Chapter 101

~HAZEL~I pressed closer, molding my body against the hardness of his until there was no space left for doubt. My fingers slid into his hair—thick, slightly damp—and I tugged, angling his head down so I could take more. I kissed him like I was starving. Like I'd been waiting years for permission I never thought I'd get.A low sound rumbled in his throat—half groan, half warning. His hands hovered at my waist, fingers flexing, not quite touching, as though he still couldn't believe what was happening. It was all still controlled.I didn't want controlled.I nipped at his bottom lip, sharp enough to make him hiss. His control cracked.Then his hands were on me—big, hot hands clamping around my hips like he'd finally decided to stop pretending. He yanked me flush against him so hard my feet nearly left the ground and a fresh wave of heat surged through me, liquid and shameless.He kissed me back then. Not gently. Not carefully.He devoured.His tongue swept into my mouth, claiming.

Chapter 102

~HAZEL~The cameras flickered back to life, their unblinking red lights piercing the cave, staring straight into my soul. I could feel the weight of viewers settling over us, invisible but suffocating. The promise I'd made to Ashton, the one where I'd given him permission to take what he needed from me to survive this nightmare, kept replaying in my head. I knew it would cost me everything the second we stepped out of this cursed forest. My reputation, my privacy, the fragile pieces of my heart I'd guarded so fiercely. Yet, buried beneath the dread, a vulnerable part of me whispered that surrendering to him might complete me in a way no one else ever could. Ashton, had become my support in this awful game. Giving myself to him felt like both destruction and salvation at the same time. I knew that there was not a single man on this planet I would willingly give myself to. . .except him. To escape this awful place, we had to. . .perform. For the cameras. For the sponsors. For the

Chapter 103— Mature Content 18+

~ASHTON~What the fuck is wrong with me?Why does every second of this feel like the only thing I've ever wanted? Why do my hands move like they were fucking born to worship her skin, tracing the curve of her waist, gripping her hips like they're the only thing anchoring me to this earth?She's my stepsister.I have a mate waiting somewhere out there in the real world, a girl I'm supposed to claim, supposed to build a life with. But right now, none of that exists. The only thing that exists is Hazel. Her rain-soaked body trembling under mine, her soft gasps cutting through the rain, her eyes wide and dark and burning with the same forbidden fire that's eating me alive.The more I kiss her, the more my hands roam, sliding up her sides, cupping her perfect breasts, thumbing her hardened nipples until she arches into me, the more every consequence disappears. The cameras, the game, the family waiting for me back home. . .all of it fades. All that's left is raw, savage need. I want to

Chapter 104

~HAZEL~We'd done it.Ashton had made love to me. It was slow, passionate, and so achingly tender that every touch had branded itself into my soul like a mating mark I could never wash away. And just like I'd always feared, it completely destroyed me for life. There was no coming back from this. No one else in any part of the world could ever take his place. No other hands would ever ignite the fire he'd lit inside me after today. No other lips would ever taste like home.How could I recover from this? How could I pretend that I didn't love him with every broken piece of my heart?We dressed in silence beside each other, the air tense with everything we couldn't say. The rain had finally stopped, but our bodies were still wet. Water dripped from the ends of his hair, tracing slow paths down the sharp line of his jaw, and I had to force my gaze away before I did something stupid like reach out and catch those drops with my fingertips. Our clothes clung to us, heavy and cold now that

Chapter 105

~ASHTON~"I'm so happy you're back," Ariel whispers, her voice soft and sweet as she pressed her cheek against my chest.We were back in my room after weeks in the Abyss. . .it should have felt like bliss but it was far from it. Ariel had insisted on staying the night, curling into me the moment the door clicked shut behind us. Her body fit against mine the way it always had but now for some reason, it felt like something was missing. I held her close, one hand stroking slowly down the curve of her back, the other tangled in her hair. On the surface, everything looked exactly as it should. The woman the moon goddess had chosen for me was back in my arms. I was safe. The nightmare of the woods was over.But inside my head, it was pure chaos.I couldn't get Hazel out of my mind. Not for a single second.No matter how tightly I held Ariel, I could still taste Hazel on my tongue—that wild, sweet, addictive flavor. I could feel the memory of her nails raking down my back, the way her b

Chapter 106

~HAZEL~The fork in my hand felt heavy and useless as I pushed the meat around my plate for what felt like the hundredth time. I couldn't eat. Couldn't focus."You've barely been touching your food," my stepmother observed, her sharp eyes narrowing with concern as she stared at my full plate. She leaned forward, concern on her face "Is everything okay, Hazel?"I couldn't even lift my gaze to meet hers. My throat tightened, the lie already forming on my tongue. Fine. That was the word everyone expected. But I was far from okay. I was drowning in a sea of forbidden love, heated memories, and a jealousy so sharp it carved holes into my chest with every breath."I'm fine," I murmured, forcing a weak smile that didn't reach my eyes.She sighed deeply, the sound heavy with the kind of worry that made guilt twist in my gut. She reached across the table and took my hand in hers, her palm warm. "I know what you went through wasn't easy, Hazel. Believe me, it was difficult for us too. We ha