Page 76 of Sins of His Wrath

Even the chair he sat on was gone, but it hadn’t been a dream. He’d been there, watching over her. Warmth bloomed in her chest, and her inner Omega hummed with satisfaction. Protected. Safe. Guarded by the only Alpha she needed.

Naya rolled her eyes. It was pathetic how easily her Omega instincts betrayed her, how readily it accepted his presence even when her mind rejected it. She couldn’t have him in her room at night. Look what happened in the desert. What if she woke up from a sex dream again… Neither of them would resist, and it would only be her who suffered from losing time.

And yet... she couldn't deny the unsettling truth: she had slept better knowing he was there.

She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and padded across the cool floor to the window. Outside, the city of Onn Kkulma was stirring to life—people milling through streets, the marketplace returning to normal. The guilt slithered through her again, but she pushed it aside. Focus. She had four more days to learn all she could.

A knock on the door disturbed her thought. Who was knocking?

“Come in,” she called.

The servant who'd replaced Meiro entered silently, carrying a tray laden with food, atmae,and the familiar, welcome sight ofkkermo.

After she’d eaten, bathed and dressed, she took a steadying breath. Today was another day toward her goal. Four more days before she surrendered to him in her heat. The thought sent an involuntary shiver down her spine—not entirely from dread.

When she opened her door and stepped into the corridor, she nearly collided with a solid wall of muscle. Akoro stood outside her chamber, his massive frame blocking the light.

Heat flared across Naya's skin. Dressed in formal attire that emphasized his strength and status, he exuded a raw enticement that tugged at something primal within her.

For a heartbeat, neither spoke. His dark eyes held hers, searching, unapologetic.

“I—er.” Naya found her voice and took a breath. “You can’t watch me night, Akoro. Er—it’s not part of the rules.”

His mouth twitched almost imperceptibly, and something passed between them—a dangerous current of dominance. He stepped forward, towering over her, and placed his large hand around her throat. He didn’t applying any pressure. “I agreed not to get in the way. I agreed not to fuck you. I did not agree to stay away from you.” He rubbed her throat with his thumb. “We both know you slept better with me there.”

Naya's cheeks warmed under his steady gaze, and a part her wanted him to squeeze, to let her limp so he could look after her, take care of her. “It’s n-not that.” His scent enveloped her—earthy, rich, with that distinctive edge that made her inner Omega whine for him, to be pinned down, fucked until she was satisfied. She’s missed it all night.

Naya drew in a breath, trying to clear her head, but it only filled her lungs with more of him. Her mind was scattering, unable to focus.

His gaze lifted to her hair and then lowered down her body, a dark possessiveness flashing in his eyes. Slowly, he pulled his hand away, but stayed close, hovering over her. "Today is yours again. What would you like to focus on?"

"I—" She faltered, but refused to step back. Forcing her mind into work. "I want to know more about the Nnin-kka Sands."

The council's reluctance yesterday had piqued her curiosity. Something significant had happened there—something no one would speak of without Akoro's permission. If she could understand the source of the wild magic, perhaps she could find a way to contain it again.

Akoro's expression shifted, a shadow crossing his features so briefly she might have imagined it. He inclined his head, the movement slow and deliberate. "I can tell you about the Nnin-kka Sands," he said, his voice measured. "But that will jump ahead to phase three."

Naya studied him, trying to read his expressions. Was he directing her away from something important?

Yesterday he had been surprisingly forthcoming, but that didn't mean she could trust him completely. He still wanted her empire. He still intended to claim her and keep her. And yet... if she were to find the Solution, she needed to understand everything, including what he was reluctant to share.

The tension between them shifted, subtly but unmistakably—no longer just the pull of bodies, but the tentative, fragile trust that could either strengthen or shatter with a single misstep.

"I’d like to know more about the seven phases,” Her voice soft but firm. "But I want to hear how magic moved beyond the Nnin-kka Sands first." Her eyes met his, unwavering. "I need to understand all of it if I'm going to help."

Akoro titled his head in understanding. "Then let’s go."

Thennirae'spowerful strides ate up the distance, carrying them further from Onn Kkulma in a direction they hadn't traveled before. Unlike yesterday's journey through the ancient ruins, today they headed northeast, across terrain that gradually shifted from sand to a harder, rockier landscape dotted with scrubby vegetation.

Naya sat in front of Akoro, his arms a cage around her as he held the reins. The rhythmic motion of the creature beneath them had become almost comforting, the steady gait lulling her into a trance-like state as the sun climbed higher.

Akoro seemed tense, his body rigid behind her. Whatever they were going to see, it weighed on him.

"Where are we going?" she asked after they had traveled in silence for some time.

"The farming regions," Akoro said, his voice rumbling close to her ear. "Smaller settlements that supported the main cities by providing food, labor, resources."

She glanced over her shoulder at him. "Can you tell me about the phases?"

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