My annoyance spiked as we hit the stairs. Kayden's jaw was set in a mask of stubborn determination that I was quickly beginning to recognize as his "overprotective Alpha" look. "You really need to get over this compulsion to carry me," I muttered, glaring at the sharp line of his profile. "I have two perfectly functional feet, Kayden. I've walked through worse terrain than a hallway." He spared me a fleeting, amused glance before refocusing on the landing ahead. "You're lucky I have no intention of injuring you," I added, my voice dropping into a warning growl, "or I'd have forced you to drop me three flights ago."
The smirk that pulled at the corner of his mouth was maddening. "Well, I appreciate your concern for my well-being, kitten," he said, his voice laced with dark amusement. "But I'm not letting you go until I know for certain you're safe, clean, and far away from any more rogue blood."
As soon as we reached the top of the stairs, I decided I'd had enough of being handled like a fragile trophy. I began to wiggle in his arms, shifting my weight and making it significantly harder for him to maintain his balance. I knew I could end this in a heartbeat. One sharp tug to pry his hands apart, a quick twist of my body, and I'd be on the floor before he could blink. But I hesitated. With my tiger's strength, "forcing" him to let go could easily result in a fractured wrist or a bruised rib for him. Despite my irritation, the thought of actually hurting him made my stomach churn. So, I settled for being a difficult, squirming burden instead.
He tried to adjust his grip, his muscles straining as I continued to shift, but eventually, the physics of the situation won. He was forced to set me down or risk us both tumbling ungracefully to the floor. The second my feet hit the plush carpet of the upper hallway, I smoothed out my dress, reclaiming my dignity. Kayden stood there for a moment, glaring at me while he ran a hand through his hair in pure, unadulterated frustration. "Why," he began, his voice a low growl of exasperation, "do you have to be so difficult?"
I crossed my arms over my chest, meeting his gaze with one of my own. "I told you to put me down, Kayden. I meant it. I am not a child to be fussed over, and I am certainly not a damsel who needs to be carried because of a little dust on the floor. I'm not even hurt." The frustration in his eyes didn't fade, but it changed into something deeper, more intense. He took a sudden step forward, closing the distance until I was forced back against the doorframe behind me. He planted his hand next to my head, leaning his weight into it as he trapped me between his body and the wood paneling.
He leaned in, his face inches from mine, forcing me to look directly into the gray of his eyes. "You are my mate," he said, his voice dropping into a rough, thick register that vibrated in my chest. "Get used to it, Artemis. Because there will never be a day, or a single second, when I ever stop worrying about you."
Then, the game changed. His arm snaked around my waist, his palm broad and heavy, and he yanked me flush against him. The air left my lungs in a sharp hitch, my lips parting in a silent gasp as the hard lines of his chest met the softness of mine. He didn't pull back. Instead, he leaned in, his mouth hovering just beside my ear. His voice dropped to a dark, gravelly rasp that sent a shiver racing down my spine.
"You don't want to challenge me right now, my little vixen," he whispered, his breath hot against my sensitive skin. "Or I might do something you'll find yourself regretting later." When he pulled back just enough to look at me, the gray of his eyes was gone. In their place was a swirling, molten silver—the unmistakable mark of a wolf losing the battle to his own desire.
The sight of it hit me like a physical blow. A tight knot twisted in the pit of my stomach, and a sudden, heavy pooling of heat settled between my legs. My tiger paced restlessly in the back of my mind, purring at the raw dominance in his gaze, and for the first time tonight, my sharp-edged defiance began to crumble under the weight of an entirely different kind of hunger.
I knew that if I took this any further, there would be no turning back. I wouldn't come out of this unscathed. But the memory of seeing Kayden on the battlefield—the paralyzing terror of losing him—had changed everything. I couldn't leave him. Not anymore. Without thinking twice, I hooked my hand behind his neck and pulled him down. The moment our lips touched, sparks erupted against my skin. Kayden didn't hesitate; he responded instantly, his hunger matching my own.
My back hit the wall as he surged forward, pinning me with the heavy, solid weight of his body. When his tongue sought entry, I gave it gladly, a soft sound escaping my throat. His hand shifted from the wall to the back of my neck, angling my head to deepen the kiss. My body buzzed with an electric heat at every point of contact. My hands scrambled across the broad planes of his bare chest before sliding to his back, clenching his skin as I tried to pull him even closer—though we were already crushed together so tightly that not even a shadow could slip between us.
His hand slid slowly from my waist to the back of my thigh. The moment his fingers brushed bare skin, a fresh riot of electric sparks danced across my nerves. His grip tightened, hauling my leg up to straddle his hip. The movement pinned me even harder against the door, the solid heat of his body crushing into mine. As his hardened length pressed against my aching core, my fingers dug into his shoulders, and a sharp gasp escaped me. He broke the kiss, trailing a path of fire along my jaw and down the sensitive column of my neck. With every grind of his hips, a wave of pure pleasure surged through me, forcing a low moan from my lips. While one hand anchored my leg, his other slid down my torso, his palm finally finding and squeezing my breast with a possessive heat.
