Feral Bonds: Claimed By Rogue Alpha Brothers

Evaline:

Surprisingly, returning to the Thorne mansion almost felt like… returning home.

I hadn't expected it, hadn't thought I would feel anything but nervousness the moment the car rolled past the grand gates and stopped before the wide stone steps.

But as I stepped out, the crisp winter air brushing against my skin, what I felt wasn't intimidation. It wasn't dread. It was something warmer, softer.

Familiarity.

Memories.

Belonging.

The towering structure that once looked so cold and unwelcoming during Christmas now carried a different air. It didn't feel like a cage anymore. Instead, it was… safe. A place I could return to. A place that held my mates.

For the first time, the mansion didn't seem like a fortress built to keep me imprisoned, but like a home waiting for me to walk in.

Draven walked ahead of me, carrying my bag over his shoulder as though it weighed nothing. His other hand was curled around my suitcase handle, dragging it behind him.

A servant had rushed forward the moment I stepped through the entrance, nearly tripping in his hurry to relieve Draven of the load. But Draven dismissed him without even sparing him a glance, his jaw tight and eyes unreadable.

"I'll take care of it," he said flatly, leaving no room for argument.

The servant bowed and stepped back instantly, though I could still feel his gaze on us as we made our way upstairs. None of the staff or even the patrolling warriors looked surprised to see me here. They bowed politely to Draven… and then to me. Respectfully. As if I belonged here. As if I wasn't an outsider anymore.

That small gesture filled my chest with an odd ache.

The last time I was here, their stares had been different - shocked, suspicious, even a little wary. But now? Now, it was almost as if my presence had been expected.

Once we reached my bedroom, Draven shut the door behind us. I hadn't even turned to face him before I was swept up in his arms, my back pressing against the door.

His lips crashed against mine.

The kiss was rough, hungry, overwhelming. His grip on me was desperate, his chest heaving like he hadn't breathed until this moment. My head spun from the sheer force of it, and my fingers curled into his coat to steady myself.

When he finally pulled away, he didn't let go. He crushed me against him, burying his face into the crook of my neck.

"Do you have any idea how much I missed you?" His voice was muffled but raw. "Every night, Eva. Every single night."

The sincerity in his tone stole my breath.

He tilted his head back just enough to look at me, his eyes dark with something I couldn't name. "I almost came to your dorm," he confessed, lips quirking with a bitter smile. "More than once. I even stood down your balcony one night. I thought... just for a second... that I didn't care. But then I reminded myself that you needed to focus on the exams… and I walked away."

My heart ached at the thought of him, alone in the shadows outside my room, fighting with himself just for me. I reached up and cupped his cheek, pressing a soft kiss to his lips in return.

"I missed you too," I whispered.

That seemed to be enough for him. He released a shaky exhale, his arms tightening around me before finally pulling away. Together, we unpacked my things - well, he unpacked while I half-heartedly tried to help, only to be swatted away with a glare.

By the time we were done, it was well past lunch hour. My stomach growled, making him chuckle as he laced his fingers through mine and tugged me downstairs.

The dining hall was warm, the fire crackling in the hearth, filling the space with a cozy glow. He pulled out a chair for me and sat beside me as usual, his arm casually draped across the back of my chair.

We had only just begun eating when the heavy oak doors swung open and Oscar stepped in.

He walked in with his usual careless confidence, dark hair falling into his eyes as his lips curved into a grin the moment he spotted me. Without hesitation, he crossed the room, bent down, and wrapped me in a hug before pressing a kiss to my temple.

"Missed me?" he teased, the sparkle in his eyes daring me to deny it.

I shook my head, but my smile betrayed me.

At that moment, I became acutely aware of the servants lingering in the corners, quietly setting dishes or pouring drinks. My stomach tightened when I realized they had seen everything.

Not just Oscar kissing me. But Draven, sitting close enough to touch me, looking perfectly comfortable with it.

The shock radiating from the staff was almost palpable, their movements faltering, their gazes darting between the three of us. But none of them said a word. They couldn't. Not about their Alphas. Not about their private lives.

Still, the weight of their curiosity burned against my skin, and I found myself staring hard at my plate to avoid their eyes.

Draven, however, didn't so much as flinch. Oscar either. To them, there was nothing to hide anymore.

And maybe… maybe they were right.

Before I could sink too deep into my thoughts, the staff quietly vanished, leaving us in privacy.

Oscar grabbed a plate and sat across from me, digging into his food with a sigh. "I'm glad you are here," he said, his tone a little more serious now. "I'm going to be busy for a few days - the Academy still has us tied up with the exam results. Kieran too. But unlike him, I'm not staying there. I'll come back every night."

I paused mid-bite. "So Kieran won't be here?"

Oscar nodded. "At least for next five or so days. He's up to his neck with work. But once it's done, he'll be back for the holidays."

He leaned back in his chair, his gaze sharpening on me. "Which is why we need to talk about something."

Something in his voice made my fork freeze against the plate.

He glanced at Draven, then back at me. "When Kieran comes home, are you ready to tell him?"

I blinked. "Tell him what?"

"You know what," he said gently. "About me. About Draven. About River. About… the baby."

The fork slipped from my fingers, clattering against porcelain.

My throat tightened, clogged with an emotion I couldn't quite name. There was no reason to hesitate. No reason to deny the truth. Kieran deserved to know... he was their brother.

And yet… something in me recoiled. Something deep, unrecognizable, clawed at my chest, whispering against the idea of revealing everything.

I forced a smile anyway, even though my lips felt stiff. "Yes," I said softly. "Let's tell him."

Oscar's face lit up with relief, while Draven's expression eased beside me. Both of them looked… happy. Reassured.

I swallowed hard, pressing my palm against my stomach as if the baby inside me could ground me.

But that strange, choking unease refused to fade.

Why did the thought of telling Kieran feel so… wrong?