Chapter 49

He turned, as if sensing my presence, and his eyes locked onto mine. The smirk that tugged at his lips sent a wave of warmth coursing through me. I suddenly felt every inch of my skin grow hyper-aware under his gaze.

" Good morning," Kaden said, his voice smooth, cutting through the quiet of the yard. " Zaden is busy today. So, I’ll be your sparring partner."

I swallowed, trying to keep my composure. " You? Sparring with me?"

He nodded; his eyes gleaming with amusement.

" Unless you're afraid?"

I narrowed my eyes at him, refusing to back down.

" Not at all."

“ Good. Then let’s begin,” he said, rolling his shoulders and stretching his arms out in front of him. “ We’ll start where you left off with Zaden.”

I stepped forward, trying to focus as I took my stance. But it was difficult. The sight of him standing there—shirtless, muscles rippling with every movement—was more distracting than I wanted to admit. I had to force myself to concentrate, reminding myself that this was just training.

Just training.

He circled me slowly, his eyes never leaving mine, studying me. I could feel the intensity of his gaze, the way it seemed to strip away all my defenses before the fight even began. I braced myself, tightening my grip as I prepared for his first move.

And then, faster than I could anticipate, he lunged.

I barely had time to block his strike, the force of it sending a jolt through my arms. I quickly recovered, moving to counter, but he was already one step ahead of me. Kaden’s movements were fluid, deliberate—every strike he made was precise, like he was testing me, pushing me to react faster, move sharper.

But what really threw me off wasn’t his strength or speed. It was his teasing.

“ You’re getting better,” he said, his voice low as he dodged my next attack. “ But I know you can do better than that.”

I glared at him, determined to prove him wrong. I swung at him, aiming for his side, but he sidestepped me effortlessly, coming up behind me so quickly I didn’t even realize it until I felt his breath near my ear.
“ Too slow,” he whispered.

A shiver ran down my spine. His voice was so close, the warmth of his breath sending a rush of heat through me. I spun around, trying to catch him off guard, but he was already gone, moving just out of reach with that maddening smirk still on his face.

I gritted my teeth, trying to push past the distraction, but it was impossible to ignore the way he moved—like a predator circling its prey, confident and in control. He wasn’t just testing my combat skills; he was toying with me.

He lunged at me again, this time feinting left before coming at me from the right. I barely managed to block in time, our bodies colliding for a brief moment. The heat of his skin against mine sent a shock through me, and I faltered, giving him just enough of an opening to pin me against the ground.

“ Focus, little one,” he said softly, his face inches from mine. “ You’re losing concentration.”

I could feel the weight of his body pressing down on me, his hands pinning my wrists to the ground. My heart pounded in my chest, not just from the exertion but from the way his eyes burned into mine. There was something dark, something hungry in his gaze that made the air between us feel heavy.

“ I am focused,” I shot back, breathless.

His eyes darkened further, a slow smile creeping onto his face as he leaned closer, his lips barely brushing against my ear. “ You’re not. You’re distracted.”

And he was right. How could I not be? The way he looked at me, the way his voice dropped into that low, intimate tone—it was impossible to think clearly.

With a sudden surge of strength, I shoved him off, rolling to my feet and preparing for the next round. But my heart was racing for reasons that had nothing to do with the sparring.

Kaden stood, his movements unhurried, as though the fight had barely affected him. His gaze was locked on mine, filled with a mix of desire and something else—something possessive. He moved closer, slowly, deliberately, until there was almost no space between us.

“ Tell me,” he whispered, his voice like silk, “ what’s distracting you so much?”

I swallowed hard; my throat suddenly dry. “ Nothing.”

“ Liar,” he murmured, his lips curving into that infuriating smile again. His hand reached out, gently brushing a stray lock of hair from my face, and I felt my skin burn where his fingers touched.

“ Kaden,” I warned, trying to sound stern, but my voice came out softer than I intended.

He chuckled softly, stepping even closer, his breath warm against my skin.

Kaden’ muscles rippled beneath my fingers as we continued sparring. His movements were sharp, calculated, and his eyes never left me. Every time I thought I had an opening, he’d counter my attack effortlessly, reminding me how skilled he was. Yet, beneath the combat, there was an undercurrent of something else, something that made my heart pound a little harder each time he got close.

And then, just as I thought I had him, Kaden moved faster than I could react. His arm hooked around my waist, and in a swift motion, he spun me off balance, knocking me onto my back. I barely had time to catch my breath before he was on top of me, pinning me to the ground. His massive frame pressed against mine, his hands gripping my wrists and holding them above my head.

His face hovered just inches from mine, his breath hot against my skin. I could feel the weight of his body, the strength of his muscles as he held me down. My heart raced, but it wasn’t from fear. It was something else, something deeper. Something that had been building between us from day one, ever since I arrived in Valtor.

I stared at his lips. They were perfectly plump, yet undeniably masculine. Inches away from mine. I couldn’t tear my eyes away, couldn’t stop the thoughts running through my mind. The desire in his gaze was so visible, so raw, but there was something else there too. Restraint. He was holding back, fighting something that I could feel tugging at me as well.

Everything about him pulled me in like a magnetic force, and the anger I had felt towards him for kissing me that day when I had been asleep on the bench in the garden. It vanished. In this moment, with him above me, his body pressed against mine, I finally understood why he had done it. The mating bond was real. It wasn’t something I could ignore or deny anymore. Because if I were in his position—if I felt the same pull he was feeling that day he kissed me—I would have done the same thing.

Before I even realized what I was doing, I lifted my head and pressed my lips to his.

The instant our lips met, something inside me erupted, something I had never felt before. A heat so intense it felt like it could burn me from the inside out. Kaden’s eyes widened in shock at first, his body tensing above mine. But then, as if a dam had broken, he released his grip on my hands, and I immediately cupped his face in both of mine, pulling him closer.

His kiss was gentle at first, almost hesitant, but then it deepened. He kissed me with such patience, like he had been waiting for this moment for so long. I had never kissed anyone before. But with him, it felt natural, like it was as easy as breathing.

I couldn’t stop. I didn’t want to. I wanted more of him, more of this connection that seemed to pulse between us. My hands slid down to his shoulders, feeling the heat of his skin beneath my fingers, the strength in his muscles as he moved closer, his body pressing me deeper in to the ground. My entire body felt like it was on fire, every inch of me aware of his presence, of the way his lips moved against mine, of the way he made me feel things I had never felt before.

But then, through the haze of desire, I realized something.

This was my chance. My advantage.

With a sudden surge of strength, I pushed against him, catching him off guard. He let out a soft grunt of surprise as I flipped our positions, pinning him beneath me. Now, it was my turn to smirk down at him, feeling the rush of victory as I straddled him, holding his wrists to the ground.