Page 22 of The Blood Moon Oath

Her breathing quickens, and the blaze of defiance in her eyes only stokes the fire inside me. Her chest rises and falls against mine, the warmth of her body beneath me making my blood sing. Every muscle in her body is taut, coiled like a spring, and yet there’s a flicker—just a flicker—of something softer in her gaze. Not submission. Not yet. But something that pulls at me in a way I can’t ignore.

She shifts beneath me, her lips parting as if she’s about to spit something sharp and cutting, and it’s all I can do not to drag my mouth down to hers. I can feel her heat through the thin fabric of her shirt, her rapid pulse pounding beneath my fingers where they grip her wrists. I’ve pinned plenty of peoplebefore, but this—this feels different. She’s different. And it’s maddening.

My cock stirs again, and I have to fight to keep my breathing steady. How does this human woman—this enemy—have such a hold on me? I’ve faced countless challenges, killed men stronger than me, felt the thrill of countless victories, but this...she’s not even fighting back right now, and yet I feel like I’m the one losing.

“Reaper,” a commanding voice cuts through the tension like a blade. Alpha.

I grit my teeth, but I don’t move at first. My gaze is locked on her, on the way her lips tremble ever so slightly, the way her pupils are blown wide as if she’s feeling the same pull I am.

“Reaper,” Alpha repeats, firmer this time. “That’s enough.”

With a frustrated growl, I push myself off her, standing and stepping back. My fists clench at my sides, the loss of her warmth almost unbearable.

“Why now?” I snap, turning to glare at Kael as he strides into the training area, every inch the composed, calculating leader. Finn stands behind him, arms crossed, his gaze unreadable.

Kael doesn’t flinch. He never does. “There are things to discuss. Save your games for later.”

I glance back at her. She’s still lying there, propped on her elbows, her chest rising and falling as she glares at me with equal parts fear and fury. My kitten. My perfect little fighter.

“Fine,” I mutter, though the word tastes bitter in my mouth. I don’t want to stop. I want to keep pushing her, keep pulling out every ounce of defiance until she has nothing left but me.

But Kael’s word is law, and much as it pains me to admit, he’s usually right.

“Don’t get too comfortable,” I tell her, smirking as I grab abottle of water and take a long drink. “We’re not done, kitten. Not by a long shot.”

As I walk toward the edge of the ring, I can feel her eyes burning into my back. My muscles are still taut, my blood still pumping straight into my cock, and it takes everything I have not to turn around and drag her back into the fight—back into my arms.

Chapter

Fourteen

FINN

The tension in the air is palpable as we head back into the keep. The ring of torches along the stone corridors flickers against the rough-hewn walls, casting dancing shadows that seem to mock the simmering unease rolling off Kael. He’s trying to keep his cool, but I can feel it. The way his shoulders are just a little too stiff, the way his gaze cuts through the dim light like a blade. Something’s eating at him.

Behind us, I can hear the soft echo of Sable’s boots on the stone floor. She’s following, but I know her well enough by now to realize she’s watching, waiting. Always looking for an opportunity. Torin, of course, is just behind her, grinning like a wolf stalking prey, his knife spinning lazily in his fingers.

It happens fast. Too fast.

Sable twists on her heel, turning so suddenly that Torin barely has time to react. In one fluid motion, she grabs the blade from his sheath and leaps off the raised passagewaywe’re walking over. The sheer audacity of it makes me freeze for half a second. She rolls when she lands, coming up in a crouch like a damn feral cat.

“Kitten!” Torin’s gleeful laugh booms through the corridor as he bounds after her. “You think you can run? You think you can hide? Oh, I’m going to enjoy catching you.”

She bolts, her dark hair streaming behind her, and Torin follows like a predator who’s just caught the scent of his favorite prey.

“You’re insane!” she shouts over her shoulder, but it only makes him laugh harder.

“And you love it!” he yells back.

I hang back, watching the chase unfold, my own blood simmering with frustration. Typical Torin—slow to use his powers because he’d rather have the thrill of the hunt. But I’m not him. I glance ahead, quickly evaluating the layout of the keep. The raised passageways, the narrow corridors, the inevitable choices she’ll have to make as she runs.

She’s heading toward the forest. If she gets there, we might actually lose her. The thought sends a surge of annoyance through me.

I reach out with my powers, twisting the air and shifting the path ahead of her. She doesn’t even notice as I subtly redirect her, nudging her away from the woods and toward the inner keep. It’s not ideal, but I don’t have time to get fancy.

She’s fast, I’ll give her that, but she’s not familiar with the keep, and it’s enough to trip her up. She takes a sharp turn into a corridor that leads to one of the more public areas.

“Shit,” I mutter under my breath, realizing too late what I’ve done.

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