The girls woke up to the ship shaking and spent a moment just looking at each other. They were trying to understand what had happened this time. Whatever cursed mission they had embarked on, nothing had gone right from the start, and even though the mission was over, they still couldn't find peace. Tecna wasn't in the room, and the girls immediately stopped exchanging glances and sprang to their feet in alarm. It was an internal alarm, but necessary. Without worrying about their pajamas, they headed towards the exit, but just then, the doors opened to reveal Tecna, carrying multiple devices in her hands. She had spent lots of time searching for her own computer but couldn't find it anywhere. And Brandon didn't bother telling her that he had thrown it away after the device didn't satisfy him with the answer of Stella's location.

"Tecna! Where were you?" Musa approached her friend anxiously, while Tecna began to report quickly without even looking up. Sometimes Stella thought Tecna has a robot she activated when she got tired. Now, as usual, it was hard to tell who was speaking because Tecna was never easy to understand even in normal circumstances.

Looking around, Stella saw that her friends were no different. With a strange sense of relief, she turned back to Tecna and tried to understand. "We've been attacked by Dark Mountain specialists, and they won't let us pass."

Stella frowned, wondering if it was a coincidence that this specialist group they had encountered only once or twice before had shown up so frequently lately. Her limbs ached with exhaustion, and she didn't need to look at the girls to know she wasn't alone. Everything needed to stop happening so suddenly and so intensely because, after all, they were only human! Or at least they had human traits, and they deserved some rest. "What's the reason for this attack right now?" She pressed her hand on her stomach with a sudden hiss of pain, but didn't bother to look what had caused it, it wasn't the time.

"It seems we killed two of their team members."

As shock settled like a punch in the room, Stella and Aisha breathed angrily. Kill? One of them had been sacrificed by someone using the foolishness of the underground kingdom to satisfy their own sick thoughts. The other had been taken over by Darkar, and Stella was sure he had already been dead before she killed him. He must have been dead... She shook her head, trying not to let someone who was already dead weigh on her conscience, but she was certain of one thing. Even if the guy she remembered as Andrew had deserved it, it hadn't been Stella or Brandon who ended him—it was Amentia. So, what was this attack about now?

"Alright girls, transform." Without needing to repeat herself, the girls completed their transformations and awaited the next command. "Tecna, you go inside. We'll need you and Timmy more in the command area." Nodding to indicate her agreement, Tecna immediately left the room, while the other girls gathered and waited. "Bloom, you stay back," Stella placed her hand on Bloom's shoulder and looked at her with a sincere and reassuring eyes, "You've already been through so much despite being new to everything. Rest, but be ready if needed."

Bloom wasn't going to say no to this; she was already terrified and felt guilty for everything she had put the girls through, as if she had done it all consciously.

"We'll go inside and see what we can do after we assess the situation."

Leaving the room was the easiest step. Stella was the only one among them with a different transformation. While the others had transformed with Enchantix, Stella's transformation was currently unknown. Like Enchantix, this was a transformation earned through sacrifice, and when Stella transformed, she felt refreshed even if she hadn't rested enough. Bloom, on the other hand, had struggled with her first fairy transformation. Enchantix was a power she still had to earn. A voice inside her told her that she would achieve this very soon.

As the specialists gathered in the cockpit deflected the attacks and responded with counterattacks, the girls' entrance was about to cause a momentary pause. They hadn't turned Tecna away, true; it was clear they needed her. But dealing with the fairies was an added burden none of them wanted right now. When the girls' attempts to help were met with a cold reception, Stella frowned and looked at Brandon with hope, but he didn't even turn to look at her. Stella felt more than saw that they were back to square one. A coldness enveloped her instantly, and she clenched her hands into tight fists and waited. Finally, when Brandon turned his head and gave the girls a brief glance, only to roll his eyes and turn back, Stella's patience snapped.

"You're not the only ones being attacked here. There's no need to act like we're here for a fashion show. Give us a status report and we'll find our own way."

