Page 62 of Bound in Flames

Had any of it been real or had he just been biding his time, waiting for me to fall so deeply into their cause that I would willingly throw myself into battle, knowing it would be to my destruction? I pressed a hand to my mouth, stifling another broken sob.

Despite the bitter sting of betrayal, I knew one thing for certain. I would have done it anyway. I had come to care for the clan, felt their acceptance warming me in ways I never imagined possible, finding the family I had always craved. Despite the turmoil writhing inside, I knew I would die for Dex without hesitation.

My fingers curled into the my tunic, clutching at my chest as if I could physically hold the fragments of my heart together. Each ragged breath rattled in my lungs, the weight of it pressing against my ribs like a vice. With a trembling hand, I wiped at my tears in a futile attempt to erase the evidence of my heartbreak.

I needed answers. I needed to hear the truth from his lips, even if it would tear me apart. Even if it didn’t change my love for him. Drawing in a deep breath, I pushed herself up from the floor, my legs trembling beneath my weight. There was no running from this. Not anymore.

The clangof weapons drew my attention as I neared the training grounds, the sharp sound slicing through my haze. I leaned against the stone wall, and my gaze locked on the warriors sparring in the open yard. They moved with confidence, each strike and block a testament to their discipline and years of training. But my eyes were drawn to only one figure.

Dex.

He was sparring with one of the larger orcs, his movements a masterful blend of strength and grace. Each strike of his weapon was deliberate, every step perfectly placed. The sheer power in his form, the control he exerted over his every movement—it was mesmerizing. I allowed myself to forget everything else, to lose myself in the sight of him.

My mind betrayed me, pulling up memories of his body against mine, his strength making me feel both fragile and unbreakable. In battle, he dominated his opponents with a ruthless aggression and in the quiet of night, he dominated me in a way that left me breathless, his touch a worshipful contradiction to the raw power that defined him.

Even now, as I watched him disarm his opponent with a fluid twist of his wrist, I felt a familiar warmth unfurling low in my belly. But beneath the flicker of desire, darker emotions churned—anger, hurt, and betrayal.

I had trusted him. Believed in him. And now, after what Arna had told me, I didn’t know what was real anymore. Did he bring me here because he loved me, or was I just a tool in some grand plan? Did he see me as his mate, or was I nothing more than a piece in the prophecy he wanted to control?

Dex caught my gaze from across the training grounds, his sharp eyes narrowing as if he could sense the turmoil within me. A small smile tugged at his lips, but I could see concern behind his confidence. He wiped the sweat from his brow as he strode toward me.

“You’re looking a little distracted,” he teased, stopping in front of me. “See something you like?”

I forced a grin. “Distracted? I was just wondering why you took so long to win that fight.” My tone was light, playful, but the edge in my voice betrayed the tension beneath it.

Dex raised an eyebrow and leaned in, his hand braced against the wall beside me. His presence crowded me, filling theair between us with his heat, his scent. It felt both comforting and suffocating, and I hated the combination. “Maybe I was trying to impress someone,” he said, his voice dropping to a soft murmur. “Make it last.”

“Oh?” I raised an eyebrow, my tone feigning amusement even as my chest tightened. “And here I thought you always liked to finish strong.”

His grin widened as his eyes gleamed with that roguish glint that always made my pulse race. “I do, but sometimes, taking my time has its rewards.”

I laughed but the sound was hollow even to my own ears. Dex tilted his head, his gaze sharpening as he studied me.

“What’s wrong?” His teasing tone had faded into something softer, more serious.

I looked away, my heart hammering in my chest. “I’mfine.”

“Cleo.” His voice was firm, cutting through my defenses. He reached out, his fingers brushing against my arm in that gentle, grounding way that always seemed to unravel me. “Talk to me.”

My resolve crumbled under the weight of his gaze. “Can we go somewhere else?”

His brow furrowed but he nodded, his hand sliding to the small of my back to guide me.

“Don’t touch me,” I snapped, stepping back. “Not until you tell me the truth.”

His hand froze mid-air, his eyes narrowing.“Cleo, what are you talking about?”

“Don’t!” my voice trembled with the effort to keep my emotions in check. “Don’t play dumb with me, Dex. I talked to Arna. She told me about the prophecy. About what you’ve known all along.”

His face darkened, his golden eyes narrowing into sharp slits. “You don’t understand?—”

“—You’re right!” I cut him off, my voice rising. “I don’t understand because you didn’t tell me! You let me walk around here, thinking we were in this together, thinking I couldtrust you. And all the while, you knew what the prophecy demanded of me.”

“I didn’t tell you because I was trying to protect you! Do you think I wanted this? Do you think I wanted to burden you with this when you were already carrying so much?”

I stepped closer, my hands trembling at my sides as I glared up at him. “You had no right to decide that for me. No right to keep me in the dark about something this important. How am I supposed to trust you now, Dex? How am I supposed to believe that any of this—us—is real? Or was it just another way to keep me tied to you?” I thrust my wrist into his face. The jewelry he’d given me for our mate bond mocked me as it glittered in the light.

His expression twisted, a mixture of anger and hurt flashing across his face. “You think this isn’t real?” He snatched up my wrist in his hand. “Do you think that I wanted to be caught between my duty and my mate?! In the beginning, I was doing what I had to—my duty is to my clan!”

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