07. Temptation

Sablecrest Pack House

"Magic has many names; energy, mana, witchcraft, alchemy. It all means the same thing," Zachary explains as he writes down on a blackboard with white chalk. "There is only one race of Supernaturals that can feel it: Witches or half-witches. We possess what is called a magic, or mana core, which is why we can naturally sense it. It is all around us, and feeling this seventh energy gives us multiple advantages."

"So, like a video game," June says while raising her hand per the teacher's request.

Zachary sighs, tempted to roll his eyes. But he couldn't do that, because he was the teacher and she, the student. "If that helps you understand better, then yes, you can say it's like a fantasy video game. Except, real-life magic is much more complex than clicking a button and casting a virtual spell. There are many theories, but no true answer on the creation of magic and why it was a gift only used by witches. Some say that magic was formed by a divine witch or a Higher Angel, and some say that magic has been around from the beginning."

"Aren't the scientists and philosophers from back then supposed to be, like, super smart?" June once again shouts out, raising her hand.

"They were considered intelligent in their time, yes, but even the scientists of this time can't even comprehend magic. There's been tests and experiments on what magic can and can't do, which is much easier to do now that we have all this technology. I think that we won't figure it out even in a millennium."

June is quiet at that, and Paige turns her head to her.

"That's one thousand years," she tells her.

"I know what a millennium is," June scowls.

Zachary turns back to the blackboard, writing down a male and female body. On it, he draws a simple heart and a small circle next to it.

"Our core is like a second heart. If it is destroyed, we die. But, there is also a slight chance that you will live. However, you will be in agonizing, excruciating pain worse than the most painful disease or illness known to Supernatural-kind for the rest of your years. However, it is extremely hard to even crack a core. It's within our soul, not our physical body, so one would need to be the level of a great witch to get to the core."

A hand raised, and this time it was Paige. Zachary turns around and raises his eyebrows, not expecting his daughter to want to participate when she's already learned everything.

"Yes, Paige?"

"There are other methods to get to the core, aren't there?" Zachary nods at her question as a small smile rests on Paige's face. "Wouldn't that be to possess a high-tiered magic tool that can weaken a witch's natural defense enough for a powerful blast to harm it?"

"Yes."

Paige side-eyes June with a smug smirk on her face, and June wants nothing more than to freeze her puckered lips off. 'Smart-ass.'

"And the reason why that is is because over time, a witch's magic core has become less defined, making it easier to harm it. You can only strengthen your defense with training so you aren't at risk of getting a broken core."

June nodded, surprisingly paying attention to it. Zachary felt a surge of pride as he wrote on the blackboard.

"Other than that one weakness, witches are very powerful. There are Supernaturals who believe in a higher existence, and they named them Angels. There is much evidence that points to the Angels possibly being a Supernatural like us, like how the magic we release doesn't harm the Earth, but there are counterarguments such as conservation of magic."

"Then, Angels are only a theory? Where did it come from?" June asks.

"Good question, June. Some say that Angels have been around since the creation of the universe, but like all theories, there is no solid evidence that credits it. The universe is infinite, and like the theory of extraterrestrial beings out there, Angels may or may not be in our universe or in a different one altogether."

"Do you have a theory?"

"Well, I have grown up in a religious household, so my parents have believed in Angels and a God. I do believe that there are Angels, but I won't criticize someone who doesn't. Everyone has their own opinions. I'm glad you're paying attention, June. You'll master the basics in no time."

June throws a smug look at Paige, making the girl scowl this time. 'You're still not better than me.'

Zachary claps his hands together, wiping off the chalk. He gives the girls a wide grin as he crosses his arms. "Now that I've taught you the history of magic, we can start with training. I'll be by your side as you practice every day from the mornings to the late afternoons. There will be enough time to grasp the material, and soon enough, you'll become an advanced magic user."

June's face lights up as she throws her hands in the air. "Finally!"

