--35--

ALICE

With my eyes shut tightly, I placed my cheek next to Rian's and slid the ring off of my finger. 

Rian’s chest stopped completely and his whole body tensed around me. His fingers were digging into my hips before he took a deep breath like someone trapped underwater that just came up for air. 

Something inside of him rumbled in a way I didn’t recognize, rattling through my chest and making Amara let out a low rumble of her own that resembled a purring sound. His body pressed closer to me as his hips ground into me gently. 

“It’s not simple to be my mate,” he growled out.

“You have no idea,” my nose slid along his and the need to look into his eyes increased painfully.