CHAPTER 441: WRONG TIMING

Evaline:

The last waves of pleasure shuddered through me, leaving my body trembling and my heart racing in a rhythm that refused to slow. I could still feel Kieran’s weight against me, his warmth seeping into my skin, his breath ragged against my neck.

My mind floated somewhere between exhaustion and bliss as his lips began to move - softly, almost reverently - down the side of my neck.

Each kiss was feather-light, tracing a path that made my skin tingle. I felt him pause just a breath away from Draven’s mate mark... the mark that still glowed faintly whenever my emotions spiked. My pulse jumped, and anticipation flooded my veins. Just one touch, one press of his lips, and I knew the rush of pleasure that would follow would be overwhelming. I waited, breath caught in my throat.

But instead of claiming me there, his lips veered away, trailing upward again, kissing along my jaw before capturing my mouth in a deep, lingering kiss.

The kiss was slow, tender, yet there was something else hidden beneath... restraint. His lips moved against mine with devotion rather than urgency, as though he wanted me to feel every unspoken word between us. I kissed him back, my hands brushing against his shoulders, trying to pull him closer. But then, just as the warmth between us began to rise again, he pulled away.

Kieran drew back slightly, his chest still heaving, and then he withdrew from me completely. The sudden absence of him left me cold and disoriented. Before I could say a word, he climbed off the bed, disappearing into the bathroom without a glance back.

For a moment, I just lay there, staring at the ceiling, my heart still pounding, my thoughts spinning in confusion. When he returned, he was wearing pajama bottoms, his hair damp from where he must have splashed water on his face. And in his hand was a wet towel.

My brows knitted together as he came to my side, his expression soft but unreadable. Without saying anything, he sat beside me and used the towel to gently wipe me clean. His touch was delicate - careful, even tender - but the quietness between us was deafening. I watched him, too stunned to speak, my chest tightening with each second that passed.

When he finished, he pulled the blanket over me, tucking it carefully around my shoulders like I might get cold. I blinked at him, still trying to make sense of what he was doing.

Didn’t I just ask him to mark me? Didn’t he want to mark me?

The question burned at the back of my throat, but no words came out. He stood again, taking the towel back to the bathroom, leaving me to stare at the empty space where he had been sitting. My fingers clenched the blanket. Something inside me started to twist - a mix of worry and something painfully close to rejection.

What happened?

Why didn’t he mark me?

I turned toward the sound of his returning footsteps. He came back quietly and climbed into bed beside me. The mattress dipped under his weight, and before I could move, his arm slid around my waist, pulling me back against his chest. His warmth enveloped me instantly.

He didn’t say anything at first. He just buried his face into my hair, inhaling deeply, like he was trying to memorize my scent. Then I heard it - a low, rough sound that escaped his throat, something between a groan and a sigh.

His lips brushed against my ear. "You smell like me now," he murmured, his voice deep and husky, sending a shiver down my spine.

He pressed a kiss just beneath my ear, on that sensitive spot that always made me tremble. My body responded before my mind could catch up, a quiet gasp leaving my lips. His mouth continued its journey down my neck, slow and deliberate, each kiss more heated than the last until he stopped right above my throbbing pulse.

My heart leapt to my throat. His teeth grazed my skin, lightly... testing, teasing. My breath hitched.

Oh. So that was it.

He was going to mark me now.

My body tensed in anticipation, my fingers curling against his arm. The air felt charged, alive, like the universe was holding its breath.

But just as I was about to close my eyes, waiting for that sharp, blissful pain of his bite, Kieran groaned and pulled away. His forehead dropped against my shoulder, his breath shaky, his entire body trembling as though he was fighting himself.

The anticipation inside me shattered into confusion. I turned in his arms, pushing lightly against his chest until he lifted his head. His expression made my heart ache... his eyes were stormy with restraint, frustration, and something that looked a lot like pain.

"Kieran..." My voice wavered. "Why do you keep stopping?"

He flinched at my tone. "Evaline-"

"Don’t," I whispered, cutting him off. "I’m not angry, I just... I don’t understand. You said you wanted to mark me. So why won’t you?"

He exhaled slowly, his hands still holding me close. "Because if I do, I won’t be able to let you go for days."

I blinked. "What?"

His lips curved into a sad smile, his thumb brushing against my cheek. "You must already know it from experience that marking a mate isn’t something that ends in a moment, Evaline. Once I mark you, our bond will deepen. My wolf will take over for a while. We’ll crave each other constantly - sex, touch, scent, everything. We’ll barely be able to stay apart."

His words sank in slowly, and I frowned. "And that’s... bad?"

He chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Not bad. Not at all. But right now, it’s bad timing."

I stared at him, understanding slowly dawning.

"The exams," he reminded gently. "You have got your assignments, projects, presentations - all of it due in the next three weeks. You just started catching up from the leave you took earlier. And I..." He sighed, leaning back slightly. "I have to finish supervising the assessments, prepare reports, and conduct the student evaluations. If I mark you now, love, we won’t be able to focus on any of it."