Page 23 of My Fated Mate

But as I steal a glance at Thorne, his eyes gleam with amusement and something else I can't quite decipher. It pulls me towards him with an undeniable force.

The mate bond roars to life within me, a primal urge to be close, to claim him as mine. I fight the urge to lean into him, to bury my face in the comforting scent of pine and woodsmoke that clings to him.

My cheeks burn under his scrutiny, and I know I must look like a lovesick fool.

This can't happen.

This shouldn't be happening.

But the raw, undeniable pull towards Thorne seems to defy logic and reason.

Trapped between duty and desire, I force a weak smile, the taste of ash in my mouth. This is going to be a very long night.

"The training grounds were particularly lively this morning," Thorne remarks casually, a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes.

My breath hitches. Did he notice me watching him?

Heat creeps up my neck, and I force myself to focus on my plate, spearing a piece of roasted vegetables with unnecessary focus.

"Especially lively," I mumbled. "Seems someone enjoys a good challenge."

The corner of his mouth lifts in a slight smirk. "Indeed," his whisper is husky. "Though some challenges are more… stimulating… than others."

My cheeks burn.

He is playing with me, and a dangerous thrill snakes through me. "Careful, Alpha Thorne. Don't underestimate the challenges you might find here."

"Underestimate?" he echoes, his gaze meeting mine with a glint of defiance. "Perhaps you haven't witnessed the full extent of my determination, Elowen."

The space between us crackles with unspoken tension, a delicious dance that only we can see.

And while the pack around us doesn’t understand the words exchanged, they can't help but sense the tension between us.

I shouldn’t talk to him.

Do I stop? No.

The candlelight dances playfully across Thorne's features as he leans closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "There's a certain fire in your eyes tonight, Elowen," hemurmurs, his gaze dropping from my eyes to the elegant curve of my neck.

My heart hammers against my ribs. Surely, everyone can hear it. "Perhaps," I force a lightness to my voice that I don’t feel, "it's just the candlelight."

A slow smile spreads across his face. "Candlelight, or something more?" his whisper sends goosebumps erupting across my arms. "Perhaps the prospect of a challenging conversation with a captivating companion?"

Heat floods my cheeks, and I fight the urge to glance around.

Surely, the others must be noticing the charged atmosphere between us. Can they detect the unspoken desire?

"A challenging conversation, huh? And what exactly would we discuss, Alpha Thorne?"

"Well, that depends. Are you feeling more philosophical tonight, or perhaps in the mood for something a little more… playful?"

His words are a delicious tease, and I find myself leaning in slightly, captivated by the amusement in his eyes.

"Playful?" I echo. "Isn't that a bit… dangerous, Alpha? Considering the weight of our circumstances?"

"Perhaps," he concedes, reaching out to tuck a stray curl behind my ear. "But then again, haven't we both always had a penchant for living on the edge? Did I guess wrong?"

His touch, feather-light yet undeniably electric, lingers even after he withdraws his hand.

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