A bite from an Alpha King

Book 5 Chapter 6: Seeking Help

-Kaytlyn-

I sighed deeply as I entered the bar. It was quiet now. The clock showed it was already four in the morning. I was relieved to see that Andrew, one of the bartenders, had closed up for me. Exhaustion weighed heavily on me. Navigating through the darkness, I did my best not to trip over anything, too tired to even turn on the lights. Thankfully, I knew this place like the back of my hand.

I walked to the end of the bar and headed towards the back. At the foot of the staircase, I paused before making my way up to the next floor. As I approached the door, I could hear soft whimpering and a light scratching from the other side, which made me smile. I inserted the key, and as soon as the door swung open, Koda, my dog, jumped on me, licking my face enthusiastically.

I laughed, crouching down to pet him. He was a German shepherd, only two years old but already well-trained. I had adopted him from a family that could no longer keep him. Since I was on my own, I needed the company, and he was excellent protection too.

I wished I had had him with me tonight. I often brought him to the bar, and everyone loved having him around. He was like a second family to all the regulars, but to me, he was everything. Except for Maddy, of course, but she was trapped in another world.

Poor Maddy, I thought. She had been so scared, and I couldn’t blame her. Chris was one of the largest males I had ever seen—almost as broad and fierce-looking as my father. Despite his charming smile and easy energy, there was an underlying intensity that screamed alpha. And now Maddy was going to be mated to him. She had told me she didn’t want to, and I understood why. I would have been in her shoes hadn’t it been for…

I tried not to dwell on it as I walked further into the small apartment and headed to the bathroom. I started brushing my teeth, but as I glanced in the mirror, my eyes were drawn to my neck. It still tingled where he had licked my skin.

His tongue had been both rough and soft, doing wicked things with just that simple touch. I sighed, letting the toothbrush hang from my mouth as I placed both hands on the sink. This was not good. Chris might be Maddy’s ticket away from our parents, but it also meant she would be unhappy. And honestly, I didn’t like the idea of her being mated to my mate!

It was all so frustratingly complicated. I wasn’t supposed to find my mate in my sister’s future partner, yet here we were. My wolf had made it clear. Even now, I could hear her panting for him. She had liked the feel of his hands on my waist and his tongue on my skin. Just thinking about it made me weak in the knees, but it was wrong. He belonged to a world I was no longer welcome in.

It felt hypocritical, too. In the world I once inhabited, a male like Chris—regardless of how it might tarnish his reputation—could sleep with whoever he wanted. I knew the rumors. Who didn’t? But a female? Oh, the shame. I rolled my eyes at the thought.

“Should we really?” I whisper as the male in front of me begins kissing his way down my neck. It’s dark, but the secrecy of it all only makes this more exciting.

“We should. We want to be together at some point, right?”

“Of course,” I reply.

“Then let’s enjoy this night together. Soon, no one can stop us,” he reminds me.

I nod, feeling eager now. We begin tearing each other’s clothes off, and soon I find myself on the bed. My heart pounds wildly, but his kisses distract me. However, when he pushes, it stings so badly that I let out a croaked cry, turning away from him to breathe through the pain.

He doesn’t seem to notice, but he holds still for a moment before he begins thrusting. It takes a moment, then the pain gives way to a warm sensation, and I begin moving with him, becoming delighted by the feeling.

It feels incredible, and I can see why I’ve been warned about this, but now I’m giving in and enjoying it all. Luckily, I know this will just be the beginning. We will become mated. He promised me.

The night feels incredible, and he stays in my bed, his arm over my waist, signaling his claim. I barely sleep, feeling so excited about this, and as the sun rises, I turn toward him, hoping we can do it one more time before he leaves.

I reach out, but just then, I hear fast footsteps. My door bursts open, and my mother steps in, her eyes narrowed. How did she know? I wonder. But I see a servant behind her, looking at the ground, her face showing guilt.

“You didn’t,” my mother snaps.

“Mom, it’s not what it looks like,” I assure her.

“I know exactly what it looks like.”

I turn to the male beside me, now awake, but he doesn’t speak a word. He just looks at my mother, confusing me.

“I’m getting your father,” she snaps, turning away.

“Hypocrites,” I sneered as I continued brushing my teeth.

There was nothing I could do about it what had happened. My virginity had been taken, and there was no reclaiming it. Not that I wanted to. But the person I lost it to was someone I now wished had been different.

Still, I wasn’t angry about it. Losing it had opened my eyes to how trapped I had been, and now I felt free. For the first time in my life, I was happy. Unfortunately, that happiness had come at a cost—my sister. How could I protect her, as I had promised, when we lived two separate lives? And could I really let her get mated to Chris?

I leaned over the sink, spat out the toothpaste, and rinsed my mouth and toothbrush. Wiping my lips with my thumb, I turned to see Koda lying at the bathroom entrance, looking up at me with his sweet eyes. I smiled, and he lifted his head, his tail wagging excitedly.

“Let’s go to bed,” I said.

He got up and followed me to the bedroom. I quickly shed my clothes and pulled on a long t-shirt, the only thing I wore once the weather turned colder. Usually, I slept naked.

Koda jumped into bed with me, laying his head on my stomach. I stroked the top of his head, but I struggled to fall asleep. Memories of Chris flooded my mind, and my body hummed with restless energy, insisting that sleep wasn’t what I needed. I groaned, trying to ignore the urge, but it became increasingly difficult. Finally, as the clock turned six, I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

-Chris-

I understood why some things were best left buried, but this was different. Kaytlyn was alive—my mate, who I had thought was dead until last night. I had no idea why her family would say she was gone when she radiated life.

She was perfect, everything I had ever dreamt of but had been too afraid to want or hope for. The fire within her, her bratty attitude, and her stunning body made my imagination run wild. I could picture grabbing her from behind or letting her ride me, but I groaned, rubbing my tired eyes.

Now I understood why the king and the others had lost their minds. Why he couldn’t punish Octavia, why Garrett couldn’t stay away from Lily, and even why Damian couldn’t fight the pull, despite trying to remain loyal to his first mate.

I leaned back in my chair, turning my gaze to the fireplace, where the flames danced in the air. It was calming in some ways, but I still felt restless. The only person I believed could give me answers had fainted when I tried to speak to her. I feared she would do the same when I saw her again. But who else could I ask?

“Speedy,” I whispered as I sat up.

Maybe my sister knew something. She might have overheard our father mention something. I still had no idea if the male was aware, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he was. I turned to my phone and opened the chat with Speedy, but paused when I saw the message from two months ago.

I read it over and over—she was still angry with me. I couldn’t blame her. What had I done to try to fix things? Most likely, she wouldn’t speak to me, at least not over text. It meant I had to go see her.

I got up from my chair, closed my laptop, and headed to the door. It opened into a hallway with only one other door—the one leading to the elevator. I owned this entire floor, the highest one. I grabbed my car keys and stepped outside, locking the door behind me.

I pressed the button for the elevator to take me down to the underground parking lot. Once I reached my car, I unlocked it and climbed inside, hoping desperately that Speedy would talk to me. I started the car and drove away quickly.