\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 63\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 63\u00a0<\/p>\n
Selene\u00a0<\/p>\n
I was breathing too hard. My lips trembled from the kiss, my pulse racing like it wanted to break through my ribs. My whole damn body tingled, heat curling low in my stomach, spreading like fire. And that was exactly why I slapped myself hard.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The sting burned across my check, but it yanked me back to my senses.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Goddess, what the hell are you doing, Selene?!\u00a0<\/p>\n
This was Alpha Damien. The wolf every pack in the world feared. The man who could wipe out an entire pack in a single night and sleep soundly afterward.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Why in all the hell was I kissing him like I missed him? Like I wanted more?\u00a0<\/p>\n
My mind screamed at me, furious, and panicking.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Yes, I had to kiss him because of the guard. Fine.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But why did I continue after he left? I could\u2019ve stopped. I should\u2019ve stopped. But the moment he kissed me again, my body reacted like it belonged to him, like it had been waiting for that warmth.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And worse, I was enjoying it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When his mouth touched my neck, a shiver so sharp ran through me that I was sure Mira woke up from her slumber. For a moment, I thought I heard her say, \u2018Let him mark you, Selene\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n
I froze inside. That wasn\u2019t real. It couldn\u2019t be real. Mira would never say something so ridiculous about a man like him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mark me? Yeah, right. That would be impossible. Why don\u2019t I just spend my life with him and have his pup then. I thought sarcastically. He is dangerous. I must avoid him in this lifetime. Stay away from him at all cost. He is the most important man in the world.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I repeated the warning to myself like a damn prayer.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I pressed my hand against his chest and pushed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My strength was laughable against someone like him, but he still stepped back, giving me space. Or maybe he allowed it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I swallowed hard.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Even with distance between us, my skin still tingled where he had touched me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Honestly? I didn\u2019t hate him, not even after he had taken my life nine times. I barely knew him. I only knew him on the battlefield, cold, emotionless, cutting down every one of my men without a second thought. And the stories, the terrifying stories I\u2019d heard about him. I knew the man I had faced in countless lives, the monster everyone whispered about, the nightmare children feared.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But the man standing in front of me now, he wasn\u2019t that cruel. Even at the auction, walking behind me, he wasn\u2019t the ruthless monster I had imagined. He was patient. He even let me cheat him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Was he planning something? Was this all calculated? What was he even doing in the Mooncrest pack? He never went to other packs like this. I had so many questions, but I would rather die than ask them out loud.\u00a0<\/p>\n
If he realized I knew exactly who he was, who knows what would happen.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I forced a smile and deepened my voice, praying he still saw me as nothing but some random man he\u2019d accidentally\u00a0<\/p>\n
12:56 Tue, Dec 23\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 63\u00a0<\/p>\n
stumbled into and kissed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cUh\u2026 thanks, dude,\u201d I said, forcing out the words awkwardly. \u201cI owe you one.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Damien raised an eyebrow at me, and the moment his eyes met mine, I panicked and looked away like a guilty idiot.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Even his gaze did something to me. That was the worst part.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHmm, about the kiss, you know\u2026 that\u2019s just a greeting. That\u2019s how the Mooncrest pack greets each other.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
There was a moment of silence. Yeah, a moment of silence right before I expected to be killed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His voice echoed through the cave. \u201cBy kissing people on the lips?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I nodded stiffly. \u201cYeah\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He just stared. After a painfully long silence, he asked, \u201cSo you greet everyone that way? By kissing them on the lips?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNo!\u201d I snapped instinctively, then I froze, realizing I\u2019d just blown my own lie. I scrambled to fix it. \u201cI-I mean, yes. Yes! Of course. I kiss everyone. On the lips. All the time. Constantly. It\u2019s very normal around here. I was just glad to see another person in the mountains so I kissed you. I hope you don\u2019t mind. We\u2019re both men so\u2026 yeah. Nothing big.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I wanted to vomit or hit myself. Or knock myself unconscious with a rock.\u00a0<\/p>\n
What the hell was I even saying? Did I have a death wish? Did I want the Demon of the West to kill me?\u00a0<\/p>\n
I finally forced myself to meet his gaze, expecting anger, disgust, maybe even murderous intent. But he didn\u2019t look angry.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He was staring at me. No, at my lips. I licked them without thinking, and his eyes followed the movement like it was instinct.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My face burst into flames.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Damn it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I never reacted like this with anyone else. Why him? Why was he the only one who made me forget how to be a functioning human being? He said nothing for a moment. Then he ran a hand through his hair and asked. \u201cWhat are you doing here?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Before I could answer, he grabbed the hem of his shirt, and pulled it off.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I froze.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Oh gods.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His body, broad shoulders, sharp lines, lean muscle carved like he\u2019d been sculpted by some very thirsty goddess, made my brain shut down. My heart slammed against my ribs, and I quickly jerked my gaze away.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI came to meditate,\u201d I stammered.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI see,\u201d he said simply.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I swallowed, fidgeting with my fingers as my gaze flicked toward the cave entrance. The guards were still out there, I could sense them. Besides, I couldn\u2019t leave, not unless he dismissed me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When I dared to peek at him again, he was in a hot spring built into the cave floor, steam curling around him. I hadn\u2019t even noticed it before. His arms were crossed over the edge, water trailing down his toned skin, and his eyes caught me before I could look away.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I snapped my gaze away so fast my neck almost broke.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 63\u00a0<\/p>\n
Where was I supposed to look? He was half-naked, maybe fully naked under the water, and my stupid heart was pounding as if I\u2019d run here from the capital.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Control yourself, woman.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t look at him. Don\u2019t look at the hot spring. Definitely don\u2019t imagine what\u2019s underwater.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Too late.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My face burned hotter than the steam.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stepped back. \u201cLet me give you some privacy, I\u2019ll wait out here.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNo need,\u201d Damien said calmly. \u201cSince we\u2019re both men, I don\u2019t mind the company.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I blinked at him. \u201cWhat?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He gave me a blank, unreadable look. \u201cJoin me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I opened my mouth again, disbelief spilling out. \u201cWhat?!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Damien tilted his head slightly, his tone dangerous. \u201cStrip off your clothes and join me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
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12:56 Tue, Dec 23\u00a0<\/p>\n
Editorial Board: Our editorial team works behind the scenes to refine each chapter, maintain consistency, and deliver the best reading experience.<\/p>\n
Hope Is Not Optional \u2014 Manuel Flores 63 \u00a0 Chapter 63\u00a0 Chapter 63\u00a0 Selene\u00a0 I was breathing too hard. My […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[82],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27857","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-ruthless-tycoons-obsession-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27857","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27857"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27857\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27857"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27857"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27857"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}