A shiver of pure electricity raced through me as his lips found the junction of my neck and shoulder—the exact hollow where his mark would eventually claim me. My fingers tangled in his hair, pulling him closer, while my other hand pressed into his back. A broken murmur escaped me when he pinched my hardening nipple through the fabric; then, with a slow, deliberate tug, he eased the top of my dress down.
The cool air hit my skin for only a second before his mouth latched onto me, hot and possessive. My nails scraped against his skin as his tongue swirled in a relentless rhythm. When he looked up, his eyes had bled into a molten, predatory silver. The sheer intensity in his gaze mirrored the fire in my own blood, making my heart hammer against my ribs. Just as my eyes began to flutter shut, I felt his hand slide lower. He found the slick folds of my core, his thumb finding my center with devastating precision. A loud, uninhibited moan tore from my throat as he began to toy with me, sending shockwaves of pleasure through my entire frame. He didn't let up, moving his mouth to my other breast to continue his onslaught.
A second later, he slid a finger inside me. A jagged moan broke from my lips, and I anchored myself by digging my nails into his shoulders. He tore his mouth from my breast, catching my cry in a demanding, all-consuming kiss. As he established a relentless rhythm below, my hand found him, wrapping around his heavy length. The moment I touched him, a violent shudder racked his frame, and a deep, guttural groan vibrated through the air. Then, the snap of the bond occurred. Our minds fused.
Suddenly, his pleasure was mine. I felt the white-hot intensity of his desire as if it were my own, the sensation echoing and amplifying between us until the rest of the world—the prison, the rogue, the blood—faded into nothingness. He let out a low growl, catching the hand I had on his shaft and pulling it away, only to seize my other thigh. He hoisted me up until I was straddling him completely, pinned between his powerful body and the wooden door frame behind me. With his hands gripping my seat, he crushed my core against him, and I locked my ankles behind his back, desperate for every inch of contact.
One of his hands left me, and the door I was braced against swung inward. Kayden's grip tightened on my hips as he broke the kiss to glance inside the room. He stepped over the threshold, kicking the door shut behind him with a heavy thud. Before I could even register our new surroundings, he moved toward the bed. I felt the sudden, welcome pressure of a soft mattress against my back as he followed me down, pinning me into the sheets.
He leaned back, his molten silver eyes raking over me with a possessive intensity. His hands found my thighs, sliding beneath the hem of my dress. They traveled upward with a feather-light touch that left a trail of shivering heat in their wake. He gathered the fabric, lifting it over my head and tossing it carelessly to the floor. Now, I lay bare beneath him. He looked at me as if he were devouring me, his gaze lingering on every inch of exposed skin, burning the image into his memory as if he never intended to let it go.
I felt my body shudder under his gaze, and I watched as Kayden gently rubbed my nipple with his thumb, a soft smile forming on his lips. "So beautiful," he murmured. When his lips met mine again, his hands squeezed my breasts, drawing a soft moan from me. He used that opening to allow his tongue to enter my mouth, swirling against my own as his knee pressed firmly against my core. He leaned back slightly, trailing kisses along my jaw and down my neck. As soon as I felt his lips against my collarbone, one of his hands left my breast and slid down my body until he found my center.
Just as his mouth found my breast again, his finger entered me. My back arched, lifting off the bed as a ragged moan escaped my lips. He shifted to the other breast, continuing his onslaught of pleasure. I felt him release me, trailing a line of kisses down my stomach as he lowered himself. As his face neared my center, I opened my eyes to look at him, his hands gripping my thighs. "Kayden—" I started, but the name was cut off by a shattered moan as the first rasps of his tongue found my clit. One of my hands tangled in his hair while the other gripped the sheets. His tongue swirled around me before diving deeper, sending waves of all-consuming pleasure through my body that I couldn't help but voice.
As he worked, I realized he was using our shared pleasure to his advantage, sensing exactly where to apply pressure and when to shift his pace for the most devastating effect. The tension within me coiled tighter and tighter until I couldn't bear it. My fingers fisted in his hair, pulling him closer. "Kayden, please," I choked out between moans.
He didn't need further explanation. He understood my need as if it were his own. He lifted his head, his silver eyes burning into mine, before shifting to push his shorts off his hips. They hit the floor, and he knelt over me, a dark silhouette of power and desire. He lowered himself, claiming my lips once more in a kiss that tasted of hunger and promise.
My hands raked down his back, pulling him flush against me. I deepened the kiss, desperate for every spark of contact, every ounce of his heat. Then, his hands found mine, bracing us as he angled his body and pushed into my core. The moment he entered, a sharp snap echoed through my soul. A flash of pain lanced through me, and my nails scraped deep into the skin of his back as my body adjusted to the overwhelming fullness of him.
Through our shared bond, a sharp jolt of pain spiked in my mind. I flinched, my muscles tensing as Artemis's nails raked across my back. The realization hit me like a bucket of ice water: the pain wasn't mine. I pulled back slightly, looking down at my mate with wide, startled eyes. "You're a virgin?" The second the words left my lips, I felt like a complete idiot. But Artemis just chuckled, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Did you expect me not to be?"
