Chapter 5: Burning Flames

REINA

The kiss was everything I had ever dreamed of and far beyond the fragile boundaries of my imagination. It was slow, deliberate, and utterly consuming, a fire that ignited in the quiet spaces between us and burned through every rational thought.

His lips pressed against mine with a hunger that felt both reverent and reckless, as if he was savoring a forbidden fruit that he waited lifetimes to taste.

The way his tongue traced the seam of my lips, teasing and coaxing them apart, sent a tremor through my core. My breath hitched, caught in the electric pull of his touch.

Then he caught my lower lip between his teeth, biting down with a gentle, deliberate pressure, and a soft gasp slipped from me, breaking the last of my restraint.

I didn't know when I parted for him, yielding to the unspoken demand in his touch, granting him the access he wanted.

His tongue brushed against mine, warm and velvet-smooth, moving with a confidence that bordered on arrogance. It was unrelenting, a dance of heat and rhythm that stoked a fire deep in my belly.

Each stroke was a claim that left me wanting more, and my body betrayed me with its eager response. My skin flushed, as if every nerve had awakened to sing his name.

His hands were everywhere, mapping my body with a possessive grip that felt both foreign and inevitable. They glided over the curve of my waist, fingers splaying wide to pull me closer, the heat of his palms searing through the thin fabric of my dress.

And every place that his hand rested, he gave a squeeze that sent shivers down my spine. My legs felt like jelly, submissive to his exploration, as if my body had decided that it belonged to him.

His thumb brushed the sensitive hollow of my collarbone, lingering there, and I felt the air leave my lungs in a shuddering exhale.

His body pressed against mine, and I almost grabbed him. But just as suddenly as it had begun, it ended. He pulled away, his breath ragged, his eyes dark and unreadable.

The absence of his warmth was a physical ache, a cold void that settled into my bones. My lips still tingled, swollen and tender, and my body thrummed with a restless, yearning heat I couldn’t name.

I laid there, trembling, caught in the aftermath of his touch, Did I want more? Yes.

Would I ever admit that? Absolutely not.

I stayed frozen, unsure of what to do or say, my heart thudding like a drum in my chest.

He buried his face in the crook of my neck, inhaling deeply like he wanted to memorize my scent. My chest rose and fell rapidly. I enjoyed that kiss far too much, and it scared me.

I parted my lips, ready to say something, but before I could speak, his low murmur stopped me.

"Reina, what are you?" he whispered, his breath fanning across my skin. "You do things to me that I never believed anyone could do."

I blinked, speechless. What did he mean by that? I didn't even do anything. I wasn’t anyone special. I was just the girl dragged here to be punished. I was the one expected to die. How could I possibly be doing something to a man like him?

"Weren't you the one just now who kissed me?" I mumbled, my voice faint and defensive, spilling out before I could stop it.

His chuckle rumbled against my neck, deep and amused, sending a fresh wave of shivers through me. "I could feel your soul calling out to me, Reina. Of course I would respond."

I scoffed, but it lacked real conviction. "Your highness, this must have been a mistake. Please get off me." My voice was soft, way too soft. Even weaker than I intended.

But I had heard enough about Logan to know his moods could shift like the wind. And I wasn’t in a position to provoke him.

He didn't move.

"Alpha Logan, please," I pleaded, my tone quieter this time. "I don't want any more trouble than I’ve had in my lifetime."

He finally raised his head to meet my gaze, and his golden eyes studied me like I was a puzzle he couldn’t quite solve. There was a strange softness in them, laced with curiosity.

"What trouble have you been in?" he asked.

I hesitated before shaking my head. "None," I lied. "But Luna Seraphina will have my head if she meets you here."

His brows lifted slightly. "Is this your way of showing gratitude to the alpha who spared your life?" His tone was unreadable, it wasn’t clear if he was teasing or genuinely offended.

I wanted to tell him that I hadn’t asked for my life to be spared, that his so-called mercy wasn’t something I had wished for. But I kept those thoughts buried and instead lowered my gaze, gently nudging his heavy body off me.

He rose at last, the bed creaking beneath the shifting weight, and began adjusting his clothing with a calm that made my stomach churn.

"Reina, I will come back tonight. Be ready for me."

My breath caught. "R...ready?" I stammered, sitting up slowly. "Um, for what, your highness?"

He didn’t answer immediately. He walked to the door, his steps echoing faintly against the polished floor. His hand reached for the doorknob, and I leaned forward without realizing it, the question trembling in my throat.

"What am I getting ready for?" I whispered, barely loud enough to be heard.

He paused with his back to me. "To please me, Reina," he replied without looking back. And then, he was gone.

The door clicked shut, and silence flooded the room once more.

My ears burned, and my cheeks flamed with embarrassment. His words were shameless, deliberate, and unfiltered. They echoed inside my head, refusing to fade.

Slowly, almost unconsciously, I reached up and touched my lips, still tingling from his kiss, and the bite. I remembered every detail, every movement, every breath.

And before I knew it, I found myself reliving the moment, caught in the memory of his hands, his mouth, his voice. The intensity of it all had been too much, and it ended too fast.

My heart ached with confusion and longing, and I hated that part of myself that wanted more.

I scolded myself inwardly. What was I doing? He was the alpha. He belonged to another. I was nothing here, just a mistake in the wrong place at the wrong time.

“Oh Reina!” I sobbed lightly. But the voice in my head rang aloud, warning me.

> You're dancing near fire, Reina. Be careful to not get burned.

And as if mocking me, the flames in the fireplace danced in rhythm to my thoughts.