Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Marissa’s breath caught, her chest tightening as the truth settled over her. She had expected a bond, yes, a partnership forged through the ritual of mating. But. she had never dreamed he would be her fated mate. The pull between them was intoxicating, a force that seemed to echo in her very soul. She could feel it in the air around them, a primal, electric energy that made her blood sing.

“Yes,” she whispered, her voice barely audible, but he heard it. She knew it by the way his gaze softened, his guarded expression cracking ever so slightly as he took another step closer.

Her wolf pressed forward, eager to reach him, to close the distance, to claim him. It was an ache like she’d never felt, a magnetic pull that made her every nerve come alive, attuned to him, and only him. She could feel the heat rising in her cheeks, her fingers itching to touch him, her heart. pounding in her chest. Every instinct, every fiber of her being told her to go to him, to be near him.

But Idris held back, his intense gaze studying her face with an almost hesitant curiosity, as though he, too, struggled to believe what he was feeling. His hands clenched into fists at his sides, his breathing labored as if he were trying to steady himself.

“This wasn’t… expected,” he murmured, his voice rough with restrained emotion. Marissa’s heart hammered in her chest.

“No,” she replied, her voice soft yet steady, feeling the weight of their bond settle over her like a mantle. “But we’re here now. And this…” She trailed off, unable to finish as her wolf howled within her, demanding she close the distance.

They stood in silence, neither one moving, as the unspoken pull between them grew stronger, pressing at the edges of their self- control. Marissa’s hands trembled, every part of her instinct demanding she go to him, to feel the warmth of his skin, to bury her face in the scent of her mate. His eyes darkened, his chest rising and falling with the same urgent need.

“Marissa,” he finally said, her name a low rumble that sent shivers down her spine. “Are you… are you feeling this too?”

“Yes,” she admitted, her voice breathless. She took a step closer, unable to help herself, her gaze fixed on his face. Her wolf’s energy crackled under her skin, desperate to be closer to him, to feel the completion that only a true mate could offer. She felt as though she could drown in his presence, every sense honed to him alone.

Idris watched her, his gaze sharp and unyielding, but beneath his stoic facade, she could see a flicker of something vulnerable. It was as if he, too, was struggling to understand the force that connected them, the undeniable bond that would draw them together whether they willed it or not. He hesitated, his hand lifting slowly as though testing whether this was real.

When his fingertips brushed her cheek, a surge of warmth flooded her body, a wave of longing and relief all at once. Her breath. hitched as she felt the soft, tentative touch of her mate’s hand, grounding her, drawing her back from the whirlwind of her thoughts. The air between them. seemed to hum with a quiet energy, their bond a living thing, thrumming with life. and promise.

“This is…” he started, his voice rough, but he didn’t finish, his eyes never leaving hers. The brief contact broke, and he took a step back. His expression. composed, but his eyes remained heated, alive with the same fire she felt within her.

She straightened, swallowing as she searched his face, taking in the strength of his jaw, the set of his shoulders. He was powerful, yes, intimidating, even cold, but now she could see something more. She could feel his heart, the wolf that stirred beneath his skin, a mirror to her own. And at that moment, she knew.

“We are bonded,” she whispered, barely more than a breath, but he heard her.