Bound by the Ruthless Alpha

with the scent o

irt discarded, and sweat gleaming on his skin. Each punch he threw against t

dn't

ldn

arked with the ancient symbol of a line long thought erased-was

owne

ooking at her like she

hed again, cracking t

said dryly, appearing at the edge of the field. He tossed

she needed to,"

re trying to beat your

her. Not once, but every day he'd held her at arm's length

Kael," Riven said softly.

ves better

be b

-

eft her shaken, not by pain-but by truth. She had seen her parents again, if only in e

ll lingered

oser, he pulled away. And every time he

shouldn't. But the bond wasn't just emotional-

as unrav

ed to find Riven approaching, hands

carrying the weight of

smile. "Feels

a flask. "Te

lly, sipping. "Kael

u," Riven said. "But it's

I don't need protect

w... if things were different, if fate

him, heart c

said quietly. "No doubts.

breath

een her and Kael tightened-n

-

cil called a private

as steel. Lira stood at his side, wearing the symbol of the

across, face li

began. "And there is truth in what Lira saw.

. "That girl is twisting i

," Kael growled. "The Tr

lled the

longer than you've breathed, boy. You

Kael said, voice cold. "But

has chosen her. Lira is the daughter of th

all," Korran spat. "Mark my word

, leaving sile

s trembled

-hesitated-then fina

with

-

valley, where the stars could tou

ar in his mouth. "I should have never rejected you

d. "Then wh

rous. You saw what happened to my mother. To ever

hem," she

u're stronger. And

e stre

el added. "You told me to learn.

king for perfection, Kael. I'm

e mate bond humming to

far away, in a cave thick with darkness, an ancient enemy s