Casts 53_Crowned by Fate

Chapter 53 

 Skye’s POV

 “Why are you so afraid to be alone with me?” Adrian demanded, his breath tickling my ear “What exactly are past afraid of t 

 I struggled to free myself from his embrace, squirming against his chest. My efforts only made an inescapable cage of muscle and warmth.

 him tighten his hold around my waist, trong vakavia

 “I’m not afraid.” I protested, grateful for the rabbit mask still covering my face. Without it, he would have seen the betraying heat flooding my cheeks, the vulnerability I couldn’t quite hide. “I just don’t think it’s appropriate for us to

 “Is it Ryder?” he interrupted, his voice dropping to a dangerous rumble. Do you have feelings for him?

 The question caught me off guard. Was that what this was about? Was the mighty Alpha of Oasisborn Pack actually jealous of a wolf eight years his junior

 Before I could formte a response, Adrian reached up and gently removed my rabbit mask.

 The cool desert air caressed my suddenly exposed face as moonlight bathed us both in its silver glow. Without the mask’s barrier, 1 felt naked, vulnerabile- every emotion inly visible for him to see.

 “No,” I answered honestly, meeting his gaze despite the flutter in my stomach. “I care for Ryder the way I’d care for a younger brother. I would never pursue something romantic with him.”

 Adrian’s eyes searched mine, as if hunting for any trace of deception. “Has he kissed you?” he asked bluntly.

 “What? No!” I eximed, genuinely shocked by the question. “Why would you even ask that?”

 A muscle twitched in Adrian’s jaw. “His song,” he exined, his voice tight. “The lyrics seemed… intimate. Personal.”

 Realization dawned as I recalled the chorus of Ryder’s performance. Better give me a kiss, your kiss, your kiss. My eyes widened with horror.

 “Oh no,” I groaned. “Is that what everyone thinks? That Ryder and I have been…” I couldn’t even finish the thought, mortification washing over me in waves. “The pack members, they don’t all believe we’re together, do they?” 

 Something shifted in Adrian’s expression then–a subtle softening around his eyes, the slightest upward tilt at the corner of his mouth.

 I found myself staring at his lips, noticing for the first how perfectly shaped they were.

 Ufortable with the direction of my thoughts, I turned my face away, only to feel warm fingers gently grasp my chin, turning me back to face him.

 His touch was surprisingly tender for someone with such strength, the calloused pad of his thumb ghosting across my lower lip in a way that sent electricity racing down my spine.

 My heart hammered wildly against my ribcage as Adrian leaned closer, his intention unmistakable. I should have stopped him. I should have reminded him that neither of us was the other’s mate. I should have thought of Nadia’s warnings and my own promises to maintain appropriate boundaries. 

 Instead, I remained frozen, caught between desire and doubt as his face drew nearer.

 Then his lips were on mine, warm and insistent, stealing the breath from my lungs.

 When I didn’t pull away, it deepened, bing something hungrier, more primal. His hand moved to cradle the back of my head, fingers threading through my silver hair as he angled my face to deepen the contact.

 me securely in his 

 I had been kissed before–awkward, fumbling teenage experiences that paled inparison to this. Adrian kissed with the same feed intensity he brought to everything else, as if the world beyond our shared breath had ceased to exist. His other arm remained firmly around my waist,p as his mouth imed mine with growing urgency.

 Something ignited within me–a spark I hadn’t felt since that fleeting moment in the forest with Leon three years ago. But this was different.

 Chapter 53 

 I found myself responding, my hands moving of their own ord to rest against his chest, feeling the thundering heartbeat that matched so

 My tentative response seemed to ignite something in Adrian. Ilis kisses, once gentle, turned fierce and unrestrained, a wild edge to them that vit i coursing through me.

 I matched his intensity, my fingers curling into the fabric of his shitt, anchoring myself against the storm of sensation.

 Adrian’s hands began to wander, his touch both deliberate and electrifying. His fingers traced the sensitive skin of my neck, a slow, teasing carest that made my pulse race.

 Then, with a boldness that stole my breath, his hand slid beneath the hem of my T–shirt, gliding up my back. I felt the faint tug as he deftly unhooked my bra, the fabric loosening against my skin. His touch moved forward, hands slipping around to cup my breasts from behind, his palms warm and possessive.

 A shiver ran through me, a soft moan escaping my lips–only to be swallowed by the heat of his kiss. 

 The world narrowed to the points where our bodies connected. Adrian’s kisses grew more demanding, his tongue teasing mine as his hands explored with increasing confidence.

 Then, in a move that made my heart stutter, he gently guided my hand downward, pressing it against the front of his pants. My fingers brushed against the hard length of him, unmistakable even through the fabric, and a flush of heat surged through me at the raw evidence of his desire. 

 I hesitated, then let my hand linger, tracing the outline with a tentative curiosity that drew a low groan from him.<fnb93a> Chapters first released on f?i?n?d?n?o?v?e?l?</fnb93a>

 His other hand moved with purpose, slipping beneath the waistband of my jeans and into my panties. His fingers found me, warm and slick, and a low chuckle rumbled in his chest. 

 “You’re so wet,” he murmured against my lips, his voice rough with want.

 “You want this too, don’t you?” His tone turned teasing, a yful edge cutting through the intensity. “Could it be better than this?” 

 The words echoed Ryder’s song, but in this moment, they felt like a challenge, a promise.

 My breath hitched as his fingers moved, slow and deliberate, coaxing sensations that made my body arch instinctively toward him. His touch was skilled, each stroke sending sparks of pleasure through me, my hips shifting to meet his rhythm.

 I gripped his shoulders, nails digging into his skin as another moan slipped free, muffled by the press of his mouth. Adrian’s kisses deepened, his lips trailing along my jaw to the sensitive spot beneath my ear, where he nipped lightly, drawing a gasp from me.

 His free hand tugged at the hem of my jeans, fingers deftly undoing the button. The denim loosened, and he slid the fabric partway down my hips, exposing more of me to the cool desert air. His touch returned to my skin, tracing the curve of my thigh before slipping back to the heat between my legs, his movements growing bolder, more insistent.

 A sudden rity broke through the haze. I grabbed his wrist, halting his movement. “Adrian,” I whispered, my voice trembling with both desire and uncertainty. “This… this is my first time.”

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Casts 53