Chapter 3 Claimed in the Dark

KAI’S POV

I slammed the door shut behind us and flicked the light switch with my elbow. The bare bulb overhead buzzed to life casting harsh yellow across the guest room that doubled as my private crash spot during rituals. Elias stumbled forward a couple steps before catching himself against the wall, as his eyes wide and glassy from too much whiskey.

His glasses sat crooked on his nose, cheeks flushed deep red and his lips parted like he still couldn’t believe the hand around his wrist belonged to me.

Shock rolled off him in waves thick and sour mixing with the sharp bite of alcohol and underneath it all that damn sweet scent hit me again honeyed and warm curling straight into my lungs.

Xerxes snarled again inside my skull but this time it was low and hungry. Mate. He’s our mate. Take him. Claim him.

I clenched my jaw so hard my teeth ached trying to shove Xerxes down but the heat season already had me by the throat worse than any full moon before. Sweat slicked the back of my neck as my pulse hammered in my ears and every breath dragged more of Elias’ scent into me making my cock twitch painfully against my jeans.

Alphas burned hotter during every heat season, everyone knew that but this felt different, vicious and personal like my own body turned traitor the second I scented him by the bonfires.

I stepped closer, crowding him until his back hit the rough wood. “This can’t be.”

He swallowed hard as his Adam’s apple bobbed. “What are you talking about?”

Another wave of his scent washed over me and Xerxes shoved forward so strong I nearly lost the reins. He’s ours. Look at him. He’s soft and perfect.

I growled low in my chest as the sound rumbled out before I could stop it. “Mate,” I muttered under my breath and the word dropped heavy between us.

His mouth fell open. For a second he just stared then a sharp laugh burst out shakily. “This is a joke right? It's some sick prank you cooked up to mess with me, right?”

I wished I could laugh too, I wished I could tell him ‘yeah, good one, let’s go back to hating each other like normal.’

But instead I braced both hands on the wall caging him in and leaned down until our faces were inches apart. “I wish it was a joke. The Moon Goddess sure has a twisted sense of humor, mating me to the weakest link in the entire pack. A wolf-less half-breed omega. A man.”

The last word hung there bitterly on my tongue because saying it out loud made it real. No one in Silverfang history ever bounded same-sex. The elders would call it blasphemy, my father would call it a disgrace to the bloodline, and the pack would whisper behind their hands wondering how the future Alpha ended up saddled with the pack reject.

Then there was Seraphina, General Hayes’ daughter, the political match my father arranged three months ago, the one I never wanted but couldn’t refuse. She waited at home probably sipping wine and planning wedding colors while I stood here drowning in the scent of someone I’d spent years tormenting.

Elias shook his head fast. “Reject me. You hate me and I hate you. So say the words and break the bond. I promise I will disappear from your sight.”

His voice cracked on the last word and something twisted hard in my chest. I should have done it right then, I should’ve opened my mouth and severed the thread the Moon Goddess tied between us. Rejections hurt like hell but it ended clean with no mess and scandal. But instead the words that came out surprised even me.

“No.”

He blinked. “What?”

“I’m not rejecting you.” I said it slowly as I tasted the truth in it. “I’m keeping you.”

Elias stared at me like I’d grown a second head. “You’re insane. I’m not even gay. I like women.”

I let out a rough laugh and closed the last inch of space between us until our chests brushed. “Well, I’m gay.”

His breath hitched eyes searching mine for the lie that wasn’t there. I never hid it from myself, not really. Father raised me with the rules of tradition and the pressure of expectations. I was made to bury my wants and desires for men beneath the duty and responsibilities of an Alpha.

Elias tried to duck under my arm but I caught his wrist gently this time and tugged him back. “Don’t.”

He yanked once and then stopped fighting. He just glared up at me breathing hard. “I don’t want you.”

“Liar.” I slid my free hand up his side slow enough to give him time to pull away but he didn’t.

His heart raced under my palm as it hammered so loud I swore I could hear it over the distant thump of music outside. “Your body’s telling a different story.”

Xerxes howled inside me demanding I take what belonged to us. I dipped my head and brushed my nose along the side of his neck and inhaled deeply. Elias shivered hard as goosebumps rose under my lips

“Kai…” My name came out like a half-warning half-plea cry.

I kissed the spot right under his ear softly at first. He sucked in a sharp breath as his body went stiff then slowly melted against the wall. I scraped my teeth light enough to tease him against the same spot and he let out a small broken sound that shot straight to my groin.

I pulled back just enough to look at him. His pupils were blown wide, his lips were parted and his cheeks were dark red. He was adorable and edible. But above all he was Mine.

I kissed him hard and hungry, swallowing the surprised gasp that escaped his mouth. For a heartbeat he froze as his hand fist in my shirt like he couldn’t decide whether to shove me or cling to me. Then he kissed back fiercely and messy as our teeth clacked together, and our tongues slid desperately.

“Mhmm… fuck.”

I walked him backward toward the narrow cot and shoved against the far wall. His hands roamed under his shirt, feeling smooth warm skin and the quick rise and fall of his ribs. Elias stumbled once but caught himself on my shoulders and pulled me down with him when we hit the mattress.

The springs creaked under our weight and I settled between his thighs pressing him open, and grinding him slowly while he arched up chasing friction.

“Fuck,” he breathed against my mouth fingers digging into my back.

I dragged his shirt up and tossed it somewhere in the dark then went for the button on his jeans. My own shirt followed seconds later as our skin met in an electrifying and overwhelming heat.

I wrapped my hand around his cock through the fabric first, stroking it firmly and slowly as I watched his head tip backward and his throat working around a whimper. When I shoved his jeans and boxers down his cock sprang free, flushed as it was already leaking and the sight nearly undid me.

I took him in my fist and pumped him once and then twice, twisting at the head the way I liked when I was alone. Elias bucked his hips as he snapped to chase my grip. “Kai… shit…”

I kissed down his chest as I licked a stripe over one nipple then sucked hard enough to make him cry out.

“Oh my— shit…”

My free hand roamed lower and cupped his balls as I rolled them gently while I worked him faster the other hand causing slick sounds to fill the small room.

Sweat beaded on his stomach muscles jumping under my tongue.

Elias grabbed my hair, yanked my face up and kissed me again, sloppy and needy. I let him lead for a moment, I let him bite my bottom lip, I let him grind up into my fist until his thighs trembled and his breath came in short desperate pants.

I sped up my pace as my thumb swiped over the slit of his cock spreading precum down the shaft. His whole body tensed as his heels dug into the mattress, his back bowing off the cot.

He broke the kiss a

s his head fell back and a raw broken moan tore out of him loud and wrecked.

“Ahhh— fuck—”