14. Aksel

14

AKSEL

Z ara runs out of the hunting room.

She'll come around.

Sure, I intended to kill her before I met her, but the moment I met her, that changed. I can't shake the feeling of disappointment as Zara slams the door, locking herself away from me. I want to break the door down and force her to understand, but that would only reinforce her fear.

Instead, I lean against the door, resting my forehead on the cool wood. "Little bird," I call out. "Don't be scared. I would never truly hurt you."

There's no response, but I can hear her shaky breathing on the other side. I close my eyes, picturing her trembling form, her beautiful face contorted with terror. The thought of her fearing me cuts deep despite my usual indifference to others' emotions.

"I know I said some unsettling things," I admit. "But I live a different life out here, guided by primal instincts, not the rules of society. When I first brought you here, yes, I intended to hunt you like the prey you are."

I pause, running a hand through my hair. "But then I saw you. Really saw you. And everything changed. You awoke something in me, little bird. A hunger, a need that goes far beyond the physical."

Pressing my palm flat against the door, I imagine her on the other side, listening intently. "From the moment I looked at you, I knew you were meant to be mine. And I yours."

There's a slight creaking from inside as if she's moved closer. Encouraged, I continue in a low rumble. "I don't expect you to understand it right now. But I promise you, in time, you'll embrace the truth of who you are. And we'll be unstoppable together."

The silence that follows is heavy and loaded with tension. I can picture her internal struggle, the war between her ingrained sense of right and wrong and the dark, primal urges I've awakened within her.

Just as I'm about to try a different approach, her soft voice filters through the door. "I...I need some time," she says, her tone wavering. "This is all too much, too fast."

A slow smile spreads as I nod, even though she can't see it. "Of course, little bird. Take all the time you need."

Stepping back, I shoot one last glance at the door before turning to leave. She'll come around eventually.

After that intense conversation, I head out to the garage, needing space to clear my head. As I step inside, the familiar smells of motor oil and grease provide a strange comfort. This is my realm, where I'm in control.

Grabbing a wrench, I pop my truck's hood and get to work. The repetitive motion of tinkering with the engine quietens my mind for a few blessed moments. But it doesn't last. Zara's face keeps flashing in my mind's eye, those emerald eyes wide with fear and confusion.

I yank harder on a stubborn bolt. What I wouldn't give to have her here with me now, to chase away that haunted look with the heat of our bodies moving together. Just the thought of her soft curves pressed against me is enough to rekindle the fire burning low in my gut.

Gritting my teeth, I try to focus on the task at hand, but Zara has burrowed herself under my skin in a maddening way. It's insane how much I want her and crave her despite having had her multiple times last night. Each encounter only whets my appetite for more.

I recall her first time in the hunting room, how she bled on my dick. The way she trembled beneath me like a frightened doe. The way her innocence shattered with each thrust, those breathy whimpers of pain and pleasure driving me wild. And in the aftermath, cradling her spent body against mine, I knew I could never let her go.

Zara is mine. No matter how hard she fights, I'll never release her from my grasp.

The wrench clatters as I brace my hands on the fender, hanging my head. Get a grip, I chide myself. She'll come around. Once she accepts the truth of what we are, of this primitive bond between us, she'll never want to leave.

Nodding to myself, I straighten and grab a rag to wipe the grease from my hands. There's work to be done. Chores to complete, supplies to gather.

I imagine her by my side, a perfect partner in every sense of the word. Me the hunter and her the prey, only when I catch her I don't hurt her, I fucking breed her like she's meant to be bred.

Yes, that's exactly how it will be. She just needs a little more time to come to realize it.

A soft voice pierces through the air. "Aksel?"

I turn to face her and take in her red eyes and tear-stained cheeks. "Hey," I murmur, irritated that I care that she's been crying. "Are you okay?"

She hugs her arms around herself. "Have you hunted people here before?"

The question hangs heavy in the air between us. The obvious answer is yes—many times. But something stops the admission from passing my lips.

Instead, I meet her watery gaze steadily. "Does it matter?" My voice is a low rumble. "What matters is that I'm done with that life. You've awoken something new in me, little bird."

I step toward her, satisfaction flickering as she holds her ground. "Something primal. Animalistic." Another step, and I'm looming over her petite frame. "You've released the beast inside me, which hungers for you."

Her chest rises and falls with rapid breaths as my calloused fingers trace the delicate line of her jaw. "I want to hunt you, Zara." My thumb brushes her trembling lower lip. "But with a fundamental difference."

She holds her breath, waiting for me to continue.

"I want to breed you because you're my mate. And whenever I catch you, I'll fuck you as such, fill you with my seed." I press my lips to her neck and bite softly.

A whimper escapes her, eyes fluttering closed at my touch. Good, she's already falling under my spell again. Leaning in, I brush my lips against the sensitive skin below her ear. "Say you're mine, little bird. Say it, and I'll never let you go."

Zara shudders violently in my embrace. "I'm y-yours, Aksel. Yours."

I crush her body against mine, lips claiming her mouth in a searing kiss. She melts into me, all resistance evaporating under my onslaught of passion.

Breaking away, I grip her chin roughly to hold her unfocused gaze. "That's right, you belong to me now. Mind, body, and soul." I punctuate each word with a punishing kiss. "And I'm never letting you go."

She nods shakily, pupils blown wide with desire.

Good girl.

Scooping her up effortlessly, I carry my prize back into the cabin and to my bedroom. Zara clings to me, raining hot, open-mouthed kisses along my neck and jaw in a desperate bid for more.

I'll give her more, alright. By the time I'm through with her, she'll be utterly and permanently ruined for anyone else. Zara is mine to possess, to dominate, to breed.

Kicking open the bedroom door, I deposit her on the bed in a tangle of sheets. She gazes at me lustfully, and something primitive in me roars in approval.

"Get undressed, but leave the shoes," I growl, shredding my clothes. "I want you naked and waiting for me, little bird."

Zara doesn't hesitate, urgently stripping off her clothes with trembling hands as I stalk toward the bed. When she's bare before me, I pounce...