Ruby
The battlefield was quiet now, the only sounds left were the crackling of dying embers and the labored breathing of our warriors.
But inside me, a different kind of war raged.
Manson’s fingers still lingered against my jaw, his touch light but unwavering. His golden eyes flickered with something unreadable something dangerous.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
For a moment, it was just us.
The Alpha King and the rejected Omega.
The mate I never wanted. The bond I refused to accept.
And yet… I didn’t pull away.
Not this time.
Manson’s fingers trailed lower, brushing the side of my neck, right where a mate’s mark should be. My pulse quickened under his touch, but I hated that it did.
I wasn’t supposed to feel this way.
I had spent years teaching myself to never believe in t
