KAIA'S POV
Ronan can't take his eyes off my half-naked body. I can see the desire burning in his dark eyes as he stares at me.
"I should go," he says again, but his voice is rough with want.
Instead of leaving, he shuts the door behind him with a soft click.
The sound echoes through the room like a promise.
"Ronan," I breathe, but I don't know if it's a warning or a plea.
He takes five long strides toward me, his eyes never leaving mine.
"Tell me to stop," he says when he's close enough to touch. "Tell me to leave, and I will."
But I can't. The words stick in my throat as he reaches out and cups my face with his hands.
"Tell me," he whispers again.
Instead, I lean into his touch.
That's all the invitation he needs.
He grabs me without warning and crushes his lips to mine. The kiss is desperate, hungry, full of all the tension that's been building between us.
I'm already hot, already burning for him, and I kiss him back with equal fervor. My hands tangle in his hair, pulling him closer.
"God, Kaia," he groans against my mouth. "You have no idea what you do to me."
"Show me," I whisper, the words escaping before I can stop them.
His eyes flash with heat at my challenge. His hands slide down to my waist, his fingers trailing fire across my bare skin.
"You're so beautiful," he murmurs, pressing kisses along my jaw, down my throat. "So perfect."
When his lips find the mark on my neck, I gasp. The sensation is electric, sending shockwaves through my entire body.
"Does that feel good?" he asks against my skin.
"Yes," I breathe.
His hands move to the clasp of my bra, and this time I don't stop him. The fabric falls away, leaving me completely exposed to his hungry gaze.
"Perfect," he repeats, his voice reverent.
Then his mouth is on me, and I arch into his touch with a moan that echoes through the room.
My hands fumble with the buttons of his shirt, desperate to feel his skin against mine. He helps me, shrugging out of the fabric impatiently.
"Your turn," I whisper, running my hands over the hard planes of his chest.
He's magnificent. All muscle and strength and masculine beauty that takes my breath away.
We stumble toward the bed, our hands roaming, our mouths never breaking contact. My remaining clothes disappear somewhere between the door and the mattress.
When we land on the bed together, both completely naked, the sensation of skin against skin is overwhelming.
"Kaia," he says my name like a prayer, like worship.
"I know," I whisper back, because I feel it too. This connection, this pull that's stronger than anything I've ever experienced.
His hands explore my body with reverent touches, mapping every curve, every sensitive spot that makes me gasp and arch beneath him.
"You're trembling," he observes softly.
"So are you," I point out, running my fingers along his shoulders.
"You make me nervous," he admits with a small smile.
"Good," I say, pulling him down for another kiss.
This time the kiss is slower, deeper, full of promise and possibility. His weight settles over me, and I can feel how much he wants me pressed against my thigh.
"Is this okay?" he asks, his voice strained with the effort of holding back.
"Yes," I breathe.
His hand slides down my body, finding the place where I need him most. When he touches me there, I cry out with pleasure.
"So wet," he murmurs approvingly. "So ready for me."
"Ronan, please," I gasp.
"Please what?" he asks, his fingers working magic that makes my head spin.
"I need... I need..."
"Tell me what you need," he commands gently.
"You," I admit. "I need you."
He positions himself at my entrance, and for a moment we both freeze. This is it. The moment of no return.
"Are you sure?" he asks, searching my eyes.
"Yes," I whisper.
But just as he starts to push inside, reality comes crashing back.
Having sex with the Alpha means submitting to him completely. It means accepting him as my mate, my master, my everything.
And I remember the vow I made to myself years ago. I was keeping my virginity for my true mate. For the one person the moon goddess chose for me.
Is Ronan my true mate? My wolf is always restless around him, always wanting to submit. The mark on my neck thrums with awareness whenever he's near.
But I don't know for sure. And until I do...
"Stop," I gasp, pressing my hands against his chest.
He freezes immediately. "What's wrong?"
"I can't," I say, scrambling out from under him. "I'm sorry, but I can't do this."
He groans with frustration, rolling onto his back. "Kaia—"
"I told you to wait, didn't I?" I say, trying to catch my breath.
He stares at me, his eyes dark with unfulfilled desire. "How can I wait when you're too beautiful to ignore?"
The compliment makes heat flood through me again, but I force myself to resist.
I laugh, but it sounds shaky even to my ears. "You're going to have to try harder than that."
I stand up quickly, grabbing a sheet to wrap around myself. I need distance. I need space to think clearly.
"Where are you going?" he asks.
"To take a shower," I say, rushing toward the bathroom. "A cold shower."
Before I can fully enter the bathroom, I hear him say behind me, his voice soft but determined:
"I'll wait, Kaia. I won't touch you until you're ready."
The promise in his words makes my heart skip a beat.
Because part of me wonders if I'll ever truly be ready to give myself to someone whose family destroyed mine.
And another part of me wonders if I'm already falling for him despite everything.
Either way, I'm in serious trouble.