Page 34 of Alien Huntsman

The raw honesty in his voice sent a shiver down her spine. His words weren’t a warning—they were a confession. One that made her heart race not with fear, but with anticipation.

“Then stop fighting,” she whispered, her voice steadier than she felt. “I’m not afraid of you, Korrin.”

He froze, desperately searching her face. She held his gaze, refusing to look away, wanting him to see the truth in her eyes. This wasn’t impulsive or reckless—she’d never been more certain of anything.

The cabin fell silent except for the crackling of the fire and their mingled breathing. Even the pups seemed to sense the gravity of the moment, watching quietly from their corner.

With excruciating slowness, he lifted his free hand. She held perfectly still as he placed it on her shoulder, his touch feather-light as if he expected her to bolt. His fingers were warm through the thin fabric of her dress, sending tingles across her skin.

When he pulled her toward him, she went willingly, her body moving to meet his without hesitation. The corner of his mouth twitched, almost a smile, as she tilted her face up to his. Her pulse raced wildly, but she smiled back, wanting him to know she was sure.

“Tessa,” he breathed, her name a prayer on his lips.

Then his mouth was on hers, and everything else faded away. This kiss wasn’t like their first—tentative and questioning. This was claiming, consuming. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her flush against his chest as his lips moved against hers with a hunger that matched her own.

She melted into him, her hands sliding up to tangle in his hair. He growled against her mouth, the sound vibrating through her body and igniting a fire in her veins. She’d never felt anything like this—this perfect storm of tenderness and passion that made her feel both protected and desired.

And this time, neither of them pulled away.

CHAPTER 14

Korrin stared down at Tessa, his breath coming in harsh pants. Her lips were swollen from his kisses, her eyes luminous in the cabin’s dim light. She was smiling up at him—a smile that reached deep inside him and made his chest ache, and her eyes were full of love.

“Fuck,” he growled, pressing his forehead against hers. His claws had extended, and he carefully kept them from digging into her soft skin

His beast paced within him, hungry and demanding.Take her. Make her ours.The urge to claim was overwhelming, a need he’d never experienced before. The scent of her desire drove him to the edge of madness.

“Tessa.” Her name came out ragged. “You don’t know what you’re asking for.”

She ran her fingers through his hair, sending shivers down his spine. “I think I do.”

“I won’t be gentle,” he warned, his voice rough with need. “Not the first time.”

“I don’t want gentle,” she whispered against his mouth.

The last threads of his restraint snapped. He lifted her, wrapping her legs around his waist, and carried her to the bed. She weighed nothing in his arms, this small human who’d somehow become his entire world.

He laid her down, hovering above her. Her dark curls spread across the pillow, her blue eyes trusting and wanting. She was so fucking beautiful it hurt to look at her.

“Are you sure?” he asked, giving her one last chance to turn back.

Instead of answering, she pulled him down to her, capturing his mouth with hers. Her hands slid under his shirt, exploring the ridged muscles of his back, tracing old scars with gentle fingers.

His claws dug into the mattress, ripping the fabric as he struggled to maintain control. Her body molded to his, soft curves pressed against hard planes, and his beast snarled with hunger. His fangs had descended, sharp and aching with the primal need to mark her as his. The urge to sink them into the soft curve where her neck met her shoulder was almost overwhelming. To taste her, to claim her as his mate forever.

Her eyes widened when his fangs emerged, but instead of fear, desire burned in her gaze. “Is that normal?”

He nodded, struggling to get his beast back under control.

“I—we—want to claim you.”

But even through the haze of desire, he knew that wasn’t his choice to make. Mating was permanent, irreversible. She had to choose it, understand what it meant to be bound to a Vultor.

“Okay,” she whispered, and his claws dug into the mattress again.

She didn’t know what he meant and, gods help him, he couldn’t find the words. Not now when she was so soft and warm beneath him, the scent of her arousal making his head spin.

“Later,” he growled, lowering his head to trail kisses down the column of her throat. “I’ll tell you everything later.”

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