<h4>Chapter 212: Not Possible</h4>


    Candice stepped away calmly, smoothing her clothes as if she hadn’t just kissed him senseless.


    “Rx,” she said coolly. “You’ll live.”


    Osman spun toward where the portal had been, his eyes widening when he realized it was gone.


    “They left.”


    “Yes,” Candice replied simply. Then, as embarrassment crept up her spine, she added quickly, “And I honestly thought I’d be able toe with them and witness how the Alpha King’s wrath will pour down on Cain.” She cleared her throat, forcing herself to stayposed despite what she had just done.


    Osman’s fists clenched at his sides. “You tricked me.”


    She tilted her head, her brows creasing as a small pout formed on her lips. “You were the one who stopped us,” she shot back. Truthfully, she didn’t know how else she could have distracted himpletely. The kiss had been a desperate move, but it worked. After all, she knew he liked her.


    Osman cursed under his breath and took a step forward, but Candice raised a hand, stopping him in ce.


    “Don’t,” she warned. “If you chase them, you’ll only make things worse. For everyone.”


    He stared at her, caught between duty and frustration, his jaw tightening. Then his lips curled into a challenging sneer.


    “Then stop me,” he said as he moved again. “It’s not like Zander is the only one here who can create a portal.”


    With that, he strode straight toward An, Zander’s apprentice.


    “Seriously?!” Candice blurted out.


    She grabbed Osman’s hand and yanked him back before he could reach An. Acting on instinct, she quickly cast a spell, murmuring the words under her breath. A faint shimmer wrapped around their joined hands, binding him to her in ce.


    Osman growled, muscles tensing as he tried to pull away. “Stop it. Right. Now.”


    Candice nted her feet firmly, refusing to let go. “No,” she said, breathing hard. “You’re not going anywhere.”


    He red down at her, torn between breaking free and the strange restraint holding her back. But Osman stopped struggling.


    The sudden stillness caught Candice off guard.


    She blinked up at him, still gripping his hand, the faint glow of her spell pulsing between their palms. “What now?” she demanded warily. “Did you finally decide to behave?”


    His jaw flexed, golden eyes dark and unreadable. “I’m not going,” he said tly.


    Candice scoffed. “Oh, don’t start acting noble now. Five seconds ago, you were ready to tear a hole through space just to chase them.”


    “I said I’m not going,” he repeated, voice lower, steadier. “Not as long as you stay here with me.”


    Her breath hitched before she could stop it. “Excuse me?”


    “You heard me.” His gaze dropped briefly to their joined hands, then returned to her face with an intensity that made her pulse stutter. “You glued me to you, remember? So congrattions. You’re stuck with me.”


    She rolled her eyes, though her heart was beating far too fast for her annoyance to be convincing. “Don’t twist this into something it’s not. I was preventing you from doing something stupid.”


    “Funny,” he muttered. “That’s exactly what I was trying to do with you.”


    She gasped. “I was helping Althea!”


    “And I was following orders from the Alpha King,” he shot back. “Orders you deliberately ignored.”


    Candice crossed her arms, tugging him closer unintentionally because of the spell. “Oh please. Gavriel didn’t say I couldn’t help her.”


    “He said no one leaves,” Osman snapped. “That includes you.”


    “And since when do you get to decide what I can or can’t do?” she fired back. “You’re not my keeper.”


    His lips curved slightly, a dangerous hint of a smile tugging at the corner. “You kissed me to distract me. You cast a binding spell on me. And now you’re arguing about authority?”


    Her cheeks burned. “That kiss was tactical.”


    “Tactical,” he repeated dryly. “Right.”


    She opened her mouth to retort, but before she could, Osman stepped forward, closing the already narrow distance between them. Candice felt his warmth, his presence overwhelming in the quiet space.


    “You know,” he said softly, “this is entirely your fault.”


    Her eyes narrowed. “Oh no. Don’t you dare—”


    “You’re the one who bound us,” he continued, his voice dropping to a low murmur. “You’re the one who crossed the line first.”


    “I did what I had to do,” she said, though her voice wavered just slightly.


    “And now,” Osman said, his hand sliding to her waist, firm but not forceful, “I can’t move without you. So if I’m staying here, you’re staying with me.”


    She red up at him, torn between outrage and something dangerously close to awareness.


    “You’re so annoying.”


    “And yet,” he said quietly, “you keep putting yourself in my way.”


    That did it.


    Candice shoved a finger into his chest. “You arrogant, overgrown wolf—”


    Osman didn’t let her finish.


    He pulled her in, one arm wrapping around her waist as he imed her mouth in a kiss that was sharp, heated, and full of everything they had been circling around for far too long.


    Candice froze for half a heartbeat. Then she kissed him back.


    It wasn’t gentle. It wasn’t sweet. It was frustration and tension. She fisted the front of his shirt, tugging him closer as if daring him to regret it.


    When he finally pulled back, their foreheads touched, both of them breathing hard.


    “There,” he murmured. “Now it’s definitely your fault.”


    Her lips parted as she tried to steady herself. “You’re unbelievable.”


    “And you’re the one who keeps provoking me,” he countered. “You don’t get to act surprised anymore.”


    She swallowed, then pushed lightly at his chest. “Don’t get ideas. That kiss doesn’t change anything.”


    His brow lifted. “Doesn’t it?”


    “No,” she said firmly, though her voicecked its usual bite. “It just means you’re impulsive.”


    “And you’re a liar,” he replied calmly.


    She stared at him, caught, then huffed and turned her face away. “This is ridiculous.”


    “Yet here we are,” he said.


    The spell between their hands pulsed again, reminding them both that neither had undone it.


    Candice exhaled sharply. “Fine. I’ll release it.”


    Osman’s hand tightened at her waist. “Don’t.”


    She looked back at him, surprised. “Why not?”


    “Because,” he said, his tone quieter now, stripped of teasing, “if you let go, you’ll run. And I’m tired of chasing you.”


    Her chest tightened at the honesty in his words. For once, he wasn’t joking. He wasn’t provoking. He was simply... there.


    “You’re infuriating,” she said softly.


    “And you’re worth it,” he replied without hesitation.


    That silenced her.


    Finally, Candice sighed. “I’m not going anywhere,” she said. “But don’t think this means you’ve won.”


    Osman smirked. “I don’t need to win.”


    She raised a brow. “Oh?”


    His gaze softened just a fraction. “I just need you to stay.”


    And for once, Candice didn’t argue. She knew she and Osman would only go in circles the way they always did when they bickered. She liked him, but a future with him was not possible...


    ***********************************


    Author’s Note (Dec. 19, 2025):


    Thank you so much for all the gifts sent to this book. Your kindness truly motivates this full-time mom to continue writing. Have a wonderful day ahead and stay safe. Kisses and hugs.


    PS. This book is currently under a non-exclusive contract with a third party, which means you will not be able to click the pen name to ess my NovelFire profile. I do have otherpleted novels on the NovelFire app, and you can find them by searching for my pen name Eustoma_Reyna.