Page 33 of My Fated Mate

As I watch her sleep, I can't help but reach out, my fingers trailing lightly down her arm. Her skin is warm and smooth. The urge to wake her, to lose myself in her again, is a constant battle within me.

But I hold back—because I have to.

A soft groan escapes Elowen's lips, and she stretches, her bare shoulder brushing against mine. A jolt of heat shoots through me, and I growl softly.

My hand instinctively reaches out, tracing the outline of her collarbone and the delicate curve of her shoulder.

Elowen's eyelids flutter open, her gaze meeting mine with a sleepy smile.

"Good morning," she murmurs sleepily.

"Good morning, Elowen," My voice is rough with unspoken emotions.

I gently brush a strand of hair from her face, my touch lingering a moment longer than necessary.

There's so much I want to tell her—about the prophecy, about the weight on my shoulders, about the devastating realization that dawned on me amidst the chaos of the battle.

About the fact that for the safety of our world, I won’t be able to take her as my mate.

But the words remain trapped behind my lips, a heavy secret that threatens to suffocate me.

"How are you feeling?" she asks. The concern and care in her eyes twist the knife in my heart, already bleeding from the weight of the truth.

"Sore."

Pain, I can handle. The battle scars will fade, but the ache in my chest for a future I can't have… that might never heal.

Elowen reaches out, her fingers brushing against my cheek. Her touch is light, a feather drifting across my skin, yet it sends a rush of heat through me.

There's a question in her eyes, unspoken but clear. A question about us, about last night, about the future that hangs so precariously in the balance.

Why did I not claim her?

That’s not a question I can answer without hurting her.

It’s not a question I can answer at all.

Days have turned into weeks since I first came here, and I'm still here, lingering in the Ember Pack territory like a bad memory.

The truth is, leaving feels like ripping a piece of my heart out. Every shared meal, every stolen glance her way, fuels the growing fire in my gut.

It's a fire of desire, of a longing that shouldn't exist.

Elowen deserves a future filled with love, with a mate who can offer her his whole heart, not one fractured by duty and the burden of prophecy.

Yet, here I am, stealing moments like a thief in the night. Selfish indulgences, breadcrumbs of affection I have no right to offer.

The longer I stay, the harder it will be to walk away.

“Do you have plans for the day?” She asks, wiggling her brow in her mischievous way and I grin, then stop myself.

No.

Taking a deep breath, I push away from the bed. "I should check in with the enforcers," I say gruffly.

Elowen's face falls. "Oh.”

I can't bear to see the hurt in her eyes. With a nod, I turn and walk away, the heavy weight of guilt settling over my shoulders.

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