He's chosen to be alone.
Kazimier Rione, half-orc spymaster of the Elvish Protectorate, doesn't want a mate. He's got too many rough edges and too much baggage for any woman. That's why he's done everything in his power to stay away from a certain lush little witch that makes every instinct bristle. A glimpse was all it took to seed a dark obsession, but it's one he knows he can never act on.
She was burned by fate.
Atria Le Roy learned her lesson a long time ago: the blessing of a mate is not for her. A witch groomed for a secretive priestesshood from birth, she's spent years throwing herself into her potentially world-changing research and running from her complicated past. Now that research is about to come to fruition - if only she and her research partner can survive being hunted by the factions desperate to get their hands on it.
Keeping their distance is impossible.
When his witch is threatened, Kaz knows that rescuing her will mean giving in to the pull of fate, but doing nothing is not an option. He'll do anything to protect her, even if that means kidnapping her and going on the run himself. With every mile they cover and danger they face, the fire between them burns hotter. She wants to escape her past, the bounties on her head, and the overbearing, beautiful orc holding her captive. He wants to possess everything she is and be utterly possessed in return.
Surviving will mean giving in, leaving the past behind, and letting the fire burn...
Burden's Bonds is book three in The New Protectorate series. It can be read as a standalone, but does contain some spoilers for the other books. A full series list as well as a character directory and content warnings can be found on the author's website.