TASHA "Where were you yesterday? I tried to look for you but I couldn't find you," Rendall said the moment that our path's crossed at the hallway. "Is it true?" "What?" "That you went out with Rhio?" he asked. "A lot of students were talking about it." I sighed. "Yes," I confessed. He's not the first person who asked me about it. Sadie was flabbergasted as well when she found out that the rumors were true. A small smile appeared on his lips. "I was worried sick about you and I wanted to apologize for what I did but you decided to leave the university with him," he uttered. "Don't you think that you're being unfair? I was with you for a much longer time, but he earned your trust just like that?" "There's no way you could comprehend any of it," I said. I excused myself from him but he caught me by my arms and that's when the annoyance started to set in. "So what if I went out of the university with him? Haven't I made myself clear that I am not your property? Besides, we didn't

RENDALL "Whatever is the reason that you called us here, make sure that it's very important because if it isn't, I won't be able to forgive you for putting our lives at jeopardy. Especially the life of my sister," I told my father while he was busy making an ointment for her wounds. When I gently stroked my sister's fur, she let out a deep growl almost instantly. "Don't force yourself, Raiah. Everything will be okay." "I didn't imagine that there would be quite so many of them in this area," he responded. My lips broke into a mirthless smile. "Have you forgotten, father, who the original owner of this land was before we took it by force?" I gritted my teeth out of frustration. I was able to hear him sigh, but after that he decided to keep his mouth shut and not say anything else. This was one of the Shadows' domains that fell to us after that bloody war, and it served as a testament to our victory against them. They were in a position where the only option available to them was to

TASHA I continued to ponder about what happened at the clinic right after I kissed him—how he looked at me with his gleaming eyes and how he made me feel as though we were the only people who mattered at that exact moment. I kept thinking about how he made my heart flutter in an instant just by his small moves when he closed the distance between us or when his scent annihilated my sense of smell. What was once an unwanted heat that I feel whenever he's near turn into a pleasurable heat when Rendall's lips met mine.I made it clear to myself that he was an enticement that I needed to resist, but this time, I knew I wouldn't be able to run away. "Here," Rhio's voice brought me back to my senses. I looked at his hands, and he handed me bottled water and a biscuit. Out of gratitude, I accepted it. "You appeared to be apprehensive about the contest," he added. "A bit," I confessed. I looked around, and when my eyes caught Rendall, I immediately distanced myself away from Rhio and went i

RENDALL"I'm still perplexed about what I saw earlier," Tasha stated. I looked at her but her eyes were on the car floor. A brief grin crossed my face before I began to fiddle with some of the strands of her hair. "She had a knife held up to your throat on your first meeting. I mean, is that normal? That's certainly not. I have never seen my mother act like that before." I couldn't utter a single thing the moment I noticed a trace of melancholy on her face. All I could do was hope that she hadn't seen what had taken place earlier; nevertheless, it was already too late for that."Hey, she's only protecting you," I replied, trying to sound as jolly as I could. "I mean it, I really am fine.""Protecting me by means of placing a knife on my guest' face? Don't get me wrong, I appreciate my mom for doing everything that she can to protect me, but not in this way," she added before letting out a sigh. "I'm sorry for what she did." "There is no need for you to apologize about that." I felt

TASHARendall took me to the tent that we had set up earlier and carried me there. He zipped it while still keeping his lips locked on to mine. As I continued to intensify the kiss, I placed my arms around his neck and felt his hand move down to touch my behind. He pulled away from the kiss and started licking my ear. I let out a soft moan because of the tingly sensation he's making me feel. I heard him chuckle sexily and that turned me on to the peak. When his kisses went down to my jaw and then to my neck, that’s where I completely lost it. I cupped his face and kiss him roughly. I could feel his smile as a result of what I had done, but I was unable to suppress the growing heat that was emanating from within me. It's like I wanted more of him, I wanted more of this.He put me down on the mattress as he continued to plant soft kisses on my neck and cleavage. He placed himself on top of me and I welcomed his lips. I had no control over the situation or myself; it felt as if I wanted