Alpha Arkan
A few hours earlier…
Why did you let her go with that freak?
Bozok's growl echoed through my mind.
What did you expect me to do? I said. I can't lose Kayra again… No. I can't.
Even that brief moment when I'd lost Kayra had been too much for me, let alone the hours I'd spent without her. On top of that, I'd failed to protect her.
Because you didn't listen to me!
I don't think anything would've changed even if I had, I said. Valen had planned everything too well.
What does he want from Kayra?
That was something I wanted to know, too.
She's mine.
I smiled involuntarily at Bozok's words.
Is she really ours?
What do you mean? he asked with a growl.
You saw the way she looked at Kongar.
Hrr.
Growl all you want, but Kayra loves him or likes him. I don't know. It had been that way from the very beginning, actually. I guess I just didn't want to face it.
That's impossible, Bozok said quietly. She's our mate.
Yes, she is.
"Alpha."
I hadn't even noticed Soren enter the room. All I could think about was Kayra. Her presence affected me deeply.
Because she's ours.
"What happened?" I asked Soren.
"Alpha, Mr. Targen and Ms. Sarya are here."
The witches.
Yes.
"Send them in."
Soren nodded, then opened the door.
"You may enter," he said, stepping aside as Sarya and Targen walked in.
"Alpha," they greeted me.
I stood to greet them and shook their hands before we took our seats on the leather chairs in my office.
"I heard you imprisoned Kongar in a sphere," I said.
Good. They did the right thing, Bozok remarked in my mind.
"Yes, Alpha Arkan," Sarya said. "But—"
"But he got away from us," Targen interrupted.
"I know," I said. "He's here."
Their eyes widened in surprise.
"D-Did he manage to enter his own body?" Targen asked.
"Yes," Soren answered.
"Where is he now?" Sarya asked, her voice sounding sad.
Kongar's presence upsets everyone, Bozok said mockingly.
"With Kayra," I replied.
"Why did you allow something like this—"
"I can't let you take Kongar away anymore," I cut Sarya off.
"I don't understand," she said.
"Kongar is staying with us from now on."
Why?
For Kayra.
"You'll regret this," Sarya warned.
"There are many things I regret," I said, then stood up.
"Was there anything else?"
Sarya and Targen exchanged a brief glance before turning back to me.
"Where is Luna Kayra?" Sarya asked. "I need to speak with her, too."
"You can't speak with her right now," I said.
"Why?" Targen asked.
"You'll have to wait until this evening."
---
Kayra
Now…
As soon as I reached the meat, I started biting into it. Even though it was tough, I tried to chew it. As I chewed, I drank the blood from the meat, too. It was wonderful. My thirst was easing, and my hunger was finally starting to subside.
"Kayra."
Someone was calling out to me. I couldn't tell who it was, but I swallowed the last bite in my mouth whole because chewing the meat had exhausted me. It was as if my teeth weren't suited for it.
"What are we going to do?" Arkan asked.
"I don't know," Kongar said. "I've never encountered a situation like this before. How interesting…"
His voice sounded excited as he said the last words. It was as if the situation fascinated him.
As I licked the blood from my hands, I met Arkan and Kongar's astonished gazes.
"It was delicious," I said with relief. "I finally feel full."
Arkan looked at me silently for a while, then tried to smile.
"Do you feel better?" he asked.
Did I feel better?
I supposed I did.
I nodded in agreement.
But as soon as I realized what I was doing, my hands began to tremble. What had happened to me?
I felt more like a monster than a vampire. A monster that craved blood and meat.
"Kayra," Arkan said, wrapping his arms around me. "It's okay."
They always said the same thing, but they didn't believe it themselves.
I wrapped my arms around Arkan and breathed in his scent. I needed to calm down a little, and his scent calmed me, just as it always did.
When I felt someone stroking my hair, I turned my head to the side. Kongar was stroking my hair. Right beside Arkan, too.
I quickly looked at Arkan. He was looking at me, too. It was as if he hadn't noticed Kongar stroking my hair, or simply didn't care. However, his arms tightened around me. He pulled me tightly against him, then seized my lips. My bloodstained lips.
The moment his lips touched mine, I opened my mouth and deepened our kiss. I moaned as our tongues danced together. He responded with a purr.
As the kitchen door closed, I tried to pull away from his lips, but Arkan guided me toward the dining table without breaking the kiss. Then he lifted me and sat me down on the table. After that, he settled between my legs.
When he pressed himself against me, I moaned again, but as my sharp teeth cut Arkan's tongue, I quickly pulled away.
"I'm sorry," I said anxiously. "I'm having trouble controlling it."
Arkan leaned toward me, his intense, bright blue eyes never leaving mine. Then he licked my lips with his bleeding tongue.
"I like that you're drawn to my blood," he said. Then he growled. "Drink only my blood."
Was that even possible?
"You can drink mine, too."
At the sound of Kongar's voice, I remembered that he was here, too. My face grew hot with embarrassment.
Arkan's growl filled the room, intensifying my desire.
What did I find so appealing about that growl?
"Ah, furball, you can't be the only one who gets to have Kayra," Kongar said. Then he took my chin and turned my face toward him.
"I belong to you, too," he said. The yellow in his eyes gleamed. "Don't ignore me."
Then he seized my lips.
My eyes widened in surprise.
The moment his cold lips touched my skin, a tingling sensation spread throughout my body. I gently pushed against his chest. But instead of pulling back, he ran his cold tongue all over my closed lips.
"Delicious."
At Kongar's reaction, I wanted to press my thighs together. But I couldn't. Because Arkan was right there. Between my legs.
Even though I felt embarrassed in front of Arkan, Kongar's behavior excited me.
Arkan must have noticed how wet I was, because he growled and pressed himself firmly against me.
"Ah."
"Mine," Arkan growled into my ear. As his warm breath touched my skin, I felt my body tremble with pleasure. Then he gently bit my ear.
All right. This was turning into torture. I was literally caught between Arkan and Kongar. I loved Arkan.
What about Kongar?
Why was I attracted to him?
When I began to feel kisses on the other side of my neck, I froze. Kongar was kissing his way up my neck. He reached my chin and stopped just before my lips.
"You always forget about me," Kongar said. His cold breath chilled my lips. Then again, my skin was cold now, too.
I could feel warmth only from Arkan.
When Arkan suddenly bit my neck, I moaned in pain and pleasure right into Kongar's face.
Kongar, meanwhile, swallowed as he stared at my lips.