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My stomach twists.

The question slices through the air between us like a blade.

Sharp. Heavy. Deserved.

I take her face in both hands, holding her still, holding her close, so she sees nothing but me.

“After tonight?” I whisper. “After the fire and the blood and that moment, I saw you tied up and thought I might be too late?”

My breath hitches. My Bull rumbles deep, mournful and protective.

“There is nothing. Nothing on this fucking Earth that could ever make me break this one simple truth. You own me.”

Her eyes widen.

“I belong to you, Arliss,” I murmur, forehead touching hers. “Heart. Body. Soul. You say the word, and I’ll fight the Rut with everything I am. I’ll chain myself in the woods. I’ll burn my own fucking skin if I have to. Because I’d die before I ever hurt you.”

She gasps softly, tears spilling over now, a trembling hand reaching to cup my jaw.

Her thumb sweeps over my cheekbone as if trying to memorize the weight of my promise.

And then?

The world stills.

The air between us holds like a breath suspended in time. Like fate itself is leaning in, waiting for her answer.

Waiting to see if two broken, brave hearts will choose one another—not because they have to, but because they want to.

Waiting.

Waiting for her.

For us.

Chapter Twenty-Nine-Arliss

This man.

This beautiful, dangerous, mine in every way that counts Shifter.

Doesn’t he realize I already belong to him?

Not because of fate.

Not because of a bond.

But because when he looks at me like this. Like I’m his whole goddamn world. I choose him all over again.

“Kian.”

His name comes out like a prayer. Or maybe a spell.

I move slowly, deliberately, and swing my leg over him until I’m straddling his hips. My thighs press against his, and already I can feel him, hard and ready beneath the thin barrier of his sweatpants.

The couch lets out a soft groan under our weight, but I don’t give a damn about the furniture.

I care about this.