13. Zara

13

ZARA

T he ache between my thighs is incessant when I wake the next morning, making me groan. A warmth cocoons me as I shift, and I notice the heavy, muscled arm around my waist.

I tense as the memories of last night flood my mind. Aksel's powerful hands roam my body, his intense gaze piercing me, the way he claimed me repeatedly. I can't believe how much I craved his touch, how I begged for more even as he pushed me to my limits.

Thank God I'm on the pill for my acne, or I'd be scared I might have got pregnant last night how many times Aksel came inside me.

My heart races as I feel his warm breath on my neck. His grip on me is firm and possessive as if he's afraid I'll try to flee. The thought of escaping doesn't cross my mind, though. Instead, I find myself melting into his embrace, savoring the heat of his skin against mine.

I shift slightly, and he stirs, his muscles rippling. "Good morning, littlefugl," he murmurs, his voice thick with sleep. He nuzzles my hair, and I shiver at the intimacy of the gesture.

"Morning," I manage, my voice barely above a whisper.

Aksel's hand slides down my side, sending tingles through my body. "How are you feeling?" he asks.

I swallow hard, unsure how to respond. I'm still reeling from the events of last night, the way Aksel had so thoroughly dominated me and taken my virginity. But I've awoken to his raw power and magnetism, craving more.

"I'm...I'm okay," I finally manage, wincing at how unconvincing I sound.

Aksel chuckles, the rumble of it vibrating against my back. "That's good to hear." His grip tightens, and I know I'm not going anywhere, even if I want to.

I take a shaky breath, my mind racing. "Aksel, I'm not sure what this means, what we mean."

"It means you're mine. My little bird." He kisses the nape of my neck, sending a shiver down my spine. "And I plan to keep you that way."

I swallow hard. "But what about my research? I can't just?—"

"Shh." Aksel cuts me off, his thumb caressing my hip soothingly. "We'll figure that out. Right now, you're exactly where you're supposed to be."

I want to protest and insist I have a life and responsibilities outside this cabin. Outside of Noway. I live in Minnesota, for fuck's sake. I turn over to look at him, and the way Aksel looks at me, with a hunger that makes my breath catch, silences any objections.

"I'm not going to let you go," he murmurs. "You belong to me now."

I shudder at his words, partially thrilled at the idea of belonging to this powerful man. The rational scientist in me knows it's impossible. But as Aksel's lips find mine in a searing kiss, all coherent thought flies out the window.

When we finally part, both of us are breathless. Aksel smiles at me, his eyes dark with desire. "Get dressed. I have something to show you."

I nod mutely, my mind reeling while I watch him rise from the bed. As he pulls on a pair of jeans, I can't help but admire how the fabric clings to his thighs, the ink of his tattoos stark against his skin.

Aksel catches me staring and grins. "Like what you see, littlefugl?"

I blush, suddenly self-conscious. "I, um, I..." My voice trails off as Aksel approaches the bed, his movements fluid and graceful.

He leans down, his face mere inches from mine. "Don't worry, baby girl. You'll be seeing a lot more of me from now on."

I swallow hard as he leaves the bedroom and jumps out of bed. Grabbing a sweater and jeans, I get dressed while my mind is on a whirlwind of conflicting emotions: desire, fear, and confusion.

Making my way to the kitchen, I find him leaning against the counter with a steaming mug of coffee in hand. His gaze instantly locks onto me.

"There you are, littlefugl," he rumbles, setting his mug down. "I was starting to think you'd flown away on me."

I shake my head mutely, unable to find my voice momentarily.

Aksel crosses the room in a few long strides, crowding my space until I can smell the earthy scent of his skin and the hint of coffee on his breath. "Come with me," he murmurs, taking my hand. I shiver at his touch but allow him to lead me out of the kitchen.

We stop before the door he took me through last night, and Aksel pauses, looking at me. "Do you like hunting, Zara?"

I blink, surprised by the question. "Um, no, not really," I admit. "I don't like the idea of shooting animals or hurting them."

Aksel's lips turn into a slight smirk, but something is unsettling in his gaze. "Is that so? We'll have to see about changing your mind on that."

Before I can respond, he's opening the door and ushering me inside. My eyes widen as I take in the room we'd been in last night, but I was so wrapped up in him that I hadn't noticed that it's like a hunter's den. The walls are lined with mounted animal heads, weapons, and many creepy-looking masks. This is where we fucked last night, but it was dark, and I hadn't gotten a chance to really look around, too consumed by the man before me.

The mounted animal heads and weapons make me uneasy, but I force a smile onto my face. "Wow, you must really like hunting, huh?" I say, trying to keep my tone light.

Aksel's eyes glint with amusement as he watches me. "You could say that," he replies, his voice a low rumble. "Hunting is in my blood. It's a way of life here."

I nod, pretending to be fascinated as my nerves kick up a gear. "That's interesting! I've never really been around hunting before."

Aksel steps closer to me, his presence overwhelming in the small space. "Perhaps I could teach you sometime," he murmurs, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. His touch sends a shiver down my spine. "There's nothing quite like the thrill of the hunt, the rush of adrenaline when you have your prey in your sights."

I swallow hard, ignoring how my body reacts to his proximity. "That sounds intense," I manage, my voice wavering.

Aksel chuckles a deep, rich sound that reverberates through my very bones. "Oh, it is, littlefugl. But I think you might enjoy it more than you realize."

I force another smile, determined to keep the mood light. "Maybe! I'm always up for trying new things."

Aksel's gaze darkens, and I realize the double meaning in my words too late. "Is that so?" he murmurs, his hand sliding down to the small of my back. "I'll have to keep that in mind."

I blush, mentally kicking myself for my poor choice of words. "I just meant, you know, like hobbies and stuff," I stammer, trying to backtrack.

But he pulls me closer, his other hand cupping my cheek. "I know exactly what you meant, baby girl," he whispers hotly against my ear. "And I fully intend to explore all the new things we can try together."

I tense as Aksel's grip on me tightens, his body radiating an intensity that sets me on edge. "Why did you bring me in here?" I ask.

Aksel regards me with a serious expression, his brow furrowed. "There's something I need to admit to you."

A knot of dread forms in the pit of my stomach at his grave tone. I swallow hard. "O-Okay..."

He takes a deep breath. "When I first agreed for you to come stay here for your research, I had other intentions for you."

I frown, not liking where this is going. "What do you mean?"

Aksel's gaze bores into me, unflinching. "I had planned to lure you out into the wilderness under the pretense of helping with your work. And then hunt you."

The words hit me like a physical blow, making me recoil from him, sickened. "You were going to hunt me? Like an animal?"

He nods. "That was my original plan, yes. To track you through the woods and eventually..." He doesn't finish the sentence, but the implication is clear.

Bile rises in my throat as the horror of his admission sinks in. Shoving at him, I put some distance between us. This whole time, I had been blinded by my attraction to him. I convinced myself that despite his intensity, he was a good person. But now I see the truth—Aksel is a predator of the worst kind.

"You're depraved," I whisper, my voice shaking. "You were going to kill me?"

Aksel holds up a hand. "I know how it sounds. But when I met you in person, everything changed. You captivated me in a way I never could have anticipated." His eyes roam over me with undisguised hunger. "You're too special to harm, littlefugl. Don't you see? This is better."

I shake my head vehemently, backing away from him until I hit the wall. "No, this isn't better! You're completely unhinged!"

In that moment, every interaction we've had over the past few days takes on a sinister new light. How this man watched me with such intensity, the subtle threats laced into his words—it all makes sense now. He had truly intended to hunt me like prey.