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Our movements grew feral, a dance of lust and power that was as archaic as it was irresistible.

Each thrust was a declaration of war on my sanity, each retreat a promise of the sweet torment to come.

His touch was fire, searing my skin, leaving me craving the agony of his possession.

We were two creatures of the ocean, bound by a carnality that knew no bounds, no conscience, no rules, but those of our own desperate desire.

It was just us. We moved in perfect sync and it felt good, freeing. The pressure inside me built until I was trembling on the brink of release. He seemed to feel it too, his movements growing faster, more urgent .

His hand slipped between us, fingers finding my clit again, and circling, he pushed me over the edge.

My orgasm tore through me like a storm, my body tightening around him as I cried out, my nails raking down his back.

I shattered, wave after wave of pleasure crashing through me, unstoppable, all-consuming.

But Adrian didn’t stop. He kept pounding into me, pushing me higher, deeper into the pleasure until I could barely breathe. His body tensed, and with a final, shuddering thrust, he stilled, groaning as he spilled into me, the warmth of his cum mingling with mine.

As we came down from the ecstasy, the realization of what had just happened settled between us like a dense fog. Our breathing ragged, our bodies pressed together in a mess of tangled limbs, the intensity of our mating leaving me lightheaded and raw.

Adrian’s chest rose and fell against mine, his forehead resting against my shoulder. I felt his heartbeat pounding in sync with my own, but beyond the afterglow of pleasure, something else stirred, something heavier, unspoken.

I exhaled shakily, my fingers still curled into his skin. As reality seeped back in, so did the flood of emotions I had tried to suppress. The bond between us throbbed, alive and undeniable, but it carried more than just desire. It carried the pressure of everything we were running from.

I shouldn’t have gone this far, shouldn’t have dragged him into this mess, and now that the bond can’t be severed, I don’t know what to do.

I had been reckless, letting myself fall so deeply into this moment.

There were so many things I couldn’t control and this was the only thing I should’ve resisted.

The walls I’d built around myself were crumbling, and I wasn’t sure I could stop it.

Adrian withdrew, stepping back slightly as he lowered my legs to the floor.

His fingers gently brushed my hair away from my face, his eyes now clear from the lust, clouded with something else, perhaps conflicted.

He held my gaze, searching as though trying to decipher the same tangled emotions that swirled between us.

“Iryen…” His voice was low, raw, filled with satisfaction and hesitation.

I gathered the torn remnants of my top, fashioning a makeshift covering from the seashells and golden chains I always kept with me. It was a distraction, something to do with my hands as the impact of our mating settled.

How could I explain to a hybrid who was leaving in two days that we were mates, that this bond, chosen by the goddess, was sacred, and yet, being together is forbidden?

The way we connected was disturbing. Too much to process all at once for someone who didn’t belong in my world. Someone who couldn’t.

I was caught between wanting him with a force that terrified me and the crushing pressure of my responsibilities, responsibilities that went far beyond anything he could understand.

“This… connection.” He pressed when I didn’t acknowledge him. “It’s not because you saved me, is it? I felt it even before that.” His words pierced through my ears, and I swallowed hard, my throat tight.

“No,” I admitted quietly. “But it doesn’t matter.”

“Of course it matters,” he shot back, his brow furrowing, nostril flaring, anger and confusion swirling in his gaze. “Why shouldn’t?”

I laughed, but the sound came out bitter, hollow.

“Because nothing in my life is simple, Adrian. Nothing.” My voice trembled as the responsibility of my kingdom, the council, and everything else I carried came crashing down on me, suffocating the flicker of hope that could rise between us.

“There’s so much you don’t know, so much I can’t tell you.

My kingdom, the council, this bond… it’s all too much. ”

Adrian’s gaze hardened, pupils narrowing into vertical slits, a half transformation. This is getting out of control. “You think it’s simple for me? I didn’t ask for this either, Iryen. But here we are.”

I couldn’t meet his eyes. I turned my head, unable to face him as the storm inside me churned. My body still ached with the intensity of our mating, but my heart felt torn apart. There was too much to process, too much to lose.

“I can’t afford to be reckless,” I whispered, more to myself than to him. “Not with everything at stake.”

He opened his mouth, ready to respond, but I couldn’t do this anymore.

“I’m going back to my city now,” I said, my voice sharp and final. I didn’t give him a chance to argue, to question, to linger.

Without a glance, I dove into the water, the cool depths swallowing me as I swam away, toward the palace, toward my room. My safe place. Away from him, away from the chaos he stirred inside me.

* * *

Once inside the palace, I linked to the ones who could truly understand me, my best friends.

“Sienna, Elora, I need you,” I urged through telepathy, my voice tinted with the guilt. He’s leaving. How could I have been so careless… How could I have mated with him?

“Yes, Princess,” Sienna’s calm response felt like a sharp contrast to the storm inside me.

“What happened?” Elora asked, her concern clear.

“I’ll explain when you get here,” I replied quickly, cutting the link just as I reached my room. Collapsing onto my bed, I buried my face in the pillows. I should have known better.

His features won’t leave my mind, the way he handled me, so firm, so sure… and afterward, oh goddess, the way his anger burned th rough him.

