The morning sunlight streamed gently through the wide balcony doors, spilling warmth across the polished floors of the Alpha residence. The air was heavy with the scent of blooming roses drifting up from the royal garden below, carrying whispers of peace that felt foreign after days of tension and discovery.
Kate stood by the window, brushing her fingers absently against the silk of her robe. Her mind was a blur of too many thoughts—of power, of prophecy, of the strange new bond between her and Ryker that seemed to deepen each day. It both thrilled and terrified her.
Behind her, Ryker stirred. His deep voice, still rough with sleep, cut through the silence.
"You've been standing there for a while," he murmured, his tone low and teasing. "Trying to escape me already, Luna?"
She turned, her lips twitching despite herself. "Maybe I just needed air. You tend to make the room feel… warm."
He chuckled and rose from the bed, the morning light playing over the hard lines of his body. He crossed to her slowly, the predatory grace in every step sending her pulse skittering. "And yet," he said, his hand brushing a loose strand of her hair back behind her ear, "you don't seem to mind the heat."
For a moment, the world stilled. The faint rustle of leaves from the garden below, the call of a distant bird—everything faded until all that existed was the space between them.
Kate inhaled softly. "You promised me a tour of the garden," she said, her voice steadier than she felt.
Ryker smiled—slow, knowing. "Then I'd better keep that promise."
---
The garden was quiet, a sanctuary of color and fragrance. Sunlight filtered through the canopy, casting dappled patterns on the path as they walked side by side. The soft murmur of a nearby fountain filled the air, its rhythm blending with the sound of their footsteps.
Every so often, Kate felt Ryker's gaze on her—steady, possessive, and yet tender. She tried to ignore the flutter in her chest, the way his nearness seemed to awaken something primal beneath her skin.
"You've changed," he said at last, his tone thoughtful. "Since the duel… since everything. You move like you've always belonged here."
"I'm still getting used to it," she admitted. "Sometimes I wake up and expect to find myself back in that old cabin, still wolfless."
He stopped walking. "You were never wolfless, Kate. You were just waiting for the right moment to be seen."
His words hit something deep inside her. She turned to him, searching his face—the sincerity in his eyes, the softness that so few ever got to see. The bond between them hummed, invisible but strong, drawing her closer until she could feel his breath against her skin.
"Ryker…" she whispered, unsure if it was a plea or a warning.
He reached up, brushing his thumb over her lower lip. "Tell me to stop."
But she didn't. Couldn't.
Shutting that smart mouth of his will be reward enough.
Arching a brow, I reach up and touch his cheek.
His breath hitches.
I sweep my thumb over his jaw, stalling, waiting to see if he'll stop me, and when he doesn't, I slowly bring my mouth to his.
The second our lips meet, the strangest thing happens. Pulsing waves of heat unfurl inside me, starting at my mouth and then rippling down my body, tingling in the tips of my breasts before traveling even lower. He tastes like the peppermint gum he's been chewing all morning and the minty flavor suffuses my taste buds. My lips part of their own volition, and ryker takes full advantage by sliding his tongue inside. When my tongue tangles with his, he makes a low, growling noise in the back of his throat, and the erotic sound vibrates through my body.
Immediately, I'm hit with a jolt of panic that spurs me to break the kiss but I lean in for another kiss.
And it's just as eerily incredible as the first. As his tongue slicks over mine, I stroke his cheek, and God, that's a big mistake because the scratchy feel of his stubble on my palm intensifies the pleasure already wreaking havoc on my body. His face is strong and masculine and sexy, and the sheer maleness of him triggers another burst of need. I need more. I didn't expect to, but damn it, I need more.
With an anguished moan, I angle my head to deepen the kiss, and my tongue eagerly explores his mouth. No, not eagerly—hungrily. I'm hungry for him.
Ryker threads his fingers through my hair and tugs me closer, one powerful arm curling around my hip to keep me in place. My breasts are now crushed against his rock-hard chest, and I can feel the wild hammering of his heart. His excitement matches my own. The raw, husky groan he releases tickles my lips and sends my pulse careening.
Something's happening to me. I can't stop kissing him. He's too addictive. And even though this might have started with me somewhat in charge, I'm no longer in control.
Ryker's mouth moves over mine with skill and confidence that steals the breath from my lungs. When he nibbles on my bottom lip, I feel an answering tug in my nipples, and press one palm to his chest to ground myself, to try to keep from floating away in a mindless cloud of pleasure. His hot lips leave mine and travel along my jaw line, dipping down to my neck, where he plants open-mouthed kisses that leave shivers in their wake.
I hear a tortured whimper, and I'm startled to realize it came from me. I'm desperate to feel his mouth on mine again. I thrust one hand in his hair to bring him back to where I want him, but the dark strands are too short to grab onto. All I can do is pull his head forward, which summons a low chuckle from him.
"Is this what you want?" he rasps, and then his lips find mine, and he thrusts that talented tongue into my mouth again.
A moan leaves my throat.
The world seemed to narrow to that single touch—the taste of him, the warmth, the tremor that ran through her body. It wasn't hunger this time but something deeper. Trust. Connection
When he finally pulled away, his forehead rested against hers, their breaths mingling. "You drive me mad," he confessed softly. "Every moment I'm near you feels like walking a line I can't stay on."
Kate smiled faintly, her heart racing. "Then stop trying to balance," she murmured.
He laughed quietly, a sound that melted into the rustle of the garden. His hand lingered at the back of her neck, thumb tracing lazy circles that sent shivers down her spine.
They didn't speak for a long while. They simply stood there, the garden around them breathing with life, their bond pulsing stronger with every heartbeat.
As the afternoon light shifted into gold, Ryker whispered, "Someday, when all this chaos settles, I want to bring you here again. Not as my Luna, not as the Lycan who stunned the world—just as you. My Kate."
Her chest tightened. "You already have me," she said softly. "Even if the world doesn't know what that means yet."
He smiled, kissed her forehead, and they walked on—fingers intertwined, the warmth of the setting sun chasing their shadows across the path.
But as they left the garden, neither of them noticed the faint ripple of power that shimmered in the air behind them—like the whisper of something ancient stirring, watching, waiting.