Chapter 3Escaping His Lethal Obsession

The truth is, for the past few years, we had an arrangement. A mutual reliance.

Oceanic hybrids have incredibly long gaps between their rut cycles. Usually, they only hit a fever pitch once every six months.

But I’m a rabbit. Every single month, I need to be touched, kissed, and grounded by a stronger scent.

Because of that disparity, I subconsciously convinced myself that I was the only one doing the taking. I was the burden. I had completely forgotten what season it was.

It was autumn. His needs were waking up.

Rhys had flicked the light switch off as he pushed me down. He is so much larger than I am. He looks lean in his military uniforms, but underneath, he is built of dense, unrelenting muscle. The moment his weight settled over me, I was entirely consumed.

...

When the lights finally came back on, I was a trembling, exhausted mess, my hair plastered to my damp forehead.

Rhys carried me into the adjoining bathroom.

His voice was still wrecked with gravel, his cheek pressed flush against mine.

"Are you ever going to say something like that to me again?" he murmured, the vibration traveling straight into my bones. "I raised you for sixteen years, Hazel. Did you think I’d let you use those words just to push me away?"

My ears flushed a bright, burning red. My tail ached. I bit my lip, eyes pooling with tears, completely too scared to answer.

The Feed flickered back to life across my vision:

[???]

[Wait, I thought I was reading a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers military romance about two badass Strike Commanders? What is happening right now?!]

[Where are the authors?!]

[Honestly, I’m kind of here for the angsty pseudo-incest trope. Keep it coming!]

[Chill, guys. It’s just the early chapters. The male lead hasn't even met the female lead yet. He’s just using the stepsister as a warm body. Once he lays eyes on the FMC, he’ll realize what real chemistry is!]