CHAPTER 28
(Khuraan’s POV)
I tried not to laugh when I saw her tiny shoulders stiffen the second her eyes met mine at the corner of the hallway. She always tries so hard to hide her fear — but her trembling fingers always give her away.
I jerked my chin toward her room. “Inside,” I ordered, voice low, sharp. I could see her swallow, eyes darting left like she’d run — but she didn’t. She obeyed. Good girl.
She stepped in slowly, trying to keep her head high like some brave little warrior. Cute. I followed her in, kicked the door shut with my boot, the bang echoing off the walls. She jumped at the sound — just like I liked.
Before she could think of running that pretty mouth, I grabbed her and pressed her back to the wall. My palm slapped flat beside her head — my other hand caught her chin, forcing her wide eyes to mine. Damn, she smelled sweet — like ice cream melting in the sun. Sticky-sweet, tempting.
“Where the hell have you been hiding for two days, huh?” I growled, nose brushing hers.
“I— I wasn’t hiding,” she stuttered. Her pulse drummed wild under my thumb. She was lying.
“Don’t lie to me, doll,” I warned, pressing closer so my chest pinned her soft little body to the wall. “I hate liars. You know what I do to liars?”
She shook her head, lips parting. So damn kissable. So damn annoying.
I leaned down, lips brushing the shell of her ear. “I ruin them,” I whispered, loving the shiver that rolled through her. “Did you forget what I told everyone at the dinner table? What I said about you?”
Her breath hitched. “Khuraan, stop—”
“Say it,” I snapped, voice sharp like a whip. “Say what I called you in front of them.”
She glared, brave little thing. “You said I was your mate. But I’m not—”
I cut her off with a laugh, low and mocking. “Feisty. You know, honey, I love it when you fight. It makes breaking you in feel so much sweeter. Like biting into dark chocolate — sweet but bitter on my tongue.”
She shoved at my chest, eyes burning. “Don’t touch me, Khuraan. I’m not yours. I’m not your toy you can—”
Her words set a fire in my blood. I slammed my palm over her mouth, silencing that pretty defiance. “Shh. Keep talking back and I’ll make you scream so loud the whole damn pack will know who you belong to.”
Her eyes widened, fury and fear dancing in those lashes. She bit down on my palm, hard — feisty indeed. I hissed and grabbed her throat instead, pressing just enough to feel her swallow, to watch her eyes water.
“You like honey, doll?” I murmured, pressing my lips to her ear again. “I think you taste sweeter than any damn honeycomb I’ve ever had.”
She shook her head, voice muffled. “Khuraan, enough! You’re insane—”
I let her speak this time, just to hear her panic. It tasted better than any candy. I leaned down, lips brushing her jaw. “You think you’re brave? Little girl, you have no idea what real fear feels like.”
She squirmed, nails scratching my forearms. Her lips trembled under my thumb when I pressed it against them. “You’re disgusting—”
“And yet you’re melting for me, doll,” I purred, grinding my hips just enough to make her feel what she did to me. She gasped, tried to twist away — I pinned her tighter, body flush against mine.
“You think Zarkhan can protect you? Or Hakkan?” I mocked, voice low, taunting. “They’re boys compared to me. I’ll ruin you so good you’ll forget every name but mine.”
She spat at me — it landed on my jaw, warm and defiant. That made me chuckle. I grabbed her wrist, dragged her struggling to the bed.
“Let me go! I swear to god—”
“God isn’t here, honey,” I cut her off, pushing her down. She tried to scramble back but I caught her ankles, pulled her back like a prize catch. “God left the second you called me insane. Now you’re stuck with the devil himself.”
She slapped my shoulder — I laughed again, grabbing both her wrists in one hand. “You want to punish me, huh? Scream, curse, slap. But you’ll still end up right here — under me. Dripping for me like melted ice cream in July.”
“Khuraan! Stop—!”
I bent down, my tongue tracing the pulse in her throat. “I’ll stop when I’m done tasting every drop of you, sugar.” I nipped her skin — she gasped, legs kicking uselessly. “You know what your problem is? You pretend you hate this, but your body says otherwise.”
She sobbed out a shaky, “No—” but her thighs trembled around my hips. So warm. So soft. So sweet.
I licked a line up her neck, tasted salt and honey. “I’ll make you beg for it, doll. By the time I’m done, you’ll beg for my mouth like it’s your favorite chocolate.”
She whimpered, trying to turn her face away — I caught her chin, forced her to look at me. “Look at me when I ruin you,” I ordered, voice rough, breath hot against her lips. “Open those pretty eyes. Let me see you fall apart.”
Her breath stuttered, a tear slipping free. I kissed it off her cheek. Sweet and salty — perfect mix.
“Say it,” I growled against her lips. “Say who you belong to.”
She glared, spit words like poison. “I belong to no one.”
My smile turned sharp. “Wrong answer.”
I crushed my mouth to hers — her muffled scream against my lips tasted like sugar and sin. She writhed under me, wrists pinned tight. Her defiance was a drug I’d never get enough of.
When I pulled back, she was breathless, chest heaving like she’d run a mile. I licked her bottom lip, nipped it. “You taste like strawberries dipped in honey, doll. Dangerous and addictive.”
“Khuraan—” she panted.
I leaned down, lips brushing her ear. “Tonight you learn. You scream my name — or I’ll make you scream it all night anyway.”
She shivered under me, tears brimming again. Brave little doll — fighting me even when she’s already caught.
“Khuraan… please—”
I grinned. “There’s my sweet little melody. Beg louder, doll. Louder.”
I kissed her again — hard, deep, claiming every drop of fight she had left. My hands traced her curves, slow and sure — like warm chocolate pouring over vanilla ice cream. Sweet. Messy. Perfect.
And I knew then — she could fight me all she wanted. But this honey was already mine.