"Touch me."

Thorne shut his eyes, his back pressed against the tree as blood flowed to his cock, his body responding as if he were under her spell.

She was pressed against him, her mouth attacking his jaw, sucking and nibbling on his skin. Gasping and licking his jaw.

It was driving him nuts.

"Adina," he called out, his voice hoarse as he finally opened his eyes. She didn't stop, instead, she pressed even harder against him, her body soft and tender against his. His jaw clenched hard as he fought for restraint. This was by far the hardest thing Thorne had ever done in his life.

And he fought an entire war.

He pulled her back, his mouth open to speak when he saw it. His eyes widened the moment he laid eyes on the shiny dark mark right against her scent gland.

Thorne froze.

No.

No, no, no.

His lips parted, and a guttural sound rumbled from deep in his chest. That mark, it wasn't natural. It wasn't hers. It was a spell.

A sexual enchantment.

One that he had banned from the market because of the harm it caused. The only way one could get their hands on it was through the black market, the smugglers.

Who the heck put a spell on her?

Who would go through such lengths just to cast such an heinous spell on her?

His mind rushed back to the rogues and his heart stopped for a second… What if he had been a second late? Then what would've happened to Adina. What would've happened to his sweet mate?

Adina stepped closer, oblivious to the turmoil in his mind, her hands sliding up his chest, fingers curling into his shirt as if she would tear it from his body if she had to.

"Thorne…" she purred, her voice breathy. "I want you to touch me. Please. I need you to…"

He caught her wrists, trembling as he pulled her back. "You're not in your right mind."

She blinked at him, and he continued. "The spell… it's the one making you say these things. We need to get it off—"

She wriggled her hands out of his. "It's me. This is me. I'm saying this, why won't you listen to me. I- I need you." She said, her voice breathy.

She leaned in, dragging her lips near his jaw. "I can see you. I can feel you. I can smell you— I, please touch me." She was practically begging.

Thorne's breath hitched. "Gods…" he muttered, his head dropping as his restraint slipped another inch. He was losing his mind with each passing second. Gods, he was no better than a mere man. He wasn't their strongest soldier. He was a weak, weak man.

He should've walked away. He should've taken her to Thessara, to the palace, anywhere but here.

But she was looking at him like he was the answer to her pain. Like she would burn from the inside out if he didn't do something.

And her scent—fuck, her scent. It was like his soul was being torn apart. His body begged him to claim her. To sink his teeth into that cursed mark and replace it with his own. To mark her body inch by inch till she drowned in his scent. Till everyone dead and alive knew she was his.

"I can't," he growled, backing away a step.

But she followed, lips parted, eyes glassy with lust and desperation. "Thorne, please," she whispered again. "Thorne, it hurts. I can't take it anymore…"

She took his hand and dragged it down her side, over the curve of her waist. Her skin was burning. And Thorne—he was gone.

Thorne's eyes were squeezed tight; this wasn't her speaking. It was the spell. His Adina didn't speak like this. She wasn't such a temptress.

Adina's gaze darkened with each passing second. She stepped back, her warmth leaving his, and his gaze snapped open.

"Adina," he breathed out.

"Fine," she hissed, her voice trembling. "If you won't touch me— If you don't want me, then I'll find someone who will."

She turned to leave.

And that was it. That was the match to the gasoline Thorne had been soaked in from the moment he found her.

A violent growl ripped from his throat as he grabbed her arm and slammed her back against the tree, his eyes glowing blood-red. The last string holding on to his sanity was long gone…

"You think I'll let another male put his hands on you?" he snarled, his voice shaking with fury. "You think I'll let another cock near what's mine?"

His hand wrapped around her throat,

keeping her still, making sure she was looking only at him. Her breath caught, lips parting in shock, arousal, and submission.

Adina whined at the power display; her body was growing hotter with each passing second. She needed him like she needed air to breathe.

"You want to be fucked?" he growled, pressing his forehead to hers, chest heaving. "You want to be touched so fucking bad?"

He lifted her, her legs wrapping around his waist instinctively. His cock pressed between her thighs, hard, hot, and throbbing. She whimpered, grinding against him, her body frantic with need.

"I'll fuck you so hard you'll forget your own name," he growled. "You're mine, Adina. Mine. You don't beg for anyone else. You don't look at anyone else. Just me. Only me."

"J-just you," Adina whimpered, she was crazy with need, every rational part in her was out the roof, leaving her with the overheating burning desire to be fucked.

He turned around, carrying her in his hands. Adina didn't count, not when she was just sucking marks on his skin, loving the way the purple bloomed against his skin.

Soon they got there, it was just a corner away. The abandoned altar of the gods. Thorne knew the woods like the back of his hands and now… it served him a purpose.

He dropped her against the ancient marble, reeling in the way she gasped, the way she looked up at him, eyes dazed, lips bitten raw.

Thorne groaned, his hand fisted in her hair, his lips crushing against hers.