Paige rolls her eyes as she stands up. 'I don't need to do this again. I'm already a professional witch. This is like kindergarten all over again.'

"Training won't be easy, of course. But as days go by, you'll ease into it. I predict in a couple of months, you'll get to the advanced training, June." The man chuckles as June jumps up, bouncing on her heels in excitement. "First, control. Control is the most important thing when using magic. Your magic is unstable, June, so we need to focus on that."

"What do I have to do," June says, a determined look in her eyes. A smile rests upon Zachary's lips.

'And she said that she didn't want to do this.' "Magic goes to and from the core, like how oxygen goes to and from the lungs. This is where the advantage comes in. You could say that magic is like a different type of oxygen, and once you don't have access to that oxygen, you can breathe in magic particles and turn them into something that will replace oxygen."

June raises a hand. "I'm going to need you to slow down right there. What the hell does that mean?"

"I'll break it down into simpler terms– magic is like oxygen. You can survive off magic if there is no oxygen available, which is why it's going to be a part of the control training."

"How many types of training are there?"

"There will be first Control, then Release, then Casting, and then advanced training."

"Honest question; am I going to die doing this?"

Zachary chuckles while shaking his head. "There is a possibility of magic fluctuation, but it's not so harmful in most cases. You don't need to worry, though. You're being trained by a professional magic user and a coven leader."

"Still doesn't sound safe," she says with a raised eyebrow.

"If it makes you feel any better, Paige will be training with you. She is also a professional magic user."

Paige groans, hoping that he had forgotten about that. "Come on, Fath- Teacher. I'd much rather read the Witch Codex front to back ten times than do this."

"You've hated reading that when I told you to, though."

"It's still better than training with her," Paige complains, pointing at June.

"Aww, I thought Paige was a good girl that listened to her Daddy," June says with a fake high-pitched voice, batting her eyelashes.

"You annoying-" Zachary stopped Paige before she could do anything to June.

"Don't be sour, Paige. As witches, we will always be faced with trials." He switches to their language, "June is just another trial which you must overcome. You'll encounter Supernaturals worse than her, so how can you deal with them if you can't deal with her?"

June cocks an eyebrow. "Speak English. I have a feeling you're talking about me."

Paige ignores her and stares into her dad's begging eyes, causing her to sigh in defeat. 'Yeah, just another obstacle...'

"Fine."

Zachary smiles at Paige's agreement, even though she was reluctant. It was good enough, after all, Zachary can't ruin the only chance to protect his family and coven because of a single unruly girl.

"Thank you," he whispers, turning back to June. "Let's start. I want both of you back to back to make this easier."

"Huh?" June shouts with furrowed eyebrows. "What the hell for?"

"It has been proven that magic flows easier inside the body of a witch if they are making contact with a witch of the same magic type. I want to see if Paige's magic is compatible with yours, and to do that, you need to be touching."

A look of disgust crosses June's face as she glares at Paige. "Ew, I'm not going to touch her."

"And neither do I," Paige murmurs, her nose flaring with anger.

As they glower at each other, Zachary sighs once more.

'They really are natural rivals, like ice and fire.'

Afterwards,

"Fuck," June hisses, rubbing her aching lower back. Trying to control her magic wasn't as easy as Zachary made it out to be. When she tried to evenly distribute it in multiple places, it went wild and caused what Zachary had said was a magic fluctuation.

She wiped the blood that dripped down from her nose and sighed. She remembered how Zachary told her that her magic and Paige's magic wasn't compatible, and instead fought against each other, which could have possibly caused the magic fluctuation too.

'And that bitch laughed at me too. I bet she's also feeling some back pain, that prissy-' Her thoughts were stopped when she saw Elmarie in the hallway speaking with Beta Madden. Her back was turned, so she didn't notice June at first. However, the Beta did.

He flickers his eyes to see June standing behind her and goes back to Elmarie. He excuses himself and turns to walk down the opposite end of the hallway. Elmarie turns and finds the scuffed up girl she was just thinking about.

