Lumina’s breath caught the moment she saw his face sweat-slicked, bloodied from the fight, eyes dark with a storm of emotions that mirrored her own.

She smacked his outstretched hands away, the sharp slap echoing in the dim hut.

Her heart raced, a wild blend of fury and longing she refused to name. She stood up quickly, cloak swirling around her, intent on fleeing this complication, this man who had shattered her trust.

But Ashen was faster. His hand shot out, fingers closing around her wrist in a firm grip that sent sparks up her arm. "What are you doing here? How did you even..."

She yanked her arm free, even as excitement fluttered traitorously in her chest. He had come for her and never disappointed her when it mattered most but the memory of him with Breilla burned too hot.

"Lumina!" he yelled, anger flaring in his voice.

"Why are you here? Do you know something would have happened to you if I was not fast enough? How do you think that would make me feel, knowing you got hurt?"

"Let me go! Do you not have your woman? The one you love so much? Let me..."

He pulled her back roughly, spinning her to face him. His chest heaved, eyes narrowing.

"You are pissing me off so badly right now. Do not mess with me, or I will not take it lightly."

She scoffed, shoving at his chest. "Oh, please. Let me go."

"Why the heck did you even leave without letting me know!" His voice cracked with frustration.

The words ignited her and she smacked him hard across the face, the sting vibrating through her palm. "Oh, you finally know you have a wife, right? Do you not want to make Breilla yours?"

He stared at her in shock, hand touching his reddening cheek. "What in the world are you talking about!" he yelled back.

"Do not yell at me!" She stepped closer, fury boiling over.

He raised his hands in surrender, trying to calm her. "I am sorry, okay? Just tell me what you mean. Do you not know how crazy I went knowing you left?"

She scoffed again, rolling her eyes. "Anyway, our marriage will be dissolved soon. After all, I warned you never to kiss or even be close to her, but what did I see? You do not care."

"Dissolved?" His voice broke with shock. "How come we are suddenly dissolving the marriage? Lumina, do not play with me."

"Do not call my name." She yelled back, scoffing, turning away.

"Fine, my queen." He sighed, but ignored her protest as he pulled her closer, arms wrapping around her waist despite her squirming. "I missed you so much."

"I do not miss you." She let out in return, but her voice wavered, body betraying her with a shiver at his touch.

He sighed again, then bent and scooped her up effortlessly, ignoring her protests. "How come you are here? How did you find your way here?"

The Kraken Beast made a low, rumbling sound from its slumbering form, stirring slightly.

Lumina wanted to leave, to escape this confusing pull toward him, but he pulled her back tighter against his chest.

"Let me go!" she yelled, but he smacked her butt lightly, shutting her up with a gasp of surprise.

He carried her out of the hut and deeper into the forest, rain pattering softly on leaves overhead.

The path led to a small cottage hidden among ancient trees, cozy and secluded, built from weathered oak and stone, with a thatched roof covered in moss.

Vines climbed the walls, blooming with night flowers that glowed faintly in the dark.

Smoke curled from a stone chimney, promising warmth inside. A wooden door creaked open to reveal a simple interior, a stone hearth with a crackling fire casting golden light over a worn rug, a table scattered with herbs and maps, and a large bed piled with soft furs and quilts. It smelled of pine and earth, a hidden sanctuary far from realms and thrones.

He dropped her onto the bed, the mattress sinking under her weight. She yelled at him immediately.

"What do you want?"

Before she could scramble away, he was on her body pressing down, strong hands grabbing both of hers and pinning them above her head.

She struggled, twisting beneath him, but a sudden string of silver light appeared from nowhere celestial magic, perhaps triggered by her own bracelet or his will wrapping around her wrists and binding them to the headboard.

No matter how she pulled and yanked, the bonds held fast, unyielding but soft against her skin. She could not escape.

"Ashen!" she yelled, rage and something hot mixing in her voice.

He stared down at her, eyes dark with a storm of anger and desire. "I have been controlling myself," he growled, voice low and rough. "But no longer."

His mouth crashed down on hers, a deep, demanding kiss that stole her breath.

His lips moved with fierce possession, tongue delving in to claim every inch, tasting her tears and fury.

She bit his lip in anger, drawing a hiss from him, but he did not pull back. Instead, he deepened the kiss, one hand tangling in her silver hair to hold her steady, the other trailing fire down her side. She moaned against her will, body arching despite her rage.

He broke the kiss only to trail his lips along her jaw, nipping at the sensitive skin. "You left me," he murmured against her throat, voice thick with emotion. "You think I could just let you go?"

