“Leave? You are leaving Ketria?” I ask, trying my best to understand the magnitude of her situation. “Yes, father keeps sending men to harass George. Our love cannot survive here, so we leave at midnight to begin anew amongst humans; this was father’s last chance.” Does she realise she is abandoning everything for some fleeting and stupid bond that can be broken should they try? “I had communicated with a reporter friend of mine to camp at Midland and await a miracle, but that you came before I even left is…such a relief.” Her face scrunches as a tear trickles down her cheek. “Now I can beg you, on my knees if you would like, and offer any compensation you desire for dragging you into this.” She finishes, and her entire body remains trembling as if her desperation is something only I can resolve. Her father was careless with his words in using the phrase ‘miracle as dowery’ because this will give her case a chance when her father eventually drags her back to the council for the

‘I do not know how I will repay you, Alba. I pray you find love and good fortune.’Beatrice had uttered those words and then slipped her address between my fingers before she left with her mate.‘Love’Again, that word haunts me today; while I understand its warmth and softness, I cannot envision it offered to me romantically by anyone.I wonder what such security in one resembles that they can utter the words ‘I love you’ to another. If I speak those words to Marko and mean them, I am confident he will kill me with that ‘love’.Not that I feel that way towards him; I hold my heart too close to let it stray to that degree. If not for the bond, I probably would not stomach being in the same room as him.But now that it is there, I yearn for his touch even when he disappoints me.Still, all that is about to end now: I should be overjoyed, yet…my heart does not move."I told you what would happen, Alba, but you-"Alpha Rhett grumbles, then sighs into his hands before continuing to nag.I

Marko N Ivanov“Undress everything but your boxers and lie on the bed.”Alba commanded as she pressed a kiss that tasted of scotch to his lips.He should have all his alcohol in her flavour.With a quick roll of his eyes, he did as she asked, only painfully slowly; he loved how her gaze raked his nakedness unabashed.“These are my rules, Marko.”She began as he lay on the bed, aware of the heat his body radiated against the chill in the room.“For starters, this is the last time we engage each other this way.”He did not mind that rule; he intended to sate himself of her even if it meant he would fuck her through the night.“Secondly, the minute the handcuffs break, I leave. Be it pre- or post-orgasm”.“That’s not fair, Alba; I am the strongest in Ketria; there is no way those flimsy things will last beyond five minutes.”He argued, but she merely shrugged at his words.“Then I guess today you learn what weakness resembles.”The curtness of her responses caused an oddness in his chest

Alba CThe scent of mint and eucalyptus burned my nostrils to surprising clarity; I should be sated, I rode him till my legs quivered, and even still, I did not stop until the looming burst of flavour filled my being, yet despite that, I am still aroused.Despite the anger burning my veins, I yearn to have the strength of his body push mine to the door and ravage me to oblivion, but we are beyond that. I am beyond giving in to him."I- was scared, Alba; I didn’t want things to end, but I had to make a choice and-"He begins, but his words make my insides curl.“Wow, all I need to do is threaten you with sex, and you spill your guts like a fountain?”“Alba-”"Back away from me before I scream, Marko."“I am trying to explain my side of things; it is not all black and white!”"No, you do not wish to explain things. You want to give me an excuse that I may look upon you with pity. You claim you were scared, but do you think I wasn't? Do you think I uttered all that garbage at the cove be

Marko’s hands do not leave my flesh as he presses me harder against his body.The deepness his hardness penetrates is unnerving, though the position bears a slight discomfort; I rock against him as he wishes; each thrusting motion against him causes the hardness of my nipples to graze deliciously against his chest, his lips caress my neck in the sweet sway that makes my eyes flutter shut so that I can focus on the sensations.As if I move too slow for him, Marko’s hands press against my buttocks, encouraging the roll of my hips.The position is too intimate to sustain, but more than that, wetness I can only hope is sweat, trickles down my face.I shut my eyes to keep them from spilling more tears and bury my head against his shoulder. Still, his tongue finds the back of my ear, sending irritatingly ecstatic sensations across my body that causes me to withdraw because all I long for is space to steady my emotions.His tongue finds the fresh tears trickling down my cheeks.My eyes open