Page 24 of My Fated Mate

"Living on the edge," I rasp. "Or perhaps it's just the undeniable connection between two… compatible souls."

A triumphant glint lights his eyes.

"Compatible indeed," he murmurs, his gaze dropping to the full curve of my lips. "And sometimes, Elowen, the most important battles are those fought not on a battlefield, but in the quiet moments… like this."

My breath hitches, caught between the thrill of danger and the undeniable yearning that courses through me.

He is flirting with me, blatantly and shamelessly, and a reckless part of me welcomes it.

Yet, the weight of reality presses down on me.

"Thorne," I whisper, "what are your plans? For me?"

His gaze lingers on my lips for a beat too long before he finally meets my eyes.

Just as he opens his mouth to speak, the heavy oak doors to the dining hall burst open with a bang.

Everyone gasps, startled by the sudden interruption. A tall, imposing figure strides into the room, his face a mask of fury. It's Kain.

"Elowen!" he bellows, his voice echoing through the hall. "There you are! I've been searching everywhere for you." His gaze sweeps the table, landing on me and, inevitably, on Thorne.

A dangerous glint enters his eyes. "And who is this—" he starts, but Thorne cuts him off with a low growl.

"The Alpha of the Silver Crescent," Thorne retorts, his voice laced with steel. "And you would be…?"

"Her future husband," Kain snarls, his hand possessively snaking around my waist. "Now, if you'll excuse us—"

My stomach lurches in disgust. The possessiveness in his touch, the arrogance in his voice—it all sends a wave of nausea washing over me.

Thorne's eyes narrow. The air crackles with hostility, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife. "Husband?" he echoes in disbelief.

"Indeed," Kain smirks, his gaze darting between me and Thorne with cruel amusement. "An arrangement that was well underway before you arrived on the scene, Alpha."

Fury explodes in Thorne's eyes, a fierce possessiveness.

He can't possibly… Can he?

The silence stretches on, thick with unspoken emotions. The pack members exchange nervous glances, some afraid of the impending confrontation.

Thorne's eyes narrow, his jaw clenched tight—a primal possessiveness flares within him.

The silence is broken only by the rasp of Kain's smug laughter. His gaze sweeps over the crowd, finally landing on my father, who has cautiously stepped forward.

"Alpha Eamon!" Kain booms with false joviality. "There you are! I was beginning to wonder if your pack had forgotten our little… agreement."

My father's expression remains stoic, but I see a flicker of worry in his eyes. "Kain," he says, his voice firm. "Perhaps we can discuss this privately—"

Kain cuts him off with a dismissive snort. "Privately? What's there to discuss? I've come to claim my bride, as per the agreement." His gaze snaps back to me, his eyes gleaming with apredatory hunger. "Unless, of course," he drawls, his voice laced with suspicion, "you've decided to renege on your word, Alpha Eamon?"

A murmur of worry ripples through the pack as my father opens his mouth to speak. However, before he can utter a word, Thorne steps forward.

My breath hitches as I watch him.

His face is a mask of controlled fury, his eyes blazing with a power that makes me tremble.

For a moment, I see a glimpse of the fierce warrior beneath the Alpha's facade.

"There will be no claiming," Thorne growls, his voice a low rumble that resonates through the room. "And there will be no bride."

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