"But... you said tiger shifters don't usually wait," I stammered, my heart racing. "That they prioritize breeding the strongest bloodlines." Her smile widened, a soft twinkle in her gaze. "I said most, Kayden. Not all. My parents were mates, and seeing their happiness... I wanted that for myself. I chose to wait, just as your kind does." Hearing her words, a massive weight I hadn't even realized I was carrying suddenly lifted from my chest. All the insecurity I'd felt since she first explained her culture vanished. But before I could find the words to thank her, she arched an eyebrow, a playful smirk dancing on her lips. "And what about you?" she challenged. "Are you a virgin? Since you were so surprised by me, it's only fair you answer, too."
A sly smirk played on Kayden's lips, his eyes dancing with mischief. "What do you think I am?" I rolled my eyes, though my heart was hammering. "I doubt you're a virgin." He leaned back, arching an eyebrow. "And why is that?" I opened my mouth to retort, but he didn't give me the chance. He moved, his fingers finding my center again with devastating accuracy while his mouth reclaimed my breast. A sudden wave of pleasure crashed over me. My back arched, my fingers fisting in his hair as I gasped. He shifted, withdrawing himself only to replace the heat with his fingers, toying with me until my thoughts were nothing but white noise.
"You... are... too... good," I managed to pant through the moans. He looked up, that smirk still firmly in place. "Too good at what, Artemis?" I tried to glare at him, but another surge of pleasure sent my head back, my eyes fluttering shut as I lost the battle for composure. I felt the vibration of his chuckle against my skin before he leaned in, his warm breath ghosting over my ear.
"If it's truly that good," he whispered, his voice dropping to a husky, serious tone, "then it only speaks to my character. I've never been with another woman, Artemis. You are the first, and you are the only one I will ever be with, my love." My heart swelled, a sudden rush of affection and joy so intense that tears pricked at my eyes. Using my grip on his hair, I pulled him down, meeting his lips in a demanding, all-consuming kiss that told him everything my words couldn't.
In the heat of our kiss, his fingers established a steady, driving rhythm that pushed me toward a new peak of ecstasy. My own hand found his shaft, sliding from base to tip, and I was rewarded with a sharp hiss of pleasure from the back of his throat. He groaned, catching my wrist to still my hand as he pulled back. He leaned close, his lips ghosting against my ear as his fingers withdrew from my center. His hands settled firmly on my hips. "I'm going to try this again," he whispered, his voice thick with restraint. "It might hurt at first, but bear with me. It will get better." I managed a small, breathless chuckle. "You speak as if you've done this before," I teased, my sarcasm a shield against the rising tension.
He leaned back just enough to offer a knowing smirk, then began to press inside me once more. The pain returned, radiating through my nerves as he slowly filled me, and I couldn't help the flinch that racked my frame. Kayden immediately cupped my cheek, his thumb brushing my skin as he pressed a tender kiss there. "I'm sorry, my love," he whispered. "It will ease soon." I could feel his hesitation, his desire to move slowly and shield me from the discomfort until my body fully adjusted to him. But I had never been one to back down from a challenge—not on the battlefield, and certainly not here. I watched him hesitate, his movements careful and measured, but I shook my head. "Just do it. I don't want to wait." Kayden looked taken aback, his brow furrowed with worry. "Are you sure?"
"I've waited too long to find you," I nodded, my voice firm despite the heat in the room. "I want you. I'll be fine." He gave a single, sharp nod and pressed a light, lingering kiss to my lips before finally plunging deep. A jagged bolt of pain lanced through me. Without thinking, I leaned forward and bit down hard on the curve of his shoulder to stifle a cry. I felt him stiffen, but he didn't pull away; instead, he pushed deeper, his hand coming up to cup the back of my neck. His touch was incredibly gentle, a silent reassurance that I could take whatever I needed from him to endure the transition.
Through our mental link, I felt the sheer force of his pleasure with every thrust. Within seconds, the sharp edges of the pain began to blunt, melting into a heavy, pulsing heat. I released his shoulder, my head falling back as a broken moan escaped me. Kayden groaned, his eyes snapping open to find mine. He reached up, his thumb brushing the corner of my mouth. When he pulled his hand back, a small drop of his blood smeared the tip of his finger. I started to fret, the warrior in me momentarily replaced by concern, but he didn't give me the chance. His lips crashed into mine, demanding and hungry, claiming me in a way that made the rest of the world disappear.
His hand cupped my breast, squeezing firmly as his tongue entered my mouth, determined to discover every hidden corner of my being. Instinct took over, my hips rising to meet his every stroke in a relentless rhythm. Each movement drove him deeper into my warmth, sending fresh surges of electricity through the bond. Our shared pleasure amplified, bouncing between our minds until it reached a deafening roar.
We were lost, consumed entirely by the other. The only sounds in the room were our ragged breaths and intermingled moans, echoing the primal connection we had finally forged. With one final, devastating stroke, white light exploded across my vision. My entire world shattered into pure sensation. I heard Kayden's voice cry out alongside my own, a twin chorus of release that shook me to my core. Then, the light faded into a dense, peaceful darkness, and I felt myself slip away into unconsciousness.