In response, Brandon closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Swearing silently at the effect Stella had on him, he looked at her with a face that said now was neither the time nor the place, but Stella's response was entirely different. Her brows furrowed, she challenged Brandon with her glare, and Brandon exhaled angrily.

"We don't need your help."

Was that all? Stella's anger manifested in the light she emitted, and as Brandon swore again and moved to stand in front of her, breathing heavily with anger, Stella held her ground.

"What are you planning to do? Use your fairy dust to calm things down? As you can see, we're under a direct attack right now, with gunfire. Soon, this could turn into hand-to-hand combat. We don't need you." His words were forceful, but Stella just stared back at him. A few hours ago, she had lost herself in his arms and his kisses, and now the truth of who he had always been was hitting her like a slap in the face. Stella had known this from their first kiss, but it had stopped being just a matter of knowing. After everything they'd been through, she had expected him to prove himself again. This wasn't just unfair; it was absolutely cruel. Because it would never end, and Stella would only end up more exhausted. She cursed, herself and the man who remained devastatingly handsome despite everything. She cursed him, despite all that had happened, and despite everything, she still wanted him madly, and even now, her body responded to him. Ignoring the urge to press her legs together, she swallowed hard and continued to stare at Brandon.

"If you're too thick-headed to understand cooperation and teamwork, that's not our problem, Commander. My priority is my friends. Just stay out of our way."

Riven growled at Stella. Even though Darcy's death was deserved, it had hurt him. No matter the chaos she brought, Riven had loved Darcy, and Stella had erased her without blinking. His anger wasn't without reason, but it wasn't out of control either. Darcy had gone too far, and Riven knew it, but that didn't mean he was any less angry with Stella or any less tempted to draw his sword and behead her every time she spoke. The second option just required a bit more control, and as Riven gripped the command to fire, he was working on maintaining that control.

Brandon shot him a glance, silently commanding him to calm down. He himself wasn't exactly at ease, but unlike Riven, he was holding back not to avoid hurting Stella, but to keep himself from pressing his lips against hers. As his fingers cracked, he restrained himself from lashing out at the teammate growling at Stella—after all, as the team's commander, his priority had to be the team. At least, that's the lie he was trying to comfort himself with.

"Let's go, girls." Tecna began walking without waiting for a second command. They had wings, and even though they were tired, they had managed before with just a few hours of sleep. This mission had shaken them, but they had endured long missions before. If they had survived then, this would be child's play.

"Tecna." Timmy grabbed her hand and stopped her at the last moment, creating a brief silence. Ignoring this, Timmy pulled out the chair Tecna had risen from and made her sit down again. "Sit, I need you."

"We can handle this on our own!" Timmy shot a glance at Riven, their silent exchange was brief. When Timmy spoke again, with a voice indicating he couldn't believe he was wasting time on this, the silence deepened, and the only movements were Tecna and Timmy's fingers as they worked. "With that attitude, you can't handle anything. No one here is above anyone else. Stop turning everything into a fight. You're like children."

With a sincere smile on her lips, Tecna glanced at Timmy and saw him intensely focused on preparing a backup mechanism to avoid further damage. She turned back to her work, but her smile didn't fade easily. Brandon, meanwhile, seemed to be looking at Timmy more than listening to what he said, as if watching Stella's stubbornness. As Stella met his gaze with a look of her own, she felt no need to say more and headed toward the main exit, knowing the girls would follow. Brandon closed his eyes in frustration, and in a fit of anger, he rushed to the cockpit and began preparing explosives. Timmy stared at him briefly, wondering what to say to the commander—especially if that commander was Brandon.

"Commander, the situation isn't that critical yet."

Without looking at Timmy, Brandon hissed through clenched teeth, "They dared to attack my team. The situation has already exceeded critical."