I can’t keep this up much longer. I had dodged his questions so far, but I was running out of excuses.

A soft knock echoed through the spacious room, pulling me out of my thoughts.

“Enter,” I called, my voice barely steady.

“Here we are. Now what’s wrong?” Elora said, her fiery eyes narrowing as she stepped into the room.

“Adrian is my mate… and we mated.”

The words tumbled out of my mouth, flat and devoid of emotion, but the pressure of them hung in the air, suffocating. Both women stared at me, their eyes wide in shock, the silence between us heavy. I couldn’t tell if it was pity or disbelief that flickered across their faces, maybe both.

“Wait, what? Since when?” Elora recovered first, her voice cutting through the stillness.

A bitter smile tugged at the corners of my lips as I remembered that moment and I realized we were mates.

“Since Ithra tried to kill him,” I grimace. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I thought… with him leaving in a few days, it would be better to keep this a secret.”

Sienna’s sharp gaze met mine, her eyes filled with the wisdom I always admired.

“Does he know?” she asked, her voice steady, but there was a note of concern.

“No…” I shook my head, then rushed to complete “And I’m not telling him.”

“But, Iryen,” Sienna’s voice softened, her words filled with warning, “Fated mates are sacred. The bond is unbreakable. If you stay apart, it will weaken both of you. It may even kill you.”

The thought of death didn’t scare me. I was dead inside anyway .

I just had only one matter to finish before meeting my goddess and it was to deliver those bastards to tanathos, even if I had to do it myself. I clenched my fists, the guilt like a thorn in my heart. But the idea of trapping Adrian in a life he didn’t choose was unbearable.

“I know,” I whispered, my voice laced with frustration and sadness.

“But it’s forbidden, Sienna. I can’t be with him.

He’s from Nyssaion. For the goddess’ sake, he’s a hybrid.

This can’t be a good match.” The words tasted bitter, and I knew deep down that they were excuses, hollow defenses to shield myself from the reality of what we were.

Sienna remained unswayed. “You know the goddess doesn’t make poor matches,” she pressed, her gaze unshakable. “I think you should tell him. You don’t know what his reaction will be.”

“He’ll never want to stay here, Sienna.” A laugh escaped my lips, but there was no humor in it. “He has a life, a family. The only reason he’s here is because we made him a prisoner. In two days, he’ll leave, and all of this… it’ll stay behind.”

I tried to sound resolute, to cling to the idea that once he left, everything would return to normal. But I knew I couldn’t sever this connection, no matter how much I wanted to.

Elora had been silent, absorbing everything, but when she spoke, her voice edged with concern. “What are you going to do? The council ordered you to erase his memory, to make sure he isn’t a danger to us.”

“I think it’s a little too late for that, don’t you?

” My throat tightened. I knew what the council expected, but it was impossible now.

“To them, there’s no greater danger than a hybrid.

A prisoner… who’s also my mate?” The bitterness flow into my voice and the frustration gnawed at me.

My words were harsh, but Elora and Sienna didn’t push back. They knew the burden I was carrying.

I gathered myself, forcing the raw emotions down, stepping back into the regal mask I learn to use, and explained everything, the bargain I made, the training Adrian had agreed to, the oath, and the mating.

“Wait,” Elora’s eyes widened in disbelief, “beyond letting him leave, knowing it’ll weaken you, you’re also going to perform the Azure Oath? Are you out of your mind?” her words were sharp and deliberate, laced with exasperation, the concern palpable.

“Iryen,” Sienna’s voice was gentler, but firm, “I must advise against this. You know as much as I do that The Azure Oath will demand a lot from you. It will leave you vulnerable. You can’t afford that, not with that traitor still out there.”

My heart pounded at the mention of my ex, anger and fear colliding inside me.

I met Sienna’s gaze, my voice steady but cold.

“Even if it leaves me vulnerable, I will end that bastard, or I might as well die trying. This crown is mine. This kingdom is mine. It’s my people to protect.”

Silence fell between us, thick with tension, but I could see the resignation in their eyes. They knew I wouldn’t budge. Sienna sighed, and Elora crossed her arms, but neither of them spoke against me.

“I’ve made my choice,” I said, my tone final. “And you won’t say anything to Adrian. Either of you. He needs answers, and I’m running out of excuses to give him. So, until he leaves, both of you, along with Kieran and Ronan, will train him.”

“Ronan?” Elora’s eyes flashed with irritation. “No. No way am I spending more time with that cocky bastard.”

I narrowed my eyes at her. “You will, Elora. I’m not giving Adrian more answers, and I’m not telling him about the mate bond. Neither are you. Do you understand?”

Elora, always fierce, always rebellious, stared back at me, defiant but ultimately loyal. “Yes, Your Highness,” she muttered, her voice laced with reluctance, but she wouldn’t disobey me .

“I won’t tell him, but,” Sienna stepped forward, her expression softened with concern. “are you sure this is what you want? He’ll know something’s off. Feel it, especially after…” She trailed off, her meaning clear.

“Yes, I’m sure.” I cut her off before she could finish.

The words echoed in my mind. Doubt gnawed at me like a hungry beast. Was I really protecting him? Or was I just too terrified to face what was so glaringly obvious?