?Chapter 998:


    At the tavern earlier, she had made it clear—if they returned, he would stay with her. At that time, he hadn’t responded but had chosen to take her back. She interpreted this as his silent agreement. With his aloofness cracked just enough to let her in, she wasn’t about to waste the moment. There was a fire burning inside her, and she needed some distraction to help extinguish her anger.


    Every inch of her was temptation as she pressed herself against his chest, murmuring, “You said you’d stay. If you back out now, there’ll be consequences.”


    The second she leaned in, Ellis went rigid, his body tensing as if fighting itself. Her warm breathnded squarely on his chest, and he felt his heartbeat surge—loud and quick.


    Annoyance flickered across Ellis’ face as he hesitated, feeling the urge to push her away but fearing she might lose her bnce.


    That brief pause was all Charlette needed. With swift determination, she looped her arms around his neck, pulling him through the doorway and sealing them both inside.


    They were the sole upants of the house, meaning she could do as she pleased.


    Without warning, Charlette yanked Ellis down by the cor and crashed her lips onto his. There was nothing gentle about it. Her kiss came with a wild urgency, the kind born from something broken.


    Ellis, caught off guard, bent over, tasting the sharp tang of blood in his mouth. She had bitten him.


    Pain tightened his expression. He reached up instinctively, only for her to bind his wrists with her hair tie. Eyes widening, he demanded, “Charlette, what the hell are you doing?”


    His voice was raw, trembling at the edges, and for once, the control he had always held onto had slipped. Anger colored his face, creeping from his jawline up to his temples.


    But his fury didn’t frighten her. Instead, it made her curious. This time, the storm inside her didn’t pull her toward violence. It pulled her toward him. Contrary to his sharp demeanor, his lips were surprisingly soft.


    Charlette ran her tongue along the wound on his lips—courtesy of her earlier bite—savoring the taste before pulling back for a moment.


    Ellis’s chest rose sharply, tension carving deep lines into his brow. His breathing was heavy, but it was unclear whether he was seething or holding something else back. “Untie me,” he said, his voice hoarse.


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    She didn’t. Instead, she gave a yful tug at his shirt and led him toward the staircase.


    Wrists still bound, he nearly faltered, barely managing to keep his bnce as she pulled him upward—one step, then another—toward the third floor. Once inside the room, her restraint unraveledpletely. She shoved him onto the bed and leaned in, stealing another kiss that left no room for resistance.


    At some point, his sses slipped off, forgotten on the floor. Behind them, his eyes—no longer calm, no longer guarded—had shifted to a deep, unfamiliar crimson. Desire, fierce and untamed, flickered in the dark.


    Later that afternoon, Elena arrived back at the base to find the ce abuzz with news—N had been awarded a third-ss merit honor. Themendation hade directly from Lamont himself, and even Kason had been summoned back to handle the matter, stirring up quite themotion among the base.


    “This time, Dr. Vance was of great assistance. She managed to get the Healer to perform surgery on Lamont.”


    “Being the Healer’s protégé isn’t just a personal achievement—it’s something the entire Houis region can be proud of.”


    “With someone like Dr. Vance here, we won’t have to worry about a thing. She’s practically a walking insurance policy for the base.”


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