CHAPTER 275: IN THE ACT

[... Back to where we left Autumn and Kieran hanging... Old world - Blackmoon stronghold ]

The walls pressed in like they wanted to listen.

Or maybe that was just the way silence thickened after they both screamed themselves hoarse.

Kieran hadn’t moved since the last word left his mouth. His jaw was a stone, clenched so tight the veins in his neck stood out like they wanted to rip through his skin. His eyes, as if, burned holes through her.

Autumn’s hands still shook from shoving him.

She had almost expected him to leave after that, to storm out the way he always did when their fights got bad...be that arrogant bastard he once used to be.

But he didn’t even move. He stayed. He didn’t even shove back.

Now they stood inches apart...neither of them breathing right...the taste of fury still raw in the air.

"Go on...say it," she hissed, nails biting into her palms.

He tilted his head. "Say what, Autumn? That I am sorry? That I will fall at your fucking feet until you forgive me? You wouldn’t believe me if I did.Will you? "

Autumn laughed out loud. Her laugh was jagged. "You are right. I wouldn’t."

He stepped closer. Just enough for the air to crackle. Not close enough to touch. "Then tell me what do you want me to do?How can I make this right? How will you believe me? "

"You think I want anything from you?" she shot back, voice cracking around the edges. "I wanted you gone. I wanted you erased. I wanted every memory of you ripped out of my head so I can breathe again."

"Bullshit." His voice hit like a slam against the walls.

He grabbed her wrist before she could pull away, not crushing, just anchoring her there. His hand was hot, shaking. "You are lying to yourself,Autumn.I can feel your heart."

Her chest lurched, traitorous, because parts of her knew he was right. That only made her angrier. She yanked at his hold but he didn’t let go. His grip was firm, not brutal...like he was daring her to really say no.

"Let me go," she whispered.

"Say you don’t feel it," he said, his voice low, almost a growl. "Say you don’t still fucking feel our mate bond between us and I will let you go."

Her pulse was a hammer under his thumb. Her throat locked up. She wanted to spit the words. She wanted to lie. But her mouth refused.

It was impossible. Their mate bond was gone. Yet, there it was... that impossible, irresistible pull.

"Fuck you," Autumn snapped instead.

Kieran wrecked a laugh, brushing his hair back with both hands, a goofy grin spreading over his face. "Already there?!"

"Arrgghhh!"

Autumn shoved him back, about to storm out of the room... but... her legs hovered.

That tension was unbearable...

She turned around sharp...jerked him closer, out of spite, out of desperation...her hand fisting in the collar of his shirt. The fabric tore with a rip that sounded too loud in the silence.

His breath stuttered.

She felt it on her cheek, warm...unsteady. His eyes darted to her mouth before snapping back up to meet her gaze.

"You are gonna ruin me," he said, ragged, like it wasn’t a warning but a confession.

Her lips curled, a trembling half snarl, half smile. "That was the original plan."

For a second, it felt like everything would snap.

That he would crush his mouth against hers, that she would let him.

That all the hate and hunger would combust in one violent kiss that would leave them both scorched... like always...

But he didn’t move. Neither did she.

They just stood there, shaking, their breaths colliding, their hearts screaming louder than their words.

Her nails dragged against his collarbone through the ripped shirt. His thumb brushed the inside of her wrist, once, like a slip...as if unintentional. The smallest gesture...and yet it nearly undid her.

Her throat closed.

He shook his head. "Not a damn thing??!!!...don’t stand there pretending there’s nothing between us."

Her nails were still digging into his shirt, threads straining, his breath ragged against her cheek. That thin, fragile line between violence and something far more dangerous...on the verge of snapping... unresolved desires, on the verge of explosion...

Kieran’s hand shot to her waist, jerking her against him with a force that stole her breath.

Autumn gasped, fury spiking, and slammed her palm against his chest...but couldn’t push him away...The air between them was molten...

" You are impossible, Kieran..." Autumn looked down at their compromisable posture.

"Then stop me," he snarled.

Autumn’s chest rose and fell too fast, her heart hammering so loud it hurt. Her body betrayed her, leaning into him even as her lips curled into a snarl.

Her eyes flashed, the fury and the want colliding so violently she thought she might shatter...

When suddenly...

The heavy doors slammed open with a crack that echoed through the chamber.

Two guards stumbled inside, tumbling hard against the stone floor as if pushed inside by someone. One skidded to his knees, the other hit shoulder first...groaning.

Autumn flinched, breaking the taut line of tension between her and Kieran.

His grip didn’t loosen though...but his head snapped towards the commotion...teeth still bared.

The guards looked up...and froze.

Their wide eyes locked not on the door, but on the sight before them...

One of the guards blanched, words choking. "We...uh, Alpha...we didn’t..."

The second guard swallowed hard, his face red. "Sir..."

Autumn’s breath hitched...the sharp realization of how it must look sliced through the haze of fury and desire.... She tried to pull away, but Kieran’s hand tightened at her waist as if he didn’t care who saw.

"What the fuck are you staring at?What are you doing here?" Kieran snapped, his voice a whipcrack.

The guards flinched, glancing at each other, clearly terrified, clearly wanting to vanish into the stone itself.

But before either of them could stammer out an excuse, another shadow filled the doorway... from behind...

Alpha Malrick appeared.

His presence alone pressed the air flat.

Autumn’s body went rigid. Kieran’s grip faltered just enough for her to breathe, but not enough to escape. They both turned at once...

Alpha Malrick’s gaze swept over the scene...

"Well," he said at last, his voice quiet but sharp

"Isn’t this... interesting.Congratulations on getting back together....but Kieran...I need to talk to you...come with me. Now!!!"