Alpha

Wolves Bites Back

Blood dripped from Kael’s side as he limped into the stronghold, flanked by two guards and Luna, who hadn’t left his side since the fight. Her clothes were hastily thrown on, hair tousled, face smeared with dirt, but her presence was like a shield, fierce and unrelenting.

The moment they stepped into the infirmary, Rafe approached, eyes widening at the wound.

“What the hell happened?”

“Dren,” Kael growled, waving off the healers. “He attacked two of our own and tried to bait me.”

“Didn’t take much,” Luna muttered beside him.

Rafe gave her a tight glance but said nothing. The air was thick with unspoken questions. Why was she still here? Why did Kael bring her into the heart of their territory? And more importantly, why was she touching him like she belonged?

Luna pressed a cloth against Kael’s ribs, ignoring the stares. “This needs stitching.”

“I’ll heal.”

“Don’t be an idiot.”

Kael chuckled softly, his gaze landing on her. “You’re bossy.”

“You’re bleeding.”

He grabbed her wrist gently, eyes soft despite the blood on his hands. “You stayed.”

“You didn’t ask me to.”

That silence that followed said more than either of them dared admit. Luna had never stayed for anyone. And Kael had never wanted someone to.

Rafe cleared his throat. “We need to talk about her.”

Kael didn’t even look away from Luna. “She’s not going anywhere.”

Later that night, Luna sat alone on the balcony of one of the guest rooms, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. She could still smell him, Kael on her skin, on her fingers, in her soul. Their connection had grown teeth. It was no longer a casual heat between enemies.

It was need.

It was madness.

And it was getting harder to fight.

The door behind her creaked. She didn’t have to look to know who it was.

“You shouldn’t be here,” she whispered.

Kael stepped into the moonlight. “It’s my territory. I can be wherever I damn well please.”

She gave him a lazy look. “Don’t you have Alpha duties to tend to?”

“I’m tending to one now.”

His hand brushed her shoulder, trailing warmth along her skin. She closed her eyes, leaning into the contact before she could stop herself.

“This can’t keep happening,” she said.

Kael sat beside her. “Then stop me.”

She didn’t.

Instead, she turned, straddled him, and kissed him until the breath left both their lungs.

Minutes later, her legs were wrapped around his waist again, this time in the safety of stone walls instead of forest shadows. Kael laid her down gently on the bed, stripping her like he’d been waiting for this all day. Luna’s breath caught when his mouth closed around her breast, his fingers sliding between her thighs with maddening precision.

“Tell me what you want,” he growled against her skin.

“You,” she gasped. “Hard. Deep. Like you’ll never let me go.”

Kael obliged.

He pushed into her slowly, savoring her heat, her stretch, the way she clenched around him like her body had already claimed him.

They moved together like fire and wind; consuming, chaotic, unstoppable.

Her nails dug into his back as he thrust harder, faster. Her moans filled the room, each one pushing him closer to the edge. She screamed his name when she came, her body writhing beneath him, her wolf howling in ecstasy.

Kael followed with a roar, spilling into her like she was his last breath.

And maybe… she was.

They lay tangled in silence afterward, hearts slowing, bodies spent.

But peace was a lie.

Because moments later, a knock came at the door, urgent, hard.

Kael growled. “What?”

Rafe’s voice. “We’ve got a situation.”

Kael threw on his pants, frustration thick in his voice. “What now?”

“A rogue body. Just outside the border. Mauled. Marked.”

Luna’s breath caught. “Dren?”

“No. Someone else.”

Kael turned to her. “Stay here.”

She grabbed his arm. “Like hell.”

Rafe’s voice sharpened. “It’s not just a kill, Kael. There was a message carved into the chest.”

Kael’s eyes narrowed. “What message?”

Rafe’s voice dropped. “She belongs to me.”

Luna froze.

Kael’s jaw clenched so tight it cracked.

This wasn’t just about a rogue attack anymore.

This was war.

This was personal.

And it was far from over.