*
*
I woke to the morning sunlight peeking through the window. As my senses slowly returned, I realized I was sprawled directly on top of Artemis. After the blackout of our shared ecstasy, I must have collapsed right where I was, using her breasts as a pillow. I eased my weight off her, moving carefully so as not to disturb her. She was still deep in sleep, her face turned away from the light. Looking at her lying there, so peaceful and still, my heart swelled. I marveled at how lucky I was to have found her—she was perfect, inside and out. The thought that I had almost let her slip through my fingers made my chest tighten, but I made a silent vow then and there: I would do whatever it took to convince her to stay with me.
Seeing her lying bare against the sheets made my mouth water. The temptation to wake her with a kiss and pick up exactly where we had left off was nearly overwhelming. But just as I leaned toward her, my stomach let out a thunderous growl. I hadn't eaten since before the battle yesterday, and I knew Artemis had to be just as depleted. The thought of her waking up weak and hungry was enough to override my desire; I needed to get her something to eat.
Once on my feet, I pulled on a pair of boxers before leaning over to lift Artemis. She was warm and pliant in my arms as I moved her, settling her gently so her head rested against the pillows. The moment I laid her down, she curled onto her side with a soft sigh. I couldn't help but smile; she was adorable like this. I pulled the heavy blankets up to her chin and pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead. But just as I turned to head for the door, a stray beam of sunlight hit her face.
Artemis groaned softly, her hand fumbling for the covers before she yanked them clean over her head, burrowing into her own little cocoon. I let out a quiet chuckle, the smile still firmly etched on my face as I stepped out of the room. My footsteps felt lighter than they had in weeks as I made my way down the staircase toward the kitchen.
*Unbeknownst to Kayden, as he slipped into the kitchen and closed the door, the front door of his house creaked open—slowly, silently. A figure moved shiftily into the dim interior, navigating the shadows with practiced ease. They moved past the kitchen, light as a ghost, and began the ascent. A perfectly manicured hand gripped the banister, steadying their meticulous climb.
Reaching the landing, the intruder moved down the hallway with purposeful, silent steps. Their bare feet made no sound against the polished wood. Upon reaching Kayden's bedroom, they paused, turning toward the door with a chilling sense of ownership. Slowly, the door was pushed open. A sudden, intrusive stream of morning sunlight flooded the hallway, illuminating the doorway and revealing Alisha. She stood there, framed in the light, her eyes fixed on the bed where Artemis lay.
Alisha's wavy blonde hair framed her face, resting just above her breasts. Her lips, painted a sharp rose-red, were curled into a satisfied smile as she eyed the silhouette beneath the covers. To her, the shape of the body was confirmation enough; her suspicions were correct. She paced into the room with a confident sway of her hips, a performance of practiced grace. Just before she reached the edge of the bed, she reached for the sash of her silk robe. With a single tug, it fell open and pooled on the floor, leaving her bare. The only thing remaining was a rose-gold chain with a diamond that caught the morning light. She climbed onto the mattress, straddling the covered figure with a predatory confidence.
"Oh, Kayden," she purred, her voice dripping with a forced sweetness. "You don't know how long I have waited for this day. I've always known I was meant to be your Luna. I know you still love me—that you only broke up with me because you were forced to when we found out we weren't fated. But don't worry, my love. At long last, we can finally be together."
Artemis was awake in a heartbeat; the mattress dipped. Her training kicked in instantly; she was ready to lung and strike, but she checked her movement the moment Alisha began to speak. Instead of attacking, she remained perfectly still beneath the silk sheets, listening. The longer the woman spoke, the more the situation shifted from a threat to a display of pure, unhinged delusion. Artemis felt a flicker of genuine pity—how could someone be so dangerously out of touch with reality?
"I know you were only worried about what people would say," Alisha continued, her voice trembling with a manic sort of hope. "But you don't need to hide it. The moment you risked your life to save me from that rogue, I knew. I'm going to prove I'm better than that tiger shifter—that so-called mate. I'm going to give you what you've always wanted. I'll let you take my virginity, Kayden."
Under the covers, Artemis's eyes narrowed. "We can mark one another," Alisha purred, leaning closer. "We'll stand before the pack and announce I am the only Luna. And then... then we can finally kick out that good-for-nothing tiger shifter you were unfortunately saddled with."*
I was at the base of the stairs, a tray of food in my hands, when the first faint whispers reached me. My blood went cold. Halfway up, I recognized the voice: Alisha. "...finally allow you to take my virginity just like I know you have always wanted to do," she was saying.
I've known Alisha for years. She's always been entitled—a product of her upbringing—but I had never heard her sound like this. Her voice was strained, vibrating with a delusion so deep it made my skin crawl. The closer I got to my bedroom door, the louder she became, her words dripping with a fantasy that didn't exist. I reached the door and found it ajar. Setting the tray on a nearby console, I pushed the door open the rest of the way. The sight that met me was a nightmare. Alisha was stripped bare, straddling the body beneath the covers. She was talking to the blankets as if they were me, unaware that she was currently sitting on my sleeping mate.
