Chapter 119

Declan stayed over me, his weight pinning me to the bed. He was breathing hard, and his dark eyes moved slowly from my face to my throat.

The mark on my neck pulsed.

The feeling of being owned made me sick. Declan gripped my jaw, forcing me to look at him.

“You have no idea how much I want you,” he whispered.

My heart hammered. For a moment, I thought he was going to finish the bond right then. But he suddenly stopped. He closed his eyes, his body going stiff like he was fighting himself.

Then, he pushed away. I watched him, shocked, as he stood up and ran a hand through his hair.

“No,” he said, sounding angry. He straightened his shirt. “I can wait.”

I stayed still on the bed, my chest heavy. “What?”

“If we finish the bond now, it might ruin the trials,” he said, his jaw tight. “I won’t waste your gifts just because I lost control for one night.”

The way he called my powers "gifts" made me shudder.