Chapter 9

Magnus POV

I should look away right?

I shouldn’t be standing here, frozen like some fool, staring at Zara like she was the first woman I had ever seen. But my traitorous eyes lingered—taking in the soft curves of her body, the way her skin glowed under the dim lighting.

Fuck!!!

My body reacted before I could stop it—I was getting hard down there. She was my prisoner, a leverage to take back my place and for fuck sake, she's Ashen's bride. But she was also my mate.

And Ghost, my wolf, growled in satisfaction, a deep rumble of pleasure that I had never heard from him before. Not even with Nerissa.

Weak, but I still have my sense of reasoning. This is a mistake. I scolded myself.

Zara clutched the fabric to her chest, her glare was unreadable at first, but then it suddenly turned sharp enough to cut through steel. "Maybe you should learn to knock."

Her voice jolted me back to reality. I forced my expression into cold indifference, masking the turmoil inside me. “You should lock your door.”

Her lips parted, probably to fire back another snarky remark, but I didn't give her the chance. I quickly turned on my heel and strode out of the room, closing the door behind me harder than necessary.

I didn't stop walking until I reached the main hall, where Nerissa was waiting for me.

She was pacing, arms folded, her expression tight with frustration. The moment she saw me, her golden eyes flared with fury. “Kill her, Magnus.”

I exhaled, rubbing a hand down my face. "Not this again."

She stepped closer, her scent sharp with anger. "She's dangerous. You know it, I know it, everyone knows it. And yet you keep her here, treating her like some delicate thing that needs protection."

I kept my voice calm. "She's our only leverage to get to Ashen," I said, even though I knew it wasn't exactly for that reason alone. Infact, as I talked to Nerissa, I could barely forced Zara out of my mind.

"She's a threat!" Nerissa snapped. "And you have a choice to make. It's either her or me."

A choice to make? My heart literally almost jumped out of my chest. If it's got to that stage of making a choice, who would I choose? I don't want to think about this—i shouldn't think about this. This is a trap from the pit of hell. I quickly forced out the thought and stepped closer to Nerissa, slipping my hands across her waist.

"Be patient, Nerissa," I said softly. "Let's wait a few more days. Ashen's reaction will determine the final decision."

Her laugh was bitter. "Patient?" She snapped, pushing me off her so roughly that I might have stumbled if I wasn't well balanced. "That girl is crawling under your skin, Magnus, and you don’t even see it.”

My patience wear thin and without another word, I stepped past her, ignoring the way her hands curled into fists. She could rage all she wanted. The truth was, I wasn’t ready to face what Zara’s presence truly meant.

I went back to my room, but I couldn't rest. Ghost was restless, pacing in my mind, urging me to do something I didn't fully understand.

Frustrated, I left again —this time heading for Zara's room.

I knocked once, and when I heard her voice summoning me in, I opened the door and stepped inside.

She was sitting on the bed, her damp hair falling over her shoulders, wearing the same old clothes she had been forced into five days ago. She looked up at me, startled, but I held up the bag in my hand—a bag filled with necessities that I had brought for her earlier before I saw something.....I wasn't supposed to see.

"I got you some necessities," I said, setting the bag on the small table. "Fresh clothes. Soap. Whatever else you might need, you can tell me, I will get them for you."

She stared at the bag, then at me, her expression was a mix of disbelief and relief. "Why?"

I shrugged. "You stink."

A small, surprised laugh escaped her, but she quickly masked it. "Asshole."

I smirked, but then I cleared my throat. "About earlier...."

Her gaze sharpened.

I sighed. "I should've knocked. I apologize."

For a moment, she just studied, her expression unreadable. Then, to my surprise, she said, "it's fine. Thank you for this," she gestured towards the bag.

I nodded. It should have ended there. But it didn't.

Ghost growled inside me, pushing forward with an intensity I wasn't prepared for. I took a step closer, then another and another.

Zara tensed, pressing herself back against the bed. Her emerald eyes weren't just looking at me —It was piercing, searching into my soul as if she could see the darkness and pain heaped up inside me. "Magnus...."

I didn’t know why I did it. Maybe it was the pull of the mate bond. Maybe it was the way her scent wrapped around me, intoxicating and impossible to ignore. Or maybe I just wanted to see if she would push me away.

But I leaned in, our bodies inches apart. My fingers brushed against her jaw.

I could feel every of my restraints slipping away. Fuck! I can't hold back anymore.

And then, without thinking, I kissed her.