"What the hell do you think you are doing?!" My voice boomed through the room like a physical blow. Alisha's head snapped toward me, her eyes bulging with shock. She looked at me standing in the doorway, then looked back down at the body in the bed. Her face contorted into a mask of pure disgust, and she let out a shrill, piercing squeal. She scrambled off the mattress as if she'd been sitting on hot coals, diving for the silk robe on the floor and clutching it against her chest as if she were the one who had been violated.
With the weight gone, Artemis sat up. She moved the covers from her face with slow, deliberate grace, her expression perfectly calm. She arched a single eyebrow, an amused smirk playing on her lips as she looked at me. "Isn't it obvious?" Artemis said, her voice dry and mocking. "Apparently, she's so attracted to me that her clothes are just slipping off her body." Alisha's face turned a violent shade of red, her eyes wide with horror as she looked between us. "That is so not true!" she shrieked, her voice cracking. "I thought she was you, Kayden!"
Alisha stepped toward me, letting the robe fall away once more as she reached out to grab my arm. Her eyes were wide and pleading. "You have to believe me, Kayden. I never stopped loving you." A wave of pure revulsion crashed over me. I yanked my arm back from her touch as if her skin were acid. She immediately pouted, but before I could find the words to exile her from the room, Artemis spoke up.
"There's no need to lie, Alisha," my mate said, her voice smooth and conversational. "I know I'm attractive. You aren't the first girl to throw herself at me, and you likely won't be the last. But be honest with yourself. There's nothing wrong with being gay, and I'm sure there are women out there who would have you—but I'm not one of them. I'm not interested in you like that." I turned to look at Artemis, and the air left my lungs. The blanket had slipped to her waist. She sat there, proud and unbothered, her perfect breasts on display, her nipples hardening in the cool morning air. My mouth went bone-dry. Every word I had planned to say to Alisha died on my tongue as my body reacted instantly to the sight of my mate.
Alisha scoffed, "You don't know what you're talking about!" She snapped her head toward the bed to glare at Artemis, but the moment she saw her, her jaw dropped. "What the hell is wrong with you?" she shrieked, her voice hitting a glass-shattering pitch. "Why are you shirtless?!" Artemis chuckled, the sound low and dangerous. "I'm not the one who barged in here without permission and climbed onto a sleeping stranger, Alisha." Alisha's mouth opened and closed like a fish gasping for air, her brain clearly scrambling for a lie that wouldn't sound pathetic. "I-I-I don't—"
"Oh, please," Artemis cut her off with a sharp scoff. "Don't even try to lie. We all saw what you did, and there is no excuse for it. Period." Alisha stomped her foot, a literal temper tantrum in the middle of my bedroom. "You don't know what you're talking about! Why don't you just stay out of this?" She turned back to me, her eyes brimming with fake tears. "Kayden, honey, you have to believe me..."
"Are you forgetting that you are the one who came onto me?" Artemis countered, leaning back against the headboard, totally unfazed by her own nudity. "Technically, you dragged me into this the moment you decided to straddle me." Alisha whirled around, glaring at my mate with pure venom. "I did not come onto you! You weren't even supposed to be here! This is Kayden's room, not yours. So, get lost!" Alisha started to turn back to me, likely to demand I kick Artemis out, but she froze. The silence of the room was shattered by a sudden, melodic peal of laughter. Artemis wasn't just smiling anymore; she was laughing at Alisha's face.
Artemis swung her legs off the bed, her long, bare limbs catching the light as the blanket pooled at her hips. "See, you seem to be forgetting one very important fact, sweetheart." Alisha rolled her eyes, her arms crossed tight over her chest. "Oh yeah? And what's that?" Artemis stood. The blanket slipped away entirely, leaving her standing tall and unashamed in her nakedness. Alisha's eyes bulged, her mouth twisting into a silent 'o' of disgust, but Artemis didn't give her a second to breathe.
"Kayden is my mate, not yours," Artemis stated, her voice like cracking ice. "And if he wanted you as badly as you claim, why did he and I just finish spending the night in each other's arms instead of him being with you?" Alisha shook her head frantically, her blonde hair flying. "No! You don't know what you're talking about. Kayden loves me! He would never do that to me!" Artemis's lips curled into a predatory smirk. "Do you really believe that? Why don't you ask him yourself?"
Alisha snapped her head toward me, her face pale. "Tell me it isn't true, Kayden. I know it's not true. It can't be—" Her voice died in her throat. Her gaze locked onto my bare shoulder, where the angry, red mark of Artemis's teeth sat—a clear sign of our shared intensity. Her eyes flooded with tears of disbelief. She shook her head, her voice dropping to a broken whisper. "No... No. How could you?"
My patience finally snapped. I pinched the bridge of my nose, taking a long, steadying breath before looking Alisha dead in the eye. "I've told you many times now, Alisha: there is nothing between us." I reached out, wrapping my arm around Artemis's waist and pulling her flush against my side. She leaned into me, resting her head on my shoulder in a display of effortless possession. "Artemis is my one and only mate," I stated, my voice echoing with Alpha authority. "And she is your future Luna."
