Aria smirked, eyes gleaming with dangerous delight as Mason lay beneath her, his composure cracking. She silenced his trembling lips with a single finger, voice husky with dominance. “Shh… Easy now, Chairman,” she purred. “Right now, you belong to me. Every inch of you. And I’ll do whatever I damn well please.”She traced his lips with her tongue, slow, taunting, before pulling back just as he tried to seize her kiss, denying him the control he so often wielded.Her hands slid down to his thighs as she straddled him fully, feet planted firmly on either side. Without warning, she began to ride him, her pace was willful, sensual… and commanding.Mason’s fingers gripped her legs, grounding himself against the rising tide of sensation. But Aria was relentless. She quickened her pace, hips snapping forward with a growing urgency that sent fire through their veins.Then he retaliated. His thumb found that sensitive bundle between her legs. He pressed, circled, and teased, earning a deep, g
Mason claimed Aria’s lips with an urgency that ignited fire between them, raw, hungry, and unstoppable. His kiss wasn’t just passion, it was desperation, like a man starved for air finally tasting oxygen. He devoured her mouth, exploring her with a fervent intensity that stole her breath and left her trembling.His tongue swept into hers, tasting every sigh she released, every moan she couldn’t suppress. And still, it wasn’t enough. He wanted more, he needed more.His hands moved across her body like he was mapping sacred ground, memorizing every curve, every quiver of her skin under his fingertips. He was lost in her, completely and willingly.Aria clung to him just as fiercely, her hands roaming over his chest, his back, holding him as if he were the only anchor in a world spinning too fast. The heat between them was undeniable, burning wildly, consuming every inch of space that dared separate them.Mason finally tore his lips from hers, only to trail hot, open-mouthed kisses down
It was the second night since Shaman Orun had been summoned back to the city to assist Mason and Julian, leaving Aria in the care of his apprentices. Though the young shamans followed his ritual to the letter, the process was slower—less refined—and far more draining. Each session left Aria’s limbs trembling, her body sore, and her spirit cracked open a little wider than before. But it gave the same result, so she was fine with it.Still, she kept to her routine. After every cleansing, no matter how weak she felt, she would drag herself to Nina’s room. That quiet ritual, reading a book under the warm glow of the bedside lamp, Nina tucked into her little cocoon of blankets, was the only thing that felt right and gave her peace in her life right now.But tonight, as she returned to the guest villa, weariness clinging to her like a second skin, she was met with the sound of laughter. Cecil and Samantha were sprawled on the sofa, faces lit up by the flickering screen, the echoes of a com
Aria stared down at the flowers in her hands—fresh, fragrant, and unexpected. Her fingers tightened around the stems as a storm of emotions twisted in her chest. Confusion. Gratitude. And something far more dangerous… hope.She wasn’t ready for hope. It was not the right time for matters of the heart. Her life is a mess right now, and she wants to fix that part first. No time for distractions, even if that distraction is Mason.“Well, well, what’s this?” Sam’s voice cut through the moment like a blade, mischievous and direct. She plopped down across from Aria, a sly grin tugging at her lips. “What’s really going on between you and my cousin?”The question jerked Aria from her trance. She glanced at Sam, blinking. “I… he’s helping with my parents’ case. And I’m helping him look after Nina and her trauma from the accident. That’s all.”Sam tilted her head, her blonde waves catching the light as her teasing gaze narrowed. “Just that? So… why the flowers? Is he thanking you for breathing
Cecil stood frozen, her entire body rigid with shock. Her wide eyes locked onto Jacob’s. Everyone around them held their breath, waiting for her reaction.Then, Jacob stepped forward, his expression raw with longing. He pulled her tightly into his chest in a sudden, possessive embrace. “Please,” he murmured. “Say something… my mate.”“No!”Cecil’s voice rang out like a whipcrack.With a powerful shove, she hurled Jacob backward with enough force to knock him off his feet and send him crashing into the sand. She didn’t wait to see the aftermath—she turned and bolted toward the guest villa.“Cecil!” Aria shouted after her. Without hesitation, she spun to Matilda. “I’m sorry, I need to go after her. I’ll see you at dinner!” she called, already sprinting after her best friend.Jacob sat dazed in the sand, his breath knocked out of him—not from the fall, but from the shock. He could only watch as Cecil disappeared from view, her scent still lingering in the salt-laced breeze.Standing near
The sun is preparing to dip lower on the horizon in the beach house, but the battle has only begun.Aria adjusted the wrappings around her knuckles as Cecil rolled her shoulders, already barefoot in the sand, her eyes glinting with mischief and experience. “You sure you’re ready for this, Miss I’m-Still-Recovering?” Cecil teased, circling slowly.Aria grinned, her stance steady. “Try me. Just don’t go crying to Matilda if I land a hit.”From the sidelines, Nina was perched on a towel with her nanny Maria and Matilda, who sipped tea under the shade of a huge old tree. Nina’s tiny fists were in the air, full of glee. “Go, Auntie Aria! Go, Teacher Cecil! Fight! Fight!”With a mock growl, Cecil lunged first, a blur of motion honed from years of combat training. Aria barely dodged, pivoting to the side just in time, her body responding faster than it had in weeks or perhaps years, ever since Elliot started poisoning her. Her wolf stirred beneath her skin, alert, eager.“You’re getting fast