Chapter : Shut Up!

Rain stood in the quiet of his chambers, the room cloaked in shadows. The only light came from the Blood Moon outside, its crimson glow spilling through the narrow window and casting jagged streaks of red across the stone walls. His breathing was uneven, his body tense. He'd paced, tried to drown out the incessant pull of the bond, but it clung to him like a second skin.

Nathaniel Castellan.

The man's name echoed in his mind, the weight of it infuriatingly heavy. Rain hated him—loathed the Alpha King for everything he'd taken, everything he'd done. And yet, no matter how hard he tried to deny it, his wolf stirred every time Nathaniel was near.

It wasn't just the bond. It was something deeper, something primal that Rain couldn't control.

The door creaked open, and Rain's head snapped toward it. He didn't need to ask who it was—he could feel Nathaniel's presence before the man even stepped inside.

Nathaniel leaned casually against the doorframe, his amber eyes glowing faintly in the dim light. He was still dressed in his formal attire from the council meeting, though his cloak had been discarded, leaving his broad shoulders and muscular frame on full display.

"You've been avoiding me," Nathaniel said, his voice low and smooth, a dangerous edge beneath the calm.

Rain's silver eyes narrowed. "You don't give me much of a choice."

Nathaniel smirked, pushing off the doorframe and stepping into the room. The door shut behind him with a soft click, the sound echoing in the tense silence.

"You always have a choice, Rain," Nathaniel said, his tone infuriatingly steady. "You just don't like the options."

Rain's fists clenched at his sides, his claws threatening to emerge. "What do you want, Castellan?"

Nathaniel moved closer, his steps deliberate, predatory. "What I've always wanted. For you to stop fighting what's between us."

Rain growled low in his throat, his wolf bristling under the weight of Nathaniel's presence. "There is nothing between us."

Nathaniel stopped mere inches away, his towering frame casting a shadow over Rain. His gaze was sharp, intense, and far too knowing.

"You're lying," Nathaniel murmured, his voice dropping to a whisper. "I can feel it, Rain. Every time you're near me, every time you look at me... the bond burns just as much for you as it does for me."

Rain's chest heaved, his silver eyes locked onto Nathaniel's. The bond flared between them, a searing heat that left him breathless.

"I don't want this," Rain said, though his voice wavered.

Nathaniel's hand lifted, his fingers brushing lightly against Rain's wrist where the mark glowed faintly. The touch sent a jolt of electricity through Rain's body, his wolf howling in response.

"Liar," Nathaniel whispered.

Rain's resolve cracked. He shoved Nathaniel hard, forcing the Alpha King to stumble back a step. But Nathaniel's smirk only deepened, his amber eyes blazing with challenge.

"You can fight me all you want," Nathaniel said, his voice a low growl. "But we both know how this ends."

Rain didn't respond. He couldn't. His body was betraying him, the bond pulling him toward Nathaniel even as his mind screamed to resist.

Nathaniel stepped forward again, closing the distance between them. This time, Rain didn't move, his breath hitching as the Alpha King reached for him. Nathaniel's hand cupped Rain's jaw, his touch firm but not forceful.

"You hate me," Nathaniel murmured, his gaze locked onto Rain's. "But you want me just as much."

Rain's growl deepened, though it lacked the conviction he intended. "You don't know anything about me."

Nathaniel's thumb brushed against Rain's jaw, the motion slow and deliberate. "I know enough."

The tension between them snapped like a taut wire. Rain surged forward, his hands fisting in Nathaniel's shirt as he pulled the Alpha King closer. Their mouths collided in a kiss that was anything but gentle—a clash of teeth and tongues, fire and fury.

Nathaniel responded instantly, his hands gripping Rain's waist and pulling him flush against his body. The heat between them was unbearable, their bond roaring to life as if it had been waiting for this moment.

Rain's claws scraped against Nathaniel's shoulders, his growl vibrating against the Alpha King's lips. This wasn't surrender—it was a war, and every movement, every touch was a battle for dominance.

Nathaniel pushed Rain back against the wall, his hands roaming with a possessive urgency. "Still think there's nothing between us?" he murmured against Rain's lips, his voice rough with desire.

Rain's laugh was breathless, defiant. "Shut up, Castellan."

Nathaniel's smirk returned, but he obeyed, capturing Rain's mouth in another searing kiss.

The Blood Moon's glow bathed them in its crimson light, the mark on their wrists blazing with the fire of the bond. It was raw, primal, and inescapable—a force neither of them could deny.

For that moment, there was no empire, no rebellion, no hatred.

There was only the fire between them, consuming everything in its path.

To Be Continued...