Page 22 of Cursed Magic

What I saw damn near shattered my resolve.

Pain had etched deep lines around his eyes and mouth. The golden flecks in his irises had dimmed, and his broad shoulders slumped.

He looked defeated. A disconcerting contrast to the powerful, commanding alpha I’d come to know.

“I understand,” he said softly, his voice barely above a whisper. “And that’s why I’ll wait until you’re ready. Until I’ve proven to you that I want you and will always remain by your side.” He let out a shaky breath. “Because I knowwhy you’re saying no. I’ve been doing the same thing when it comes to you, but I learned tonight that if something ever happens to you, it will kill me. So why waste time?”

The raw honesty in his voice made my heart clench painfully. I searched his face, looking for any sign of deception, and waited for the smell of a lie.

I found neither.

The hallway seemed to shrink as he closed the distance between us.

I should’ve stepped back, but when his hands cupped my face, I couldn’t move. The strength of our connection kept me anchored in place.

He licked his full lips, bringing my attention to them.

“I will prove myself to you, lil rebel, but until then, can I kiss you once to get me by?” he murmured.

CHAPTER NINE

Every rational thought in my mind screamed that this was a mistake. That I should push him away, maintain my distance, and protect my heart from even more future pain. But I stood frozen as his thumb traced the curve of my jawline, sending electricity racing through my veins. Close like this, I could see the tiny scar through his left eyebrow, the one that somehow made him look even more dangerously attractive and served as a reminder of all the battles he’d fought and the pain he’d endured.

“Ember,” he whispered, his breath warm against my lips. “I need an answer.”

The air between us felt charged with electricity. That was bad enough, but my heart sensed more at the same time—the possibility of us together, which caused my wolf to howl with something visceral and undeniable. She stirred deep within me, her excitement a tangible pulse that seemed to synchronize with Ryker’s own energy.

This was it. The moment I told him no…but no words came. Instead, my traitorous body forced my head to nod.

He smirked, closing the distance between ourfaces.

I grew dizzy and couldn’t stop the pinpricks that ran through my body. One kiss wouldn’t change anything between us. We’d already shared several at the alpha meeting for show.

But when his lips touched mine, everything else in the world disappeared. His kiss was soft yet demanding. A perfect balance of gentleness and raw passion that had heat spreading throughout my body. His warmth enveloped me, chasing away any lingering worries, and he slid his hand from my jaw to the back of my neck, his fingers threading through my damp hair, tilting my head.

My wolf surged forward, her excitement a wild, primal energy that threatened to consume me. She wanted this—wantedhim—with an intensity that scared me. The connection between us wasn’t just physical; it was something deeper, more profound than should be possible.

The kiss was nothing like the ones we’d had earlier. Those had been strategic, calculated performances designed to maintain a facade. This was a raw, unfiltered connection that bypassed all my defenses.

His lips moved against mine, and his minty taste had my heart stuttering. Each subtle movement sent waves of electricity dancing through my entire body, making every nerve ending sing in awareness.

When he tugged at the hair that his hand had fisted to tilt my head, he deepened the kiss, and I moaned softly.

He growled and pressed our bodies together. The sound was possessive yet tender, a contradiction that mirrored everything about our complicated connection.

Sparks of ecstasy thrummed between us, and something tugged at my mind. There was something I needed to do, but I couldn’t remember what it was. All I could focus on was his taste, smell, and the feel of his bodypressed against mine. But our clothes still served as a barrier.

Needing to eliminate the problem, I slid my hand down his chest, enjoying the curves of his muscles and the way he trembled under my touch. Affecting him made me feel even more brazen and out of control.

My fingertips reached the top of his abs and continued to lower to the waist of his black sweatpants when the movement sent pain flaring through the injury to my upper back.

I jerked back and gasped as reality crashed around me, and suddenly, I remembered what I had meant to do.

Stop the kiss.

Instead, I’d lost my damn mind, and if I hadn’t been injured, Fate knows how far I would’ve gone.

Ryker’s brows arched, and he loosened his grasp and detangled his fingers from my hair. “What’s wrong? Did I hurt you?” His low tone echoed with worry.

---