○•○•○•○

Stella, however, had fallen into a completely different void. They were supposed to be working together on an attack right now, but instead, Brandon had taken on his ice king persona, again. When she realized she was in pain, she quickly brushed it off, but this pain wasn't just from Brandon's rough demeanor and the cold attitude of the others. Lowering her head, she soon noticed the wound in her abdomen starting to bleed. "Damn it." Flora immediately came to her side, her brows furrowed as she looked at the wound she had carefully examined earlier, which should have already healed by now. "This should have healed along with the other wounds. Did you make a sudden move?"

Stella needed a moment to think. Actually, it wasn't unreasonable to consider that Brandon holding her tightly in his arms, her standing on tiptoe to embrace him more tightly, and, of course, Brandon suddenly lifting her could all have played a part. But the fact was, it was too late, and with a bigger issue at hand, resting wasn't an option. "Well, maybe." Stella blushed and lowered her head, thinking about the cause of the wound reopening as Flora shook her head disapprovingly.

Flora, not guessing the reason, misinterpreted her friend's embarrassment and softened with a sigh. "Alright, there's nothing we can do for now. The bleeding isn't severe. But should we go outside after bandaging it?"

Stella shook her head and turned to Musa and Aisha. The two fairies were chatting obliviously. When they noticed Stella looking at them, they straightened up and came closer with a sigh. "We're thinking of teleporting. But Stella, since you're the only one who can do it, we're afraid it might strain your health." Stella frowned at Aisha, certain the idea had come from her. Although Nabu had shown interest in Aisha with an obvious hint, despite all the cold behavior and cold shoulders, Aisha didn't just want to bat her eyelashes and let it go. Stella hadn't had the chance to ask what happened between them, but she was almost sure it was something even hotter than what she had with Brandon. How did she know? Considering that both of them had hickeys all over. Stella's only hickey, however, was the one Brandon had left on her neck. It was still there, but no one thought it was from Brandon among all the other cuts and bruises. No one except Flora. Since Flora had tended to her wounds, she knew very well the difference between bruises and wounds caused by stones and fighting and those left by a kiss.

"What about Tecna? Even if we teleport, we're not going to leave her here alone with them, are we?" Aisha shook her head quickly as she was already heading towards the cockpit. "I'll call her here, saying you fainted, you get ready."

Flora, now thoroughly relaxed, grabbed Aisha by the arm and pulled her back. She was angrily tying her hair into a ponytail and glaring at her friends. "Listen, enough already. I'm just as tired and fed up as you are. Moreover, you managed to relieve your stress by fighting, but Musa, Tecna, and I have been trapped and waiting to be rescued like a bunch of helpless losers from the start!" While Bloom hung her head in shame, Musa slapped her on the back, scolding her to stand tall. "Don't take it personally! Flora is right. There's a mission, but we've been idle since the beginning. We waited and thought of ourselves as powerless little creatures!" Flora nodded vigorously in agreement, while Aisha and Stella exchanged glances. Stella pressed her hand against her wound, stopping any potential bleeding. There was no point in losing blood while waiting. Flora approached, warming her palms and blowing on them, providing Stella's wound with a soothing relief. Stella smiled gratefully as her shoulders relaxed a bit.

"We're going to go outside and fight against all the obstacles we encounter. Then, we'll come back and sleep in that tiny compartment they've given us and wait for this journey to be over as soon as possible!"

While Aisha gave Musa a dirty look for suddenly changing the plan, she still nodded positively and headed for the exit with a sigh. "Fine, alright. But then you'll make me coffee, woman."

"Deal."


Amidst the mountains, a pass filled with sharp and steep paths. Everywhere is covered in snow due to the impact of a cold, harsh winter time around Dark Mountain. Specialist military units in uniforms are swiftly advancing through narrow roads between high cliffs. The units, undeterred by the challenges of the rugged terrain, are climbing upward with determined steps. At the upper part of the pass, there are old, sturdy-looking stone bridges. These bridges, spanning a chasm between two high rocks, are used by the specialists of Dark Mountain to quickly progress along the pass. Each one is equipped with heavy weaponry and dressed in outfits suitable for the cold weather conditions.

