Bloodbound to the Beastly King

'Then don't.'

That was all it took.

Thorne crashed his mouth to hers, kissing her like he needed her to breathe. His hands were suddenly everywhere, her waist, her back, her jaw—pulling her closer, anchoring her to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, gripping tightly as he deepened the kiss, his tongue sliding into her mouth, wanting and taking.

The tea tray clattered to the side as he lifted her onto the desk, papers crumpling beneath her thighs. He groaned softly into her mouth, pulling her flush against him like it wasn't close enough. Like he wanted her imprinted on his skin.

Adina moaned breathlessly as he sucked on her bottom lip, her senses were clouded, blurred, and all she could think of was him. His hands roaming her body, his scent, the muffled groans.

One hand tangled in her curls, pushing her head backward while the other slipped beneath the fabric of her blouse, fingertips grazing her bare waist. Adina gasped as his lips landed on her neck, his tongue trailing wet kisses over her neck.

Adina felt like she was ascending, like she was floating in the clouds. His teeth scraped against her skin, and she shivered internally, unable to hold back the moan that escaped her lips.

She trembled under his hold as his lips slowly found hers again. This time, their kiss was slower, deeper, less frantic but no less intense. Like they were savoring each second, like their mouths had been starved for too long and now, finally, they were feasting. Her hands slid into his hair, tugging gently, and he groaned into her mouth again, kissing her harder.

But then, suddenly he pulled back.

Adina blinked, breathless and dazed, lips swollen and chest heaving. "W-what—?"

Thorne rested his forehead against hers, his breaths ragged, shaky. "I have to stop," he murmured, his voice strained like it physically hurt him to say the words. "Fuck—I don't want to, but…"

They stood there in silence, pressed so close that even air felt like a third wheel between them. Their foreheads touching. Their breathing slowly syncing.

Adina swallowed, trying to make sense of the chaos in her head. If it were before, she'd have felt a pang of hurt, maybe think he was rejecting her? But not now…. One look at how tight he was holding onto her. She knew he was physically holding himself back…

"Can I…" she paused, blinking up at him, voice timid now. "Can I stay with you tonight?"

Thorne's eyes flickered open, surprised. He pulled back just slightly, enough to look her in the eye. "You want to stay?"

She nodded, but immediately backpedaled, cheeks turning red. "I don't mean in that way! I just—um—Beta Caelum said you'd be working in your study tonight, and I thought… maybe I could just sit with you. Or be around. Not talking. I'll be quiet. You won't even know I'm there—"

Thorne chuckled, it was deep and warm, and Adina wanted to hear it again. "Adina," he said, that familiar warmth in his voice. "You never need a reason to be around me."

Her eyes widened, her stomach flipping dangerously. She didn't know what to say to that. How to respond when the king she'd feared now made her feel safer than any place she'd ever known.

He nodded toward the couch in the corner of the study. "Stay."

She smiled shyly, grateful. She looked down, seeing she'd have to jump from the desk, but before she could blink, Thorne held her waist and carried her into his arms.

Adina's eyes widened dramatically, her entire face flaring in red, "What—Your majesty—put me down!" She spluttered, but it was of no use.

Thorne walked toward the couch and placed her there, chuckling when he saw her avoiding his gaze. He held her chin, forcing her to look at him. She looked absolutely wrecked just from a kiss. It messed with his head so much.

"Thorne.." She said quietly, seeing as he only stared at her.

Thorne leaned in and kissed her gently on the lips before walking back to his chair, leaving her dazed with a pounding heart. She watched him settle back behind his desk, brushing his hair back and returning to his papers. But something in the air had shifted. Something was willingly wanted and accommodated.

And sometime between the rustle of papers and the soft scribbling of ink, her eyes fluttered shut.

She didn't even realize she'd fallen asleep.

________

Much later, a soft knock echoed against the office door. It creaked open, and Caelum peeked in, brows raised when he spotted Adina curled up on the couch, fast asleep.

He glanced at Thorne, who barely looked up from his work.

"I can carry her to her room, if you want," Caelum whispered, dropping the herbal tea used to make Thorne sleep. Thorne glanced at it then at Adina.

He shook his head, knowing he wouldn't be needing it. He slept better whenever she was near.

"No. She wanted to stay here."

Caelum arched a brow, but he said nothing. Instead, he smirked quietly to himself and backed away, closing the door.

Thorne finally looked at her sleeping figure, eyes lingering for a moment. Then he went back to working, but now… there was the smallest smile on his lips.

_________

"The council members have arrived, My Lord." The beta's voice rang clearly in the room.

Carter turned to face the shorter man. "Bring them in," he ordered, and the man turned, leaving to do as he'd been ordered.

