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I became the person they believed me to be. It was fine with me. Let them have my anger and my hatred towards their entire society. Let them see the beast they made with their own cruelty and greed. The ones that stuck it out were left satisfied. They got their thrill, even if their satisfaction was hidden behind a thick layer of shame. I Iet out some tension. We both got what we wanted and didn't exchange a single word the entire time.

With Kaia, it was different. She wasn’t chasing a thrill. She wasn’t afraid of me. She never had been, something that never happened. And I wanted Kaia for myself. That was the most significant difference. I wanted to worship her.

I couldn’t have watched Kaia’s thighs clench, and her tiny, round ass squirm like a fucking creep any longer without claiming her in front of everyone. My muscles were locked tight, my adrenaline was flaring, and my restraint was wearing thin, shaking with the pure force it took to keep myself in control. I had to walk away and get a hold of myself.

My struggle must have been evident. The guys’ questioning side-eyes ranged from concerned to angry. Fuck them. Ash could shove his condemning attitude. Something had constantly crawled up his ass.

They usually left me in peace to brood or sulk or whatever other bullshit E.Z. claimed I did. I didn’t brood or sulk— E.Z. knew it, too. He just got off on pissing me off. I kept my thoughts to myself. I thought things through instead of throwing out useless theories or terrible ideas. The opinions I shared actually mattered. They weren’t just horse shit piling up.

As I started to set up Kaia’s bedroll, I still hadn’t recovered. My cock was as painfully hard as the rest of me. I could still see the vision of Kaia in my mind. She was struggling, and I imagined her squirming for me wearing fewer clothes.Fuck, I was a terrible man.

I looked up, watching her approach with a big fucking smile on her face. It was better than being sad, but only marginally. She was put in my path to torture me. I was sure of it.

Kaia and I needed to finish the conversation from earlier. E.Z. and Aidan were discussing plans and timing for tomorrow. With Ash gone for now and River semi-retired for the night, it might have been the only opportunity for privacy before we all packed up and left. Taking Kaia by the elbow, I drew her further away from the campsite. The sweet smell of gardenias surrounded her, and it was a straight shot to my cock.

“The apple tree wasn’t the first time I sensed your magic,” I informed her once we were out of earshot.

“What?” She jerked to a stop, looking up at me with wide gray eyes. “When was it?”

“I felt a small amount the minute I stepped outside the cabin for my watch last night. Before we talked. I was on guard at first, but it was gone so fast that I wrote it off. Barely a wisp.”

“I didn’t… What?” she stammered. “How do you know it was mine?”

“I know the feel of your magic.” Fucking understatement.

Kaia’s magic called to my magic like no other had before, even my team’s. Their magic felt like a companion to mine. An equal. A balance. Kaia’s magic felt familiar but simultaneously unlike anything I’d ever felt. Something I had unknowingly been missing— and unaware I needed— until it was returned. Like a part of me I had lost.

But I didn't say that because I couldn't understand it.

“I don’t know when the block broke.” I bent to catch her eye. I hated when she wouldn’t look at me. “But you should know you had Earth before today.”

“The wildflowers,” Kaia breathed out, finally raising her eyes to mine and smiling shyly.

I watched her pink tongue peek out, moistening her lips. I couldn’t help but watch her. Everything about her drew me to her.

She wanted to be seen, even if she didn’t know it. What was it about this wisp of a girl with sad eyes too big for her face that made me want to be that man? The man who sees her. She looked at me with trusting eyes and told me her secrets, making me feel larger than life. Special. I hadn’t ever felt fucking special, and I didn’t like it. It irritated me. It made a pathetic part of myself try extra hard to earn her trust.

I wanted to pull her away and protect her from everything. Their questions. The capital. The rebels. Everything. I held myself back with Kaia. She wouldn’t appreciate my interference. Just my silent support. Typically, I wouldn’t have given a fuck what someone wanted. If I wanted to kidnap someone and hold them against their will, I would have. For their protection or otherwise.

When Kaia raised her chin, her light blond hair was highlighted in gold, and a slight blush darkened her rounded cheeks. I was struck by how beautiful and innocent she looked.

My face smiled without my permission.

“There were fresh wildflowers where we sat last night,” Kaia clarified, peering up at me through her lashes. Her smile turned sheepish. “I figured they bloomed overnight. When I saw them this morning, they were beautiful. Uncrushed and only partially in bloom. Was that me?”

I wanted to lie and tell her it was.

“No. It was a small amount of magic. You seemed to be searching the environment.”

I was impressed by her. She should have been exhausted using as much magic as had for this long. It had taken me significant effort to focus on the ground vibrations that warned us before Aiden and River arrived, but she seemed to do the same thing easily. Accidentally.

“Oh, guess they really did bloom overnight,” she mused.

“The flowers weren’t yours. They were mine,” I said, rubbing my eyebrow uncomfortably. I didn’t like being uncomfortable. “I was cushioning the ground.”

Her eyebrows pulled together in confusion as if the idea of me doing anything considerate was beyond her.

“Aww. Griffin! You did that for me?” A teasing smile broke across Kaia’s heart-shaped face.