CH 8 - Derrick
1263 Words
DERRICK POV
The wind bit at my face as I pushed harder, feet slamming against the packed earth like war drums. Breath hot in my chest, lungs burning, muscles screaming for mercy I had no intention of giving.
Pain was good.
It helped me think. Or forget. Or pretend.
The trees blurred past, tall and indifferent. Towering sentinels to my chaos.
Normally, I’d shift. Let Onyx loose. Let him tear through the woods and purge this madness from our veins.
But the oath was clear.
No shifting.
Not on royal territory. Not here.
We had to feel.
Had to sync with the wolf instead of letting it take control.
Had to learn discipline.
F*cking discipline.
My only release was running—at full speed, like something was chasing me.
Because maybe something was.
Him.
Kai.
Onyx growled low in the back of my mind. Not loud. Not demanding. Just... restless.
Like a warning without a name.
‘What?’ I snapped inwardly.
He didn’t answer. Just paced. Kept pacing.
He never liked this place, but today it was different.
Tighter. Sharper.
Ever since Kai showed up.
Goddess, I hated the sound of his name in my head. Hated how easily it slipped in, how deeply it stuck. Like a thorn beneath the skin—too small to dig out, too sharp to ignore.
I couldn’t explain it. Even if I wanted to.
Which I didn’t.
It started yesterday. The second I saw him.
Scrawny little thing. Pale skin, sharp jaw. Looked more like a half-starved fox than an alpha. Not someone you’d expect to command a room.
And yet... he did. Somehow.
Those eyes— Golden. Unnatural. Burning.
They had locked on mine like a damn curse. And I hadn’t been able to look away.
I saw them again last night. In my dreams.
Except this time, they belonged to a woman—long blonde hair, soft lips, curves that made my mouth water and my control snap like dry twigs.
A dream.
Only a dream.
Because Kai was a guy.
An Alpha.
Untouchable.
Off-limits.
And I was straight.
Have always been straight. So why am I thinking of a guy this way?
F*cked every cheerleader in my old pack. Every beta who threw herself at me. Loved women. Their scent, their heat, their softness.
So why the hell did pinning Kai down this morning feel better than any of that?
Why did holding his wrists above his head, feeling his breath stutter beneath me, and see the way he reacted to me, nearly make me lose control?
Why was it all I could think about now?
I hadn’t meant to flip him. I’d been half-asleep, annoyed, strung too tight to think straight. But the second I felt him moving, reaching under me—
Something in me snapped. Possessive. Territorial. Hungry.
And when I opened my eyes, he was right there.
Beneath me.
Flushed and cursing, all heat and golden fury.
I should’ve moved.
I didn’t.
I couldn’t.
It took every ounce of willpower not to flip him over and grind my c*ck against his ass like a f*cking animal.
Dalton being there had saved me. If he hadn’t been in the room…
I shook the thought away, breathing heavier now.
Dalton.
That little rat.
He drugged me.
He actually drugged me.
Slipped something into my water like a coward. Thought he could “mellow me out.” I’ll mellow him out. Right into the f*cking ground.
He comes from a rotten bloodline. Dirty pack. Dirty name.
He’s not clever enough to see what’s coming. But he’ll learn.
I’ll make sure he does.
My steps finally slowed, chest heaving as I reached the edge of the trail. The sun was starting to rise, pale gold over the horizon. The Academy's towers cut into the sky like jagged teeth.
I ran a hand through my sweat-soaked hair, forcing my breathing to even out.
Kai. Dalton. Onyx, pacing in my chest like a caged beast.
This year was going to be hell.
And I wasn’t sure if I was going to make it through unscathed.
Or if I even wanted to.
But one thing I did know— I’d get to the bottom of whatever the hell was wrong with me.
And with Kai.
And if he turned out to be playing some kind of game…
He’d learn real fast that I didn’t lose.
Not in the forest. Not in the dorm. Not in bed.
Especially not in bed.
By the time I made it back to the dorm, my shirt clung to me like a second skin, soaked in sweat and regret. My boots were caked in dirt. My mind? Still a f*cking mess.
I pushed the door open, half-expecting to see Kai still there, maybe pretending to ignore me from his bed, all righteous and smug.
But the room was empty.
Good.
Too good, actually.
The silence was thick, like the room itself was holding its breath.
I peeled off my clothes, muscles sore and tight, and headed into the bathroom. That’s when it hit me.
His scent.
Faint, but unmistakable.
Warm spices and wildflowers, with that sharp undercurrent of Alpha musk.
F*ck.
I gripped the doorframe, inhaling before I could stop myself.
Madness. Absolute madness.
My c*ck hardened instantly, twitching with painful urgency as I breathed him in again like an addict. What the hell was happening to me?
“Goddess…” I whispered, shaking my head. “What did he do to me?”
Just his scent. That was all it took. He wasn’t even here, and I was already losing it.
Growling under my breath, I stepped under the spray and turned the handle all the way to cold. Ice water slammed into me like a punishment.
Didn’t help.
Not even a little.
I cursed again and slammed my palm against the tile. Cold wasn’t cutting it.
There were two options: suffer, or handle it.
The second option sounded a hell of a lot better. Might even help me make it through the damn day without punching someone. Or Kai. Or worse—f*cking him against the nearest surface.
My hand moved down, wrapping around my aching c*ck. The first stroke was rough, impatient. No tenderness. Just need.
I tried to picture the girl from my dream.
Golden eyes. Long blonde hair. Plush lips parting in a soft moan. Her curves spilling beneath me as I took her how I wanted. No rules. No shame.
But those eyes…
They weren’t hers, were they?
No. They were his.
Always his.
My strokes slowed, deepened. I leaned into the fantasy, let it wash over me like the steam that now replaced the cold water. In my mind, it was Kai on his knees. Golden eyes wide and defiant. Mouth open. Hands gripping my thighs like he hated needing me.
Like he wanted to bite and beg all at once.
My hips jerked forward, breath catching.
F*ck.
I wasn’t picturing the girl anymore. Hadn’t been for a while.
It was Kai now.
Bent over the sink.
Wrists pinned.
That perfect ass pushing back, ready to take every inch I gave him.
Goddess—
I came hard, groaning his name before I could stop myself, bracing against the tile as my release hit like a f*cking train.
The aftermath was worse.
Cold again. Empty.
I let the water wash it all away, head bowed, jaw clenched.
This wasn’t normal. This wasn’t me.
And if anyone found out?
I was screwed.
But for now, at least, I could breathe. And pretend I was still in control.
- Writer
