Feral Bonds: Claimed By Rogue Alpha Brothers

Evaline:

I almost choked on the cookie.

My eyes flew wide at Draven, surprise pounding through me as the last trace of sweetness dissolved on my tongue. I hadn't expected him to lean in like that, to close the space between us with such daring swiftness, stealing the cookie straight from my lips as though it was the most natural thing in the world.

And the worst - or maybe the best - part? He was looking utterly innocent when he pulled back. As if he hadn't just left my pulse tripping over itself and my mind tangled in thoughts I didn't dare put words to.

I swallowed hard, clearing my throat, pretending it hadn't shaken me, and quickly grabbed another cookie from the plate.

This time I shoved the whole thing into my mouth before he could try any funny business again. My teeth crunched against it, my jaw working quicker than usual, as if chewing faster could drown out the pounding in my chest.

By the time I reached the fourth cookie, the shock had dulled enough for me to remember something really important.

"These are… so delicious," I blurted between bites, finally forcing myself to look at him.

For a moment, Draven simply watched me with an unreadable gaze, as if he was weighing the sincerity of my words. Then, slowly, his lips curved into a proud smile, one that softened the sharp edges of his usual expressions.

"I'm glad you think so." He leaned back against the wooden coffee table, his eyes still fixed on me. "Truth is, I didn't know much more than the basics before. But I have been taking online cooking classes lately."

My chewing paused. "Cooking classes?"

He nodded once, the corner of his mouth lifting higher. "Figured if I'm going to keep you and the pup fed, I might as well learn how to do it properly."

My chest warmed at that, the sweetness of his words overpowering the sweetness of the cookie. I couldn't help but smile - soft and unguarded. Who would have thought he had been sitting through cooking tutorials just for us?

It was a side of him few would ever imagine, and the thought filled me with an odd sense of tenderness.

I picked one last cookie from the plate, savoring it slowly this time before setting the dish aside. Oscar immediately handed me a glass of water without a word, as if he could sense my sudden thirst. Our eyes met briefly as I accepted it, and a silent exchange passed between us.

"Thank you," I murmured, taking a sip.

But as soon as the glass left my lips and I placed it on the table, reality came crashing back. I was no longer busy eating, no longer distracted by cookies or water. It was just me now - me, and the two men sitting far too close, their gazes heavy with unspoken things.

The nerves began to creep back in, threading into my chest like fine, invisible wires pulling tighter with each passing second.

"Come. Sit here with me." Draven said as he patted the space beside him on the thick rug.

My body complied faster than my mind, and I found myself taking a place beside him. From my current position, I was facing Oscar who had relaxed in his couch as if he was preparing to watch something really interesting.

And then it happened... it was subtle at first, so natural that I almost didn't notice it.

Draven shifted closer, his presence enveloping me like a shadow, deliberate but unhurried. His hand slid over mine, fingers brushing so lightly it sent a shiver racing up my arm. His eyes held mine for a lingering beat, wordless, before he leaned in and dipped his head toward my shoulder.

The faintest touch of his lips ghosted over my skin.

I inhaled sharply, my body stiffening before melting under the warmth of his mouth. He kissed the curve where my neck met my shoulder, slow and deliberate, his breath feathering over the sensitive spot as though he knew exactly what he was doing to me.

"D-Draven…" My voice came out softer than I intended, almost breathless.

He hummed low in his chest, a sound both dangerous and tender, and pressed another kiss higher this time, just beneath my ear. My pulse stuttered.

From the corner of my eye, I caught Oscar watching. He wasn't intervening, wasn't teasing... he simply watched with an unreadable expression, though his emerald eyes were shining with an intensity that matched the rising heat in the room.

And maybe that was what made this feel so much more overwhelming - knowing that Oscar was there, silent witness to every kiss Draven was trailing along my neck.

His hand found my waist, firm but not forceful, guiding me closer until I was practically in his lap. The world narrowed to the sound of the heater humming nearby.

He lifted his head, his lips brushing against my cheek before hovering mere inches from mine.

"You still haven't apologized properly," he murmured, his voice low, dark, teasing.

My breath caught, heat blooming across my face. "I-"

But before I could find words, his mouth captured mine.

The kiss was not rushed, not wild - it was slow, deliberate, a punishment in its own right. Each brush of his lips against mine was measured, controlled, as though he intended to unravel me piece by piece.

His hand cradled the back of my head, holding me steady as his lips coaxed mine open, deepening the kiss by fractions, never giving too much at once. It was maddening, intoxicating, the kind of kiss that pulled me under without ever letting me fully drown.

Butterflies churned in my stomach, restless and wild, fluttering against the walls of my chest.

I clutched at his sweater, my fingers curling into the fabric as though it was the only anchor I had left. My mind was a blur, senses sharpened to nothing but the taste of him, the warmth of him, the way his lips moved with such unrelenting patience.

When he finally pulled back, my breath came in short, uneven gasps, my lips tingling and swollen.

He studied me, satisfaction flickering in the depths of his emerald orbs. "Better," he murmured, as though he had won some silent battle I hadn't realized I was fighting.

My heart hammered so loudly I was sure Oscar could hear it from the couch.

And when I dared to glance at him, I found his gaze still locked on me, his jaw tight, his eyes darker than before. He hadn't moved, hadn't spoken... but the way he was looking at me sent a fresh wave of shivers down my spine.

For the first time, I realized this wasn't just about Draven's punishment.

It was about the three of us.

And the night was only just beginning.