Chapter : Unbothered

The silence after the kill was deafening. Rain's breath came fast, but not from fear—his heart pounded for an entirely different reason.

Nathaniel didn't let go of his wrist. His golden eyes locked onto Rain's, searching, demanding something unspoken.

"Do you understand now?" Nathaniel murmured, his voice dark, rich, and dangerously smooth. His thumb brushed against Rain's pulse, slow and deliberate. "This is why I won't let you fight."

Rain swallowed hard, but he refused to look away. "I never asked you to protect me."

Nathaniel's lips curled into something between amusement and frustration. "No, you didn't." His fingers tightened around Rain's wrist, dragging him closer until there was barely an inch between them. "But you're mine."

The way he said it—possessive, absolute—sent something hot curling low in Rain's stomach.

Soren cleared his throat loudly. "As entertaining as this is, we should keep moving before more come."

Nathaniel let out a slow exhale, reluctant, but he didn't release Rain completely. His grip lingered as they moved down the corridor, his body tense, ready to strike again.

The deeper they went, the worse the air felt—thick with something unnatural.

Then, without warning—

A whisper of movement.

Rain barely had time to react before Soren slammed into him, pushing him against the wall just as a blade whistled through the air, embedding itself in the stone where Rain had been standing.

Nathaniel's growl was pure fury.

In an instant, he was gone, vanishing into the shadows, and then—

A scream. Short. Gurgling.

When Nathaniel emerged, his claws were dripping red. He didn't even glance at the body crumpled behind him.

Instead, he was on Rain in a second, pinning him against the cold stone.

"You're getting reckless," Nathaniel murmured, voice dangerously low. His fingers ghosted Rain's throat, feeling the rapid beat of his pulse. "Do you enjoy making me angry, cuore mio?"

Rain's breath hitched. He should push him away, should argue—but the heat between them was intoxicating.

Nathaniel leaned in, lips brushing against Rain's ear. "You're trembling."

Rain's fingers curled into fists. "I—"

"Shh." Nathaniel's tongue flicked against Rain's earlobe, just once. Just enough to make Rain's knees weaken. "We're not done yet."

His promise sent a shiver down Rain's spine.

And the worst part?

He wanted more.

The shadows pressed in around them, thick with the scent of blood and something darker—something wrong. Rain could feel it, thrumming beneath his skin, coiling in the pit of his stomach.

Nathaniel still hadn't let him go. His fingers lingered against Rain's throat, his body crowding close, a silent demand for submission.

Rain forced himself to meet those molten gold eyes, refusing to shrink away. "I can handle myself."

Nathaniel's lips twitched, but there was no amusement in his gaze—only something raw, something close to fury. "You think this is a game?" His fingers tightened, just enough to make Rain's breath hitch. "Do you have any idea what I'd do if something happened to you?"

A slow heat curled through Rain's chest, not from fear—but from the way Nathaniel's voice had dropped, low and possessive.

Soren's voice cut through the thick tension. "Save it for later, you two. We need to move."

Nathaniel's jaw clenched, but he exhaled sharply, pulling away. The loss of his warmth shouldn't have mattered, but Rain hated how his body instantly missed it.

They moved deeper into the ruins, the air growing heavier, thick with an unnatural energy.

Then—

A whisper.

Barely audible.

Rain barely had time to react before a pulse of something slammed into his chest. A rush of ice, crawling through his veins, locking his limbs in place.

Magic.

Nathaniel's snarl split the air as he turned sharply, eyes blazing.

Rain staggered, his vision tilting. His body felt wrong—like he was being pulled somewhere else, his senses unraveling.

Then—strong arms. A sharp, grounding scent.

Nathaniel caught him before he could collapse, his grip like iron. "What did they do to you?"

The concern in his voice was dangerous—too much.

"I—I don't know." Rain's fingers clenched in Nathaniel's coat, trying to breathe through the dizziness. "It's—"

A sharp, burning pain lanced through his spine.

Nathaniel's growl shook through him. "I swear to the gods, if they've marked you—"

Then a voice.

Soft. Sinister.

"Oh, my dear Alpha King."

From the darkness, a figure emerged. Cloaked in shadows, eyes gleaming with eerie amusement.

"I've been waiting for you."

Nathaniel's grip on Rain tightened. His entire body radiated fury, a primal, barely restrained wrath. His golden eyes gleamed dangerously as he shifted Rain behind him in one swift motion, his stance one of pure dominance and lethal intent.

Rain tried to resist, but his body still felt foreign—like something had coiled inside him, twisting its roots deep into his bones. His breath came fast and uneven, his heart pounding with something dangerously close to fear.

The figure in the shadows took another step forward, amusement curving their lips. Their voice was like silk laced with venom.

"Oh, Alpha King, must you be so aggressive? I've only come to talk."

Nathaniel's snarl was low and deadly. "You made a mistake coming here."

The figure chuckled, entirely unbothered. "And yet, I think you're the one who's made a mistake." Their gaze slid toward Rain, sharp and knowing. "Something's different about him now, isn't there?"

Nathaniel's growl deepened. He moved slightly, as if shielding Rain completely from view, but Rain forced himself to step forward despite the way his body screamed in protest.

"I don't need his protection," he bit out, his voice hoarse but firm.

The stranger's eyes gleamed with something unsettling, something almost delighted. "Oh, you truly are fascinating. No wonder he's so obsessed with you."

A low growl rumbled through Nathaniel's chest, vibrating through the air. It was a warning, a promise of violence.

The figure sighed, shaking their head. "So predictable." Then, their eyes flickered with something darker. "But you'll soon realize that some things can't be fought with brute strength alone."

Before Nathaniel could react, the air around them shifted.

A sharp pain lanced through Rain's chest.

A pulse—like something had just snapped into place inside him.

His knees buckled.

Nathaniel caught him instantly, one arm wrapping around his waist, anchoring him, steadying him. But Rain barely registered the warmth of his touch.

Because something inside him was awakening.

Something terrifying.

Something powerful.

The stranger's lips curled into a knowing smirk. "Ah… so it begins."

And then—

They vanished.

A gust of wind tore through the ruins, leaving only the suffocating silence behind.

Nathaniel's breathing was ragged. His hold on Rain was tight, almost too tight.

"Rain," his voice was rough, urgent, full of something Rain couldn't quite decipher. "Look at me."

Rain's fingers trembled as he gripped Nathaniel's coat, forcing himself to meet those golden eyes.

"I don't—" His voice faltered. He could feel something new inside him now, something foreign, something raw and untamed.

Nathaniel's eyes darkened. His fingers brushed against Rain's cheek, his voice a low growl.

"No matter what happens," he murmured, "you're mine."

The possessiveness in his voice sent a shiver down Rain's spine.

Because this time, it didn't feel like a threat.

It felt like a promise.

To Be Continued...