Page 26 of Second

When his knot began to swell, locking them together in the most primal way, he felt the bond pulse so brightly it was as though the universe had momentarily narrowed to just the two of them. Their bodies and souls became entwined in perfect synchrony, their bodies moving together in perfect harmony, the bond between them amplifying every sensation, every emotion. Zar’Ryn gritted his teeth, his focus narrowing to the feel of her beneath him, the way she met him with equal fervor.

He didn’t let himself think beyond the moment. There was only her, only the connection between them that burned hotter with every touch, every movement. He braced himself on his forearms, his gaze locked on hers as he moved, as though daring her to look away. She didn’t. Her eyes stayed on his, wide and golden with need, and he felt himself unraveling under hergaze.

The room became filled with the sound of their labored breaths, the connection between them beating in the background like a frantic pulse. Zar’Ryn’s grip on her tightened, his movements becoming more erratic, more uncontrolled, as though he could brand himself into her memory with every savage stroke.

When the bond surged again, the nexus between them flaring with a brilliant intensity, it was almost too much. Zar’Ryn buried his face against her neck, his breath harsh as the link flowed between them, amplifying every sensation until it was almost unbearable.

The mounds along his length pulsed against her, the knot swelling and locking them together in an ancient, ancient rhythm that seemed to echo in the very marrow of his being. Every beat of the bond carried her gasps and moans directly to him, resonating in his core and fueling a need so intense it threatened to consume him entirely.

Yet, even in the chaos of their connection, he maintained control, grounding himself in the feel of her skin, her scent, and the way her body responded to him like they were two halves of a perfectly matched whole. She clung to him, her nails digging into his shoulders as they rode the wave together, the bond binding them in ways he hadn’t thought possible.

Even afterward, he couldn’t move right away. He stayed where he was, his body still braced over hers, his breathingheavy as he tried to gather his scattered thoughts. The union had quieted now, its rhythm steady and calm, but he could still feel her emotions pressing against his own, areminder that they were connected in ways he couldn’t yet define.

Zar’Ryn pulled back enough to meet her gaze, his own expression guarded. He didn’t say anything, didn’t trust himself to speak. Instead, he brushed a thumb along her cheek, his touch lingering for a moment longer than necessary before he rolled to his side, pulling her with him. Whatever had just happened between them, he couldn’t deny its significance. But for now, he let the silence speak for him, content to hold her as they both caught their breath.

Somehow, deep down, he knew whatever was happening between them, it wasn’t just the bracelets.

ZAR’RYN SATrigid at the table, his broad shoulders hunched slightly as he stared down at the plate before him. The research station’s small galley was devoid of warmth, its sterile metal surfaces reflecting the cool, bright lights overhead.

The food had been carefully prepared—nutrient-dense, balanced, entirely adequate—but it might as well have been ash on his tongue. Beside him, Elara settled into her seat, her movements graceful yet hesitant, as if she feared disturbing the fragile calm that had descended after their earlier… connection.

Connection. The word barely scratched the surface of what had passed betweenthem.

He had faced a thousand enemies, fought and bled for the galaxies, yet nothing had prepared him for the raw intimacy of the bond they shared. Even now, seated in the relative quiet of the station, he could feel it throbbing faintly in the background of his mind—asteady pulse that tied him to her, an invisible thread that neither of them could escape.

Tor’Vek placed a bowl in front of Elara with the careful precision of a scientist conducting an experiment. The former medic’s dark bronze face betrayed nothing, his expression coolly detached as he settled into the seat across from them. Zar’Ryn resisted the urge to bristle at the other warrior’s presence.

Tor’Vek’s demeanor remained unflinching, as always, but today it felt particularly grating, like sand under armor. “You both should eat,” Third said evenly, his gaze sweeping over them with clinical interest. “You will need your strength for what is to come.”

Elara picked up her fork, though she didn’t move to use it immediately. “You say that like you know something we don’t,” she said, her tone lighter than her expression. Her hazel eyes flicked to Zar’Ryn briefly, aquestion lingering there before she returned her attention to Third.

“I know many things you do not,” Tor’Vek replied, completely unaffected by her tone. “That is, after all, why you are here.”

Zar’Ryn forced himself to take a bite of the food, the taste registering as barely more than sustenance. Tor’Vek’s words grated on him, though he knew better than to let it show. He had always respected the scientist’s intellect, his relentless pursuit of knowledge. But his tendency to treat everything—including people—as data points to be analyzed set Zar’Ryn’s teeth on edge. And when it came to Elara…

He took a breath, steadying himself. The bond writhed in response to his irritation, and he quickly clamped down on it. He couldn’t afford to let her feel his unease, not when she was still adjusting to their connection. Their overwhelming connection.

Tor’Vek steepled his fingers, his black eyes sharp as they fixed on Zar’Ryn. “The bond is deepening,” he observed, his tone devoid of judgment. “Faster than I would have expected.”

Zar’Ryn set his fork down with deliberate care, his gaze hard as he met that of his brother’s. “And what does that mean, exactly?”

“It means you should eat,” Tor’Vek said again, his lips curving faintly in what might have been amusement. “You are going to need fuel for what is ahead.”

Elara finally took a bite of her meal, chewing thoughtfully before setting her fork down. “You keep saying that,” she said, her voice firmer now. “But you’re not telling us anything. What’s ahead? What do you know about the bracelets? About this… bond?”

Zar’Ryn’s chest tightened at the thread of vulnerability in her words, though her expression betrayed none of it. Her spine remained straight, her chin lifted in defiance, but he could feel the questions swirling within her, the unease she tried so hard to mask. It was a feeling he knew all toowell.

Tor’Vek leaned back in his chair, his gaze shifting between them. “What I know,” he said slowly, “is that the bond between you is unlike anything I have encountered before. The bracelets were designed to enhance. To amplify. But this… this is something different.”

Zar’Ryn’s hands curled into fists beneath the table. “Different how?”

Tor’Vek’s gaze lingered on Elara, and Zar’Ryn had to bite back the growl that rose in his throat. The medic’s scrutiny wasn’t lecherous, but it still felt invasive, as if Third were trying to dissect her with hiseyes.

“Different in that it does not conform to the parameters set by the bracelets’ creators,” Tor’Vek said at last. “The intensity of the bond between you should not exist. It should not be possible for such a deep, all-encompassing connection. And yet, here you are.”

Elara frowned, her hand brushing absently against the bracelet on her wrist. Zar’Ryn felt the faint ripple of her frustration through the bond, echoing against his own. “If it’s not supposed to exist, then why does it?” she asked. “What’s causing it?”

Tor’Vek lifted an inverted eyebrow. “That is the question, is it not?” He leaned forward, his intense gaze locking onto hers. “Tell me, Elara. When the bond flares, what do you feel?”

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