The Alpha's Forbidden Vow novel Chapter 96

The cave swallowed Cora’s footsteps, leaving only the moon’s eerie hum pulsing through the damp stone.

Zane’s presence hit like a thunderclap, raw and electric, making my ears ring and my chest tighten. His eyes flickered—gold splintering into crimson, glowing like coals steeped in blood. That hue screamed hunger, primal and unrelenting.

His growl rumbled low, possessive, vibrating through my bones. He loomed, all taut muscle and sharp angles, a predator barely leashed. In a heartbeat, he was on me, his weight pinning me to the furs, hot and heavy. Fear stabbed my gut, sharp and cold, but a deeper heat stirred, drawing me to him like a moth to flame.

My head spun, the intensity overwhelming. My fingers scrabbled across the furs, clawing for Cora’s amulet—my last anchor against his feral rut. His crimson gaze tracked my movement, and the air turned frigid with his fury. He thought I was pulling away, rejecting his claim.

“No chance in hell,” he snarled, voice rough as gravel. His hand caught my wrist, pinning it to the furs with a grip firm but not cruel. My fingers brushed the amulet’s edge when his squeeze cracked it, a shard slicing my palm. Blood bloomed, a thin scarlet line, and I gasped at the quick sting.

His eyes softened for a moment, crimson dimming. Zane—my Zane—stared at the blood, guilt twisting his face. “Selene…” he murmured, voice thick with regret. But the blood’s scent hit, rich and heady, and his restraint shattered. Crimson flared, wild and consuming.

He lifted my hand, nose grazing the cut, inhaling like it was his salvation. A low, hungry growl rumbled. His tongue traced the wound, slow and possessive, tasting me like I was his alone.

“Look at you, aching for me,” he said, voice low and filthy. His thumb grazed my nipple, pinching just hard enough to make me gasp. Pain melted into heat, my body arching into him. His pheromones hit harder, a wave that stung my eyes, but the bond’s pull drowned it out.

His lips found my neck, teeth scraping, leaving a red mark. His tongue lapped it, slow and claiming, each swipe sending sparks through me. “Spread your legs,” he growled, voice thick with command. My thighs parted, trembling, yielding to his heat. His fingers slid down, teasing my slick folds, ready despite the pain.

“So damn wet,” he snarled, smirk sharp as a knife. I moaned, hips bucking, and he pressed harder, his touch both cruel and perfect. “Zane—” I gasped, but his growl silenced me, low and ravenous.