Claimed by my stepbrother

Chapter 11: After the Kiss

I barely slept.

Every time I closed my eyes, I felt the memory of Kai’s mouth on mine and the way the mate bond had settled into something warmer… and more permanent. The sharp pain was gone, but in its place was a constant awareness of him. Even with a wall between our rooms, I could sense where he was.

When morning finally came, I felt exhausted and restless at the same time.

I got dressed slowly, trying to prepare myself for whatever version of Kai I would meet downstairs. Would he act cold again? Possessive? Or pretend nothing had happened?

I opened my door and found him already standing in the hallway, leaning against the wall across from my room like he had been waiting.

Our eyes met.

The bond reacted instantly, a soft pull in my chest that made my breath catch. Kai’s gaze dropped briefly to my lips before he controlled himself and looked away.

“Morning,” he said, voice low.

“Morning.”

That was all we managed before my mother’s voice called from downstairs.

“Lila! Kai! Breakfast is ready!”

Kai pushed off the wall. As he walked past me, his shoulder brushed mine, and the contact sent a small spark through the bond. He paused for half a second, jaw tightening, then continued down the stairs without looking back.

I followed him.

In the kitchen, Richard was reading something on his tablet while my mother set plates on the table. She smiled when she saw us.

“You two look tired. Late night?”

Kai sat down without answering. I forced a small smile and took the seat across from him. Every time I glanced up, I found his eyes already on me. The tension between us felt thicker than before, like the kiss had removed a layer of distance we couldn’t put back.

Richard looked between us once, frowning slightly, but said nothing.

The meal felt endless.

At school, things were worse.

The bond had grown more sensitive overnight. I could feel Kai’s presence even when he wasn’t in the same room. When he walked into the classroom later that morning, the pull in my chest tightened so sharply I had to grip the edge of my desk.

He took the seat behind me again.

I felt his stare for the entire period.

During the break, I tried to escape to the library, but I only made it halfway down the hallway before a familiar group of girls blocked my path. The blonde from before—Selene, I had learned her name was—stood in front with her arms crossed.

“You’re still here,” she said with a fake smile. “I’m surprised. Most girls don’t last long once Kai gets bored.”

I tried to step around her. “Excuse me.”

She moved with me. “He brought you to his table. He looked at you like you mattered. Don’t get confused, new girl. Kai Draven doesn’t keep anyone.”

Before I could reply, a cold voice cut through the hallway.

“Selene.”

Kai stood a few steps away, expression dark. The girls immediately straightened. Selene’s confidence faltered for a second.

“We were just talking,” she said quickly.

Kai’s eyes moved to me, then back to her. Something dangerous flickered in his gaze.

“Talk to her again like that,” he said quietly, “and you’ll regret it.”

The hallway went silent.

Selene’s face flushed, but she didn’t argue. She shot me one last glare before walking away with her friends. The other students nearby pretended they hadn’t been listening.

Kai stepped closer to me. The bond hummed between us.

“You don’t have to defend me,” I said under my breath.

“Yes, I do.” His voice was low enough that only I could hear. “You’re mine now. Whether you’ve accepted it fully or not.”

The word mine still made my stomach twist.

He looked like he wanted to say more, but the bell rang. Kai held my gaze for another second, then turned and walked toward his next class. I stood there longer than I should have, feeling the eyes of other students on my back.

By lunchtime, the tension had only grown.

I sat at the same quiet table as before. Kai joined me without asking, placing his tray down and sitting across from me. He didn’t eat much. He mostly watched me, like he was still checking that I was okay after last night.

“You’re quieter than usual,” he said.

“I kissed my stepbrother last night and found out werewolves are trying to kill me. I’m adjusting.”

A faint, dark smile touched his mouth for half a second before it disappeared.

“The bond is more stable,” he said. “But it’s also stronger. I can feel you more clearly now.”

“I noticed.”

Kai leaned forward slightly. “That means other wolves can feel the connection more clearly too. Last night bought us time. It didn’t solve the problem.”

I pushed my food around the plate. “What do we do then?”

“We increase protection.” His tone left no room for discussion. “You don’t walk alone anymore. Not at school. Not at home. Not anywhere.”

“That’s impossible.”

“No, it’s necessary.” Kai’s eyes locked onto mine. “Those wolves who came to the house were only scouts. Next time they’ll send stronger ones. And if they get their hands on you before the bond is completed…”

He didn’t finish the sentence. He didn’t need to.

The rest of lunch passed in heavy silence.

After the last class, I waited by the gates as Kai had told me to. Students streamed past me, some whispering, some staring. I ignored them the best I could.

Kai appeared a few minutes later, walking toward me with his usual cold expression. But when his eyes found me, something softer and more intense replaced it for a moment.

“Ready?” he asked.

I nodded.

We walked to his car together. The bond stayed warm and steady between us, almost comforting after everything. Kai opened the passenger door for me without a word. I got in.

He started the engine, but instead of driving straight home, he stayed parked for a moment, hands resting on the steering wheel.

“Lila.”

“Yes?”

Kai turned his head to look at me fully. The late afternoon light made his eyes look darker than usual.

“Last night changed things,” he said. “I need you to understand that. My wolf is calmer… but he’s also more certain. He already sees you as claimed.”

My fingers tightened in my lap. “And what do you see?”

Kai held my gaze without blinking.

“The same thing.”

Before I could respond, his phone suddenly buzzed in the cup holder. He glanced at the screen, and his entire expression changed. The calm he had been holding onto disappeared, replaced by something sharp and dangerous.

He picked up the phone and read the message. His jaw clenched hard.

“What is it?” I asked.

Kai stared at the screen for another second before locking it. When he looked back at me, his eyes had started to flicker gold again.

“They left a message,” he said quietly.

“Who?”

“The rival pack.” He started the car, his voice dropping into something cold and final. “They know where you sleep now… and they’re done sending warnings.”