All Chapters of Bite, Bleed, Bow (MxM): Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

The pack clinic is quiet when Seth walks in, getting ready for another day of work, hiding his head under the hoodie of his red sweater.Seth stands by the counter, carefully organizing medicine bottles, his eyes darker than usual, holding nothing as he works like he's the only one in the room.“Wow, you look like you didn't sleep at all last night,” Seth doesn't need to raise his head to know it's Castel. He continues his work without lifting his head or acknowledging her.“Didn’t sleep again?” she asks curiously, placing her forehands on the table and leans her body forward, trying to look at him properly.Seth doesn't answer.“What is that?”The question instantly makes him raise his head and then he smacks her hand away when she drags the hoodie down to display his neck. He puts it back on.“Oh my God, are those burns? How in the goddess name did you get burnt last night? You were fine when I last saw you.”Seth stiffens when she yanks the hoodie down again to inspect his burns

The cell is damp and cold, the worst kind of cold that just crawls under the skin and just remains there like its home.Seth shouldn't be cold, he isn't human. The thought makes him roll his eyes because he is cold and he's not human.Seth sits there on the dirty, wet and slimy floor, leaning against the wall, his hand resting on his knees while his other leg stretched out. The filth of the dungeon cell isn't the only thing reeking up the space because Seth stinks and his cheeks still carry a faint bruise from Kieran's brutal punch. Three days.That's how long he's been locked up here, in this dark cell with the ray of sunlight trying to peek through the miserable window. No one has noticed him gone and it's going to take a long time before anyone starts to notice his absence, maybe a year or two. He isn't surprised at all.Kieran is cruel like that—angry and always full of pride. Seth's crime was catching the future alpha and preventing him from falling to his shame. Seth's lips t

Seth follows Kieran out of the pack house and then he follows him till they are deep inside the forest; it's dark but moonlight flitters through the trees, casing pale shadows on the wet and cold earth, while the sound of the feast fades behind them, and everything else is swallowed y the thick woods.Kieran hasn't said a word since he dragged him out of the pack house and finally, he comes to a stop, at the heart of the forest, far away from the rest of the pack, his back turned to him.“Why did you show up at the feast?” Kieran begins, his voice like calm before a storm. His dark and sour pheromones surround him like a thick blanket, they spread wild and his hands are clenched into fist at his side.“Sage invited me,” comes Seth's blank response. Kieran's shoulders vibrate in a humorless laughter, and he throws his head back, the sound echoing in the darkness of the night and slowly, he's turning, facing Seth with a pair of shining amber eyes in the dark. “Of course he did but why

The pack grounds is alive with music and laughter; the bonfire roars at the center of the field, casting golden and bright light across the happy and painted faces of wolves in their human forms while meat sizzles on the long spits and the scent of roasted deer with burning wood fills the air, thicker than the warmth of the fire.Seth doesn't want to be here, but then again, no one seems to care about what he wants, as he's once again dragged into the pack festival by Castel. The young she-wolf pulls him through the crowd with no intention of letting go."Come on!" She grins, tugging forward. "You are not hiding away in your room tonight. You need to be out here, there's a roasted deer, a whole one. I heard the Alpha caught it himself." Seth blinks, doesn't say anything. Nothing good ever happens when he comes to gatherings like this. "I know you think I'm trying to force you into my social shield, I am, but that's not the point. You need fresh air and food, your body needs it if you

The sun is still climbing when Sage knocks on Kieran's door, and he doesn't wait for an answer as he walks in.Kieran is already up, lacing his boot, sitting on his bed, his chest bare and tense, his hair still damp from the cold shower he's taken while his eyes stay sharp and focused.“You don’t have to do this,” Sage says quietly.Kieran doesn't look at him. “Yes. I do.”“No, you don’t.”“I gave my word.”Sage walks further into the room. “Then take it back. Say you were angry, say it was pride—”“It was pride,” Kieran cuts him, finally looking up. “But I meant it.”Sage stares at him. “It's not just a duel, Kieran, you both have to fight to the death until one of you submits, and that's almost impossible for two strong-headed alphas. You could die.”“So could he.” Kieran counters sharply.“That doesn’t sound comforting at all.” Sage snaps.Kieran stands, grabbing his shirt and slipping it over his head. “If I back down now, I won't just lose the fight; I will lose my place, my powe