Chapter : Suffocating Heat

The silence between them was deafening.

Nathaniel was so close that every breath he exhaled ghosted over Rain's lips, burning like fire against his skin.

The heat between them was unbearable, suffocating.

Rain's entire body ached, his wolf clawing at the edges of his control, demanding what the bond so cruelly dangled before him. His fingers trembled as they curled against the rough stone wall behind him, his breaths coming in shallow gasps.

But he couldn't move.

Because if he moved—if he even so much as shifted forward—he knew Nathaniel would break.

And Rain wasn't sure if he wanted that.

Or if he feared it.

Nathaniel's golden eyes were wild, darkened with something raw, something dangerous. His chest heaved, his hands braced against the wall on either side of Rain's head, his entire body tense as if restraining himself from tearing into the temptation standing before him.

His restraint was hanging by a thread.

And Rain could feel it.

"Say something," Nathaniel ground out, his voice strained, low, as if the words were being forced through clenched teeth. "Tell me to stop."

Rain's lips parted, but nothing came out.

Because he didn't want to tell him to stop.

And that terrified him more than anything else.

A slow, deep growl rumbled from Nathaniel's chest. His fingers twitched, his entire body coiled tight as if one wrong move would shatter every last ounce of control he had left.

"Rain," he warned, his voice dropping to a deadly whisper. "If you don't say it now—"

He cut himself off, his breath ragged.

Rain swallowed hard, his pulse hammering against his ribs.

The fire in Nathaniel's eyes burned hotter, the golden hue darkening to something primal, something utterly wolf.

And Rain broke.

His hands shot up, fisting into Nathaniel's shirt, pulling him closer, closing the unbearable distance between them.

A sharp inhale. A ragged breath.

Then—

Nathaniel snapped.

A snarl tore from his throat as he crushed his lips against Rain's, his hands slamming against the wall behind him, caging him in completely. The force of it sent a shudder through Rain's body, a whimper slipping past his lips before Nathaniel swallowed it whole.

It was rough. Desperate. Messy.

And hungry.

Nathaniel's grip tightened, his hands sliding down to Rain's waist, pulling him against him, pressing their bodies together in a way that left no space, no hesitation, nothing between them but the raw, searing heat of their bond.

Rain gasped against his lips, his fingers digging into Nathaniel's shoulders as sparks exploded beneath his skin, the bond roaring to life in a way that made his entire body ache.

Nathaniel's lips moved down, dragging over his jaw, down to his throat, teeth scraping against sensitive skin.

Rain shuddered, his head tilting back against the wall, giving more, offering more—

Then suddenly—

Nathaniel stilled.

His breathing was ragged, his hands shaking against Rain's waist.

And then, just as violently as he had lost control, he ripped himself away.

The loss of warmth was like a slap to the face.

Rain sucked in a sharp breath, his body still burning, his chest heaving. His legs felt weak, barely holding him up as the weight of what just happened came crashing down on him.

Nathaniel stood across from him, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles were white, his entire body rigid, his golden eyes blazing with something dangerous.

His lips were red. His breathing uneven.

But his expression—

His expression was furious.

Not at Rain.

At himself.

A muscle in his jaw ticked, his entire body thrumming with barely restrained tension.

Then, without another word—without even looking at Rain—Nathaniel turned on his heel and stormed out of the room, the door slamming shut behind him.

Rain stood frozen, his heart pounding in his ears, his breath still uneven.

And as he touched his swollen lips, as the bond still burned beneath his skin—

He realized something terrifying.

This wasn't the end.

It was only the beginning.

To Be Continued...