At the highest point of the pass, a massive spaceship, partially camouflaged by snowy rocks, is stationed. This ship is equipped with defense mechanisms against attacks from both the ground and the air. The metallic surface of the spaceship glistens in the icy cold. Patrolling robotic guards around the ship are on high alert against approaching threats. The military units, challenging the harsh conditions of the mountain pass, are identifying strategic points and advancing. Each one is composed of well-trained and composed professionals. Team leaders, constantly communicating via radios, ensure the operation proceeds flawlessly. The attack begins. Heavy machine guns and laser weapons fire at the spaceship's defense systems. Explosions and gunfire shatter the silence of the mountain pass. Smoke and sparks leave traces on the snow-covered ground. The spaceship's defense mechanisms retaliate; laser beams and explosives echo throughout the pass.

The military units, using high-tech tools and strategic intelligence, perform various maneuvers to break through the ship's defenses. Some soldiers approach the ship by rappelling down from cliffs with ropes, while others launch direct attacks with heavy machinery. Amid this epic clash, the snow-covered mountain pass, with its cold and harsh nature, accentuates the brutality of the battle. Specialist units, advancing with determination and resolve, leave the fate of the spaceship uncertain.

As the battle rages on, Flora, Musa, Aisha, and Stella make an impressive entrance in the icy and dangerous mountain pass. While Red Fountain specialists clashed with Dark Mountain specialists, both sides fought with determination to win the victory. Inside the spaceship, Red Fountain specialists were doing everything they could to stabilize the ship and prevent it from falling into the snow-covered chasm.


The girls had already transformed into their fairy forms, ready to turn the tide of the battle in their favor. They knew that the more enemies they took down, the better their chances of survival. As soon as they exited the spaceship, they began their assault using their powers.

Flora focused on manipulating the environment to their advantage. Vines and roots emerged from the ground, entangling their enemies and creating obstacles. However, this didn't seem to slow them down too much. Changing her tactics, she altered the type of vines so that they grew thicker and stronger with each cut and sound they heard. Flora's nature was never meant to kill anyone, especially humans, but things had changed so drastically that even Flora no longer felt as pure as she once did. Musa and Aisha planned their attacks in harmony. Sound waves combined with powerful water currents, stunning and overwhelming their enemies. As Musa sent out a sound wave, Aisha met it with her own water waves, increasing the pressure and creating an explosive attack. Their shots were merciless, and so were they. They were fed up, and they had to realize that all these people who had made their lives miserable had to pay the price. As Aisha and Musa flew up and attacked from above, Flora and Stella stayed around the spaceship to prevent it from being completely defenseless.

Despite the bloody wound in her abdomen, Stella chose a different method of attack. She emitted blinding light beams, scattering the Dark Mountain specialists and creating opportunities for her friends. She was strangely tired, but although she wanted to mention it, she didn't want her friends to worry or deal with the ridiculous comparisons and belittlement from the Red Fountain specialists.

Inside the spaceship, a different kind of tension prevailed, with specialists watching the situation unfold with growing concern. Even though they were mounting a counterattack, the fact that the girls had come out and exposed themselves gave them a significant advantage. However, even Nabu wasn't ready to accept this reality. Glaring at the woman who had been in his arms just an hour ago, he sent another group of specialists to climb the mountain and block their path. They were aware of the danger, but they were determined to keep the ship from falling.

Among them, Brandon's eyes were locked on Stella. He looked at the fierce and stubborn woman with growing anger and worry. How quickly people could swallow their words, he thought to himself. When he found out Stella was alive, Brandon had been burning with the desire to break through the battlefield. This situation had resulted in Stella breaking through the battlefield herself, but when it came to her being alive, Brandon had just been grateful for the battle to end and to have Stella in his arms at last. Cursing himself for making her angry again, his hatred for the fairies was no secret, but Brandon was furious at that moment when Stella chose to speak up. There was an open attack, and aside from that, the tension from his interrupted conversation with Stella was also weighing on him. It wasn't easy for a man to remain unresponsive to a heated body. The worry on his face deepened when he noticed the blood seeping from Stella's wound. His heart was filled with fear for her safety, but he knew Stella wouldn't back down.

