Page 11 of Taken By the Alpha Priest

I nod, but I don’t respond. My focus is entirely on my mate—the steady rise and fall of her chest, the faint flush of color returning to her cheeks.

She’s alive. That’s all I can ask for.

Suyin leaves, and the room falls silent. I take her place, kneeling. My mate stirs again, her lips parting like she’s trying to say something, but no words come out.

I clasp my hands together, lowering my head as the familiar rhythm of prayer begins to fill the room.

“Heavenly Father,” I whisper, my voice low but steady. “Thank You for sparing her life. For guiding my hand when I was too lost in myself to see clearly. Forgive me for what I’ve done—what I’ve had to do—and for what I might have to do next. You know my heart. You know my struggle.”

The words falter for a moment, and I glance at her again. She looks so small, so fragile beneath the weight of what’s just happened.

“Help me protect her,” I say, my voice roughening with the weight of the plea. “Help me find the strength to keep her safe, no matter what it costs me. And forgive me, Lord, if I’ve already failed her.”

I sit in the silence that follows, the words lingering in the air like an unanswered question. The wolf inside me stirs uneasily, pacing against the edges of my control, but for once, he stays quiet.

And so I pray, long into the night, as the full moon watches over us both.

4

TILDA

Am I dead?

That’s the first thought that crosses my mind. I mean, I must be, right? I’m warm, safe,comfortable.There’s a strong arm wrapped around my waist, a massive body pressed against my back. It’s…nice.

Too nice.

I breathe in, and at first, all I catch is the scent of blood—mine, I think—but then something deeper kicks in. Something heady and rich.

Incense. Red wine.

Man.

His beard brushes the back of my neck, a soft scrape of rough, wiry hair that sends an unexpected shiver down my spine. It’s instinctive, the way my body reacts, stretching ever so slightly, inviting him closer without even thinking about it. The movement earns a response—his arm tightens around my waist, and I feel the slow, deliberate touch of his lips grazing my throat.

Soft. Controlled.

Like he knows exactly what he’s doing.

I’m wearing a loose tanktop and sweats, not even fully bare, but every point of contact is too much…and not enough. The heat of his chest seeps through the thin fabric, warming my back, while his breath, slow and steady, washes over my skin. It’s intimate. Too intimate. But there’s something disarming about it, something that makes me melt into the moment despite the sharp edges lingering at the edge of my awareness.

I should be panicking. I should care. But right now? I don’t.

Instead, I let my hand drift back, fingers brushing over the curve of his hip as I search for something more. Skin. Warmth. Some tangible proof that this is real. But my fingertips meet cotton pants instead of the bare skin I was expecting.

Damn. A soft sigh escapes my lips as I nestle deeper into the pillow beneath my cheek, giving in just a little longer. His hand moves then, skimming up my ribs in a slow, deliberate glide. My breath catches—it’s perfect. Too perfect. For a fleeting moment, there’s nothing but the warmth of his touch and the steady, grounding weight of his presence.

And then his fingers find the spot.

No…not that spot.

Pain flares, sharp and searing, tearing through the haze like a slap to the face. My body jolts, the moment shattering in an instant.

Reality comes crashing back, dragging me with it.

Oh,shit.

I jerk upright so fast I almost fall off the bed, scrambling away like a wild animal. My back hits the wall, and I huddle there, wide-eyed and panicked, taking in the guy I just woke up with.

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