Page 43 of Shattered and Saved

By then, Col was back on his feet. From the look in his eyes, I could tell he fully intended to continue his duel with Waylon, but Kea’s roar held him back. Respectfully, he lowered his head. On the other side, the warrior stood and shook the dirt from his fur, frustration clear on his face, yet he didn’t dare take another step.

Once the situation was under control, Elijah tossed me a robe from the viewing deck. I took a moment to steady my nerves before shifting back into my human form. The tension hung heavy in the air, amplified by the crowd’s dead silence. Though fury burned inside me, I forced myself to mask it for the sake of not escalating the drama further.

When I was dressed, I let out a dry laugh. “Sometimes, the thirst for battle gets the best of us, doesn’t it?” I remarked in an attempt to lighten the heavy atmosphere. “But let us not forget to celebrate.” Stretching my hand toward Col, I announced, “Koen has beaten the trials!”

After a few more seconds of static, the crowd finally exploded in applause and cheers, the tension successfully dissipated.

While they rejoiced, I darted my head at Waylon, my eyes clouding as I reached him through mindlink.“Leave, now. You and I will talk later.”

Without another word, the warrior retreated, exiting the arena still in his animal form. As soon as he was gone, I fetched another robe, handing it to the white wolf. Koen promptly shifted back and put it on.

Blazing with rage, I ordered, “Come.”

Koen followed me without arguing. The lack of expression on his face only heightened my anger. How could he do something so stupid and show no regret at all?

I dragged him all the way to my office, locking the door before letting my disapproval fully show. “Is this how you thank me for allowing you to participate in my kind’s sacred tradition? By turning it into a circus?”

“I’m sorry,” he dropped immediately, though I still couldn’t grasp any traces of real remorse in his voice. “I didn’t mean to ridicule the trials or your faith in me.”

“Really?” I scoffed. “What was that about then? Were you trying to get yourself killed just for fun?”

To my blatant disbelief, he chuckled, a smile curling up his lips. “See? That’s why I did it. You didn’t think I’d stand a chance against Waylon, and neither did he. I just wanted to prove that I can beat him, not just survive against him.”

“Goddess’ sake!” I exclaimed, pinching the bridge of my nose. “You know, back when I was at Whispering Hills, I admired your control. You were always so much better than me at keeping your emotions at bay,” I confessed, sighing before continuing, “Of all the qualities you could have learned from me, please tell me you haven’t chosen to mirror my impulsiveness.”

“I know what you think, but I didn’t act on impulse,” he defended. “It was all calculated.”

“Was it, now?” I mocked.

“Maybe you missed it, but the fight between me and Waylon? It wasn’t about the trials.” His head fell back, his hand running through his hair. “It was about proving that I have what it takes - that I’m stronger and more suitable than he is.”

“For what?” I asked, still struggling to understand his reasons.

Suddenly, his eyes locked onto mine. His tough façade vanished, replaced by a vulnerability that always made my walls crumble. Drawing closer, he whispered, “To be your mate.”

His answer echoed in my ears, resonating through my entire being. At last, my expression softened, my shoulders slumping as I, too, lost mybig bad alphaposture. Another sigh escaped me.

“Oh, Koen…” I exhaled softly, my hand brushing his cheek. “That battle is already over.” I closed the distance between us, my face hovering just inches from his. It was impossible to hold back the truth. “You won before you even set foot in Azure Smoke.”

His eyes widened slightly, a surprised breath escaping his lips. After processing my confession, his hands reached for my face, cupping both of my cheeks before gently pressing his mouth to mine. Our lips brushed, sending gentle waves of warmth through me, growing stronger as our tongues met with quiet intensity.

In a rare moment, I felt no rush. I took the time to savor his taste, as if I hadn’t truly appreciated it until now, enjoying every innocent second of our kiss. Soon enough, he was all I could focus on.

Craving to feel more, my hands floated to his chest, rising up his collarbone over his robe before slipping underneath it. I caressed the extension of his broad shoulders before pushing the fabric off of them, letting the robe fall to the ground unceremoniously.

Koen kept kissing me, letting me set the pace, seemingly enjoying my unusual ease. Making the most of the moment, I allowed my fingers to trace every muscle around his bare back, feeling them flex under my skin as I committed his texture to memory.

As we slowly spun around the room, his thumb pressed the underside of my jaw, his other hand brushing down my neck, sending goosebumps all over. He finally pulled away, nipping at my jaw, sucking the sensitive spot between my neck and shoulders. Before I knew it, he had removed my robe, leaving us both naked in the middle of the office.

“If that’s true,” he whispered, briefly pausing his gentle assault. “Let me claim you like he never has.”

He didn’t wait for a response. A silent moan erupted from me as his hand captured one of my breasts, massaging it with the right amount of pressure and carefulness. He did the same to the other before rolling my nipple between his skilled fingers, his tongue plunging into my mouth again as I opened it to release a gasp.

The heat started building up as we both leisurely explored each other’s bodies. My hands were now back to his chest, while one of his traveled down my stomach. His index finger slid between my folds, hovering below my entrance, making mepulse with anticipation. But he barely touched me, just enough to probe my arousal.

A groan of satisfaction rumbled in his chest. “Tell me you’re mine, Avril,” he commanded more than pleaded, and I couldn’t decide which part of him I wanted more - the authoritative alpha or the submissive mate.

Either way, I couldn’t help but comply, “I’m yours.”

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