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Tears stung her eyes at his rejection. She turned to retreat to her room, mortified that she'd thrown herself at him.

Before she could shut the door, he gently grabbed her arm, pulling her back into his warm embrace. “But that doesn't mean I can't be with you tonight in other ways,” he said, his voice low and dark as he moved into her room and closed the door behind them.

The moment the door closed, he moved towards her, kissing her hungrily.

“Fates, you possess me, Selenia Snowden.”

He began trailing warm kisses from her lips down her neck. He breathed in deeply, and Selenia sighed, craving the lavish attention he gave her.

“You are incredible, my darling,” he murmured, slipping her nightgown off her shoulder and kissing her collarbone. “So sweet, so innocent. Pure and good, like the snow in the meadow.”

Her body responded, desire pooling between her thighs. She let him guide her back towards the bed, falling gently backwards. Sion adjusted her so she rested comfortably on the pillow, and he leaned over her, his lips moving along her hairline.

“Sion, I need—I need—”

“What do you need, my darling girl?”

“You,” she gasped, trying to pull him on top of her.

He moved between her thighs, still fully clothed. “I won't take from you, my Selenia. But I can certainly give.”

She met his eyes as he gently began caressing her thigh. Her entire body clenched with need as she whimpered his name.

“Hush, my darling. My sweet one.”

He brought his mouth back to hers, deepening their kiss, exploring her with exquisite precision. Selenia had never been kissed so purposefully before.

She gasped as she felt his fingers trace the outline of her undergarment, and she lifted her hips, giving him access to remove them.

“No, my Little Fox. I won't claim you. Yet.”

She shivered at his phrasing, heat rising as she imagined giving herself to him completely.

He continued to tease her, stroking her lightly before moving up to caress her breasts. She moaned into his mouth, and she felt him smile against her. “Is this what you need?”

She nodded, her voice lost. He raised himself above her, and then without warning, pushed his hips against hers. She could feel him, feel his hardness pressing against her center.

“Sion, what are you doing?” she gasped.

“Shhhhh...tell me if you want me to stop, Selenia.” He tilted his hips slightly and pressed again, and she felt his length hit her in just the right spot.

“Don't leave me. Please don't leave me.” She knew her plea meant more than just asking him to continue and hoped he understood as well.

“I never want to leave this bed, Selenia.”

He gave her another scorching kiss, then thrust against her, this time a bit harder, and circled her nipple with his fingertip.

Suddenly, her entire body seized, and pleasure radiated throughout her. She trembled, not fully understanding what was happening but knowing it was the start of something amazing. She let the sensation course through her, making her toes curl and her fingers tingle.

Sion stopped kissing her. “Open your eyes, Selenia.”

She opened them, not realizing they had closed. Her eyes met Sion's, and she knew, knew with all of her heart...He might not feel their fated bond, but she knew deep down that she was loved.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Renya sat on the worn, ornate chair in her childhood nursery, her stomach a tangled knot of anxiety. The knife Grayden had gifted her was tucked within the bodice of her gown, its weight a constant reminder of the task ahead. Her eyes roamed the room, taking in the care that had once gone into decorating it—now a stark contrast to its current state of disrepair. Broken furniture and scattered debris told a silent story of the destruction wrought by her own mother's obsession.

Cyrus approached, his footsteps echoing in the hollow silence. He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, his touch conveying a lifetime of unspoken love and regret. “It'll all be over soon, my Sunshine,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “If you'd rather, I can be the one to end it.”