Alisha shook her head, her eyes wide and wild. "No... no, that's not true! I know you love me! You risked your life to save me from that rogue! You're only saying this to appease that tiger shifter. You're afraid she'll attack the pack if you don't keep her happy. But you don't have to worry, Kayden. Only I truly understand you. I love you, and nothing will change that."
From my peripheral vision, Artemis rolled her eyes at the sheer, unhinged delusion of it all. I ran a hand through my hair, my frustration boiling over into anger. "Do you even hear yourself?" I snapped. "I don't love you, Alisha. Not even close. You are a member of my pack, nothing more. I saved your life because I would do the same for any wolf under my protection. It's my duty as Alpha, not a confession of feelings. There is nothing else there."
Tears streamed down Alisha's face as she shook her head frantically. "No! Don't say that! I know you love me! You have to!" She whipped her head around, fixing me with a venomous glare and stabbing a finger in my direction. "This is her fault! She tricked you into saying this. I'm supposed to be by your side, not her! Can't you see we were always meant to be together? Not with this good-for-nothing tiger shifter!"
A low, vibration-heavy growl erupted from Kayden's chest, a sound so primal it made the air in the room feel heavy. He took a slow, menacing step toward Alisha, his shadow looming over her. "I do not love you," he stated, his voice like grinding stone. "I have never loved you. The fact that we dated once in the past does not give you the right to breathe a word against Artemis—my mate and your Luna. You will show her the respect she deserves, or I will not hesitate to expel you from this pack myself." Kayden stared her down, his icy steel-gray eyes burning with a cold, unforgiving fire. Alisha gasped, her breath hitching as fresh tears spilled over. "How could you say that to me, Kayden?" she sobbed, her voice breaking. "I love you..."
"I don't love you, and you need to get that through your thick skull," Kayden repeated, his voice final. Alisha's lip quivered, her face a mask of wet, desperate grief. "No, Kayden, I—" She reached out, her fingers trembling as she tried to catch his arm, but he flinched away from her touch as if she were a leper. The rejection hit her like a physical blow. She whipped her head toward me, her eyes red-rimmed and full of venom. "This is all your fault!" Without waiting for a response, she spun around and fled the room, her loud, racking sobs echoing down the hallway.
Kayden stood there for a long moment, his jaw clenched so tight I thought it might crack. He ran a hand through his hair, the air around him still thick with the scent of his redirected rage. I let out a long sigh, raking my fingers through my silver hair. "Thank God that's over." He turned to me, his expression softening instantly into one of deep regret. "I'm sorry you had to deal with that. I'll figure out a way to ensure it never happens again." I offered him a sharp smirk. "Are there any more crazy stalkers I should know about? Let me know now so I can be better prepared next time." Kayden shook his head, a weary smile finally touching his lips. "Luckily for both of us, she's the only one. But I'll deal with her properly. She won't be a problem again." I gave a satisfied nod, already moving toward the bathroom. "Good. Now that that's settled, I'm going to take a shower."
My mind went completely blank the second she mentioned the shower. I stood frozen, my eyes locked on her as she turned and walked into the bathroom. The door clicked shut, and a few seconds later, the rhythmic hiss of the water echoed through the room. The sound triggered a landslide of images in my mind. I could see the steam rising, the water slicking her silver hair back, and droplets tracing the curves of her body—the very body I had just spent the night worshiping. My pulse hammered in my ears, and I felt myself harden instantly, a sharp, demanding ache that made my thoughts scatter. I didn't hesitate. I didn't overthink. I walked straight to the bathroom door and pushed it open, drawn to her like a moth to a flame.
I stood under the spray, letting the heat of the water melt the lingering tension of the morning. I didn't need to turn around to know when the door opened; Kayden's addictive, sandalwood, and forest rain scent filled the small space instantly. Sparks danced across my skin as his hands reached around from behind, his palms molding to my breasts. I tilted my head back, leaning into the solid strength of his shoulder as a soft sigh escaped me. He began to trail hot, lingering kisses down the line of my neck, his fingers pinching my nipples in a way that made my toes curl.
Summoning a shred of willpower, I reached down and caught his hands, gently pulling them away as I stepped forward. I turned to face him, a playful smirk on my lips. "I actually need to take a shower, Kayden." "We are showering," he replied, his eyes dark with mischief. I chuckled, shaking my head. "No, you just want to start something we don't have time for right now."
He held up his hands in a mock gesture of surrender. "I promise, we'll prioritize the washing. I promise."
"Fine," I said, rolling my eyes as I handed him the loofah. "But no funny business."
"I wouldn't dream of it," he smirked, though the way his gaze swept over my body told a completely different story.
I closed my eyes, focusing on the rhythmic scrub of the shampoo against my scalp, trying to ignore the heat radiating from the man behind me. I heard the squelch of soap against the loofah, and a moment later, I felt the textured surface glide across my back. I glanced over my shoulder, my eyes narrowed. Kayden just smirked. "Just helping you with the hard-to-reach spots. No need to be so on edge, kitten." I rolled my eyes, unconvinced but silent, allowing him to continue.