A smile appeared on her face, before it disappeared when she saw the nose bleed. June shifts her weight from one foot to the other nervously as Elmarie runs up to her.

"Are you..." She stops herself to lightly press her hand against her cheek. June hisses at the contact as the woman takes her hand back. "What happened?"

"Magic training," she answered.

Elmarie sighs. "Come with me. I'll get some ice for you. That nosebleed looks bad."

"It doesn't really hurt," June protests but Elmarie sends a look her way that immediately shuts her up.

She follows behind Elmarie to the infirmary, where a nurse was flipping through papers. She looked up at the sound of the door opening and her eyes went wide at the sight of June.

"Good evening Delta, what can I assist you with?" She greets with a shaky breath.

"I need an ice pack or cold compress for her nosebleed."

She tucks her papers under her arm and rushes over to the freezer, taking out an ice pack and wrapping it in a towel. She hands it to Elmarie while keeping her distance from June, who nods in thanks. "I have some papers I need to give to the Alpha, so if you need anything, there is a nurse in the next infirmary over."

She immediately scurries out the room, closing the sliding door behind her. Elmarie hears her heels clicking as she runs away and gestures to the bed. June sits there and watches her bring the ice pack to her nose. She takes it and keeps it there. Elmarie sits on the chair by the bed, crossing one leg over the other.

"How is magic training going?"

June groans at the memories, her back aching in response. "As you can see, that's going wonderful," she says with fake glee.

Elmarie chuckles. "Looks like it's taking a toll on you, huh? What have you learned so far?"

"How Paige and I's magic isn't compatible or whatever. And something about breathing in magic instead of oxygen. I didn't know that magic was so... different than what I thought, I guess."

The twinkle in her eyes as she spoke made Elmarie's smile widen. "I'm glad you're having fun. It's way better than being stuck inside, isn't it?"

June nods.

"Have you gotten into any fights with Paige?" Elmarie says, making June roll her eyes.

"No. And if anything, she's the one that tries to start fights with me," June huffs, setting the ice pack down on her lap. She wipes the bottom of her nose, but doesn't feel any blood.

"It's better if you two get along. We don't know how long they are staying, and a petty fight will be bad on both ends. I'm sure Paige knows that as well."

"'Getting along'," June repeats with a scowl on her face. "That's what everyone says. I'm not going to get along with a two-faced bit-"

Elmarie narrows her eyes. June gulps and looks down at the floor.

"Girl," she says. "She's fake in every sense of the word. I swear, when someone turns around, she switches up. She's just trying to get on Adella's good side but bullies me when she's not looking."

"Bullies?" Elmarie raises an eyebrow. "I see. And how do you handle that?"

"By doing the same thing, of course. If she wants to play that game, I can play it better. I can act just as fake as her with Zac- Teacher and watch her cakey face scrunch up in anger." June laughs deviously as she imagines the picture of Paige's face becoming filled with rage.

The woman chuckles while shaking her head. "That's petty. You know that angering her is a bad move. She's still a Flower Branch witch."

"So what," June scoffs. "She's going to attack me? With what– throwing fire at me? I bet her breath is just as hot too. And isn't Adella supposed to protect me? Like, I'm her 'responsibility'," June says, air-quoting the word.

"Don't worry. Alpha Channing won't let Paige harm you in any way, unless approved by Zachary during spars."

June groans loudly. "Enough talking about Paige. Thinking about her makes my head hurt."

"Then, let's talk about you." Elmarie leans forward, staring into June's brown eyes. "How are things going?"

"You mean magic training?"

"No, I mean in general. Staying here in the Pack House."

June deadpans. "If you were treated like a monster and kept in a basement observed by hundreds of scientists who want to dissect you each day, you would understand."

