Depthless Hunger - Chapter 288: Old Enemies, New Friends

[Mature Content:]Alaric was too close to Nicolette.Her mouth was just inches away from his.He could smell the lavender on her skin, the heat radiating from within her.But he held back, refusing to be carried away by her charm…“Mr. Allens…” she purred, and he looked down at her.Her eyes widened with desire, and he knew, in that moment, that if he wanted to kiss her, she would let him.The last thing he wanted was commitment. He knew that Nicolette didn’t want that either.But why was she this tempting?So willing?It was that willingness that confused him.She blinked, then swallowed as she pulled the jacket off her shoulders. His eyes lingered on her exposed neck.God.He just wanted to bury his mouth in that hollow spot.“Here,” Nicolette said calmly, extending the jacket to him.He took the jacket, his hand brushing hers just a second. She flinched, her face turning pink as she clutched the towel against her chest.His stomach flipped at the sight.If only that towel would give way to…Before he could stop himself, Alaric pressed his arousal against her stomach, pushing her against the wall, cornering her.She gasped at the sudden movement and for a moment, he lost his mind.“Cole…” he breathed, crushing himself against her.Her eyes gleamed with desire and a vulnerability that rocked him to his core.He would be foolish not to give in to this feeling.But he would also be a fool if he did.She had chosen to marry him.Not her boyfriend.And definitely not Lucian Crawford.Yet, he couldn't help it.She was only his for a year.But still…***************When her business and the gallery she inherited from her mother burn to the ground, Nicolette Voss is determined to rebuild—and get revenge on her father.She turned to her father’s rival, Alaric Allens, for an alliance.Alaric is willing to help, but on one condition—she must be his wife for a year.They called him Ruthless Alaric after an infamous incident 6 years ago. Alaric is back in town, and so are the crumbs of his past. But he is determined to change everything with a wife.He has his hidden agenda.She needs her revenge.But will this marriage between storm and steel survive the heat? And what will they do when deep secrets threatens to destroy them both?

their example, leading to continuous warfare! However, the aboriginal people of this otherworld who have been blinded by the aesthetics of violence! Rightnow! And in the future! Let me teach you what kind of mecha represents the romance of a man! Let me show you what kind of propulsion is the iron torrent! Let me instruct you what kind of weapon is the deterrence for peace (implied by “nuclear” here)! Let me! Teach you! What exactly is the air-to-ground cluster offensive and the all-round air, sea, and land strike!! Gentlemen! I, indeed, love war! But what I love even more is to stop war with war and bring about a prosperous future where the whole world is unified for thousands of generations! Unite all nations and subdue all races! When the whole world is united as one, it will last forever...

Content Advisory: Some scenes may be intense or disturbing. Reader discretion is advised.Three hundred years ago, in the Empire of Elarion, the Goddess of Resentment, Khaeren, cursed humanity for their greed of power and lust while the Goddess of Healing, Mirath, blessed certain souls with the power to heal.Duke Alaric Davenmore, a famed swordsman, is tasked with leading a unit to fight the monsters born from this ancient curse along with his twin brothers Lyric and Sylas, and the youngest prince Cael. In search of a healer, they find Soren, a quiet commoner persuaded by a friend to apply. But they only see him not as a true healer—only a substitute.Even as an exceptional healer, not only did the nobles ignore but even the temple doesn't want a commoner inside their sacred ground.Soren cannot feel physical pain, but his heart carries a lifetime of emotional wounds. As they fight monsters and face the dangers of the empire, will their differences keep them apart, or will they finally acknowledge the feelings they've been trying to ignore?And for Soren, who has never truly felt before—will he finally discover what it means to be healed, or sink deeper into the abyss within his heart?

Born of a great family, world shaking genius.