The loofah moved with agonizing slowness over my shoulders and down my arms, tracing every line of muscle. But as he worked his way lower, my breath hitched. He swept the soap across my backside and down the length of my thighs, his movements steady and deliberate. Then, he moved the loofah to the inside of my leg. He slid it upward, the soapy friction a delicious torture as he reached the halfway point of my inner thigh. He stopped just short of where I was already beginning to throb, only to pull back and repeat the process on the other leg. My stomach tightened in a knot of pure desire. As he transitioned, his bare fingers brushed—just for a fleeting second—against the sensitive heat between my legs. It was a silent challenge, a reminder that he knew exactly what he was doing to me.
The moment he finished the back of my leg, his hand cinched around my waist like a vice, pulling me flush against the hard planes of his chest. I followed him willingly as he took two steps back, moving us both out of the pounding water until we stood in the rising steam. The loofah returned, tracing a slow, soapy path from one shoulder, across my collarbone, to the other. Then, it descended. I gasped as the textured surface circled my breast before dragging roughly across the peak of my nipple. My stomach knotted, and a familiar, heavy heat began to pool between my thighs.
As he moved the loofah to my other breast, his free hand slid up my damp stomach, his palm cupping me firmly. A hiss of pleasure escaped my lips when his skin scraped over my hardened nipple. He began to knead me, his grip possessive and rhythmic, drawing a low groan from deep in my chest. "Kayden—" I started, my voice a breathy wreck. I tried to find the words to tell him to stop—or perhaps to tell him to hurry—but the sentence was cut short. I arched my back, a sharp gasp ripping from my throat as he caught my nipple between his thumb and index finger, pinching with a perfect, punishing pressure.
His lips grazed my neck, trailing a path of fire up to my ear where he nibbled the lobe, his breath hot against my skin. "Don't worry," he whispered, a dark vibration that echoed in my chest. "I'm just ensuring you're cleaned... thoroughly." I couldn't even form a retort. My breath hitched as the loofah slid past my stomach and down between my legs. It hit the floor with a wet thud, but before I could blink, he turned my head to the side. His lips crashed into mine, and simultaneously, his fingers found my slick folds. He teased my clit before driving a finger deep inside me. My body jolted, a jagged bolt of pleasure lancing through me that I could only answer with a muffled moan into his mouth. He took the opening, his tongue sliding in to claim mine with a possessive hunger.
He added a second finger, his rhythm steady and demanding, while his other hand rolled my nipple into a hard peak. My back arched, my head falling heavily against his shoulder as the pressure began to build into an unbearable ache. Through our merging minds, I could feel his own desire, a roaring beast that mirrored my own. Suddenly, he withdrew. The loss of his touch made me whimper, but then I heard a distinct click. The water pressure shifted, the spray turning into a focused, rhythmic pulse. Kayden broke the kiss, pulling back just enough as the new, intense stream of water hit my chest and belly, heightening every sensitized nerve he had just awakened.
I shook my head, trying to clear the fog of pleasure, but Kayden was already moving. He had unhooked the shower wand, the rhythmic hum of the water changing as he began to rinse the soap from my back. I started to turn, wanting to face him, but his chest slammed back against me, pinning me in place. "Stay still," he murmured, his voice thick with a dark sort of satisfaction.
He guided the wand over my shoulders and down my arms, the warm spray chasing away the suds. But when he reached my legs, the "rinse" became something else entirely. He followed the curve of my thigh down to my ankle and back up again. Then I heard that click—the water pressure spiked into a powerful, pulsing jet.
Before I could even gasp, he shoved the wand between my thighs, the concentrated stream hitting my core with a force that made my knees buckle. In the same motion, his free hand hooked under my thigh, hoisting my leg up and baring me completely to the spray. The water hammered against my clit, relentless and perfectly aimed. A loud, jagged moan ripped from my throat as my head fell back against his shoulder. My vision swam with white heat. The sensation was overwhelming—a rhythmic, vibrating pressure that sent jolts of electricity straight to my brain.
I felt his teeth scrape against the base of my neck—a light, teasing nip that sent a fresh jolt of electricity down my spine. My eyes fluttered closed as the pleasure consumed my mind, and through the bond, I felt Kayden's own satisfaction mirror mine, an endless loop of shared ecstasy. I pressed back against him, my body grinding instinctively against the hard length of his cock, and was rewarded with a deep, vibrating growl that echoed from his chest into mine. My hands acted on their own; one reached back to pull him flush against me, while the other tangled deep into his wet hair.
A sudden thump against the tub floor snapped my eyes open. He had dropped the shower wand, the water now spraying aimlessly against our ankles. In one swift motion, he reached up and clicked the knob, switching the flow back to the overhead shower. The drenching spray returned, slicking us both as he grabbed my chin, forcing my head to turn toward his. His kiss was no longer a suggestion; it was a demand. It was a searing, desperate claim that spoke of the burning desire. His tongue invaded my mouth, exploring with a frantic hunger, just as his fingers found my slick folds again. He brushed against that sensitive nub with a precision that made my body jerk, a sharp gasp of pure need breaking against his lips.
