The room was heavy with silence as the group regrouped. The tension from the battle still clung to the air, thick with uncertainty. The men had started formulating a plan for their next move, but Mae couldn’t focus on the details. The only thing on her mind was the weight of the moment that had almost been. She had felt it, the pull. Not just the force of her power, but the magnetic, undeniable connection between her and Lucien. The moments they had shared, the almost kiss, the heat that still simmered between them, it was more than just a fleeting desire. It was something darker, something deeper.
As the others scattered to prepare, Ashar stepped toward Mae, his expression intense, unreadable. He didn’t speak at first, his gaze flicking to Lucien in the corner, then back to her. His jaw