"Damn it," he cursed under his breath. When everyone looked at him with fear and concern, they trusted his instincts over their own eyes and focused on his feelings. Although there didn't seem to be anything to worry about and everything appeared to be going smoothly, they were convinced Brandon saw something they didn't, so they immediately intensified their attacks and maximized their defenses. Brandon, however, signaled Nabu to follow him. As Nabu moved into action, Brandon began preparing to go outside quickly.

"What are you doing? Brandon, there's no need for this! Why are you going out?"

Brandon simply shot him a look that obliviously said to shut up and hurry up, but Nabu wasn't the type to easily let things go. Especially knowing that his closest friend didn't have the same advantages as the girls, such as magical powers and shields, he wasn't going to let him go out alone. "Brandon!" Ignoring the pain in his jaw from clenching his teeth, he shot his friend a more desperate look this time. "Stella is injured." Nabu hesitated, while Helia exited through the door behind them and came to their side. "I noticed it too. Her wound isn't deep, Tecna scanned her, but she's bleeding. It's clear she's been losing blood as she moves."

"Fuck!" Brandon said, checking his sword and swiftly strapping it on as he moved toward the exit, where Bloom was waiting patiently and anxiously by the door. Without even bothering to look at Bloom, he moved to exit, but Nabu placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping him. Brandon glared at him, as if Nabu had stolen the ticking hours of a dwindling clock. "Make it quick," he growled. Nabu nodded, ignoring Brandon's glare, and with his staff firmly gripped, gestured for him to move ahead. "I'm coming too."

"Don't be ridiculous." Helia spoke up before Brandon could, trying to stop Nabu, but he grumbled, raising his staff higher. "I'm a wizard, damn it. Let me use my skills; there are plenty of people to operate the ship's guns!" Helia, thinking it over, hesitated as he saw Brandon was already about to jump. Nabu hadn't noticed this, but when he did, he realized it would be hard to hold him back too.

"Ah hell, fine. Go, but be careful. You know the signal. Do it, and I'll be right there." Nabu nodded, turning to Brandon just in time to see him already leap. With a frustrated look at Helia, he quickly ran to the exit and jumped without hesitation. Brandon directed the flying disc he was on towards Stella, but couldn't find her in the last place he'd seen her. Flora was still busy protecting the ship from both the front and back. His eyes scanned the area quickly, the growing fear of being too late for Stella ever-present in his mind. Looking up, he saw Musa alone, using vibrations to throw off balance the soldiers, who were tumbling down the cliffs one by one. Good, at least they were being effective.

"Brandon!" Hearing Nabu's call, he quickly headed in his direction, not missing the spot he pointed to. Stella. His eyes narrowed with anger as he swiftly landed in the midst of the group of wizards fighting Stella and Aisha. The rocky area between two mountains appeared like a cave, but it was open on all sides, with only the top covered, continuing the mountain. In this carved-out area, three wizards were battling Stella and Aisha. How long had she been fighting to end up in this situation? Pushing aside his thoughts, he saw Nabu had already launched two wizards back with a fierce move. Twirling his staff swiftly in his hand, he landed more gently, but Aisha gave him an angry look before remembering they were on the same side and quickly composed herself.

Stella, however, was out of breath, her transformation no longer giving her the initial surge of power, and her body was drenched in cold sweat. She was panting as she faced her opponent, grateful at least that he wasn't a wizard. A wizard would have taken advantage of her weakness. As her eyes scanned the area, she noticed Nabu dealing with two wizards and Aisha fighting the wizard targeting her. The specialist before her had a massive build, looking like a gorilla in her eyes, his earring dangling from his nose as he ogled her. In the battlefield, while everyone was fighting for their lives, Stella was being outright harassed. "What are you looking at?" she hissed through gritted teeth, her question met with a smirk of satisfaction from the man. He was aware of her exhaustion and counted it as an advantage. If he was lucky, he could keep this fairy for himself.