The pressure built to a breaking point as his fingers worked deep within my slick core. Every thrust of his hand drew a ragged moan from my throat, and I ground my hips back against his hardening length, desperate for more. A low, vibrating growl traveled from his chest into my lips just before his fingers withdrew. I felt his mouth leave mine, his lips finding the sensitive skin of my neck once more, sucking and biting as his hand moved to the back of my thigh.
Without a word of warning, he hoisted me up. A surprised gasp escaped me as my feet left the floor, my back pressing firmly into the solid wall of his chest. I instinctively dug my nails into his lower back and gripped his shoulder to steady myself in the slick heat. Before I could find my voice, I felt the head of his cock probe my entrance and then slide home. He buried himself deep inside me in one smooth, powerful motion. A loud, echoing moan ripped from my lungs, and my back arched into a bow of pure ecstasy. My hand flew from his shoulder to his hair, my fingers tangling in the wet strands. I gave a sharp, demanding tug, pulling his head back. Kayden followed the silent command instantly. His lips crashed onto mine, meeting me in a kiss that was raw, hungry, and full of the burning desire that only a fated mate could provide.
The world outside the shower ceased to exist. I was dimly aware of the water raining down, slicking our skin and echoing against the tiles, but the sensation was drowned out by the sheer, crushing weight of the pleasure. With every deep, rhythmic stroke, Kayden drove me higher, penetrating the very core of my being. The bond became a live wire. The ecstasy bounced between us—from my heart to his, amplified and returned—until it became a recursive loop of white-hot energy. It was more than the human brain was designed to process. The pressure peaked, shattering the last of my control as a mutual, mind-numbing orgasm tore through us both. We cried out in unison, the sound lost to the steam and the spray. As the world began to dissolve into a thick, heavy darkness and my muscles went limp, one final, wry thought flickered through my fading consciousness: I really should have made us move to the bed... we're going to wake up on the floor.
*Unbeknownst to the pair upstairs, Alisha hadn't left the house. Instead, she had retreated to the one place she felt she still had a claim: Kayden's office. She sat on the leather couch, tears still tracking down her pristine face, her fingers white-knuckled as she gripped the silk robe bunched between her knees. She sat in the silence, waiting, her heart thudding with the desperate hope that Kayden would come charging through the door to apologize for his "mistake." But as the minutes stretched into an hour, the grief curdled. Her face twisted into a sharp, ugly scowl. She stood abruptly, snapping the robe around her naked body and tying the sash with a violent tug.
She began to pace the length of the office, her heels clicking rhythmically on the hardwood. "How is he not here yet?" she hissed to the empty room. "No one has ever been immune to my charms. No one." She raked her fingers through her blonde waves, her thoughts spiraling into a dark place. How could he choose a tiger shifter—a stray—over her? She was the perfect Luna. She had even considered aiming for the throne, but not even the future Wolf King, Zane, possessed Kayden's raw, magnetic appeal. To Alisha, a man was a mirror; he had to be as beautiful as the woman standing beside him. And in her mind, only Kayden was worthy.
Alisha sank into Kayden's black office chair, the air leaving her lungs in a defeated puff of smoke. For a moment, she just looked small, swallowed by the Alpha's furniture. Her mind raced, searching for a way to claw back his affection, but every path was blocked by that silver-haired tigress. "Seriously, how could he accept a tiger shifter as a mate when he has someone like me?" she yelled at the empty walls, her voice cracking with the strain of her ego.
An image of Artemis flashed in her mind—the way the woman seemed to glow with an effortless, celestial beauty, like a goddess carved from marble and moonlight. Even in her most arrogant moments, Alisha's stomach twisted with the bitter realization that Artemis wasn't just a rival; she was a masterpiece. That realization was the final spark. Alisha's face contorted, and she slammed her fists onto the mahogany desk, her scream echoing in the quiet office. "Who cares if she's pretty? She is still no match for me!"
She went to push away from the desk, but her gaze caught on something beneath her hand. A splash of yellow. It was a manila folder, tucked beneath a stack of boring pack ledgers. What stopped her heart was the name scrawled across the tab in Luca's bold, familiar handwriting: ARTEMIS. Curiosity, sharp and poisonous, spiked in Alisha's chest. She forgot her tears. She snatched the folder up and flipped it open, her eyes darting across the pages.
The folder fell open, and Alisha's breath hitched. Staring back at her from a crumpled "Wanted" poster was Artemis. The woman in the photo looked colder, her expression hardened into a mask of lethal efficiency that lacked the softness she showed Kayden. But those mystical blue eyes and that ethereal silver hair were unmistakable. Even in a criminal profile, her beauty was undeniable, a fact that made Alisha's jaw ache with resentment. Her eyes scanned the bottom of the page, landing on a bold caption: IF SEEN, CONTACT IMMEDIATELY. Below it was a private frequency and a phone number.
A slow, predatory smile spread across Alisha's face, her earlier tears long forgotten. This wasn't just a secret; it was a death warrant. Artemis wasn't a guest or a future Luna; she was a target. And Kayden was harboring a fugitive. She snapped the folder shut before tucking it under her arm. As she walked toward the office door, the silk of her robe fluttering around her legs, she felt a surge of triumph. Perhaps it won't be so hard to get her out of our lives after all, she thought.