The cottage stood on the edge of the woods like something older than the trees around it—more root than house, more myth than home. Moss crawled over the stone walls. The wooden door groaned when Grandma pushed it open. Wind whistled behind them like it carried spirits.“Lay him down on the floor,” Grandma instructed sharply. “The center of the circle. No pillows. No metal near his body.”Alaric obeyed, his arms cradling Kael as if he were glass. He lowered him onto a thick woven mat etched with faded runes. The scent of dried herbs—lavender, clove, bloodroot—hung in the air like breath waiting to be exhaled.Kael didn’t stir.Grandma knelt beside him, her gnarled fingers opening a small wooden box. She took out a blade—thin, curved like a crescent moon. The silver edge shimmered despite the lack of light.Alaric stiffened. “What are you doing?”“I need his blood to speak.”She didn’t wait. With steady precision, she slid the blade across Kael’s left wrist—just a tiny nick, no deeper
First thing Alaric noticed was the heat. Not that soft, lazy warmth you get waking up tangled in Kael’s arms—nope, this was something else. Way too hot, enough to make his skin crawl and his brain go, “Uh… this can’t be good.” His eyes popped open. Kael was still tucked up against him, but… off. Weirdly still.“…Kael?”He whispered it, voice scratchy from sleep. Didn’t matter, he already felt that pit-of-your-stomach twist. Kael’s skin was blazing. Not just a bit warm—like, seriously feverish. Alaric could feel it pouring off him, no touch needed.He shot upright, heart doing a full sprint. Kael didn’t move. Alaric brushed sweaty hair off Kael’s forehead, hands shaking so much he almost missed.“Kael, wake up.” He tried again, a little louder, cupping Kael’s cheek. “Hey. Come on, open your eyes.”Nothing.“Kael!”Still nothing. Alaric’s heart nearly stopped—Kael’s lips were turning blue. Was he breathing? Yeah, but barely. Each breath was all slow and ragged, like he was fighting for
The palace gates glinted way off, all silver and smug in the last scraps of sunlight. Alaric clung to Kael’s hand like he’d never let go—seriously, man had a vice grip. They’d just about stumbled past the entrance when—bam—she showed up.Amora.Draped in velvet and arrogance, she stood poised by the grand columns, a delicate hand raised in a wave that didn’t quite reach her eyes.“There you are, Your Highness,” she purred, sliding right into their path like a cat with a secret. Her eyes flicked to Kael, mouth twitching just a hair before she spun back to Alaric, flashing that sugar-coated grin that practically dripped with poison. “I was worried. I’ve been waiting for you.”Alaric didn’t even pause. Kael, for a split second, forgot how to breathe as that arm at his waist pulled him in tight, plastering him to Alaric’s side like a statement.Amora tried again, reaching for composure that was slipping away. “Let’s talk,” she said, but her words sounded thin—like maybe she felt the chill
(Kael’s POV)Door clicked shut behind me, soft as a secret. Alaric’s scent still hugged the air—sweet, musky, grounding, like he’d just slipped out. Evening shadows flickered across the stone, playing tag on the walls, painting the chamber with this hush-warmth that made it feel like its own little universe. The rest of the world? Miles away.I set the basket of food down on the table and turned toward the bed, my body still sore but not just from exhaustion—it was from being touched, held, and claimed like I was made for him. And gods… maybe I was.He looked asleep.His hair? Wild, like he’d been wrestling dreams all night. Lips parted, breathing slow and lazy—he looked blissfully unaware of anything, including my gawking. The blanket had abandoned its post, barely hanging on to his waist, skin exposed and—yeah, I knew every inch by now, not gonna lie. Caught myself smiling as I crept over and slipped into bed, thinking I’d steal a few seconds curled up next to him before dragging hi
(Kael's POV)Evening sort of draped itself in, all mellow tangerine at the edges, throwing lazy streaks of sunlight across the stone walls when I finally stirred. My eyelashes fluttered open, slow-motion style, catching that last bit of dusk’s glow. Everything felt weighed down—like my bones had just called it quits and left me poured out and formless in the sheets. The curtains were just barely cracked, letting in a sliver of daylight—soft, golden, sneaky, like it was slipping in with an awkward little “sorry to bother.”Honestly? No clue when I even passed out.Alaric was there, face down, barely moving except for that steady rise and fall of his back. His dark hair was all over the pillow, messy, a couple strands stuck to the sweat still clinging to his skin. I spotted some faint marks down his spine—little moons from my own fingers. My throat tightened. I swallowed. Yikes.We were at it for hours.The memory hit me in gentle flashes—the way he clung to me like I was the air keepin
(Kael's POV)Alaric held my head still and shoved his whole cock down my throat, like all the way down.To be honest, I was the one coaxing him to fuck me like he owns me, he looked so out of his mind I just wanted him to fuck his way to relief but now that his rut has pushed his wolf to complete take over his mind, I'm not sure where my boldness suddenly went. I asked him to use me silly and now his whole length is stuffed down my throat. My jaw is hurting, I'm choking and struggling to take his vast size.After a while, he slowly pulled out, grabbed a fistful of my hair and slammed right back in, I swear a felt my eyes let loose of tear drops. He continued slamming and thrusting deep down my throat in an animalistic pace. My hands fly to his waist trying to get him to pity my throat even just a little bit he didn't slow down one bit, Alaric is no longer with me. Who I have here with me is an alpha in rut.Eventually, he stopped, and pulled out, thick straps of slop and spit coating