"Is it a crime to admire beauty, my dear? Come, let's not fight. Let's make love."

Feeling nauseated, Stella grimaced. Her head was spinning, and she now realized the toll her powers had taken on her. She hadn't rested, continuously exerting herself, and she had a bleeding wound. Groaning, she felt her legs could no longer support her, and she collapsed to her knees. The man laughed, walking toward her, now eyeing her more freely. "I'm going to save you for myself cherry. I'll taste you first."

"The only thing you'll taste is the tip of my sword." Brandon's sword pierced the man's groin, eliciting a howl, but Brandon didn't stop, striking his throat and then his abdomen. His controlled rage had flared because this brute hadn't touched Stella. But was he furious? Bloody fucking yes. As Stella planted her hands on the ground, breathing heavily, Brandon vented his rage on the now-unconscious man, hitting him repeatedly until he was sure the threat was neutralized.

"Brandon," Stella's voice was weak and breathless, unable to lift her head enough to look at him. She tried to call out again, "Brandon..."

With his fist still in the air, Brandon quickly turned his head towards Stella, released the collar of the man he had been holding, who now lay unconscious, and swiftly got to his feet. He caught Stella before she could fall to the ground, gathering her into his arms. As he pushed back the strands of hair that had fallen on her face, he anxiously wiped the cold droplets of sweat from her forehead.

"Stubborn fool."

"The last person... to call me a fool..." She took a deep breath, licking her lips. "The last person... who could call me a fool... is you." Brandon rolled his eyes and looked at Stella's now pale face. As his sense of boredom grew, he quickly glanced around. There weren't many specialists left. They could easily fly out of here, and their shields could deflect any minor damage. Standing up with Stella in his arms, he saw Nabu and Aisha watching them. Understanding the situation best, Aisha nodded, and though Brandon was annoyed at the presumption of asking for permission, he prioritized Stella's safety, jumping onto the disc and flying towards the ship. In the quick seconds that followed, Brandon bypassed the cockpit and headed straight to his room, laying Stella, who had already reverted from her fairy form to her pajamas, gently on the bed.

When he lifted her tank top, he stared at the wound that everyone had insisted wasn't serious. A stream of curses fell from his lips as Brandon closed his eyes in frustration, looking up at the ceiling as if praying for patience. He felt as if his sword thirsted for blood, his anger directed at everyone who hadn't taken her condition seriously. Most of all, he was angry at himself. If he hadn't argued with her in the first place, maybe the wound could have been anticipated and treated. Surely the nature fairy could heal this easily. There didn't appear to be any other injuries; even the scabbed wound on her eyebrow had healed. Why hadn't this wound healed?

Opening the first aid kit that Helia had left ready, Brandon quickly got to work, his nerves on edge. His friends must have noticed his state, as none of them made the mistake of knocking on the door or entering to assess the situation. Somehow, none of the girls tried to barge in either. This suited him; he could focus solely on taking care of Stella without masking his feelings or emotions. His eyes occasionally flicked to Stella, who was sweating profusely. Brandon quickly wiped her sweat and continued tending to her wound. Although he knew Stella would heal quickly once he was done, there was still a lingering fear inside him. The fear of losing her. Even after finishing his task, he was still busy spreading the quick-healing and wound-tightening cream on Stella's soft skin. Stella barely opened her eyes, trying to make sense of what was happening around her. As she turned her gaze toward the owner of the soft touch she felt on her skin, the whirlwind of emotions building up inside her caused her eyes to quickly fill with tears.

Brandon was a tall, muscular, and generally rough man. It didn't take long for him to instill fear in anyone standing in front of him. People made way for him, finding something to occupy themselves with just to avoid crossing paths with him. He easily overpowered many people whom Stella saw as giants, walking past them as if nothing had happened. But this time, Stella felt lucky to witness a newly discovered side of Brandon. He looked at her with compassion, tenderness, and fear.

