Page 88 of Taming the Kraken

Alexa snapped her head to look at Mikah. “What is he talking about?”

Mikah frowned and pursed his lips. “It seems like some of your memories aren’t there. You don’t remember? You and Ken … you two have been together. In a mate sense.” He cleared his throat as he watched her startled face.

“N-n-n-o. I … I don’t … I haven’t.” Alexa looked down as she tried to pull up her memories.

“You did … you have … and it was incredible.” Ken watched as her cheeks blazed with fire. Her mouth gaped slightly as she shook her head in denial.

“I don’t want to hear about it. I don’t want to hear these lies.” Alexa stepped backward, away from Mikah. “You’re lying to me too. I can’t trust anyone.”

“Lex … I mean, Xi.” Mikah quickly tried to recover from his mistake.

Alexa let out an airy snort. “Just as I thought. You still look at me as if I’m Alexa. You care for me as her and not as me.” She looked at him, wounded, feeling utterly alone.

“I care for you as you. You’re my princess no matter what.” Mikah pleaded as she took another retreating step back.

I trust Mikah. I trust Ken, a voice whispered in her head.

Who are you?

You don’t even know who I am? You don’t know the name of your own wolf? Do you know who you are?

I don’t need you.

What about your great-grandparents, who were killed by Erebus? Did you need them?

Alexa pressed a hand to her head as it began throbbing with pain, her eyes flickering between dark and blue as her inner struggle raged. She closed off the connection to the unwanted creature that was invading her mind. She had enough to deal with right now. She caught Ken moving toward her out of the corner of her eye and quickly threw her icy sphere at him.

It caught Ken by surprise, but he managed to successfully dodge the attack. His eyes lifted to hers. Her one eye was glowing red while her other eye flickered between dark and blue.

Dark smoke began to swirl around Alexa as she prepared to teleport again. Mikah leaped out, grabbing onto her. He was not going to let her disappear on him. He wrapped his arms around her tightly as she squirmed.

“Let go of me!” Alexa snarled and turned her hand into Mikah. She shot an icy sharp dagger into his chest. His eyes winced in pain as blood splattered behind him amd dripped from his mouth, but he refused to let go of her.

Alexa began to prepare another ice dagger as a stronger set of hands encompassed her, restraining her wrists. She was forcefully turned into Ken’s chest as Mikah slid to the ground.

“Alexa, you have to stop. I have to stop you. I won’t let you cause yourself this much pain.” Ken held her firmly as she thrashed against him, tightening his grip until he pinned her to his chest, her arms crossed and secured in one of his hands. He lowered his head to her neck and brushed his lips against her skin. Her body stilled, a slight shudder escaping her. “You see? Your body knows who I am,” he crooned to her as she began to fight against him again.

“Don’t fool yourself,” Alexa yelled at him as she tried twisting her body free.

“Lex,” Ken cooed to her. “I don’t want to hurt you. Let me help you. Why else do you think I would hold you like this and not fight you?”

“It tells me it’s been a long time since you’ve had a woman!” Alexa hissed, listening to Ken’s low chuckle.

“My love, you are the only woman for me, and we were together very recently.” Ken turned to look at Mikah, who was holding his chest and still on the ground. The wound was severe, and he hoped that because Mikah was a powerful guardian, he would be able to heal himself. A sharp shard of ice suddenly rose from the ground between Ken and Alexa. He maneuvered Alexa to the side, and the ice sliced him across the chest. The cold of it went in deeper than any blade, so cold it registered as fire, every nerve it touched jolting like live current. Then came the heat, his own blood spilling down his skin, warm where everything else was frozen. He didn’t look down at the damage. He turned his sad gaze to Alexa, who had meant that strike for the both of them.

“Are you alright?” Ken asked as he tried to look her over.

Alexa stood there, frozen. He’d taken the full force of her attack, protecting her. Why? Why would he protect her? And what was this agonizing feeling that was squeezing the oxygen out of her lungs? She felt like a mountain had fallen on her chest, and her body began to shake. She was staring at his wound and couldn’t stop trembling.

Alexa looked over to her side and the crimson-stained ground around Mikah. It was like her body was being slammed from the inside. Her heart was aching. She was shocked to feel wetness trickling down her face, falling to the ground by her feet. She turned back to look at the green eyes that were locked onto her. There was no anger there. Instead, he looked at her with sadness as he reached out to brush the wet streaks from her cheeks.

Ken’s body shifted, stepping into her space. He lowered his head, drawing closer to her. And before she could object, his hot lips covered hers in a fiery flash. Her eyes widened in shock as he forced his tongue into her mouth for a full invasion.

And for a brief moment, everything felt … right.

CHAPTER FIFTY

Alexa was in the depths of confusion. She couldn’t explain the waves of tingling pleasure nor the vague familiarity of his embrace. The sensual and electrifying way his tongue caressed hers was making her feel unsteady. Her body instinctively leaned into him, which deepened the kiss. In this moment, everything was right. This was where she was supposed to be. Right here, in Ken’s arms.