Chapter : Trust Me

Nathaniel prowled through the dark corridors of the castle, his body still humming with the scent of Rain.

He's fighting it.

The way Rain trembled under him, his breath ragged, his pulse erratic—Nathaniel had felt every struggle, every defiant shudder.

And yet…

He had also felt the way Rain's body responded.

That brief moment when instinct took over, when Rain had nearly—nearly—given in.

Nathaniel let out a low growl, his fingers twitching.

His patience was thinning.

The bond was tightening.

And Rain—his stubborn little mate—was pushing him to the edge.

Nathaniel ran a hand through his hair, forcing himself to breathe.

Not yet.

Not until Rain understood.

Not until he broke.

A sharp knock interrupted his thoughts.

Nathaniel turned, his eyes flickering gold as the door to his chamber swung open.

Lucien stood there, his Beta's face impassive.

"You reek of frustration," Lucien commented, stepping inside.

Nathaniel shot him a warning glare. "Not in the mood."

Lucien smirked. "You're never in the mood."

Nathaniel sank into the chair by the fire, rolling his shoulders. "What do you want?"

Lucien crossed his arms. "Soren was seen leaving Rain's room just now."

Nathaniel's fingers froze on the armrest.

The air around him thickened, his wolf stirring beneath his skin.

That rogue again.

Lucien tilted his head. "You're losing control."

Nathaniel's jaw ticked.

He knew.

He knew Rain would keep pushing.

Keep seeking escape in others.

But the Blood Moon bond was cruel.

Unforgiving.

Rain was his.

And there would come a time when his mate would realize—

There was no way out.

Nathaniel exhaled slowly.

Then he stood.

His voice was dangerously calm.

"Find out what Soren wants."

Lucien hesitated. "And if he's a problem?"

Nathaniel's lips curved.

"Then I'll remove him."

Rain sat by the window, staring out at the moonlit forest.

His chest felt too tight.

His skin still burned.

No matter how many times he told himself he hated Nathaniel, something deep inside him—something primal—kept pulling him back.

Kept making his body betray him.

The Blood Moon bond was relentless.

Merciless.

And the worst part?

He wasn't sure how much longer he could fight it.

But he had to try.

Because if he gave in—

If he let Nathaniel claim him completely—

There would be no turning back.

Nathaniel knew.

Knew Rain was breaking.

Knew the bond was winning.

And when the time came—

He would take everything.

The night stretched on, heavy with unspoken tension.

Rain sat rigidly on the edge of his bed, his nails digging into his palms. Every nerve in his body was on fire, his senses still overwhelmed by Nathaniel's lingering scent.

His lips tingled.

His wrists ached where Nathaniel had gripped them.

Damn him.

Rain clenched his fists, willing himself to breathe.

He hated this. Hated how his body reacted to that Alpha.

Hated how the bond made it impossible to ignore.

A knock at the door startled him.

Rain's head snapped up, his heart slamming against his ribs.

"Soren?" His voice came out strained, but the door opened, revealing the rogue with his usual lazy smirk.

"You look like you saw a ghost," Soren teased, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation.

Rain exhaled sharply. "I—" He swallowed, trying to regain his composure. "It's nothing. Just tired."

Soren shut the door behind him and leaned against it, arms crossed. His silver eyes studied Rain carefully.

"You sure?" he asked, voice quieter now. "Because you don't look fine. You look like someone just tried to eat you alive."

Rain flinched at how accurate that was.

Soren's smirk faded.

"Did he—?"

"No," Rain cut him off, voice sharper than intended. "He didn't force me."

But he almost had.

And worse—Rain had almost let him.

Soren sighed, running a hand through his messy hair. "You know this isn't going to end, right?"

Rain's breath hitched.

Soren crouched in front of him, his gaze serious now.

"He's not going to let you go. No matter how much you fight, no matter how much you resist—" He exhaled. "He'll wait until you break."

Rain shut his eyes. "I know."

The admission felt like chains tightening around his throat.

Soren hesitated, then took Rain's hand in his own.

"Then let me help you before that happens."

Rain opened his eyes, meeting Soren's steady gaze.

"How?" His voice was barely above a whisper.

Soren squeezed his hand.

"We run."

Nathaniel stood by the window of his study, watching the forest below.

Lucien's words echoed in his mind.

Soren was seen leaving Rain's room just now.

Nathaniel's jaw clenched.

His wolf growled in protest, a deep, possessive sound rumbling in his chest.

That rogue was getting too close.

Too bold.

Nathaniel flexed his fingers, his patience fraying.

Rain was his.

His to break. His to claim.

And if Soren thought he could take him away—

Nathaniel's eyes flashed gold.

He'd rip him apart.

One way or another, Rain would understand.

There was no escape.

And the next time he had Rain in his arms—

There would be no more running.

The weight of Soren's words settled between them, heavy and unshakable.

We run.

Rain's heart pounded. He wanted to say yes—wanted to grab onto the lifeline Soren was offering.

But his throat felt tight.

Could they really escape?

Nathaniel had found him every time. No matter how far he ran, no matter how well he hid—the Alpha always found him.

And this time… Rain could feel it in his bones.

Nathaniel wasn't just hunting him.

He was waiting for him to fall.

Soren sighed, watching the war play out in Rain's expression.

"Look, I get it," he said, voice quieter now. "You're scared. And honestly? You should be."

Rain swallowed hard.

"But staying here is worse." Soren leaned in. "You think he's done with you? You think he'll stop just because you resist?"

Rain's fingers curled into the sheets beneath him.

"He wants to own you, Rain," Soren pressed. "And the longer you stay, the harder it'll be to fight back."

Rain bit his lip.

I know that.

Soren shifted closer, voice dropping lower.

"We can do it this time," he murmured. "I've been planning for weeks. I have a way out. A real one."

Rain's breath hitched.

No more pretending. No more false hope.

This was real.

And if he said yes—

Soren's grip on his hand tightened.

"Just trust me."

A long silence stretched between them.

Then, Rain exhaled.

"Okay," he whispered.

Soren's eyes lit up, but before he could say anything else—

A chilling sensation crawled up Rain's spine.

The air in the room shifted.

A dark presence—watching.

Listening.

Soren noticed it too. His body tensed, his easy smirk vanishing in an instant.

The scent of storm and smoke filled the room.

Rain's blood ran cold.

No…

A slow, measured knock echoed against the wooden door.

Once.

Twice.

Then—

The door creaked open.

And standing in the dim light of the hallway—

Was Nathaniel.

His golden eyes locked onto Rain.

Unblinking.

Unyielding.

A slow smirk curved his lips.

"You weren't planning on leaving me, were you?"