Chapter Three: Unraveled Desires

Elizabeth had ventured deep into the heart of the forest to escape. She needed a moment of solitude, a breath of fresh air away from the suffocating expectations that bound her every step. With a woven basket in her grasp, she bent down, plucking wild herbs and delicate blossoms, each one meant for a remedy, a tincture—something to keep her hands busy while her thoughts raced.

But no amount of gathering could silence the storm inside her.

She closed her eyes and exhaled, letting the wind dance through her hair, the scent of damp earth and pine filling her lungs. Yet, her peace shattered the moment she felt a presence behind her—watching, waiting.

She spun on her heels, and there he was.

Mikeal.

His broad frame leaned against a tree, arms crossed over his chest, but his posture betrayed him. His muscles were tense, his jaw tight, and his storm-gray eyes burned with something unreadable.

"You shouldn’t be out here alone," he said, his voice low, gravelly.

Elizabeth scoffed, turning away as she resumed gathering her herbs. "I can take care of myself, Mikeal."

"Can you?" he challenged, stepping closer.

His voice sent shivers down her spine, but she refused to let him see how easily he affected her. "Why are you really here?" she asked, plucking a sprig of thyme with unnecessary force.

A pause. Then—

"Because I can’t stop thinking about you."

Her breath caught.

She clenched her fists around the delicate stems, her heart hammering. "You don’t get to say that," she whispered. "Not after everything."

Mikeal moved faster than she could register. In a blink, he was in front of her, towering, his scent intoxicating—cedarwood and something dark, dangerous. His fingers curled around her wrist, not harshly, but with enough strength that every nerve in her body ignited.

"You were scared?" His voice was barely above a whisper, but it wrapped around her like a vice. "You left me because you were scared?"

Her pulse raced beneath his grip.

"Yes," she choked out.

His grip tightened—not in anger, but in something deeper, something primal. His thumb brushed against the inside of her wrist, tracing the rapid beat of her heart. The warmth of his touch spread through her like wildfire, her body betraying her resolve.

"Elizabeth," he murmured, tilting her chin up so she had no choice but to meet his gaze. "Look at me."

She did, and it was her undoing.

His eyes, once hard, were filled with something raw, something desperate. He was barely holding on, barely restraining himself.

And then he snapped.

He yanked her against him, one hand threading into her hair, the other gripping her waist as his lips crashed onto hers. The moment their mouths met, a fire ignited between them—hot, insatiable, uncontrollable.

Elizabeth moaned into the kiss, her knees nearly giving out. His strength was all that held her up as his hands roamed her body, memorizing every curve, every shiver that coursed through her at his touch.

His mouth left hers only to trail down her jaw, then her neck.

A gasp escaped her as his lips found the sensitive spot beneath her ear, pressing open-mouthed kisses that sent electricity through her veins. His fangs grazed her skin—not enough to bite, but enough to remind her what he was.

"Mikeal," she whispered, gripping his shoulders. Her nails dug into his flesh, and he let out a low, animalistic growl.

"Do you know what you do to me?" His voice was rough, ragged, his control slipping. His fingers tightened on her waist, pulling her closer—too close, as if he wanted to consume her whole.

Her hands wandered, tracing the hard planes of his chest, the defined muscles beneath his tunic. Every time she touched him, he shuddered, his restraint unraveling thread by thread.

His lips found her collarbone, then her shoulder, every kiss more fervent than the last.

"You feel it too, don’t you?" he murmured against her skin, his breath hot and heavy. "The way your body trembles under my hands."

She did. She felt everything.

The warmth pooling in her stomach, the butterflies fluttering wildly. The way her legs threatened to collapse beneath her, only for Mikeal to tighten his grip, keeping her steady, keeping her his.

But just as she reached for him again, just as his lips trailed lower—

A sudden, sharp rustling shattered the moment.

Elizabeth gasped, and Mikeal tensed, his arms instinctively wrapping around her in a protective hold. His head snapped to the side, his sharp eyes scanning the trees.

Then—

A small, fluffy creature bounded into the clearing.

A fox.

The tiny animal tilted its head, its beady black eyes blinking curiously at them as if it had stumbled upon a secret it wasn’t meant to see.

Mikeal exhaled, his grip on Elizabeth loosening as he let out a disbelieving chuckle. "A damn fox."

Elizabeth, breathless and still trembling from the intensity of their moment, let out a shaky laugh. "I—" She cleared her throat, struggling to regain composure. "I think we should go back."

Mikeal looked at her then, his eyes dark with something unfinished. "This isn't over, Elizabeth."

She knew it wasn’t.

And deep down, she didn’t want it to be.

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