Elmarie's smile drops as she looks at June with furrowed eyebrows. She stands up and sits next to her with a small sigh. "I don't know how you felt, June. But I discovered what was going on. I asked the Alpha to stop all the experiments and start studying your magic instead. I can see why you think she's evil."

June looks at the ground, kicking her feet.

"Most of us aren't good people. We've done something that took away that title from us," Elmarie admits, looking down at the floor. "I can't change your past, and I would if I could. But doing that won't change what I've done before when I was the Delta of another Pack."

"You're better than the rest of them," June murmurs.

"In truth, I think you're better than me as well as the majority of the Pack."

June snaps her eyes to look into the blue-green eyes of Elmarie. She shook her head in disbelief, but Elmarie only smiled.

"That's not," June's breath hitches. "I did..." Memories flooded into her brain. Ones that she wished to forget. Still bodies frozen to the core, a shaking girl that sat next to them, and a cold winter. "I'm not-"

Elmarie notices June's body shaking violently and she presses her hand against her back. June flinches and looks back into her eyes.

"It wasn't your fault." Elmarie says sternly. "It was and will never be your fault, June."

The corner of June's eyes prick with oncoming tears. The bottom of her lips quivered and her heart clenched at her words.

It was true, but the guilt she had didn't want to believe it.

She bit, clawed, and fought everyone around her. She made them back away in fear with her ice. She isolated herself in a freezing room that reminded her of that cold winter.

She thought of them all as the enemy that endangered her survival, and so, she treated them as such.

For she had to become that vicious, aggressive girl to protect herself.

Meanwhile,

Kieryn became much more comfortable with exploring the Pack House. He's also spent more time around the maids, who welcomed him as a new part of their small family.

He sits inside the sunroom with Himari, who shares with him her experiences in Japan. Kieryn listened to Himari's calming voice as she spoke, and he thought that she was a poet or a storyteller.

"I started working as a cashier at sixteen," she started. "There were many creeps around where I lived, so I encountered many of them while I was working. Once, I almost got robbed but the police came just in time."

Kieryn brows furrowed at that. Himari chuckles at his face and waves her hand. "It wasn't a scary experience. The guy fumbled with his gun, so I assumed it was his first time robbing. There was enough time for someone to call 110. After a couple of months, I quit because of the horrible boss and customers."

Himari sighs as she leans back, remembering the good times she had in her hometown. "When I turned 23, I moved to Shibuya for a better working opportunity. I missed my hometown, but I didn't look back when I left. I was in a high position in the company I worked at, but it all went downhill from that. My father died, my mother disappeared with another man, and I think my siblings went with her. I was totally alone."

Kieryn wanted to reach out and touch her hand. Her tone dropped as she talked about her misfortunes, but then a tight smile appeared on her lips.

"And then, as if God felt my pain, I met a man soon after. He was just like me and even better. He was kind, funny, and could sympathize with me. We got engaged in the spring and planned our wedding months after. And then, he disappeared with another woman, just like my mother had."

'I'm sorry,' Kieryn thought. He didn't expect that Himari had a past like that. She was so full of life and brimmed with energy.

"I decided to move to America and leave my past behind, even though I only knew two or three words in English. It was an impulsive decision, but I didn't regret it. I still had the engagement ring at the time because I was still broken from my fiancé's betrayal. And then, I wiped my tears away and threw the ring out the window. It's probably lost at sea, but the point is that that decision was my new beginning. Now, I'm here in Sablecrest years later and I still don't regret it."

That's when the door opened and Soo-Yun walked in. Himari grins and opens her arms for her to run into. She sits next to her and leans her head on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry that I just dumped my trauma on you. I don't normally do that." Himari looks at Kieryn apologetically, but he only shakes his head.

Himari looks back at Soo-Yun and kisses her temple. The woman laughs at the ticklish feeling.

'I'm glad that she's happy now.' Kieryn leans back in his seat and looks out the window, staring at the garden nearby. 'I wonder if everyone here has a story on how they came here. Especially...'

