Page 27

He braces his hands on either side of me, careful not to crush me with his weight.

Our eyes lock, chests heaving in unison.

The flicker of doubt crosses his expression—fear that I’ll resent him, that I’ll feel like a trophy.

Gently, I cup his cheek, letting him see the raw need in my face.

“We’re both prisoners,” I whisper. “Let this be our choice.”

A tremor goes through him. Then his restraint snaps, and we fuse together in a heated rush.

His mouth seeks every inch of my neck, my shoulder, each exhale rough with pent-up longing.

My pulse thrums wildly, and my own inhibitions melt away.

I yield to the onslaught of sensation, letting him explore me, returning each touch with equal fervor.

Our bodies align, the friction of his fur against my bare skin igniting new jolts of pleasure.

He moves with care, but there’s a current of desperation in every motion, as though we only have this sliver of time before the city’s demands tear us apart.

I cling to him, moaning softly when his hands tighten around my waist, guiding me closer.

The edge of the table digs into my thighs, but I welcome the pain, a grounding reminder that this is real.

Heat builds between us, urgent and unstoppable.

He lowers his muzzle to my lips again, kissing me with a hunger that sends sparks through my veins.

My body answers, arching to meet his. The wave of need crests, carrying us into that inevitable moment when all barriers slip away and the last of our clothing tangles around ankles and wrists.

There’s no ceremony, just two souls taking solace in the only comfort we can find.

He hesitates, breath ragged, searching my eyes. I realize he’s seeking permission one final time. My heart clenches. “Yes,” I whisper, voice trembling with raw want. “I’m sure.”

In response, he claims me in a swift surge of passion.

My gasp mingles with his low groan. The sensation overwhelms me—scorching, desperate, a physical merging of all the tension we’ve stored up.

We move together, stifling cries so the estate’s corridors won’t echo our union.

My nails bite into his shoulders, a tide of pleasure coiling in my belly, each thrust a step closer to oblivion.

It’s not graceful or measured; it’s a frantic collision that chases away fear.

My mind blanks to everything except him.

Time blurs, punctuated by our soft moans and panting breaths.

The table rocks beneath us. My nerves light up with every roll of his hips, every graze of his mouth on my shoulder, until I can’t hold back the wave of sensation cresting through me.

My head tips back, a soundless cry curling my toes as I’m consumed by shuddering release.

He follows moments later, trembling against me.

The moment his body tenses, I feel him yield to the same unstoppable force.

After, wrap around each other in stunned silence, hearts thrumming in unison.

The reality of what we’ve done settles slowly, a mix of satisfaction and a faint edge of panic.

Did we just complicate everything further?

Possibly. But for a precious span of moments, we found a shred of solace that politics can’t steal.

He eases away, carefully guiding me off the table, keeping a hand curling around my waist to steady me.

My legs shake, the aftershocks leaving me tingling from head to toe.

We stand there, breath mingling, bodies still entwined.

My cheek rests against his chest, listening to the thunder of his heartbeat.

Eventually, he lifts my chin, searching my face. The desire in his eyes is now tempered by guilt. “Mira… I—I don’t ever want you to feel like a prize in my bed. This was more than lust. I?—”

I press a finger to his lips, swallowing the lump in my throat. “It’s all right,” I say softly, though my emotions swirl in confusion. “I wanted this. But that doesn’t erase the fact that Vaelen, the Senate… they still see me as your spoil.”

A flicker of pain crosses his features. “I know.” He brushes a gentle kiss on my forehead. “I wish I could claim you as an equal in their eyes. But the city’s rules?—”

Tears threaten just beneath my lashes. I blink them away, forcing my voice steady. “I can’t let that overshadow what just happened. Even if it changes nothing about my legal status, it changes something for me… and maybe for you.”

He nods, exhaling. “It does.”

For a moment, we share a fragile closeness, neither sure how to articulate the avalanche of feelings.

Then practicality reasserts itself. Footsteps echo in a distant corridor.

We scramble to collect scattered clothes, still caught in the dizzy aftermath of passion.

Once clothed, we stand across from each other, the antechamber bearing silent witness to our reckless union.

His gaze flicks to the door. “We can’t stay here. The staff might come searching.”

I wince at that reality. “Right.” A wave of awkwardness washes over me. I realize how easily rumors could spread if someone discovered us. We have enough enemies already.

He gently reaches for my hand, clasping it. “Later, we’ll talk. Truly. For now, let’s keep this… between us.”

I nod, numb with the realization that we must hide this from the Senate, from everyone. But a small smile tugs at my lips. I can’t regret it. The warmth of his presence still lingers on my skin, a shield against the ice of Vaelen’s threats. “All right.”

We slip out into the corridor, hearts still racing.

We part ways with a final, charged glance—he heads to speak with a staff member about business, I feign a walk toward my own chambers.

My body feels like it hums with aftershocks, each step igniting memory of how he felt against me.

The confusion lingers, too. I wanted to be more than his “spoil,” but I also needed that raw connection.

Retreating into the quiet of my borrowed room, I close the door, leaning against it.

My mind replays the heated moment again and again, a desperate collision born of fear and longing.

Doubt stirs: Did I cheapen what we share by letting it happen in a moment of panic?

Or did we finally break free of the Senate’s illusions, claiming each other’s comfort in a world that denies us both?

I press my palms to my cheeks, skin still flushed.

The memory of his low groan, the gentleness of his hands, the unspoken promise in his eyes—none of it was forced.

We came together willingly. My chest aches, caught between euphoria and worry.

If Vaelen finds out, he’ll spin it as proof I’m manipulating the champion, or that Remanos is abusing his trophy.

The city’s rumor mill might devour us. And I still fear how deeply this might entangle my heart with a man who holds the key to my captivity, however honorable his intentions.

Still, I can’t deny that a part of me feels alive in a way I haven’t for so long.

For now, I cling to that feeling—equal parts exhilarating and terrifying.

Tomorrow, we might face more Senate threats, more conspiracies.

We’ll muster our evidence, plan our next move.

But tonight, at least, I know I’m not alone in this labyrinth of politics and fear.

Remanos stands by my side, and I stand by his.

Our alliance deepened in a single heated act that neither of us can dismiss.

I inhale a trembling breath, letting the quiet of the room hold me.

Outside, the estate’s lanterns burn low, and somewhere in the city, Vaelen likely plots his next move.

But here, in the hush after midnight, I hold onto the memory of Remanos’s touch as a reminder that no matter how the Senate tries to brand me, I am not a silent spoil.

I’m a person who can choose her own moments of passion, even if the future remains shrouded in treacherous shadows.

So be it. Let the city’s storms rage. We’ll meet them head-on, forging a new path through the labyrinth of deceit. And if that path leads us back into each other’s arms, so be it, too.