Feral Bonds: Claimed By Rogue Alpha Brothers
Chapter 74: Alpha’s Claim (II)

Chapter 74: Alpha’s Claim (II)

Evaline:

The moment my hands pressed against his chest, I knew it wasn’t fair - not to him, not to me. But the reminder of my pregnancy had yanked me back to reality, and reality was sharp and cold and merciless.

"Oscar..." I said. My voice was shaky and quiet as I pushed him away.

His eyes snapped open, breath catching as if just realizing how close we were to crossing a line we couldn’t come back from. I pulled away and wrapped my arms around myself instinctively. The space between us was too small, but it felt like a canyon in that moment.

He didn’t say anything at first. His breathing was still harsh, his body still strung tight with restraint, and his eyes - wild, hungry, beautiful - were watching me with confusion and guilt battling in them.

"I’m sorry," I whispered, feeling the need to say something.

His brows furrowed in confusion and he asked, "Why are you apologizing?"

I looked away. The warmth of his body was still lingering on my skin, and the bond between us was tugging painfully, like it hated being interrupted. "Because I wanted it too," I said truthfully, "but I can’t..."

His gaze searched mine for a beat longer, and then he nodded.

And for the first time since I had known him, Oscar stepped back. He gave me space. Not because he wanted to. But because I needed it.

I took off my Academy blazer and wordlessly offered it to him. He blinked at it, then gave a low, amused sound that was half a chuckle, half a groan. "That thing won’t cover a damn thing," he muttered.

I couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at my lips. "It’s either that or the curtain, and I don’t think Ms. Harlow would appreciate finding one missing."

He eyed me for a moment, then took the blazer. Since there was no way he could have fit into it, he tied it around his waist to hide the... most distracting part of his at the moment.

Once he was done, he looked absolutely ridiculous, and somehow, still unfairly gorgeous.

I bit my lip, trying not to laugh. "You look... respectable."

"Do I?" His mouth curved into a lopsided smirk. "Remind me to carry a bag of clothes next full moon ."

"Remind me to stay locked in my dorm next full moon."

A short silence fell between us, but it wasn’t awkward. If anything, it felt like an exhale. Like we had both been holding our breath for weeks, and now we finally let a little bit out.

But the silence was broken when he suddenly made an unexpected request. "Sit closer to me."

I hesitated for a second or two, before giving in. I curled beside him on the couch that was barely enough for both of us. He immediately folded his arms around me before I could settle, pulling me into his chest.

Being held like that... felt perfect.

His warmth was perfect. His scent. The steady thump of his heart. The way he rested his chin on top of my head and let out a quiet breath, like this - this - was what we had been needing all along.

"Sorry for rushing you," he murmured against my hair. "I wasn’t thinking."

"You were thinking," I corrected. "Just... with a different part of yourself."

He huffed a laugh. "Guilty."

We stayed like that for a long moment, tangled together in the soft quiet of the library. The moonlight was casting silver lines across the floor.

"Do you think we’ll regret this in the morning?" I asked quietly.

He tipped his head, just enough to press a kiss to the crown of mine. "Probably."

I turned my head a little, enough to meet his eyes. "But not yet?"

He smiled. "Not yet."

Then another kiss followed. This one near my temple. Then another, along my jaw. My breath caught when his lips brushed the curve beneath my ear, making my entire body tense in the most delicious way.

"Oscar," I warned.

"Hmm?" he asked in a low, dangerous murmur.

"I’m trying to be good."

"Me too," he said, kissing the side of my throat. "We are both doing a terrible job."

Despite myself, I laughed softly. "You are going to get me into so much trouble."

"I think you already were trouble, Evaline."

He leaned down again, this time capturing my lips in a slow, tender kiss that sent my heart spinning. It wasn’t rushed like earlier. It wasn’t desperate or fevered. It was the kind of kiss that felt like a promise.

A dangerous one.

My hands found their way to his neck, and my fingers brushed against the soft hair at his nape as his tongue swept gently against mine. I should have pulled away. I should have ended it.

But I didn’t.

Instead, I let myself feel.

Because Goddess, I wanted to feel something good. Even if it wouldn’t last. Even if the world was ready to burn around us.

His mouth left mine only to return to the skin just below my ear. Every kiss was making my pulse race. Every breath I took was laced with his scent. And every whispered word he spoke in between made my chest ache a little more.

"I think about you all the time."

I blinked. "Even when you are being an ass?"

"Especially then."

I shook my head, but my smile betrayed me. "Well, I guess I think about you too."

He grinned against my neck. "Even when I’m being an ass?"

I didn’t answer, but my kiss on his jaw was enough.

Eventually, the heat between us mellowed into something softer. Sleepier. He stretched out just a little, adjusting me more into his lap until I was half draped over him. His hands settled on my back, warm and heavy. I didn’t realize how much I needed this closeness until now.

"I could stay like this all night," I mumbled.

"You are welcome to," he said much to my surprise.

The thought of this sweet moment coming to an end, and him returning to his usual self - made my heart clench. I wasn’t sure if I was strong enough to handle his rejection after experiencing something so beautiful with him like this.

Before I could stop myself, I was placing a kiss on his lips.

He stared at me, as if he could feel the shift of my thoughts. His hand came to cup the back of my head before he started running his fingers through my hair that were almost back in their original color.

He let out a quiet sigh and nuzzled my cheek one last time. "I need to shift back before someone finds us like this."

I hesitated, not wanting the moment to end. But eventually sat up reluctantly, already missing his warmth. He stood and slipped off the blazer, handing it back to me with a wink. "Thanks for the modesty. Ten out of ten coverage."

I folded it over my arm, shaking my head. "Next time I’ll bring a towel."

He laughed.

Then his body shimmered, muscles tightening, bones shifting in a smooth, graceful ripple. Where Oscar once stood, now a large dark wolf stared at me with those same fierce golden-green eyes.

Still him.

Still mine.

Even if I couldn’t have him.

I crouched and reached out, scratching gently behind his ear. He leaned into the touch, and a soft rumble vibrated through his chest.

"Be careful," I whispered. "You are already making things worse just by being you."

He gave a low huff, like he understood, and turned toward the shadows near the back of the library. His large body moved soundlessly as he slipped into the dark, vanishing before anyone could see.

And I was alone again.

I stared at the spot he disappeared, blazer still clutched in my arms and heart racing for all the wrong reasons.

Tonight had been beautiful.

Unexpected.

Real.

But it didn’t fix anything. It didn’t change the fact that I was still carrying a child that wasn’t his. That I had felt mate bonds with more than one of the Rogue Alphas. That the others, precisely River, would never accept me.

No one knew any of it and I couldn’t make up my mind to reveal anything to anyone when we weren’t officially together yet.

I wrapped the blazer around myself and stepped out into the hallway, head down, heart full of butterflies that fluttered and fought inside my chest.

This night had changed everything.

And somehow... it had only made everything worse.

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