Chapter : Burning For Him

Nathaniel barely kept his composure as he turned the door handle. His entire body was still burning, his mind hazy with Rain's scent, his taste lingering on his lips.

His muscles remained taut, coiled with unspent tension, a primal hunger simmering beneath his skin.

He needed to regain control.

He inhaled sharply, forcing his heartbeat to steady, though it was a losing battle. The memory of Rain's body pressed against his, the way his breath had hitched under his touch—it was intoxicating. Addictive. And far too dangerous.

But the moment he stepped outside, the cold air biting against his heated skin, his Beta, Soren, was waiting.

Soren's golden eyes flickered over him, sharp, knowing. His gaze lingered—too long—on the faint mark on Nathaniel's jaw where Rain's teeth had grazed his skin.

A smirk tugged at Soren's lips, the kind that grated on Nathaniel's nerves.

"Busy, Alpha?"

Nathaniel exhaled through his nose, leveling Soren with a cold glare. "Did you come here to be irritating, or do you actually have something useful to say?"

Soren chuckled but straightened, his amusement fading.

"We have a problem."

Nathaniel's grip on the door tightened, his patience fraying. "Be specific."

Soren's smirk disappeared completely. "There's movement at the eastern border. Our scouts picked up an unfamiliar scent. And, Alpha—" His voice lowered, turning grim. "They weren't alone."

Nathaniel's jaw clenched.

This wasn't random.

Not when Rain's presence in his territory had already stirred too many unanswered questions.

He turned his head slightly, listening. His senses stretched outward, searching for any immediate threats. The estate remained still, but he could feel the disturbance in the air. A predator's instinct. Something was coming.

Nathaniel exhaled slowly, forcing his heartbeat to steady.

Rain was his.

That meant every threat against him was a direct challenge.

And he didn't take challenges lightly.

His lips curled slightly, a dangerous glint in his crimson gaze. If they thought they could take what belonged to him, they were sorely mistaken. He would rip them apart limb by limb and scatter their remains as a warning.

But first—he needed to assess the situation.

Nathaniel turned back to the door, his mind torn.

Rain was still inside, waiting, his scent thick in the air. The ghost of his touch still lingered, tempting, calling him back.

But outside—danger lurked, tightening around them like a noose.

Nathaniel's expression darkened.

He needed to handle this.

Fast.

And then—he'd return to Rain.

To finish what they started.

In Rain's Room...

Rain sat on the edge of his bed, his lips still tingling, his pulse erratic. His fingers brushed over them absentmindedly, remembering the way Nathaniel had devoured him, the possessive hunger in his gaze, the way his touch ignited something dangerous and uncontrollable inside him.

He hated this.

Hated how easily Nathaniel unraveled him, how helpless he felt under his touch.

But what he hated more—

Was the fact that he wanted more.

He cursed under his breath, gripping the sheets beneath him.

This wasn't supposed to happen.

He was supposed to resist.

Yet when Nathaniel had touched him, kissed him, claimed him—Rain had melted.

Completely.

Pathetic.

He needed to get a grip.

His heart still pounded, his body betraying him, a lingering ache curling low in his stomach. It wasn't just attraction—it was the bond. The pull. And it was growing stronger, suffocating him, ensnaring him in something he couldn't control.

Rain forced himself to stand, rubbing his hands over his face. He needed air. Space.

Before he did something stupid—like go after Nathaniel and beg him to finish what he started.

No.

He wouldn't give in that easily.

But as he reached for the door—

A sharp pain shot through his skull.

Rain staggered, gasping, clutching his head as a vision slammed into him.

Darkness.

Blood.

A suffocating fog pressing against his skin.

And a voice—low, rasping, echoing like a prophecy.

"The Blood Moon is rising."

Rain gasped, stumbling back, his vision flickering between reality and something else—something ancient, foreboding.

Shadows twisted at the edges of his consciousness, whispers curling around him like unseen hands. Images flashed in his mind—an altar drenched in blood, golden eyes staring through the dark, a shattered bond reforging in flames.

His breath hitched.

The pain throbbed behind his eyes, his body trembling as the vision tightened its grip on him.

This wasn't normal.

Something was coming.

Something far worse than he had ever imagined.

And it wasn't going to stop until it swallowed them whole.

To Be Continued...