Page 5 of Her Fated Alpha Prince
Sheblushed.
His dragon growled low in his chest, pleased.
He hadn’t meant to say that. Not yet. But god, her reaction...
Kael looked away, jaw flexing.
This was already dangerous. And he’d only just begun.
Kael ran a hand through his dark hair, shaking off the sudden sharp pull in his chest.Focus.She was a complication. A forbidden one.
“You think I’d bring you here just to toss you to some volcano god?” His voice dropped an octave, low and rough. “I’m no fool.”
She eyed him skeptically, crossing her arms over her chest, water droplets glinting on her skin. “Then what am I? Prisoner? Trophy? Some pawn in your royal drama?”
Kael stepped closer, his huge body blocking the sunlight, casting a shadow that wrapped around her like a cloak. The heat radiating off him was undeniable, like standing too close to a forge.
“You’re neither,” he said, his voice thick with something unspoken.
She lifted her chin, defiant. “Then why save me? Why risk everything?”
He didn’t answer immediately. The truth twisted inside him, sharp and jagged.
The words burned at the back of his throat. He didn’t understand it—only knew that when she’d sunk beneath the waves, something primal had screamed toget her back.
Instead, he said, “Because no matter the cost, I won’t let you die.”
Her gaze flickered, vulnerability surfacing for a brief second before she masked it with a sardonic smile. “Sounds like you’re making excuses.”
Kael smirked, teeth flashing. “Maybe. Or maybe I just don’t give a damn about the rules.”
Ariana’s eyes narrowed, a spark of fire matching his. “Careful. You’re treading on dangerous ground.”
He chuckled, the sound low and rumbling like distant thunder. “Danger’s my middle name.”
She let out a sharp laugh, shaking her head. “You’re arrogant.”
“Not arrogant,” Kael corrected, stepping even closer. “Confident.”
The air thickened between them, charged with electricity. His dragon stirred, claws flexing beneath his skin. The heat rolled off him in waves.
Ariana swallowed hard, the pounding of her heart echoing the rhythm of the wild around them. She could feel it—the pull. Not just from him, but from something deep inside herself, awakening.
She wanted to ask more. Wanted to know who he was, why he looked at her like she was fire itself, ready to consume or protect. But the questions caught in her throat.
Kael reached out, brushing a damp strand of hair from her cheek. His fingers were warm, rough, but gentle.
“I don’t know what you are,” he admitted quietly. “But whatever it is… you belong here now.”
Her breath caught. Her lips parted, like she wanted to speak but had forgotten how.
“Don’t misunderstand,” he added quickly, eyes blazing. “This isn’t a favor. It’s a warning.”
He took a step back, a huge frame rigid with control. “Stay close. Trust no one outside this grove. The world beyond is darker than you can imagine.”
Ariana nodded slowly, the weight of his words sinking in. For all his fire and fury, there was care in his command—a fierce protectiveness that made her chest tighten.
Before she could say anything more, a distant howl shattered the fragile calm.