The door opens once more and Menena steps inside. Himari jumps out of her seat and rushes over to her, touching her shoulder.

"Are you alright? Shouldn't you get some rest?" She looks at her tired complexion worriedly.

Menena puts her hands on her hips with a sour look. "Why does everyone think I'll break if I move an inch? I'm not weak, Himari. Remember that I'm the same woman who moved a ten-foot statue all by herself."

Himari deadpans. "You're exaggerating again. It was half your height and made out of light material."

Menena clicks her tongue. "That's not the point. I'm here for Kieryn."

At the sound of his name, he stands out of his seat. Menena smiles at him warmly.

"The Alpha is calling for you, hun. Dinner is being served and she wants you to eat with her."

Kieryn's heart soared with happiness that Adella wanted to see him. He nods to her and follows her as she leads him to the dining room. Each step closer made him more nervous than he was happy. He worried that he'll do something unsightly and make her look at him with disgust.

His gaze falls to the floor as he slows down, making Menena stop and turn around. She chuckles and touches his arm gently.

"Don't be so worried, hun. Dinner is meant to be enjoyed." Menena reassures. "You know, back in my day, I was a boy magnet. They all liked me because I didn't change my loud-mouthed, sassy self for anyone. So, I give this advice to you: walk in there with confidence and be yourself."

Menena continues to lead Kieryn down the hallway that led to the main dining room. Kieryn exhaled his worries and followed the woman's advice. He straightened his back and stepped into the room with a look of confidence, but then it all disappeared when he laid eyes on Adella.

She was dressed in a forest green satin wrap dress with a high cut that showed her thigh. A low neckline allowed Kieryn to peek at the exposed cleavage. She wore black strappy heeled sandals on her white painted toes. Her body was bare of any jewelry, which she didn't need. She still looked elegant with only simple makeup.

Kieryn realized that he was underdressed, wearing only a blue knitted sweater and grey joggers. He frowned, wishing that he had dressed in something more appropriate.

The corner of her lips quirked up in a genuine smile. She beckoned Kieryn closer with a finger, and like a spell was casted on him, he walked to the cloth covered rectangular table that she sat at. An empty chair was opposite of her chair, and he slowly sat down while his eyes darted all over the dishes on the table.

He only recognized one, and that was what looked to be chicken. His mouth waters as the scent of the food wafts up to his nose. A quiet chuckle leaves Adella's mouth as she folds her hands on the table.

"You can have as much as you want. I did tell you I planned to have you round and plump, didn't I?"

Kieryn gulps, trailing his eyes up to Adella's. He didn't want to seem too greedy, but if she says he can...

She picks up the tongs by the middle plates as a chef enters the room with a pepper shaker in his hand. "I apologize, Alpha. I forgot to bring the black pepper."

Adella looks at Kieryn, whose mouth turns tight-lipped at the sight. "Are you allergic, Kieryn?"

Kieryn nods, glad that Adella noticed. She shakes her head to the chef, who takes the pepper shaker back to the kitchen. Adella turns back to Kieryn with a gentle smile.

"What have you been up to today?" Adella asks, slicing a piece of the mustard corned beef and picking it up with tongs. She drops it onto her plate.

Kieryn pats his pockets for a way of communication, but then notices Adella sliding a notepad and pen over to him, and he immediately reaches out for it. He stops when he realizes that he was about to touch her hand. Looking up at Adella, she only raises her brows in encouragement. So, he takes the notepad and starts to write down on it.

'I should get him something that's faster. Would he be okay with a phone?' Adella thought as she cut up the corned beef with a knife and took a bite.

Kieryn hands the notepad to her once he finishes. Her eyes skim over it and a laugh comes out of her. Kieryn frowned, wondering if he wrote something embarrassing.

"You're very passionate about reading," she laughs, the corner of her eyes crinkling. "There is a library here, so you can read all the books you like."

