~•Excerpts #1•~
Before she knew it, Malakai’s strong arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her firmly against his chest.
“Clarabel…” he called through clenched teeth, his jaw tightening hard enough to ache as his gaze betrayed him again, dropping to the exposed skin above her dress. “Are you intentionally trying to seduce me by wearing such a… wicked dress?”
“Do not think so highly of yourself, Malakai,” the words were accompanied by la low, short laugh. “I have only dressed as lady is supposed to. Besides, even if it was meant to seduce anyone, it would certainly not be you.”
~•Excerpt #2•~
The moment she stepped into the ballroom, heads turned.
The black mask hiding the upper half of her face did nothing to conceal the devastating beauty of the woman beneath it. Her silver dress clung to every dangerous curve, and the Alpha beside her kept his possessive hand firm on her waist as they descended the staircase together.
Malakai didn’t even look up at first until the mate bond struck and his entire body went rigid.
No.
Slowly, his gaze lifted across the crowded ballroom… and landed directly on her. “Clarabel.”
She had come but with another Alpha, Nehemiah.
The glass in his hand cracked instantly, but it was the sight of Nehemiah’s hand wrapped around her waist that truly made something vicious rise inside him.
Before anyone could react, Malakai vanished from his position with Alpha speed, crossing the ballroom in a violent blur. Gasps erupted around the hall as he grabbed Clarabel by the wrist and ripped her away from the stunned Nehemiah’s hold.
“Malakai—” she started.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he snarled, dragging her through the shocked crowd.
The restroom door slammed shut behind them moments later.
He pinned her against the wall immediately, his chest rising dangerously as one hand slammed above her head while the other clenched into a fist at his side. “Why have you let another man touch you like that?”
She let out a sharp scoff, even though jealousy burned in her eyes beneath the mask.
“I’m not your property, Malakai,” she whispered bitterly. “If you can parade another woman around the ballroom, then I can do the same.”
~•Excerpt #3•~
“How dare you defy my orders, Clarabel!” Malakai barked as he shoved her chamber doors open without warning.
The words died instantly and his entire body froze.
Clarabel stood in the middle of the room with nothing on but a thin piece of fabric clutched halfway around her body. Her back was partially turned toward him, long dark hair cascading over bare skin that made his throat go dry in seconds.
For the first time in his life, the Alpha of Blood-Wing forgot how to speak.
His eyes dragged over her before he could stop them. Slowly. Shamelessly. Hungrily.
He wanted her. Fuck. He wanted her so bad.
The anger that brought him there vanished so completely it almost embarrassed him.
“You pervert!” Clarabel’s eyes widened in horror and soon narrowed in fury, her slipper leaving her hand with deadly accuracy.
Alpha Malakai barely dodged it, his voice shaking as he spoke.
“I— you— no — sorry, this was not intentional,” he muttered, sounding completely unlike himself as he backed toward the door. “You should have locked your door!”
Clarabel grabbed the second slipper. “GET OUT ALREADY!”
…
A few minutes later, after changing into a dress and still boiling with humiliation, Clarabel marched toward Malakai’s chambers to demand an explanation for his insanity.
But the moment she pushed the door open, she froze.
Malakai was sitting on the edge of his bed, breathing heavily, one hand dragging roughly through his hair as his head tilted back against the wall.
“Clarabel…” he groaned hoarsely, his other hand moving with a controlled force. “Uhh… yesss.”
Her name. The way he moaned, the sound of it on his lips made her entire body lock up.
And when her eyes moved lower, she realized exactly what he was doing.
~•Excerpt #4•~
Clarabel stood near the window with folded arms while Malakai remained by the fireplace.
Neither of them had spoken a single word to each other since they got into the room.
The tension was so thick even little Kaedryn could feel it.
His small brows furrowed as he looked between them suspiciously. “Are you both fighting again?”
“No,” Clarabel answered immediately.
“Yes,” Malakai answered at the exact same time.
Clarabel shot him an irritated glare but he looked away.
As for Kaedryn, he let out a tired sigh. “No wonder my fever is getting worse.”
Clarabel rushed to his bed. “Hey, don’t say that.”
“But it’s true,” he mumbled slightly. “I think I’ll only feel better if both of you give me a kiss.”
Clarabel blinked and Malakai’s brows heaved.
“What?”
“I want a kiss to help me feel better,” Kaedryn clarified.
“Alright. A forehead kiss should do,” Clarabel’s words followed quickly.
“Yes,” Malakai agreed. “A forehead kiss. You go first.”
Kaedryn shook his head stubbornly, sitting up. “No. Both of you must peck my cheeks at the same time or it won’t work.”
“Kaedryn—”
“Please?” he interrupted weakly, giving them the most pitiful sick-child expression imaginable. “Both sides at the same time.”
“Fine,” Clarabel replied, looking at Malakai who nodded in agreement.
Kaedryn pouted innocently.
Just as their lips got close, he suddenly leaned backward into the pillows.
Instead of kissing his cheeks, Clarabel’s lips pressed directly against Malakai’s.
Both of them froze, the kiss lingering for a second too long before Kaedryn’s quiet voice broke the silence. “I think my fever is finally going away now.”