Black cloud

Anna’s POV

The air was thick with tension and anticipation as Greg moved closer to me.

His presence was overwhelming, in the best possible way.

He had always been handsome, but today, with the sunlight casting a soft glow over his chiseled features, he looked like something out of a dream.

His scent enveloped me as it drove my insides wild with desire.

Unlike his brother, he was someone I could tumble with in bed.

His brother was more of a rough wolf that I would love to avoid.

As he closed the gap between us, his large, strong hands gently rested on my arms, sending shivers down my spine. I could feel the warmth of his skin through the thin fabric of my dress, and my heart raced in response. It was as if my entire body was calling to him, every nerve ending sparking with electricity at his touch.

I couldn’t take my eyes off him. His intense gaze held me captive, and I felt like I was drowning in the depths of his eyes.

There was something magnetic about him, something that made it impossible to look away. He had always been attractive to me from day one, but now, being this close, I felt a pull that was almost primal. I had never been more attracted to a man in my life.

Suddenly, the ground beneath us began to tremble, a faint rumble that quickly grew into a more violent shake. An earthquake.

The trees around us shook, leaves moving violently. The ground cracked under our feet, and I stumbled, unprepared for the sudden instability.

Before I could fall, Greg reacted instantly, his reflexes as sharp as ever. In one swift motion, he pushed me against the nearest tree, pinning me there to keep me steady.

His body was firm against mine, a solid anchor in the midst of the chaos. The rough bark of the tree pressed against my back, but all I could focus on was the feel of him—his chest, hard and warm, pressed against me, his hands gripping my arms with a protective strength.

“Anna, are you alright?” His voice was rough with concern, his breath hot against my ear. He was close, so close, and I could feel the rapid rise and fall of his chest as he held me there, shielding me from the worst of the quake.

I nodded, but the truth was, I wasn’t entirely sure if I was alright.

My body was trembling, but it wasn’t just from the earthquake. It was from him, from being so near to him, from the way his scent filled my lungs, from the way his eyes bore into mine with such intensity. I was mesmerized by him, completely and utterly mesmerized.

He must have noticed the way I was staring at him, because his expression softened, and something unreadable flashed in his eyes—something that made my heart skip a beat.

“Anna,” he whispered, his voice barely audible over the fading tremors, “you’re safe now. I’ve got you.”

I didn’t care about being safe. I wanted him to be closer at this point.

Suddenly I was feeling better than how I had felt earlier.

All the alpha had done to me to traumatize me was gone.

I found my voice, though it was shaky and soft. “My prince, I’m fine. It’s just… you.”

He raised an eyebrow, his lips curving into a small, knowing smile. “Me?”

I nodded again, feeling my cheeks flush with warmth. “Yes, you. You’re… you’re driving me crazy.” I hadn’t meant to be so blunt, but it was the truth. There was no denying the way he affected me.

His smile widened, a glint of amusement—and something else—in his eyes. “Is that so?” His voice was teasing, but there was an underlying seriousness that made my heart race even faster.

I couldn’t answer him as I was scared he would use it against me so I kept quiet.

For a moment, he didn’t say anything, just kept looking at me with that intense gaze that made my knees weak.

Then, slowly, he loosened his grip on my arms, though he didn’t step away. Instead, he cupped my face in his hands, his thumb gently brushing against my cheek.

“You’re okay now,” he said as he looked ahead to see that some trees had fallen. “The quake must have come from the mountain.”

“Anna, stay put. Don’t move.”

I wanted to protest, to tell him that I was capable of defending myself, but something in his tone stopped me.

There was an authority there that I couldn’t defy, and despite my instincts as a guard, I found myself obeying his command without question. I took a few steps back, watching as the prince squared his shoulders, ready to face whatever was coming.

The smoke moved like a living entity, swirling and expanding as it barreled toward us. It was as if it had a mind of its own, seeking to envelop and consume everything in its path.

I felt my heart race, my breath catching as I watched the dark cloud grow closer.

Greg extended his hands, his fingers splayed as he began to channel his power. I could feel the shift in the air around us, the sudden rush of wind as his magic took hold.

He was using his affinity with the element of air, calling upon it to push back against the encroaching darkness. I had never seen anything like it—the way he wielded his power was both effortless and precise, like an artist painting on an invisible canvas.

The wind roared to life, swirling around him in a vortex that sent leaves and debris flying. The force of it was staggering, a cyclone of air that twisted and spun with incredible speed.

Greg stood at the center of it all, his eyes glowing with a fierce light as he commanded the wind with every fiber of his being. He was the eye of the storm, calm and composed amidst the chaos.

The black smoke collided with the wall of air, and for a moment, the two forces struggled against each other. The smoke writhed and twisted, trying to break through the barrier that Greg had created, but he held firm.

His expression was one of intense focus, his jaw set as he pushed back with everything he had.

The air around us crackled with energy, and I could feel the raw power radiating from him, a tangible force that made my skin tingle.

Greg’s movements were fluid, almost graceful, as he manipulated the air to bend to his will. He raised his hands higher, and the vortex intensified, spinning faster and faster until it became a blinding whirlwind.

Greg suddenly overcame the force of the black cloud as it fell back and was redirected towards another direction. He then turned to face me, his breathing heavy but controlled. There was a faint sheen of sweat on his brow, evidence of the effort he had just exerted, but his expression was calm. He looked at me, and I realized I had been staring, unable to tear my eyes away from him.

“Are you alright?” he asked, his voice gentle.

I nodded, struggling to find my voice. “Yes… I’m fine. That was… incredible.”

Greg allowed a small smile, but there was a hint of weariness behind it. “I’ve dealt with worse. This smoke… it’s not mountain dust. It’s dangerous to inhale it.”

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. “Thank you.”

He then leaned in to me as he kissed me while leaning against a tree.

I felt so much within me that I could not believe I was feeling anything with him.

The spy and the prince together. That was a story to be told.

“Do you want to take this somewhere else?” He asked as I nodded sheepishly before holding his hand and going deeper into the woods.