His eyes widened and he looked at her with disbelief. She nods, confirming his silent question. Excitedly, he wiggles in his seat while imagining all the books he could read. Adella's smile widens as she gazes at the man.

She takes the tongs and stretches her arm out to Kieryn. "Don't let the food get cold. Try the corned beef first. There's also mustard if you'd like."

He takes the tongs, his finger brushing against her hand. At the contact, a buzz goes straight to his heart. He ignores it and looks around for what looks like corned beef. Adella points at it with a fork and he uses the tongs to put a slice of the beef on his plate. He pokes it with his fork and brings the whole slice to his mouth.

Adella chuckles before placing a couple garlic mushroom chicken thighs on her plate. She looks back up to see Kieryn sliding the notepad to her. She reads what's on the paper and feels pride swelling up in her chest.

"I'm glad you like the corned beef. Try some of the chicken thighs." She puts some on his plate and watches as he brings one to his lips.

He glances at her and she nods, watching him intently as he takes a bite. The sauce stained his lips, which his tongue cleans up and enters his mouth again. Her green eyes darkened as she slowly bit into her chicken thigh, locking eyes with Kieryn's. Her tongue slowly darts out to lick her own lips, and Kieryn's eyes follow the motion.

He snaps out of his trance and looks back down on the plate, shoving more food into his mouth. Adella chuckles when he sees his cheek full of food, and she hands him a napkin.

"I'd like to think of this as a date," Adella says with a smile in her tone. "But, of course, I'd have to ask you first."

She wants to go on a date with me? Kieryn's neck burned at the thought. The red tint stretched to his cheek as he looked down at his lap, embarrassed to look at her.

Adella's eyes filled with amusement as a small smirk rests upon her lips. 'It's impossible to believe that this is the same man who poked a woman's eye out. How adorable.' Her eyes widened when she realized what she thought and wanted to stab herself for it.

'Fuck this mate bond and this attraction,' she curses in her mind. But, she may have already given in to its effects without knowing.

Even though she tried to pull away, the bond pulled her closer. Or maybe it wasn't the mate bond itself, but her own attraction. Adella would rather believe that it's the former.

Adella adds vegetables to her plate and pushes the bowl to Kieryn when she finishes. His face visibly cringes and Adella's eyebrow raised. 'He doesn't like vegetables. Well, you learn something new everyday.'

"They're good for you, Kieryn. At least eat the carrots." Kieryn does as told and separates the greens to take the orange circles, biting them with distaste. "There's some fruit if you'd rather have that."

He searches for the fruits and finds them at the end of the table. Adella brings them closer to him and uses another pair of tongs to put some on his plate. She then takes the fruits and separates the cantaloupes from them.

Kieryn tilts his head slightly and she chuckles at his confusion. "Cantaloupes are gross. I would never put those things in my mouth. I think the chefs added that because you might like them."

'I love cantaloupes,' he thought, taking the orange slices from her. Adella shakes her head with slight disgust as he eats it.

"I don't know how anyone eats that," she murmurs, taking two more slices of corned beef.

Kieryn replaces his empty plate with a plate of spaghetti. The light yellow strands were covered with a reddish brown sauce and bits of sausage, topped with garlic cloves.

It looked heavenly; and would taste that way, no doubt. Kieryn used her fork to bring the spaghetti towards his mouth, but before he could get a taste, the strands fell off and back to his plate.

He tried a couple more times, and with no success. Looking up to Adella with a dispirited look, she almost laughs and picks up her fork. Twirling it around in the air, she looks back at Kieryn with a look that says 'try it'.

Kieryn heeds her advice, twirling his fork in the spaghetti and lifting it up. When the spaghetti doesn't fall off, he beams, bringing it to his mouth. His smile grows wider, taking more spaghetti and eating it quickly.

"You'll choke by doing that," Adella advises, but it was too late.

A lump of spaghetti got stuck in his throat, making him drop the fork onto his plate. He hits his chest with a fit to bring the lump down.

