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REN

A s consciousness slowly trickles back into my mind, a low moan escapes my lips as something soft brushes over the sensitive tip of my left ear, sending a pleasurable shiver down my spine.

A hint of something delicious, feminine and sweet, like fresh summer berries, threads through the air. The intoxicating scent stirs something deep within—a primal hunger that has nothing to do with food.

I blink awake, and the entire world shifts as luminous blue eyes meet mine. My inner fox lifts his head as awareness floods my veins.

She is the most beautiful female I’ve ever seen.

Candlelight casts her in an ethereal glow. She has a lovely heart-shaped face, her features so soft and delicate, I wonder for a moment if she may be Fae or High Elf. But the round shell of her ears tells me she is human. Her eyes are a brilliant shade of crystalline blue.

Her hair is silver-white, reminding me of starlight. It’s exceptionally long and bound in a thick braid that hangs over her left shoulder and coils at her feet. She’s wearing a silken blue nightshift that hugs the sensuous curve of her breasts and the slight swell of her hips.

Mine. My Fox growls, instantly recognizing her as our mate.

Fierce possessiveness surges through me as the mating bond roars to life, filling me with overwhelming, undeniable need.

She’s beautiful. I’ve dreamed of this moment, imagined meeting my fated mate—but nothing prepared me for this intense, immediate hunger, or the passionate, all-consuming desire that slams through my body.

It hums beneath my skin, demanding that I claim her.

Just like Wolf Shifters, my inner Fox and I are one and the same. He is unsettled and will remain that way until we have claimed her.

She leans closer, unaware of my exquisite torture as her scent wraps around me, sweet and intoxicating. I want her so much it is maddening. Gods, she has no idea what she’s doing to me. My gaze dips to her lush mouth, and I clench my jaw. I long to taste her lips and feel her softness against me.

“It’s you,” she whispers, staring at me in awe.

My Fox howls in triumph. She feels the bond too.

But even as I think this, doubt begins to creep in.

In the back of my mind, I recall that humans do not normally have fated bonds.

But as I gaze at her flushed cheeks and note her quickened breathing, I shove this thought away.

Surely her reaction means she recognizes the connection.

Why else would she react so strongly to my presence?

Every Fox longs to find their fated mate, and I never thought I’d be blessed enough to find mine. She is human, and while such pairings are almost unheard of among my people, it matters not.

She is perfect.

Her features are soft and delicate, and I’m mesmerized as I stare up at her.

“Who are you, fair maiden?” I ask, completely in her thrall. “Tell me your name.”

My Fox puffs out his chest as her gaze travels over my form, appraising me like a female Fox would do a potential mate.

She definitely seems intrigued, but I note a curious hesitancy in her expression. Perhaps she is simply in awe of the fact that we have found one another. After all, it’s not every day that one finds their fated mate.

“I—I’ve been warned to never give my name to strange men,” she says as a faint flush colors her skin.

A sly grin curves my mouth. She is clearly attracted to me. “Then, I suppose it’s fortunate that I am not a man. My name is Renard.” I introduce myself, neglecting to mention that I’m the second prince of Cambryn. “But everyone calls me Ren.”

Ever since my face was scarred, the only females who have shown any interest are the ones desperate for title and wealth. I want to see how my fated one regards me without knowledge of my royal status.

Mine. The word ripples through me again as every instinct I possess sharpens to razor-edged awareness, the need to claim her burning through my veins.

I move to reach for her, only to discover my wrists immobilized. My eyebrows shoot upward. What in the gods—

Glancing down, I notice thick green vines binding my wrists and ankles to a four-poster bed. I’m sprawled out and entirely naked beneath a small, embarrassingly inadequate blanket covering only my most essential assets.

Well, this is interesting…

“Hmm.” I arch a curious brow. “I can see you like to move a bit fast.” I lightly tug at my bindings. “I’ve never considered being tied up before for a mating, but for you, I accept.”

Her delicate features scrunch in confusion. “What?”

I flash her my most charming grin. “I accept your claim on me, and I graciously wish to claim you in return.” I give the vines around my wrists another experimental tug. “Though there's truly no need to tie me up. I'm entirely willing.”

Her mouth opens, closes, then opens again. She sputters, blinking rapidly. “This is… you’re—”

“Charming and handsome?” I offer helpfully. “Positively irresistible?”

I flash her a confident grin, even as my heart pounds with uncertainty. Female Fox Shifters have admired me from afar, yet their smiles inevitably fade the moment they glimpse my facial scar. I’ve heard humans are not put off by such things, and I pray she doesn’t turn away from me too.

I continue. “If you remove these bindings, however, I promise that I will dedicate myself to worshipping every inch of your lovely form, and—”

“Are you mad?” She stares at me as if I’ve grown two heads. “You’re a bandit! I’m not going to untie you.”