As Brandon's lips replaced his fingers, he planted small kisses on Stella's skin, inhaling her scent. He was hurting in a different way now, a completely different pain had filled him—it was his fault that Stella was in this state once again. He was the reason he had to experience the fear of losing Stella once more. His hands gently grasped Stella's slender waist, careful not to hurt her, he rested his forehead just below her ribcage and took a deep breath. Stella was a blessing—her scent, her presence, everything about her was the greatest gift he could ever have.

The light touch he felt on his hair made him lift his head with a sudden start, and feeling Stella's gaze on him, still bright despite her weak and pale skin, was an entirely different kind of blessing. He exhaled deeply as he moved closer to Stella, pressing his lips to her forehead. It was impossible to describe the sense of comfort that stretched into an infinite universe.

"Are you trying to kill me, you troublemaker?"

Stella paused as she tried to grumble, realizing her dry throat was straining. In response, a small smile appeared on Brandon's lips as he positioned himself behind her to help her take a sip from the water by her bedside, letting her lean against him. As his arms immediately wrapped around her, it felt as if he was finding life in every sip Stella took.

"Are you insane?" Brandon frowned at the quiet words that escaped her lips, as to look at him, she rested her head on his shoulder and turned her gaze to his face. "How can you hold me in your arms and kiss me breathless one moment, and then be so full of hatred towards me the next?"

As Brandon leaned his head back against the headboard, he was angry with himself because he couldn't even control this madness within him. But if a person could change in a single day, maybe his father would still be alive right now. Stella's gaze was still on him; he could tell from the warmth spreading through his body. When he turned to look at her again, he barely managed to resist the urge to crush his lips against hers. As a commander who never had trouble controlling himself, Stella was his greatest challenge.

"I hate you, Stella, that's why."

He didn't need to look at her to know that Stella had gone cold, that her tear-filled eyes were now brimming with angry tears, but he looked anyway, studying her as if trying to memorize every detail. When Stella made a move to get out of his arms, Brandon gently laid her down on the bed and swiftly climbed on top of her. Balancing himself with his hands pressed into the mattress, there were a million thoughts running through his mind at that moment, but he didn't want to think about the fact that he couldn't act on even one of them. Brandon would always be ready when Stella came to him; beyond that, he wouldn't force her into anything, not even the smallest thing. As Stella's angry eyes locked onto his, Brandon just stared at her in admiration for a while, captivated by her beauty.

"Stella." His breath caressed her skin, making Stella shiver uncontrollably. The anger in her eyes faded as a whirlwind of conflicting emotions began to clash within her. "What?" Brandon gripped the blanket tightly, trying to hold himself back. "Beautiful, look at me." This time, a grunt escaped Stella's lips as she tried to push him away by pressing her weak hands against his shoulders, but when Brandon leaned into her, Stella had no choice but to pull her arms back to avoid being crushed. When their lips met, Stella was determined not to respond, stubbornly pressing her tightly closed lips together. "Open your mouth." She trembled as she tried to ignore Brandon's request, but another part of her was screaming to do exactly as he said. "Why would you want to kiss a woman you hate?"

Swallowing hard, Brandon pressed his forehead against Stella's, feeling a fiery heat within him. Being so close to her yet so far away was destroying him a little more each day. As his lips struggled to stay sealed, his mind had already made its decision—his life and soul now rested in the hands of just one person. Hiding it was no longer something he could manage.

"Stella." Stella squeezed her eyes shut tightly, but when she felt his warm lips on her cold skin, she shivered once more. The fact that she was so weak against Brandon's touch frustrated her, but the words she heard made the lips on her cheek take on an entirely different significance. She was burning, her body was on fire.

"My love for you is so great that I hate myself for being so completely captivated by you. Because I love you more than I ever loved my mother, sunshine."