Chapter 12

Kai

The musk of Elara's heat hung thick and heavy in the air, and it was like a primal call that clawed at my insides. Anyah's hushed instructions echoed in the silence of the room, and I looked back down to Elara to find her sleeping with her lips slightly open. It had been more than an hour since Anyah left, but I couldn't bring myself to leave Elara yet.

She looked edible in that position and my wolf was going crazy, urging me to claim her immediately. I wrestled with every last thread of my self-control to not immediately mark her in her delirious and vulnerable state. Her flushed cheeks and the occasional moan that escaped her lips sent tremors through me. Her sweet scent was threatening to overwhelm me and pull me under. Each whimper that escaped her lips scraped against my control and it revealed a raw vulnerability within me that both ignited and terrified me.

I had to create a nest for her. I knew that she would be awake soon and would be in a more intense predicament than before, so I wanted her to be as comfortable as possible. I reached out a finger to stroke away the hair that had fallen over face, and I groaned when a shiver ran through her frame at the action. Desire and protectiveness warred within me and it felt like a relentless battle that threatened to pull me apart.

Rowan was still out on patrol and Rhys was attending meetings. I had been suspended from the council for a couple of weeks because of the incident involving me hitting Daniel, so Rhys had taken over the meetings, bringing me reports. I had been glad for the break before and was happy to let them handle most of the responsibilities, but now I had half a mind to call them both back home so we could figure out what the best path to take would be. I quickly decided against reaching out to them, however.

It wasn't that I didn't trust that Rhys and Rowan to possess the same control as myself, but this was a first for all three of us and I couldn't predict what their initial reactions would be. I thought it was best not to find out so soon, especially since Elara was still in such a vulnerable position. There was a fierce protectiveness that roared loudly within me. It pushed me to protect her from any harm and that included myself.

I forced myself into action, moving out of the room Her scent was a potent call for every male around. I met Rose coming out of my room with some cleaning supplies. I had instructed the maid to deep clean the room from top to bottom earlier, and I appreciated her efficiency and speed.

"Thank you, Rose. Can you keep an eye on her?" I said to the maid, and she nodded.

"Will she be all right?" she asked, concern etched on her features, and I nodded.

I moved into my room, inhaling the scent of lavender that now bathed the room. It was similar to the way Elara's room smelled and the effort from Rose made me smile. It was nice to see that not everybody was against Elara's presence in this pack and that some people outside of myself, Rhys, and Rowan were taking a liking to her.

Rose had gathered blankets like I had asked, and I immediately got to work building a nest. I piled them high on my bed, creating a cocoon of warmth. I checked to be sure the small refrigerator had been filled as I requested as well. I hummed when I found that it had been packed full with some bottles of water and snacks. Once I was satisfied with the order of things in my room, I exited.

Even from outside her room, I could already catch her intoxicating scent. The aroma of her heat was pungent, and it caused delicious temptation. I took a deep breath, bracing myself before pushing the door open. Elara was still sprawled across the bed, and I watched as she twitched slightly in her sleep.

She looked so innocent as she slept, yet the urge to mark her, to bind her to me, clawed at my control. Her vulnerability, which was different from the defiance she always put up whenever she was around me, was a potent aphrodisiac.

I moved beside her, swiping at a piece of wet hair that had clung to her forehead, before picking her up. Her bottom was soaked with slick and the feeling of it against my fingers snagged at all the control I had struggled to build. The heat that radiated off her body ignited the storm inside of me once again, but I swallowed heavily, forcing myself to move. Once I was back in my room, I made sure she was comfortable on the bed, and then I tried to change her clothes as carefully as possible. Once I was done, I tucked her in properly and moved to fetch a bowl of water and a towel.

With trembling hands, I wrung cool water from the damp cloth, wiping down her feverish brows. Her skin burned underneath my fingertips and as fleeting as the contact was, it sent shivers down my spine. I wiped her down as much as I could to reduce the sweating, and when the towel brushed her mark while I wiped her neck, she let out a shuddering breath and came awake. Wide, emerald eyes stared up at me in shock, causing me to freeze.