Carter's gaze settled on the large table they'd set up especially for this meeting. He had it all planned out.

Soon the double door opened, and the eleven councilmen stepped into the place; they didn't look pleased. He understood. It was hell to travel from one pack to the other and that too under such short notice.

But what could he do? Things were in disarray, and he had to do something.

"Thank you all for coming on such short notice," he began, clasping his hands behind his back. "I understand the inconvenience, but the matter at hand required immediate attention."

"Lord Carter. We have only come for this meeting because it's an emergency, and I still don't know why an emergency meeting had to be called."

Some of them cleared their throats while some of them exchanged glances or adjusted in their seats.

"Let's cut to the chase, shall we. We all know why Lord Carter has chosen to abuse his privilege as the head councilman. His house is in trouble with the king." One of the councilmen spat out. It was Lord Varrick.

"What do you mean?" Another asked.

Varrick snickered. "Ask Lord Carter himself. What has happened and why he is calling for a meeting."

It wasn't a closed secret that some of the councilmen had planted their own people in the palace. It was easier to get information this way. If things were about to go amiss for them. Their spies would tell them beforehand. It was just politics.

"What is Lord Varrick speaking of, Lord Carter?" Another asked, clearly the news was surprising to the others.

Carter cleared his throat. "It is true that my household is in trouble with the king." As soon as he said this, they all began to grumble in their seats.

No one wanted to be associated with the losing party.

Carter's jaw was clenched hard. He placed his hands against the table, his gaze flickering from the left to the right where they all sat. "But the reason for this trouble is something everyone here is guilty of. I suggest you all drop your facade and let's discuss."

"My son-in-law, Radek, has been detained by the king."

The murmurs intensified. One of the older councilmen straightened in his chair. "Detained? On what grounds?"

"Assaulting a slave." He spat, and silence engulfed the chambers for a moment.

"What in the gods' name is this nonsense? Radek is an alpha! He can't be imprisoned over a mere slave." One snapped.

"Over a slave?"

"The king accuses him of bribery, corrupt practices." He continued, and the men shifted uncomfortably in their seats. None of themselves saying a word.

These were crimes they committed daily. It wasn't new. Everyone had a skeleton in their cupboards…. And assaulting a slave? That was unheard of. An alpha owned the slave. He can't steal what he owns.

"And so what? If Radek let himself be caught by the king. What then do you want us to do? Huh?" Varrick snapped.

Carter's jaw ticked, his gaze turning sharp. He straightened from the table,

"I want you to remember," he said slowly, "everything I have done for you….and your families."

A pause. Then he began to walk around the table, his gaze slicing through each of them.

"Lord Merek," he said, stopping behind the greying man. "When your daughter was caught stealing gold from the eastern borders, who paid off the border guards and made sure her name was never mentioned in any report?"

Merek shifted uncomfortably, saying nothing.

Carter turned. "Lord Halwin. When your pack was drowning in debt and the King refused another extension, who sent a chest of gold through untraceable means?"

Halwin's mouth pressed into a thin line.

"Lord Thomlin," Carter continued, barely giving them space to breathe, "who pulled your son out of the brothel scandal two winters ago? Who buried the evidence when he killed that omega?"

"You've made your point," Thomlin muttered bitterly, looking away.

"No. I haven't," Carter snapped, slamming his palm on the table. "You all think this is just my mess when every one of you has dipped your hands into the same blood-soaked well. I cleaned up after you, protected your names, secured your land grants, twisted a few laws here and there—for all of you….The king has no idea how deep the rot is in his kingdom all because of me."

"So don't sit there acting like you don't owe him. Like you don't owe me. Because without me? Half of you would be exiled, imprisoned… or dead."

Nobody dared to speak.

Then, Lord Emlin cleared his throat, voice wary. "All of that was done by you, Lord Carter. We have no reason to help Radek. We cannot risk our alliance with the king for a man like him." He said coldly.

Carter scoffed, "You fools. Your alliance with the king is gone…it's broken. The king has sent all of your first-born daughters out of the palace. By this time tomorrow, your rejected daughters will be in your respective homes…so tell me, what alliance do you have with the king?"

None of them dared to speak. After a few beats of silence, Lord Varrick spoke up, his jaw clenched hard. "Understand that if this is agreed upon by us. We owe you nothing more!"

Carter smirked. "Fine by me."

Varrick glared at him for a second more then looked around the table, all of them nodding their heads. "So what do you want, Carter." He asked.

Carter's eyes gleamed. "I want the council united. I want you to stand behind me. We cannot allow the King to start targeting council families like this. Today it's Radek. Tomorrow? It's any one of you."

"We are the backbone of the kingdom. He may wear the crown, but we hold the strings."