Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

Zara's POV

I should have pushed him away, right. It's right that I should. But when his lips touched mine, something inside me cracked. I forgot to think. No. I forgot how to think.

Heat coursed through my veins, my heart pounding against my chest. His scent—dark, intoxicating—wrapped around me, drowning out reason, and for a fraction moment, I allowed myself lean into it. This was my first kiss ever. My fingers rested against his chest, not pushing him away and not pulling him closer.

His deep, satisfied growl rumbled against my lips, and something inside me—something primal—answered.

But then reality slammed back into me like a hot slap against my face.

What the hell was I doing? This is all shades of wrong.

I shoved my hands against his chest, breaking the kiss. "What the hell are you doing?"

His gaze was dark, his chest rising and falling as if he were barely holding himself back.

He ran his hand through his dark hair in frustration, his gaze still lingering on me more than necessary.

This man was my captor. He was supposed to be my enemies. He had stolen me from Ashen, thrown me into this nightmare, and now he thought we could just act like mate and forget everything. Hell no.

I clenched my jaw, pushing back the traitorous heat curling underneath my stomach. "Get out, Magnus."

He didn't leave. Instead, something flickered across his face—guilt? No. Maybe affection? Or It was something deeper, something raw and twisted that I didn't want to understand. Finally, he took a step back running a hand down his face.

"You're my mate," he said, as if that justified everything.

My stomach twisted. The word echoed in my head like a taboo. Mate.

I shook my head. "No. No, I belong to Ashen."

Magnus's jaw tightened, and I caught the briefest flash of pain in my eyes before his expression hardened. "You're mine, Zara. Whether you accept it or not, fate had already decided it."

Fate? To hell with that!

I burst into a sharp and bitter laugh. "Fate? Fate has nothing to do with this. You kidnapped me, Magnus. I was nothing more than a leverage for your selfish desires. And now you want to act like i mean something important to you?" I shook my head, my heart pounding. "You're just like the rest of the men I have met. Only Ashen had been real," I said, even though I don't know how true my words were.

I hadn't spend so much time with Ashen so I don't know if he was real or not. But from the way he looked at me that day—I think he was genuine and affectionate.

Magnus body tensed, but he didn't argue. Good. Let him bask in his own damn guilt.

I turned my back to him, gripping the edge of the bed. "I will pretend like none of this happened. So get out."

For a moment, I wasn't sure if he would listen. But I stood and walked away from the bed, away from his presence that was heavy and suffocating like he was still standing too close. But then, without another word, I heard the door open and shut behind him.

Only then did l let out the breath I had been holding since forever.

I pressed my fingers to my lips, hating the way that still tingled.

And then Ella, I hated the way she growled happily earlier. "But he's our Mate."

"Shut up," I fired back. "He's our captor." My voice was firm like I wasn't only trying to convince Ella, but also myself.

Damn it!

This wasn't supposed to happen.

*****

Sleep didn't come easily.

Even with the exhaustion weighing on me, my body refused to rest. Everytime I closed my eyes, I felt the lingering sparks from Magnus's touch, the heat of his lips against mine. It was as if he had marked me as his, and no matter how much I wanted to erase it, the sensation lingered.

I hated it.

I tossed and turned, my mind raging war against the bond binding me like an invincible chain. Ella was silent now, but I could feel her pacing inside me, unsettled.

You betrayed me, Ella, I thought bitterly.

But had she? Or was it me who had betrayed myself?

I clenched my fists, forcing myself to breathe evenly. None of this mattered. The mate bond was nothing than a cruel trick of fate, and I refused to be another pawn in the game of destiny.

And yet....

The next morning, I forced myself to push past the memories. I expected Magnus to return to apologise or force me to acknowledge what happened between us. But he didn't.

Instead, the day passed in silence.

The meals were brought to me by a servant, not Magnus. No lingering glances. No heavy presence against my senses.

He was avoiding me.

Good. That was exactly what I wanted. But then, why does it feel like I'm disappointed?

I shook the thought away and focused on what mattered—getting my strength back, keeping my mind sharp and leaving this shit hole.

Days passed, and the tension grew but then I was also free. I suspected that Magnus had instructed the guards to let me move freely. I usually went to the garden and admire the flowers who knew nothing about the storms brewing inside me

I caught glimpse of Magnus in the hall but he never stopped to speak. Not once.

It was as if I had imagined the moment between us. But I hadn't.

I still felt it in the way my heart betrayed me whenever I saw him, in the way my body tensed, hyperaware of his presence. And worst of all, in the way Ella whined whenever he was near, craving the touch I refused to acknowledge.

"I really should leave this place. Until when will I waste away here?" I thought, my fingers delicately trailing the petals in the garden.

"I should talk to Magnus about my freedom," I thought, my determination unwavering. Without another word, I turned away from the garden, and made my way towards his room, my steps heavier than the last and my heart pounding against my ribs.

I hesistated when I reached the door, but before I could knock I heard his loud groan from inside. Was he hurt? Instincts took over and I pushed the door open abruptly.

My breath caught.

Heat rushed to my face as my gaze locked on him—naked, sprawled out on a single couch, his hand wrapped around his thick length. His head snapped towards me, dark eyes glazed with pleasure, his chest rising and falling in ragged breaths.

A slow, wicked smirk tugged at his lips.

"See something you like, little mate."