Crowned by Fate Chapter 159

Adrian's POV

Her touch sent sparks through me, even through the fabric of my shirt.

This close, I could see the gold flecks in her green eyes, count each silver eyelash.

"I want you to mark me," she said suddenly.

I blinked, caught off guard. "What?"

"Mark me. Right now." Her hands moved to the buttons of my shirt, working them open with sure fingers. "Make me yours forever. Then we'll never be separated, no matter what happens."

"Skye, we're still in the maze," I said, catching her hands. "This might not be the right time."

She laughed, a sound like silver bells. "What does that matter? Our love is real whether we're in a maze or a palace or standing under the stars. Mark me, Adrian."

A thought struck me then, making me hesitate. "I want to mark you more than anything. But you still have a mate bond with Leon. I don't know if marking you while that bond exists would hurt you."

Her green eyes flashed with something I couldn't quite identify. "I don't care."

"Skye..."

"No, listen to me." She cupped my face in her hands, her gaze intense. "I love you. Only you. Not Leon, not anyone else. You are the only man I will ever love, and I will never, never betray you."

The ferocity in her voice, the fierce certainty in her eyes, shattered my last defenses. She meant it. Every word. But a small, nagging voice in my mind whispered that this wasn’t the Skye I knew—this boldness, this unrelenting pursuit, felt foreign, almost too perfect. Yet, as her hands slid up my chest, warm and insistent, my doubts began to blur, melting under the heat of her touch.

"You’re sure?" I asked one more time, my voice barely above a whisper, searching her face for any trace of hesitation.

"I've never been more sure of anything in my life." She pulled my head down until our foreheads touched. "Mark me, Adrian. Make me yours in every way that matters."

My resolve crumbled. I captured her mouth in a searing kiss, pouring all my love and desire into it. She responded eagerly, her hands resuming their work on my shirt buttons.

"Let me comfort you," she whispered against my lips. "Let me take the pain away."

Her mouth moved to my neck, kissing and sucking at the sensitive skin there. I tilted my head back, giving her better access. My wolf rumbled with pleasure, wanting more.

Something's wrong, a small voice in the back of my mind whispered.

But when Skye's teeth grazed my throat, all rational thought fled.

She pushed my shirt off my shoulders, her hands exploring the muscles of my arms and back. Everywhere she touched felt like fire, burning away the grief and guilt until only desire remained.

I captured her mouth again, kissing her deeply. She tasted sweet, like honey and summer rain. My hands tangled in her silver hair, holding her close as our tongues danced together.

She pressed against me, soft curves molding to hard planes. The scent of her arousal filled my nostrils, making my wolf pace restlessly. He wanted to claim her, to mark her as ours forever.

When she pulled back to catch her breath, her lips were swollen from our kisses. Her eyes had darkened to forest green, pupils blown wide with desire.

"Touch me," she commanded, guiding my hands to her waist.

I obeyed, sliding my palms up her sides, feeling the heat of her skin through her shirt. She arched into my touch with a soft moan that nearly undid me.

My mouth found her throat, kissing the spot where her pulse fluttered like a trapped bird. She tilted her head, offering me better access, offering me everything.

"Do it," she breathed. "I need to feel your teeth in my skin, your claim on my soul."

My fangs dropped, responding to her plea. The urge to bite, to claim, was overwhelming. My wolf howled his approval, desperate to bind her to us forever.

I kissed lower, following the elegant line of her throat to where it met her shoulder. The perfect spot for a mating mark. My teeth scraped against her skin, not breaking it yet, just teasing.

"Please, Adrian," she gasped, her hands gripping my shoulders, nails digging into my skin. "I need you. I need this."

Her body pressed closer, her hips grinding against mine, the friction sending a jolt of pleasure through me that made my vision blur. She was relentless, her hands sliding under my waistband, her touch bold and unapologetic, pulling me deeper into the haze of desire.

My mind was melting, drowning in her scent, her touch, her voice. Nothing existed but Skye and the primal need to make her mine. My fangs pressed harder against her skin, ready to pierce, ready to claim.

A voice cut through the haze of lust like a blade of ice.

"Adrian！"

I froze, my teeth still against Skye's throat. That voice. I knew that voice.

Slowly, reluctantly, I pulled back and turned toward the source of the interruption.

Another Skye stood in the doorway.