Elara's POV
Kael hovered above me, his arms braced on either side of my head like a cage built of muscle and heat—a warm, safe cage. I could feel him deliberately keeping his distance; only his hot breath touched my face, mingling with my own ragged pants.
He lowered himself until those molten gold eyes were burning in the dim light, just inches from mine. I wrapped my arms around his neck, fighting back the fire of desire inside me, and said submissively, "Alpha Kael, I was already yours." I saw the gold in his eyes dim slightly and realized I might have said the wrong thing, so I panicked and added, "You bought me."
I thought he would be pleased. I thought that was the right answer.
But he wasn't.
He froze. Not the tense coil before an attack, but a... freeze. A sudden cooling. The
