Page 93 of Shrine of Fire

It didn’t matter that I had her better interests in mind. The less she knew about court politics the better.

I studied her face, at how her long lashes touched her cheeks. Her black hair was a riot around her hand, Hashir’s arm around her waist a tanned counterpart her to her pale skin.

It wasn’t only Nova. Watching her touch Hashir, laugh at his jokes, steal cuddles from Cuan, how the big beta shielded her with his body. Watching Aki prowl around us like a lethal force of nature, his mouth pulled into a scowl, Kalahar, it all showed me the different ways people could love each other.

My stomach clenched, my body feeling unmoored with the sinking sensation of slowly drowning. I was lying to the woman I loved.

I’d fallen in love with her, and the thought of letting her go at the end of all this made my chest seize.

I was going to let her down. I was going to let the entire pack down. I was going to hurt them, even though it was the absolute last thing I wanted.

Nova let out a sigh and opened her eyes.

She smiled, radiant and warm. “Morning.”

“Morning.” I couldn’t help myself. I reached out and tucked some hair behind her ear. “We’re in the spirit world. Adjusting to the influx of magic.”

She cupped my cheek. “It’s nice waking up next to you.”

Guilt panged through me. Doubt crossed her face, and I had to erase her worry that she wasn’t the most important person to me.

I leaned in and kissed her. She sighed into my mouth, pressing her lips against mine. For a long while, I kissed her slowly, long leisurely licks of her lips, sucking on the tip of her tongue. I trailed my fingertips lightly along her jaw, breathing in the scent of her.

She deepened the kiss with a hungry moan and rolled into me. I scooted closer, knowing she’d want Hashir to still be pressed behind her.

I pressed my tongue into her mouth, and she rubbed her tongue against mine. I forgot what breathing was supposed to look like, I was so lost in tasting her.

She pulled away, heat boiling off her, and nipped along my jaw. I shuddered as my omega made her way down my neck, licking the column of my throat. She shifted her leg to wrap around mine, and I brought my pelvis against hers, grinding into her heat.

I was rewarded with a needy moan, filled with pleasure. She rocked into me with a whine, grinding against my hardening cock. She smelled amazing, and her hands roaming down my chest, her nails digging into my hip with just enough pressure.

I needed her. I had to have her. My cock was so hard it was aching, and it was all I could do not to rip her dress off and bury myself to the hilt.

She nipped my shoulder, brushing my amulet aside as she kept moving across my chest.

I froze.

“Nova.” I gasped.

My omega whined, like she knew I was going to push her away again; knew it and it broke her heart.

I took a deep breath in and tilted her head up. “I have to tell you something important.”

She blinked a few times, the glazed expression receding. “What’s wrong?”

I braced myself. This was the moment it all came tumbling down. “I’m not what you think I am.”

Nova raised an eyebrow. “A virgin? I don’t care about that.”

I chuckled, pushing some hair out of her hair. “I am, but that’s not what I mean. My whole life has been a lie.”

She sat back and waited for me to talk. Traveling the world with her, she knew exactly how to watch my cues. I wouldn’t find another match if I looked at every woman on every continent.

I grabbed my amulet, pausing before I could bring myself to pull it off. My entire adult life, it kept me safe from oblivion.

I slid the chain over my head and watched Nova’s face for the inevitable betrayal.

She looked me over, like she’d expected something more. “Stefan?” She bit her lip. “Um. You’re still you.”

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