Page 118 of Fated

Opening my eyes, I saw Ash watching me as if he knew exactly the essence of my wish.

“I love that about you,” he murmured.

I tilted my head, giving him a curious look.

“The way your eyes sparkle when you see something beautiful,” he said.

Ash opened his hand and a flower blossom from the tree across the pond floated over, landing right on his palm. He took the flower and tucked it behind my ear, his eyes never leaving mine.

“That’s so cool,” I exclaimed, giddy at the small display of magic.

Ash returned my smile.

A breeze swept through the garden, and a chill ran through me, making me shiver. Without missing a beat, Ash slipped off his jacket and laid it over me. I nestled in closer to him, restingmy head against his chest, breathing in his scent. His fingers still trailed lightly over my leg, his other hand stroking the side of my face.

Feeling a sudden sense of boldness, I leaned in and gently nipped his bottom lip.

“You bit me!” he growled playfully.

I giggled before he leaned in and planted a soft kiss on my neck.

His lips trailed sensually toward my ear, where he nipped my earlobe in return. The touch sent a shockwave through me, my body arching in response. His hand slowly crept higher, slipping under my dress, his fingers grazing my lower thigh’s sensitive skin.

My pulse quickened, each shallow breath betraying the sweet ache stirring between my legs. When our gazes locked, the intensity of his emerald eyes left me breathless. They burned with a mix of love and raw desire, and my heart threatened to burst from the sheer weight of it.

“I choose you, Ash,” I whispered, trembling with emotion. “I will always choose you.”

He kissed me—a sweet, steady kiss, telling me he also chose me. It was slow at first, filled with the kind of tenderness that spoke more than words ever could.

But as I pressed my body closer to his, his hardness pushing beneath me, something in the kiss shifted. I pushed myself into him more and his hand gripped my thigh, pulling me even closer. The kiss deepened, growing more urgent, desperate, as if all the longing he had been holding back finally spilled over.

Then, he pulled away, running a hand through his hair.

“I can’t fight it anymore, Areya. I want you—all of you. I wantyou in a way I’ve never wanted anything. It’s as if my very soul craves you.”

“Then take me,” I whispered.

He sighed and I could see the internal struggle flickering across his face.

He was still at war with something inside. I sat up. “What is it, Ash?”

I placed my palm on his cheek. “Please. Tell me what you’ve been keeping from me.”

Without a word, he lifted me to my feet, then stood up in front of me, taking a few steps back. His head hung low, and his eyes fixed on the ground as if he couldn’t bear to meet my gaze. And then, with a sudden burst, black wings erupted from his back, spreading wide and casting a dark shadow over us, blocking out the starlit sky. He stood there, still, as though waiting my reaction.

I stepped forward, the sight of his wings filling me with awe. I reached out, tracing a finger along the leathery texture of one wing. “This is what you have been keeping from me?”

He looked up at me, his voice low and filled with torment.

“The curse is gone, but it left its physical effects on my body.”

As he spoke, Fangs slid down from his gums, lengthening over his canines. I reached out and tentatively touched one, the terrible sharpness pricking my fingertip.

“I’m still a monster, Areya,” he whispered.

I studied the exceptional man in front of me. “No, Ash, you’re not, You’re beautiful.”

My voice was steady as I reached up and touched his face. “These wings and teeth may have come from a dark past, but like scars, they are a reminder of what you’ve survived and how hard you have fought to come back.”

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