Chapter 2 - Claimed Tension

Luna woke with a gasp, chest heaving as her skin prickled with heat. Her dream clung to her skin like sweat—vivid, raw, and soaked in forbidden desire. She could still feel the echo of Kael’s hands on her waist, his teeth teasing her throat, the weight of him pressing her into the forest floor.

She cursed and sat up, brushing away leaves tangled in her hair. The early morning chill did nothing to cool the fire that had settled low in her belly. She wasn’t the type to dream about men—especially not Alphas. And certainly not Kael Thorne.

Yet here she was, panting like a bitch in heat over a male she should have run from.

Luna splashed cold water from the nearby stream onto her face, trying to erase his image. But Kael was burned into her memory. His eyes—fierce gold with a touch of hunger. His voice, dark and sharp as a blade. His body... gods, his body had made her thighs clench just from standing near him.

She was losing control. And she hated it.

---

Miles away, Kael stood in the training yard of the Bloodfang stronghold, shirtless and furious. His muscles gleamed with sweat as he launched his fists into the chest of a training dummy, breaking it in half with a savage snarl. His Beta, Rafe, watched from a distance, arms crossed and eyebrows raised.

"Something bothering you, Alpha?" Rafe asked casually.

Kael didn’t answer. He picked up an axe, hurled it at the far target, and watched it sink into the center with a satisfying thunk.

"Still thinking about her?" Rafe added, voice lower now.

Kael turned, golden eyes flashing. “She’s a rogue. She shouldn’t be in my head.”

“Then why is she?”

Kael ran a hand through his damp hair. “Because she’s not just a rogue. She’s... chaos. And I can’t ignore her.”

“You let her go.”

“I should’ve torn her throat out,” Kael growled.

“But you didn’t.”

No. He hadn’t. Because the second he touched her, everything shifted. He should’ve killed her for trespassing. Instead, he’d nearly kissed her right there in the woods.

And now she haunted his thoughts like a curse.

---

That evening, Luna prowled the edges of the Bloodfang territory, drawn back by something she couldn’t name. Her wolf paced inside her, tail high, ears alert. The forest air felt electric—alive with warning, or promise.

Maybe both.

She sensed him before she saw him.

Kael stood beneath the trees like a carved statue of temptation—lean, lethal, impossibly still. His eyes burned into her like twin flames. He didn’t speak as she approached. Neither did she. The silence stretched between them, thick with tension, their wolves snarling beneath the surface.

“You couldn’t stay away,” he finally said.

“I could say the same.”

Kael stepped closer. “You’re trespassing. Again.”

Luna raised a brow. “Then punish me.”

He moved so fast she didn’t have time to breathe. One hand gripped her waist, the other tangled in her hair as he slammed her against the nearest tree. His scent enveloped her—woodsmoke, danger, and dark spice. Her body reacted instinctively, pressing into him.

“Tell me to stop,” he rasped against her lips.

She didn’t. She grabbed his face and kissed him—hard. Tongues clashed. Teeth bit. Moans tore from her throat as his hands explored her like he’d been starving for her touch.

She tore his shirt off, nails dragging down his chest. He growled and lifted her off the ground, her legs wrapping around his waist like they’d done this a hundred times.

“You drive me insane,” he muttered, nipping her jaw, sucking the soft skin of her neck.

“Good,” she breathed. “Now make me forget everything else.”

He pressed against her, his hardness unmistakable. She rocked her hips, craving more. His lips found her collarbone, then lower, tugging her top down until her breasts spilled free. The cool night air made her nipples peak—Kael’s tongue made them ache.

She gasped when he sucked one into his mouth, his other hand slipping between her thighs. She was already soaked, already writhing.

“I should hate you,” he whispered.

“Then fuck me like you do.”

He growled and bit her shoulder—not enough to mark, just enough to make her cry out. She clawed at him, digging her nails into his back as he slid a finger inside her, then two.

“Kael,” she moaned.

He froze.

That one word—his name—ripped through him like lightning.

What the hell was happening?

He set her down slowly, breathing hard, his forehead pressed to hers. “This is a mistake.”

“Maybe,” Luna whispered, adjusting her clothes with trembling fingers. “But it’s the best mistake I’ve ever made.”

Kael stepped back, hands clenched. He looked at her like she was both salvation and sin.

“I don’t know what you are,” he muttered. “But you’ve already started a war inside me.”

Luna smirked, walking away with her hips swaying. “Then sharpen your claws, Alpha. I’m just getting started.