She rage-baited him even as molten heat flooded her core. "Let me go, you bastard! Go back to Breilla!"

Ashen’s eyes flashed with hurt and dark fury. He sank his teeth into the side of her neck, biting hard enough to leave a claiming mark. She gasped sharply at the sting. "Never say her name again," he snarled against her flushed skin.

His free hand attacked the ties of her gown with impatient, rough tugs. When the laces caught, he ripped the fabric apart with a vicious tear, baring her boobs to the cool air.

She shivered, but the tremble had nothing to do with the cold. His rough palms were already sliding over her, squeezing her boobs, pinching and twisting her sensitive nipples until they throbbed and she arched off the bed with a loud, desperate moan.

"You enjoy this, don’t you?" he accused, voice low and husky, lips brushing hot against her collarbone. "You spit venom at me, but your pretty cunt is soaked and begging."

She bucked wildly beneath him, straining against the magical bonds that held her wrists.

"I hate you!" The words came out breathless and broken as his hand trailed lower.

Callused fingers traced her ribs, gripped her hips bruisingly, then dipped between her slick thighs. He found her dripping wet and thrust two thick fingers deep inside her without warning.

A sharp cry tore from her throat. Her back bowed violently as white-hot pleasure ripped through her. He thrust her with those fingers fast, ruthless, curling hard against that perfect spot while his thumb ground mercilessly over her swollen clit.

"You wanted a child, wife?" he growled hotly against her ear, nipping the lobe. "Then I am filling this tight little cunt tonight. I won’t stop until my seed takes and your belly swells with my heir."

Before she could hurl another insult, he crushed his mouth to hers in a savage kiss, swallowing her moans and the taste of her fury.

She still fought him, biting his tongue, thrashing beneath his heavy body but every brutal thrust of his fingers sent fresh waves of ecstasy crashing through her.

She craved the way he pinned her down, dominated her completely, his anger feeding hers in a dark, addictive spiral of hate and need.

He added a third finger, stretching her wider, pumping harder and faster. The wet, obscene sounds of her arousal filled the room. She gasped into his mouth, hips bucking frantically. "Ashen... stop..."

"No," he growled, breaking the kiss. He trailed sharp bites and sucking marks down her neck and over her breasts.

He latched onto one nipple, sucking hard, teeth grazing the sensitive peak while his fingers drove deeper, relentless.

Her walls clenched greedily around him, pleasure coiling tighter and tighter until she was shaking.

He yanked his fingers out suddenly, leaving her empty and whimpering in frustration.

In seconds he shed his torn cloak, bloodied shirt, trousers revealing his hard, scarred body and his thick, cock, already leaking with need for her. She stared hungrily despite her rage.

He gripped her thighs roughly, spreading her wide open, and notched the blunt head of his cock at her dripping entrance. "You are mine," he said, voice raw with possessive hunger and aching love. "No dissolution. No leaving. Ever."

He slammed into her in one brutal thrust, burying himself to the hilt. She cried out at the sudden, burning stretch, pleasure-pain exploding through her core.

He didn’t pause pulling back only to drive in again, setting a punishing, deep rhythm. His fingers dug into her hips, bruising as he held her in place and fucked her hard, the loud slap of skin against skin echoing with every savage stroke.

She rage-baited him through gritted teeth: "Harder, you coward!"

He snarled and gave her exactly what she asked for pounding into her faster, deeper, his thick cock dragging against that sensitive spot with every relentless thrust.

Between the brutal pace came flashes of raw tenderness: his mouth claiming hers in a deep, devouring kiss full of desperate love, his forehead pressing to hers as he whispered hoarsely against her lips.

"I missed you... goodness, I love you so fucking much."

She wrapped her legs around his waist as best she could with her bound wrists, meeting every powerful thrust, her moans turning into shameless cries.

He reached between their sweat-slick bodies, fingers rubbing tight, rough circles over her swollen clit.

She shattered around him with a broken scream of his name, her walls pulsing and clenching tight around his cock as intense waves of pleasure tore through her.

He followed right after, thrusting deep one final time and spilling inside her with a guttural groan, hot ropes of his seed flooding her womb.

"Take it all," he rasped against her neck. "You’re carrying my child now."

They collapsed together, tangled and panting, his cock still buried deep inside her. The magical bonds slowly faded. She smacked his shoulder weakly, though there was no real force behind it. "Let me go."

"Never," he whispered, pressing a surprisingly soft kiss to her swollen lips. "You are mine forever."