"It's okay. I'm just trying to help you feel better. Are you all right?" I asked softly, watching as her shoulders relaxed and she slumped against the pillows that she had been propped up against.

"W-water," she managed to croak out, her voice dry and hoarse. I moved toward the fridge to pull out a bottle of water. I helped her sit up better in bed, before giving the water to her.

I fought the urge to pull her closer to me and drown myself in her scent. The room was thrumming with a silent tension, thick enough to choke on. Yet, the cloying sweetness of Elara's heat filled every corner of my senses, and it was a constant reminder of the fiery temptation simmering just out of reach.

I pulled away once she had finished gulping down the water. I forced myself to maintain a safe distance, worried that my touch might worsen our already volatile situation.

"Do you need anything else?" I asked, but she slowly shook her head.

"Thank you." The water seemed to have helped clear her throat and her voice came out soft and sweet. It was an addition to my torment.

She looked like she was struggling to sit still, and occasionally a soft mewl or moan would escape her lips. She really looked like she had no control over this and I moved closer to check on her.

"Are you sure that you're all right?" I asked her, and a slow, lazy smile spread across her lips.

"I feel sleepy," she responded and I made a mental note to ask Anyah if it was normal for her to feel so tired.

"Would you like to eat something before you sleep?" I asked, my eyes straying to the blinking red numbers of the alarm clock beside the bed. It was only ten-thirty in the morning.

I had a meeting with Smith right now, but I had to make sure she was okay before I left. She shook her head no, and I watched as she closed her eyes and fell asleep once more. I watched her for several minutes after that, just breathing in the aroma of her heat that resonated deep within my wolf. I shook my head slightly to clear it before moving into the bathroom.

There, under the shower, I tried to wash her scent off me because I knew I wouldn't be able to get through the day if I smelled like her. As I washed through my body, my hands strayed to the throbbing between my legs.

I struggled with the urge to go back out and claim her, bury myself deep into her warm, welcoming body. Instead, I fisted my palm around my dick and began tugging at it, the feeling of Elara's slick on my fingers coming to the front of my mind. It didn't take long before I was spurting my hot cum into my hands with a strangled groan. I let the warm water wash down the remnants of my pleasure before getting out of the shower and dressing as quickly as I could.

I leaned down the hall, calling for Rose.

"Everything all right?" Rose asked once I had ushered her into the room.

"Yes. Would you mind watching her for a few hours while I take care of some work?" I asked the maid. She nodded her head rapidly.

"Of course, Alpha. It'll be no problem at all," she responded and I nodded, muttering my thanks.

I spared Elara one last look where she was curled up in bed, before I moved out of the room and went to my home office, where Smith was already waiting for me. He was scribbling on a paper when I walked into the space, and he began addressing me even before he raised his head.

"I thought you would never join me. What took you so lon…" Smith trailed off, pausing in his scribbling to take a subtle sniff of the air around him. His eyes widened as he raised his eyes to meet mine. He immediately frowned.

"What happened to you? You look like you've been run over by a bus. What's that scent?" he questioned. I sighed heavily for the umpteenth time that morning, before moving to settle in my chair.

There was already paperwork piled high on my desk, waiting for my attention, and I groaned internally. Why did the suspension not include someone else attending to this damn paperwork?

"I've had a long morning. What's the report?" I asked dismissively, and Smith seemed to get the hint, because he simply cleared his throat and began speaking.

"So, the annual pack hunt begins tomorrow. All the plans are in place, and we have everything we need to last us through the three-day hunt. We have a list of volunteers who will help with regulating the event and to look out for any violence that might erupt." I stopped listening to Smith's words, my focus fractured.

The hunt.

It was a tradition of the pack that had been upheld for years and years, even before I became Alpha. Every year the hunt was held at the same time, but not this year. The hunt had to be led by me, but there was no way I could leave Elara in this condition for three days. The image of her whimpering and restless flashed across my mind.

"Are you even listening to me, Kai? Because it seems like the whole time I've been here and talking you've just been zoning out. What's the problem?"

"The hunt cannot proceed this year," I said, and Smith blinked twice.

