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Inside, though, I’m terrified

I’m terrified these Aurelians won’t believe my lust for them.I’m scared they’d let an innocent woman die rather than break one of their society’s arbitrary rules.

They’re not Rogue – but to save Tessa, they’ll have to become so.

I turn to Quint. He’s suspicious, his eyes narrow. Out of all of them, he’s the one I need to convince.

“You three saved my life. If there’s a chance, I want to be Bonded to you.”

I whisper those words, and skeptical Quint is instantly convinced. That one word was all it took.

Bonded.

Aurelians spend their entire lives searching for their so-called Fated Mate. Most of their species dies never having found her. To them, the Bond is the most powerful force in the universe – the only way for them to sire natural-born sons and give their species a future.

Finally, Quint speaks.

He blinks slowly, then breathes in, savoring the scent of me.

“Yes,” he nods. “You may indeed be our Mate.”

Lucius paces the kitchen. Then, he turns his head, staring me down.

“If we do this,” he warns, “we may lose control, Jamie. It may be…difficultfor you.”

His voice is raw with need, and I know he’s imagining fucking me hard and fast; succumbing to the mating frenzy as he sinks himself into the woman who could potentially be his Fated Mate.

“I know,” I nod, my face a mask. “It’s okay.”

But it’s not okay.

It’s very fucking far from okay

All three Aurelians have at least a foot of hard cock tenting out the front of their togas. There’s no doubt about it – any one of those steel-hard rods are going to ruin me. The thought of all three of them assailing me at once?

For a second, it seems like too much – as if the walls of the room are suddenly pressing inwards against me. I need to get away.

“Give me a moment,” I gasp – and, to my shame, tears spring to my eyes. I rush into the bedroom, closing the door behind me before they see me lose my composure completely.

I want to be strong. Ineedto be strong. I’m so scared that I’m still weak – that I don’t have what it takes to help Tessa.

I’m terrified I’m the same girl who left my best friend to die on that Bullfrog’s skewer, and then failed to avenge her afterward – creating an even more vindictive foe in the form of the Bullfrog I left scarred and vengeful.

Filled with sudden doubt, I wrench the pleasure dress off me, pulling it over my head as if it’s on fire. I need to be free of that never ceasing, tantalizing touch. It’s the dress that has made me so turned on by the thought of those three, gigantic warriors losing themselves to the mating rage.

It has to be, right? I’d never think such wicked thoughts otherwise.

Would I?

I shudder as I sit on the bed – naked and shivering.

I know in my heart that I can’t blame the pleasure dress for the dark urges bubbling up from within the darkest recesses of my mind.

Some part of mewantstosurrenderto the Aurelians.

Some part of me wonders if I was destined to, all along.

I wrestle with these dark urges for I-don’t-know-how-long – until I find myself sitting on the bed with no concept of how long it’s been since I fled from the three Aurelians.