Adella sighs and she takes two napkins from the stack, getting up out of her seat. She walks to Kieryn's side as he is able to swallow the lump, exhaling in relief. He looks up to see Adella walking towards his side and he has little time to react before her hand grasps his chin, lifting it up to look into her standing height.

He could have sworn that his heart stopped right then and there. Although the food went down, another lump appeared in his throat. Adella presses the napkin on his lips, wiping away the red stain.

"I told you that you were going to choke." She focuses on Kieryn's mouth as his eyes dart everywhere to avoid hers.

Once his mouth was cleaned, she placed the napkin on the table. She turns around to face him again, seeing a blush appearing on his porcelain skin. His eyes darted to her breasts, which were close to his face.

Adella notices where his gaze is at and her lip quirk up in a smirk.

"What are you thinking about?" She asks with a teasing tone, amusement dancing around in her eyes.

The man jumps and looks back down at her feet. He sees her walking closer and his eyes turn up to see her cleavage revealing more as she slightly bent down. Her finger presses under his chin and turns his head up so she could see his embarrassed face.

'How cute...' Adella thinks, her smirk growing wider as unholy thoughts enter her brain. 'He would look perfect tied up in red.'

"Were you thinking about something dirty, Kieryn?" Her voice turns down into a low pitch, huskiness entering it.

She studied him with a predator's unwavering attention, making him feel smaller under her gaze. She didn't know what compelled her in that moment, her finger moving up to run itself on his plump bottom lip. Her eyes closed halfway as she looked back into his hooded eyes.

He wanted to lean forward and feel more of her. God, he wanted to. It hurt to be so close but so far from her. Her scent became stronger and whispered to him, begging him to release control to it.

Her scent must have manipulated his brain, because the next thing he knew, he was nodding to her question.

Adella's smirk grows wider as she brings her face closer to him, her lips against his ear. He closed his eyes and felt her finger slide down his neck, resting on the waistband of his joggers. At this point, labored breaths left his mouth and he wished her hand would go lower.

"Was it about me, darling?" She whispers, her hot breath on his ear.

His chest constricted at the innocent nickname with a flirtatious connotation to it. He nods again, silently begging for her to relieve him of the tightening of his sweatpants.

Instead, she pulls away and swiftly turns around to her seat, leaving Kieryn's body void of her warmth. His eyes snap open and he looks to see Adella with a composed face, as if nothing ever happened.

His face turns hotter at the memory of his eyes closing. He probably looked needy, the way he silently begged her and panted like a dog. To distract himself from his neediness, he shoves more spaghetti in his mouth.

"Slow down," she commands, making him stop to look at her. "Don't choke again. Chew slowly and thoroughly."

Kieryn didn't say anything and instead continued to eat. He looks down at his lap to avoid Adella's penetrating gaze.

'What the fuck is wrong with me?' She mentally screams, continuing to eat as if she was unbothered. 'Why the hell did I do that? Why the hell did I say that? It's the mate bond, dammit, I know it is. I should have stayed away from him, but now it's going to be harder to do that.'

Her thoughts stop when she remembers the tent that formed at his pants, her tongue subconsciously darting out to lick her lips. A part of her twitched at the thought of claiming his lips and body, a possessiveness deep inside her wishing to be let loose and finally mark him.

Each passing day made it harder for Adella to look at Kieryn without staring at his collarbone. Her hand twitched as she thought of running her hand through his white hair, pulling his head back to get access to his neck. The thought of how his soft neck felt against her lips made them tingle. The thought of him under her as he manipulated his body to her pleasure made her shiver.

And his strong scent in that moment made her almost lose control. But, she was glad she didn't. Marking a mate was a painful process, one which she wasn't sure Kieryn could handle.

Nevertheless, Adella wanted more than just the pleasure of marking him. She wanted something she wasn't sure she deserved. Something deeper than his body.

She forced herself not to groan at the intruding thoughts. 'I need a drink.'