26 Chapter 26: Jealous Flames
Orion’s kiss overwhelmed me, igniting flames I’d never felt before. His lips were firm yet surprisingly soft, moving against mine with desperate intensity. The raw passion in that kiss broke something inside me. This was my first real kiss – not the clinical ceremony at our wedding, but something primal and consuming.
I should have pushed him away. I should have slapped him. But my body had other ideas.
–
My hands found their way to his chest, feeling the rapid hammering of his heart beneath my fingertips. I kissed him back with equal fervor, tasting his anger and something else something that felt dangerously like need.
When we finally broke apart, both gasping for air, his eyes were wild and conflicted.
“Don’t,” he rasped, his fingers still gripping my hair. “Don’t ever say you want to die again.”
The vulnerability in his voice caught me off guard. This wasn’t the cruel, dismissive Orion 1-
knew.
“Why do you care?” I challenged, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Because I need you alive,” he growled, his forehead pressing against mine. “I need you alive to make you pay for what you did to me.”
There it was
–
that mysterious hurt I’d supposedly caused. The wound that fueled his hatred.
“What did I do to you, Orion? Just tell me.”
His eyes clouded over, walls slamming back into place. “You know exactly what you did.
Before I could press him further, a twig snapped nearby. We both turned to see Kaelen emerging from between the trees, his expression thunderous as he took in the scene before
–
him me fully clothed but disheveled, Orion still naked except for torn shorts.
Kacien’s gaze zeroed in on my swollen lips, his jaw tightening visibly.
“What’s going on here?” he demanded, voice deadly calm.
“She crossed the border, Orion replied, stepping back from me. “Into Obsidian Claw territory.”
Kaelen’s eyes widened fractionally before narrowing on me. “And what exactly were you doing there, Seraphina?”
“Running,” I answered truthfully, “Just running”
“And the rest?” Kaelen gestured between Orion and me, his meaning clear.
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“Nothing, that concerns you” Orion cut in, his tone challenging.
The look that passed between the brothers was electric with tension. For a moment, I thought they might come to blows right there in the forest.
Instead, Kaclen turned abruptly, “Get dressed and get back to the house. Both of you.” He stalked off without another word, his rigid posture screaming anger.
Orion sighed heavily, running a hand through his tousled hair. “This is going to be fun,” he muttered sarcastically.
I watched as he retrieved the rest of his clothes from where he’d stashed them, pulling on a t–shirt that stretched across his broad shoulders. The silence between us was charged with unspoken questions.
“We should go,” he finally said, not meeting my eyes. “Kaclen’s already pissed enough.”
The walk back to the pack house was excruciating. Orion kept a careful distance from me, as if afraid to get too close again. Kaelen walked several paces ahead, his shoulders tight with tension. No one spoke.
When we reached the house, I fled to my room without a backward glance, locking the door behind me. I leaned against it, touching my still–tingling lips. What had just happened in the forest? That kiss… it wasn’t supposed to affect me like this. I wasn’t supposed to feel anything for any of them, not after everything they’d done.
Yet my body still hummed with awareness, my skin flushed with remembered heat.
I stripped off my clothes and stepped into the shower, turning the water as cold as possible. I needed to clear my head, to wash away Orion’s touch and scent. This was dangerous territory – feeling anything for my tormentors would only lead to more pain.
As I scrubbed my skin, I replayed the encounter with the mysterious Alpha from Obsidian Claw. He’d known my name. How? And more importantly, could he be useful in my plans for escape?
I was so lost in thought that I didn’t hear the door to my bathroom open. I only realized I wasn’t alone when the shower curtain was yanked back, revealing Kaclen standing there, still fully dressed, eyes blazing with fury.
I gasped, instinctively trying to cover myself with my arms. “What are you doing? Get out!”
He didn’t move, his gaze raking over my naked body before settling back on my face. “Did you enjoy it?” he demanded.
