30.

Aeryn stormed down the hallway, her chest heaving with barely contained fury. The palace's opulence and grandeur suffocated her, the gleaming marble floors and towering arches mocking her every step. She clenched her fists, nails digging into her palms as she forced herself forward. Every part of her rebelled against this place—against *him*—and the role she had been forced into. A pawn, a human shield for their kingdom. It was infuriating.

She had no choice. She never had a choice.

Her heart hammered, rage bubbling in her chest as her thoughts spiraled. She hated how powerless she felt, how she had no control over her fate in Alex’s kingdom. Her throat tightened with the bitter taste of resentment. Her entire existence had become a bargaining chip, a symbol of their supposed alliance, but in reality, she was little more than a prisoner.

The dim light of the corridor felt suffocating, and the silence that surrounded her only amplified her anger. Each step she took back toward her room felt like another chain tightening around her. She quickened her pace, wanting nothing more than to disappear into the confines of her chambers where she could allow herself to break, to scream.

But before she could reach the safety of her room, a strong hand gripped her arm and yanked her roughly into a shadowed alcove. Aeryn gasped, panic gripping her heart as her back collided with the cold stone wall. Her first instinct was to scream, but before she could, a rough hand clamped over her mouth, muffling her sound.

Fear spiked through her like ice water as she struggled, her heart pounding wildly. Who had grabbed her? Was this a guard? Someone sent to punish her? She clawed at the hand over her mouth, trying to push it away, but the grip was too strong.

Then she saw him.

Alex’s eyes, glowing faintly in the dim light, stared down at her. But there was something different in his gaze. It wasn’t the calculating look she had grown used to. No, this was something far more dangerous. His eyes were darker, filled with an intensity that made her stomach twist in confusion and fear.

"Alex?" she whispered through his hand, her voice muffled but filled with both confusion and anger. His name on her lips should have been a relief, but the way he looked at her sent a shiver of uncertainty down her spine.

He didn’t speak at first. His hand slowly released her mouth, his fingers trailing down to cup her jaw. Aeryn’s breath hitched as his thumb traced her lower lip, the touch unnervingly gentle given the roughness with which he had grabbed her.

Her mind raced, torn between the relief of it being him and the growing tension she felt in his presence. There was a predatory gleam in his eyes she had never seen before. It unnerved her, but at the same time, it drew her in like a moth to flame.

"Alex," she said again, her voice a shaky whisper. "What are you doing?"

He didn’t answer. Instead, he leaned in, his lips hovering dangerously close to hers. The heat of his breath brushed against her skin, sending her heart into a frenzy. She should push him away. She *had* to push him away. But her body betrayed her, frozen by the intensity of the moment.

Without warning, his lips crashed against hers.

Aeryn’s mind blanked as his mouth moved against hers with a hunger she didn’t expect. The kiss was rough, urgent, and it sent shockwaves through her body. Her hands instinctively flew to his chest, not to push him away, but to steady herself as her knees weakened beneath her.

This wasn’t right. It couldn’t be right.

But god, his kiss felt like fire—dangerous, consuming, impossible to resist.

She tried to break the kiss, to pull herself back from the edge, but Alex’s hand slid to the back of her neck, holding her in place as he deepened the kiss. His other arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her flush against his body, trapping her in the intoxicating heat between them.

Her heart raced, her breath stolen by the ferocity of his touch. Her mind screamed at her to stop, to push him away, but her body was already betraying her, melting into the kiss, into *him.* She hated herself for it, for the way her traitorous hands fisted in his shirt, pulling him closer instead of pushing him away.

But just as quickly as the kiss began, the reality of the situation crashed back into her mind. This was *Alex.* The man she despised, the man who held her captive in his kingdom. She was nothing more than a tool to him, a means to an end. This—whatever this was—couldn’t be real.

Gasping, she pulled back, her lips swollen, her breath ragged. "Stop," she panted, her voice trembling as she tried to regain control of herself. "We can’t… not here…"

But Alex wasn’t letting go. His grip on her waist tightened, and his forehead pressed against hers. His breath was as uneven as hers, his chest rising and falling in rhythm with her own. His eyes, however, still burned with the same dangerous intensity.

"Do you think I care if someone sees?" His voice was low, rough, sending a shiver through her. His thumb brushed over her cheek, his eyes not leaving hers. "I’ve been wanting this for far too long."

Aeryn shook her head, her pulse racing. She hated the way her body still yearned for him, the way her lips tingled from his kiss. "This is wrong," she whispered, trying to pull herself free from his grasp, but his hands only pulled her tighter. "Alex, please, someone could—"

"I don’t care," he interrupted, his voice a growl. His lips descended on hers again, but this time slower, more deliberate. The tension between them was suffocating, and as much as she tried to resist, her body responded to him. Her hands slid to his shoulders, gripping him as he kissed her deeply, each touch sending waves of heat through her.

She hated herself for wanting him.

As the kiss deepened, Aeryn felt herself unraveling, the lines between hate and desire blurring into nothingness. Every part of her screamed to stop, to push him away, but his lips, his hands—his entire presence—consumed her.

And she couldn’t stop.

But then the cold, hard reality crashed into her once again. She was still a prisoner here, still a tool in his hands. Someone *could* see them. And if they did, everything would fall apart.

With every ounce of strength she had left, she pushed him away, gasping for breath. "We *have* to stop," she hissed, her voice frantic. "If anyone sees…"

Alex’s eyes darkened, but he didn’t move away. His hands remained firmly on her waist, his grip possessive. "Let them," he said, his voice full of defiance. "I’m not afraid."

"But I am!" she snapped, finally finding her voice. Her chest heaved as she glared at him, the tension between them almost unbearable. "You’re not the one they’ll punish if they find us like this."

For a moment, Alex’s expression softened, his hands loosening slightly. He stared at her, something unreadable flickering in his gaze before he finally, slowly, released her. "You’re right," he said quietly, his voice no longer the low growl but something softer, more controlled.

Aeryn stepped back, her heart still racing, her lips still tingling from the kiss. She wanted to scream at him, to slap him, to do anything to make sense of the whirlwind of emotions crashing through her. But instead, she turned away, her hands shaking as she quickly walked toward her room.

And though she hated herself for it, she already missed his touch.