"What do you mean? The hunt is held every year. We've spent the last month planning for it," Smith pushed, confusion lacing his voice. I spared him a glance before focusing again on the documents in front of me.

"Unless you want to lead the hunt this year Smith, it's canceled."

"That's not a decision only you get to make, Kai. You're the most important part of the hunt. It's part of a tradition and also a part of your responsibility. To cancel it so abruptly, especially with how fragile things are at the moment with you and other members of the council, I fear it will cause upheaval," Smith said, his voice filled with worry.

"I understand, but there are other pressing matters that require my attention." It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the whole truth either.

And it wasn't as if I didn't trust Smith enough to tell him about Elara. He was my best friend and I trusted him with my life. However, I was still struggling to wrap my head around the situation myself. I didn't think there was any use spreading the news around just yet, at least not until I had figured out what to do.

Disapproval flickered in his eyes, but I didn't care. Thankfully, Smith didn't pry. It was one of the many things that I appreciated about him. He simply sighed heavily before nodding and pushing himself to his feet. I felt the weight of his unspoken judgment settle on my shoulders as he excused himself to leave.

But Smith was the least of my problems at the moment. Rhys and Rowan would be home at some point, and I feared that their presence would further inflame the situation. Yet, I knew I couldn't hide in here forever, nor could I keep Elara locked away.

I shook my head to clear it and decided to lose myself in the distraction that was the paperwork in front of me.

Eventually, the inevitable happened. The door to the home office was suddenly pushed open to reveal Rhys and Rowan. Rhys let out a low growl, his eyes flashing golden with both hunger and anger that mirrored Rowan's.

"What's going on?" Rhys demanded, his voice a dangerous, low rumble.

"Calm down, Rhys," I said calmly, moving out of my seat to approach him.

"Have you been up there? Her scent is all over the hallway, and it's driving my wolf crazy. What happened? When did it start? And why didn't you think to call us?" he asked.

"She's in heat. I don't think any of us should be around her right now. Anyah said…" Rowan cut me off before I could finish my sentence.

"She went into heat, and you didn't even think to let us know! We should have been told from the moment it began Kai," Rowan said, and Rhys made to leave the room. I knew what would come after that.

Rhys was the most playful person I knew, but he was insanely short-tempered as well. I quickly reached out to stop him from storming over to my room and kicking the door down. Thankfully, Rowan remained by the office door, watching us both as he leaned against the doorframe. He still looked agitated, but he was way calmer than Rhys.

"I don't think it's for the best that we all go charging into the room. She's very vulnerable and almost delirious with her heat. She's not in a position to make decisions at the moment. As soon as we all step into that room, it'll be the same for us too. We have to help her, but we need to be careful," I explained.

With a shared nod, we all trudged toward my room. The sight that greeted us as soon as I pushed the door open was both heartbreaking and arousing. Elara lay tangled in the sheets, her body trembling slightly. Her whimpers grew the moment we all stepped into the room, morphing into soft pleas.

We reached the bed, each settling on it carefully. Rhys reached out to push a strand of hair out of her face, and she shivered, causing me to swallow. I reached for the vial that Anyah had left back to help her calm down. I helped Elara sit down before feeding it to her. I watched as an instant relief moved through her as she consumed its contents and my heart skipped a beat. This was the last vial.

We worked in silence as we tended to her needs. I could see the desire in Rhys and Rowan, and it mirrored mine, but we seemed to be in control. However, as the night wore on, that control dwindled.

Elara's moans returned, more intense and this time laced with a desperate yearning. She tossed and turned on the bed, her body slick with sweat, her pleas for comfort growing more insistent. With each whimper, each moan, the control I held over my wolf frayed. The possessive need to claim her as mine intensified with every passing moment. Rhys and Rowan weren't faring any better. Their eyes glowed a feral gold, their bodies taut with suppressed desire.

We tried everything we thought could help. We soothed her with calming scents of lavender and chamomile, whispered reassurances of our presence, but nothing seemed to alleviate her distress.

And when for the first time that night, she called out, her voice weak but filled with yearning. "Kai…Rhys…Rowan…please…"

That single plea shattered the fragile control I held.