Semua Bab THE CHOSEN ONE: Bab 11 - Bab 20

AIYANAMaxim’s breath was warm against my mouth, and something inside me twisted, an invisible force pulling me toward him.And then, he came back.The second kiss wasn’t just a touch.It was something deeper, hungrier.His lips molded to mine, hot and demanding as if he wanted to carve himself into me. His hand slid from my cheek to the nape of my neck, pulling me closer, while his other hand gripped my waist.And that’s when it happened.Something inside me roared.It was hot and instinctive, a primal desire that burned beneath my skin like a beast had been awakened.My head spun as I felt the force growing inside me, it wanted to claim him.My body leaned into his, and for a second, nothing else existed beyond that moment, that touch, that fire spreading through my veins."Whoa!"The sound shattered the spell.I stepped back, breathless, my chest rising and falling quickly.Maxim was breathing heavily too, his expression tense, his eyes glowing with something dangerous.I turned to

AIYANAAlyssa approached, her brow furrowed with concern."You’re sure about this?"I glanced again toward the dark trail. The forest was waiting for me."No," I replied. "But I’m going anyway."I turned my head, searching for my grandmother among the women. She was sitting on a rock, hands clasped in her lap, talking to Eli’s mother.My heart clenched.I leaned closer to Alyssa, speaking low so only she could hear."Keep an eye on her, okay?" I whispered. "I don’t trust my aunt for a second."Her hair was st

AIYANAIcarus pulled me closer, his arm tight around my waist."You don’t look like a mistress, angel."His voice dripped with sarcasm, each word like a needle."But you also don’t strike me as the sharing type. Or... are you?""Let her go," Max growled.His whole body trembled with rage."Now, Icarus.""Oh, Max…" Icarus turned his head lazily, as if bored."I’m just trying to figure out… who’s who in this twisted story."His gaze shifted to Isabela, collapsed a few feet away, eyes brimming, face scratched."That one’s the girlfriend. This one... the mate."He let out a short, cold laugh."So you have two women, Max? Is that it? And here I thought you were the good guy."His hand trailed up to my collarbone, the touch turning into a threat."Tell me," he said, his voice dropping lower, darker."If you could only save one…"His black eyes locked onto Max’s, merciless."The mistress… or the mate?"He tightened his grip on my neck just enough to make Max step forward, eyes wide."Who do

AIYANAThe bonfire crackled at the center of the circle, spitting embers into the dark sky.Maxim stood with his arms crossed, his jaw tight. Icarus was on the other side, a shadow carved from the night. His pack stood just behind him, most with grim expressions, the signs of recent battles visible in their clothes and in their eyes.Scott stepped forward, his deep voice cutting through the silence.“I spoke with Icarus. He understands now that no one here was involved in the attack on his pack.”My fingers clutched the fabric of my pants. Relief scraped through my chest, like a stone being dislodged.“The loss of his parents wa

AIYANAThe forest always knew how to hold me when no one else could.The leaves never judge the weight of my steps. The tall branches never try to bend me. Here, I can breathe without feeling like I owe anyone anything.I ran without direction after leaving the house. Climbed out the window like some rebellious teenager, stumbling over poorly fastened boots and wounded pride. The cold air clung to my face like frost, but I didn’t care. My breath came out in quick, white puffs as I pushed through the snow.That morning, the snow reached almost to my knees in some places, and the forest looked like something out of an old dream. Branches blanketed in white arched overhead like bowed arms, and the silence was thick broken only by the sound of my footsteps.When I reached the lake, I sat on a rock nearly hidden beneath a crust of ice. I pulled off my gloves and touched the water with just the tips of my fingers.That’s when I felt it.Not a scent. Not a sound. A presence.A shiver that had