Feral Bonds: Claimed By Rogue Alpha Brothers

Evaline:

I didn't even know why… or how… I ended up telling him all my secrets just like that.

It was reckless. Foolish. Absolutely out of character for me.

And yet… I did.

The words had just spilled out - raw and unfiltered - before I even had the chance to weigh their consequences. I told him everything. That Ethan was my ex-mate. That I was now pregnant with my ex-mate's child. That I was already mated to Draven. That I was already mated to Oscar.

I didn't try to sugarcoat it. I didn't try to soften the truth.

Because if he really meant what he said earlier - that he liked me and was ready to accept me as his mate - then he deserved to know who I really was, every tangled, messy part of me.

I waited for the sharp sting of rejection. I braced myself for his eyes to harden, for his voice to turn cold. But none of that came.

He was silent.

And I… I wasn't sure if I was disappointed by that silence or grateful for it.

On one hand, he didn't reject me - not right away, at least. On the other, his face had turned unreadable again, his gaze giving nothing away. I couldn't tell if he was thinking of walking away from me forever or finding a reason to stay.

And the worst part? I wasn't sure what I really wanted - for him to walk away, or... to accept me despite the mess I was.

Slowly, I pulled my hand from his. Not in a rush, not abruptly - just enough to show him I wasn't pushing him away, but giving him the space to think. After seeing how hurt he was from my initial reaction to our bond, I didn't want to hurt him again.

When I finally spoke, my voice was soft, almost careful, carrying the faintest hint of a smile I didn't quite feel.

"Take your time," I told him. "When you have decided… let me know."

I turned, ready to walk out before the weight of the moment crushed me completely...

"I accept."

I froze mid-step.

I could hardly believe the words my ears just registered. There's no way he would have said it. Right?

Slowly, I turned to face him, my eyes searching his expression for the joke that had to be there. "You are not… going to take time to think it through?"

His answer came without hesitation, his voice certain. "I don't need more time to decide. I accept you as my mate."

The words hit me like a current, rushing through my veins, settling deep into my bones. His official acceptance - spoken out loud - sealed our mate bond from his side, even if only on a basic level. And I felt it, every inch of it, in the way my chest warmed and my heart stumbled over its own rhythm. And most importantly, in the way the bond got swarmed with a warmth that only came from a mate's love and care.

I was almost overwhelmed by these sweet feelings, and yet, when I opened my mouth, it was to argue. "You are being too-"

"I'm not someone who makes hasty decisions." He cut me off, his eyes locking onto mine with a force that made me forget how to breathe.

And then he said the one thing I never expected to hear from him, the one thing that almost melted my heart in a way I didn't think he was capable of.

"My feelings for you didn't appear because you are my mate, Evaline Greystone. They were there before Moon Goddess blessed us with this bond. So they are not going to disappear just because you told me you are mated to my brothers… or that you are pregnant."

For a moment, I couldn't even speak. I could only watch him as his gaze shifted, deliberately, to my stomach. My very flat stomach.

"How far along are you?" he asked quietly.

I swallowed, feeling a strange lump in my throat. "I just entered my twenty-third week."

He nodded once, like he was filing that away in some private part of his mind, and then - almost out of habit - glanced at his expensive wristwatch.

That's when it hit me. We had been here for far too long. The ceremony must be about to start, maybe even moments away. I was about to tell him we needed to head back, that there were more pressing things to handle right now, but he spoke first.

"I have one more question before we go."

I hesitated for a heartbeat, then gave him a small nod. "Okay."

He didn't waste time. "Do Oscar and Draven know about your pregnancy? And… when did you find out they were your mates?"

Two questions. Both sharp, deliberate. I knew better than to try dodging them.

I took a breath. "I felt my bond with Oscar on my very first day at Thorne Mansion."

It took him a second, just a second, to realize I wasn't talking about my recent visit. I was talking about five months ago, when I had imprisoned in Thorne mansion and was made to work there as a servant.

"As for Draven…" I looked down for a moment, remembering that day. "We felt our bond a little later. After I joined the Academy."

I didn't give him details - some moments were too personal, too tangled with pain and confusion to revisit right now. But I told him the truth that mattered.

"I eventually told them," I continued. "About being mates with both of them. About the pregnancy. About… everything." My throat tightened, but I pushed through it. "And they… they accepted me. They accepted the child, too."

He didn't interrupt. He just listened, his gaze steady, his expression unreadable again, but not cold. Never cold.

I didn't know what would happen next. I didn't know if this acceptance would hold when the reality of our situation truly set in. But right now, I wanted to be as genuine and transparent with him as possible.