Around the warehouse, both Dare Devil and Snow paused; their senses sharpened as Zara’s scream reached their ears, sending a jolt through them.
In a matter of seconds, the door to her cell burst open, cutting through the silence sharply.
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