“Enjoy what? Being violated by you barging into my shower?” I reached for my towel, but he snatched it away.
“Kissing my brother, he clarified, his voice dangerously soft. “Did you enjoy kissing Orion?”
26 Chapter 26: Jealous Flames
My cheeks flamed, giving me away before I could form a denial. “That’s none of your business.”
“Everything about you is my business,” he growled, stepping closer. “You’re my mate.”
“Oh, now I’m your mate?” I laughed bitterly. “Funny how that only matters when you’re jealous.
His eyes flashed at the accusation. “I’m not jealous.”
“No?” I challenged, forgetting my nakedness as anger took over. “Then why are you here, demanding to know if I enjoyed kissing your brother?”
“Because you’re mine!” he roared, the words echoing off the bathroom tiles. “Mine and Ronan’s and Orion’s. Not just his.”
“I belong to myself,” I said firmly, finding my courage. “And for your information, I didn’t kiss Orion. He kissed me.”
“And you kissed him back,” Kaelen accused. “I could see it on your face, on your swollen lips.”
I reached past him and grabbed my robe from the hook, wrapping it around myself. “Even if I did, why would you care? You’ve made it abundantly clear how little I mean to you.”
Kaelen followed me as I stormed into my bedroom. “That’s not true.”
I spun to face him. “Isn’t it? You’ve spent years making my life hell. You married me only because you had to, then spent our wedding night with another woman. You’ve never shown me an ounce of kindness or respect. So forgive me if I’m confused by this… whatever this is.”
“This is me reminding you of your place,” he insisted, but the words lacked conviction.
“My place,” I repeated flatly. “Right. At the bottom of the pack hierarchy, good enough to be your Luna in name only, while Lilith gets the benefits.”
“That’s not-”
“Save it,” I cut him off. “I’m tired of your games, Kaelen. Just leave me alone.”
Instead of leaving, he moved closer, backing me against the wall. His scent–cedar and rain- enveloped me, making my heart race traitorously.
“Did you cross that border on purpose?” he asked, his voice suddenly quiet. “Were you trying to get yourself killed?”
The question caught me off guard. Was that genuine concern in his eyes?
“Maybe I just needed to get away,” I answered carefully. “From this house. From all of you.”
“You met someone there, he stated rather than asked. “Orion said he could smell another male on you.”
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I considered lying but decided the truth might be more useful. “Yes. An Alpha from Obsidian
Claw.”
Kaelen’s jaw tightened. “Did he hurt you?”
“No,” I said honestly. “He seemed… interested in me.”
“Interested,” Kaelen repeated, the word dripping with contempt. “And were you interested in him?”
I tilted my head, studying him. “What if I was?”
His hand shot out, slamming against the wall beside my head, making me flinch. “Answer me, Seraphina.”
“Why does it matter to you?” I pushed, needing to understand what was happening. “You’ve never shown any interest in me beyond ownership. You’ve never wanted me the way you want Lilith.”
Something darkened in his gaze. “Is that what you think? That I want her?”
“I know you do. I’ve seen you with her.”
“You’ve seen what I wanted you to see,” he said cryptically.
I shook my head, confused. “What does that mean?
Instead of answering, Kaelen leaned closer, his breath fanning against my cheek. “So, it’s Orion you liked? His
kiss made you respond?”
My breath caught at his nearness. “I didn’t say that.”
“You didn’t have to.” His eyes dropped to my lips. “Your body gave you away.”
He was so close now that I could feel the heat radiating from him, see the flecks of darker green in his eyes. For one wild moment, I thought he might kiss me too.
“Kaelen,” I whispered, uncertain what I even wanted to say.
His expression shifted, vulnerability flashing across his features before hardening again. He pulled back abruptly, putting distance between us.
“Stay away from Obsidian Claw territory,” he ordered, voice coldly authoritative again. “And remember who you belong to.”
As he stalked toward the door, realization dawned on me. Kaelen wasn’t just angry.
He was… jealous?
