The Alpha King And His Chosen Luna novel Chapter 106

Practice and instinct–2

I stepped toward her slowly. “Don’t hide from me.” The words came quietly.

She went still. Her eyes lifted toward mine uncertainly while her arms remained crossed over

herself.

“You don’t need to cover yourself around me,” I continued.

Silence settled between us. Then slowly, carefully, her arms lowered again. The scars across her back remained visible immediately afterward. Old whip marks crossed pale skin in uneven lines that time had faded but never fully erased. More scars rested lower along her sides, quiet reminders of everything she’d survived. I didn’t look away from any of it.

I stepped closer until almost no space remained between us. Isla’s breathing changed slightly.

“Can I kiss you?” I asked quietly.

A pause settled between us. Then she nodded once. “Yes.”

I touched her carefully first. One hand settled against her waist while the other moved gently along her face before I kissed her. This one felt different from the others. Slower. Deeper. Not desperate. Certain. She kissed me back immediately, her fingers tightening lightly against my chest while the bond warmed sharply between us. Vorak pushed heavily beneath my skin, wanting closer contact, wanting her completely against us, wanting more than restraint

allowed.

‘Ours.‘

My hand tightened slightly against her waist before I forced myself to stop there. Because if I didn’t stop now I wouldn’t later.

Isla looked up at me afterward, breathing unevenly. I rested my forehead briefly against hers. “We should stop.”

Understanding crossed her face almost immediately. Not rejection. Trust. “You’re waiting for me,” she said softly.

“Yes.” I wasn’t taking that choice away from her. The bond wanted the mating. Vorak wanted the mark. But Isla mattered more than instinct.

A small breath left her before her attention shifted suddenly toward the far side of the clearing again. “The clothes,” she said quickly.

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< Practice and instinct–2

+25 Points

Without moving away from her completely I reached through the mind link. ‘Sera.‘ Her response came immediately. ‘Alpha King?‘ ‘Bring clothing to the eastern clearing near the lower stream for Isla and I.‘ I looked toward Isla briefly before continuing. ‘Leave them at the tree line. Don’t enter the clearing.‘ A short pause followed. Then understanding settled through the link instantly. ‘Of course.’ I ended the connection afterward.

“Sera will leave the clothes nearby,” I said calmly. “She won’t come into the clearing.”

Relief crossed her expression so quickly that the corner of my mouth almost lifted with it. Several quiet minutes passed afterward while Isla sat carefully beside the stream with my arm loosely around her waist. Cold air moved through the clearing while water rushed softly over stone nearby.

Then the mind link opened again. ‘The clothes are near the fallen cedar west of the clearing, Sera said calmly. ‘I’m gone.’ Good. I pulled back from the link before looking toward Isla again. “She left them.”

Her shoulders relaxed immediately. “Where?”

I pointed toward the western side of the clearing. “Near the fallen cedar.”

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