Chapter : One Step Ahead!

The air in the room was suffocating as Rain stood frozen against the wall, his breath still uneven, his lips still tingling from Nathaniel's kiss. The Alpha King's words echoed in his mind, digging under his skin like thorns.

"You're mine."

Rain's chest heaved, a growl building low in his throat. He hated how Nathaniel said it with such confidence, as if the bond gave him the right to claim something Rain hadn't given freely.

Nathaniel, standing mere inches away, hadn't moved, his amber eyes boring into Rain's with the force of his dominance. He looked calm, composed even, but there was a heat in his gaze that betrayed the storm raging beneath his surface.

"You think this is over?" Rain snarled, his silver eyes blazing with fury.

Nathaniel's lips curled into that infuriating smirk. "It's far from over, Rain. You and I both know that."

Rain shoved at Nathaniel's chest, creating space between them, but the Alpha King didn't stumble. He didn't even flinch. He stood tall, like an immovable force, his presence filling the room.

"I don't care what the moon says," Rain spat, his voice shaking with rage. "I will never belong to you."

Nathaniel tilted his head slightly, his gaze dropping to the faint glow of the mark on Rain's wrist. "And yet, you're still here," he said softly, his voice a dangerous mix of challenge and amusement.

Rain clenched his fists, his claws extending as his wolf roared inside him. "Don't test me, Castellan."

Nathaniel's smirk faded, replaced by something colder, sharper. He took a deliberate step closer, his voice dropping to a low growl. "You can fight me all you want, Rain. But this bond isn't going anywhere. You feel it, don't you? The pull. The need. It's in your blood, in your bones. You can't escape it."

Rain's chest tightened as Nathaniel's words hit their mark. He hated how true they were. The bond was a constant presence, a living force that refused to be ignored. No matter how far he ran, no matter how much he resisted, it was always there, pulling him back to Nathaniel.

Nathaniel reached out, his fingers brushing against Rain's jaw. The touch was light, almost tender, but it sent a jolt through Rain's entire body. His wolf stirred, and Rain hated himself for the way his body reacted to the Alpha King's touch.

"Why do you keep fighting me?" Nathaniel murmured, his voice softer now, almost... curious.

Rain's silver eyes met Nathaniel's, burning with defiance. "Because I don't want this. I don't want you."

Nathaniel's expression didn't falter, but his eyes darkened, his hand dropping back to his side. "You can lie to yourself, Rain, but you can't lie to me. The bond doesn't lie."

Rain growled, his anger flaring again. "You don't know me, Castellan. You don't know anything about me."

Nathaniel's gaze didn't waver. "I know enough."

The tension between them crackled like a storm, the bond flaring with a heat that was impossible to ignore. Rain's breathing quickened as he struggled to hold onto his anger, his defiance, but the pull of the bond was relentless.

"I'm leaving," Rain said abruptly, his voice firm despite the chaos inside him.

Nathaniel's brow arched, his lips curving into a faint smirk. "And where do you think you'll go?"

Rain stepped around him, his movements deliberate, his silver eyes daring Nathaniel to stop him. "Anywhere but here."

Nathaniel didn't move to stop him, but his voice followed Rain as he reached the door. "You can leave, Rain. But the bond will always bring you back to me."

Rain's jaw clenched, his claws digging into his palms as he forced himself to keep walking.

Rain stormed through the halls of the stronghold, his mind racing as he tried to suppress the fire raging within him. He needed air, space, anything to clear his head. The bond was suffocating, pressing down on him like a weight he couldn't lift.

Soren was waiting for him near the northern courtyard, his expression tense as Rain approached.

"Are you all right?" Soren asked, his sharp gaze scanning Rain's face.

Rain didn't answer immediately, his chest heaving as he tried to calm his breathing. Finally, he shook his head. "I can't stay here, Soren. Not anymore."

Soren nodded, his jaw tightening. "We'll leave tonight. I've already scouted the guards' rotations. There's a gap near the western wall just before dawn."

Rain's silver eyes met Soren's, a flicker of gratitude in his gaze. "Thank you."

Soren placed a hand on Rain's shoulder, his grip firm. "You're my Alpha. I'll follow you anywhere."

Rain's chest tightened at the words, the weight of his responsibility settling over him. He couldn't afford to let the bond control him. His pack was counting on him.

"We leave tonight," Rain said, his voice steady despite the turmoil inside him. "And we don't look back."

But as the hours passed and the time to leave drew closer, Rain couldn't shake the feeling that Nathaniel was already one step ahead of him.

The Alpha King wasn't one to let anything slip through his fingers—especially not Rain.

And as the moonlight bathed the stronghold in its crimson glow, Rain knew deep in his soul that Nathaniel wouldn't let him go without a fight.

To Be Continued...