Page 76 of Scavenger's Oath

She lifts her head and blinks at me. “Why did you stop?” she asks breathlessly, face flushed and dazed.

“Did I—did I hurt you?”

Her brows pinch. “What? No,” she huffs. “Please don’t stop, I’m so close.”

My eyes snap back to her thigh and the breath is knocked out of me. Red, angry teeth marks are indented in the flesh.

I wanted to be gentle, but my cock’s so hard it aches. My brain’s spiralling into the dark places I swore I’d never return to. All I can think about is railing her until she forgets her own name.

No. Not her. Not like this. I need to get myself under control.

“Zane,” her soft voice brings me back. I meet her gaze and all I see is understanding. “I’m fine. I promise you didn’t hurt me. Please keep going.”

She should be terrified of me. But she’s pleading? Desperate? And her eyes are clearer than mine have ever been.

Holding her gaze like it’s my anchor, I start moving my fingers again. Sliding them in and out at a steady pace. As I watch her face, every other thought falls away as her expression softens in ecstasy.

I lean down and close my mouth around her clit, keeping my eyes locked on her face. Then curl my fingers to hit that spot inside her, coaxing the orgasm from her.

Her body tenses and shudders, her back bowing.

A groan rumbles through me. Ivy’s eyes snap open as she feels the vibration. Holding me captive in her desperate gaze, her walls tighten even more, crushing my fingers. She cries out, her body stiffening as her pussy begins to flood my mouth with that mind-altering flavour.

Lapping up as much of her release as I can, I keep doing exactly what I’m doing until her grip on my hair loosens and her body slackens.

She’s panting now and I know I need to stop… but fuck it’s so hard to stop. I could stay between these thighs all night and come multiple times without even needing to touch myself.

But I force myself to stop. Kissing my way back up her body, wrapping her in my arms, and pulling her tight against me.

She grips my shirt again. Only now… it's not fear. It’s trust.

It's because she wants me to stay.

I wasn’t planning to. I didn’t want to risk the monster that lives in my bones hurting her during the night.

But the way she brought me back from the edge… I can’t imagine ever leaving her.

If she wants me close, I’ll chain myself to herside until I die.

Chapter 26

Ivy

The room is soaked in the soft blue-grey of early morning and the kind of quiet that feels unreal. As if maybe the world outside never ended.

Breathing in deep, I take in the masculine scent of the room. A strange sense of comfort washes over me despite the sparse layout. Just a bed, a nightstand, and his hunting gear hung like armour on the wall.

Zane’s heat radiates beside me. My cheek on his bare chest, one leg wrapped around his. Our bodies are tangled under the sheet as if we're trying to hold on to something neither of us can name.

I’m not sure when he took his shirt off, but his skin is so warm against mine. A warmth I’d forgotten existed. I’ve seen him shirtless a lot, but his skin is softer than you’d expect.

It’s as though he’s revealed a new side of himself to me. Vulnerable. Intimate. And our bond has strengthened this week, a trust solidifying between us.

A sense of peace rolls over me in waves. I don't think I've ever felt this safe before.

And that terrifies me more than anything else.

Because I know what happens when things feel too good—howquickly they can be taken away. I’ve learned not to trust peace. It’s usually just the quiet before the storm.