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79. (Clay POV)
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Rival Alphas: Dance of Desire 80. (Lexi POV)
Lying in the fetal position in that icy room, shivering uncontrollably, I felt as if my very core were being hollowed out by the cold. Every muscle in my body was clenched in a futile attempt to generate warmth. The air felt like sharp needles against my skin. Each breath I took was a struggle, as if I were inhaling shards of glass. My thoughts were scattered, frozen fragments in a desolate landscape.And then, something changed. Deep within, an unfamiliar sensation emerged—a glimmer of warmth that defied the frigid atmosphere around me. It was not the dual source of comforting heat I'd come to associate with Clay and Luke, but it was unmistakable warmth, a radiant glow replacing the chilling void. My muscles relaxed a fraction, my clenched jaw softened, and my racing heart eased its frenetic pace.As I wondered about the source of this newfound warmth, my mark began to tingle. A soft, electric buzz that pulsed rhythmically, like a gentle heartbeat under my skin. I knew that tingle; t
Rival Alphas: Dance of Desire 82. (Lexi POV)
Blinking my eyes open felt like pulling weights from my eyelids. A harsh light bore down on me, searing its brightness into my retinas. My head was a swirling cauldron of fog and confusion, every thought struggling to solidify. The smell that invaded my nostrils was overwhelmingly sterile, like an army of cleaning supplies had waged war in the room.The fog in my brain slowly began to lift, and awareness trickled in. I was in a room, a hospital room, to be precise. The beeping of machines was a staccato rhythm that mimicked my disorienting heartbeats. As my vision began to adjust to the light, I noticed that the room was far from empty.Luke and Clay were there, huddled together, asleep on a couch. Their brows were furrowed, even in slumber. Trevor and Kyla were curled up in an armchair, looking like they'd been through an emotional wringer. All of them were deeply asleep, an exhaustion that looked like it had been days in the making.Except for one person.Moro was sitting at the foo
Rival Alphas: Dance of Desire 81. Unalive (Luke POV)
The instant the sensation washed over me, a gut-wrenching blend of urgency and distress, I knew its origin. It was that loathsome potion my father would use, a concoction designed to pull at the fibers of the bond between two individuals.I had felt it before, always as a tool of manipulation, and the familiarity sickened me. But woven into that was something else—a constant caress over the mate mark, sending ripples across the bond like urgent Morse code. It was like Lexi was sending me an emotional telegram, urging me that she was alright and that we needed to come to her.Next to me, Clay picked up on the agitation but couldn't place it. He began pacing around the room, his movements erratic, muttering "Oh shit, oh shit," under his breath like a mantra of doom. It was the first time he'd felt the pull of such a potion, a volatile cocktail that jerked at our instincts and summoned us toward its origin.I felt it, too, a newfound fortification in the bond, almost like invisible threa
Rival Alphas: Dance of Desire 83. High (Luke POV)
Deep in the brightly lit hospital room, I sat alone with my thoughts, my emotional state as chaotic as a hurricane. There was a split-second moment when my teeth clenched around my father's throat. The point of no return. An abyss that seemed to stretch for eternity yet collapsed in the blink of an eye. The surge of his life force waned, flickered out, and extinguished. In that second, I felt the weight of a life ending under my hands. Adam may have been a monster, but he was still my father, and I had just ended his existence.A flood of conflicting emotions consumed me. Elation battled with repulsion. Satisfaction waged war against a deep, unsettling anxiety. Yes, I hated the man for what he had done—to me, Lexi, and countless others. But to kill him? To see the light leave his eyes, knowing that I was the one who had extinguished it? A new abyss seemed to open within me, a dark void questioning the kind of man I had become.I despised myself in that moment. I despised the fact t
Rival Alphas: Dance of Desire 84. (Clay POV)
My jaw clenched as I stood near the door of the hospital room, watching Lexi and Luke. Oh, how I wished I'd flushed that coke when I had the chance now. But at the time, it had seemed like a good idea to hold onto it. I hadn't foreseen it spiraling into this—all-consuming fire that Luke was desperately feeding, just to stay afloat. The irony wasn't lost on me. I'd been down this road, had been that guy. Nearly overdosing, ending up in a hospital just like this one. I wanted to shake Luke, and scream at him to see where this path led. But my words would be debris in the tornado of his emotions. Luke was in a place where logic was a foreign language, and his suffering was the only dialect he understood. When Lexi had finally woken up, and Luke abruptly walked out, I knew exactly where he was headed. To numb himself. To escape the agonizing reality that he'd taken a life, his father's life, no less. Every step he took down that path, he took a part of us along with him. A part of me w
Rival Alphas: Dance of Desire 85. (Luke POV)
The knock at the door reverberated through the room, fracturing the moment. I knew that moment was over, a fragile hiatus swallowed whole by whatever was coming next. When the door opened and Clay's parents, Elena and Louis, walked in, a strange mix of emotions washed over me: nostalgia, regret, and an abrupt self-consciousness that made me want to disappear."I should probably go," I said, getting up, my eyes averted. Thankfully, the intensity of how much I took earlier had started to wane, and I was back steady on my feet. Before I could make it far, Elena closed the gap between us and surrounded me in a warm hug, her arms strong despite her years. "My goodness, Luke. You smell like you've been rolling in the woods for days. You need a shower," she said.Her words made me smile. How many times had I heard that from her growing up? A lot. Despite the hardships and tangles of my life, that simple memory made me realize I had also been blessed with a lot of good. Elena had always b
Rival Alphas: Dance of Desire 86. Rome (Lexi)
A sly grin crossed my lips as I looked at Clay and Luke, their post-battle disarray apparent in more ways than one. "You know, Elena wasn't lying when she said y'all needed a shower. And let's be honest, so do I. I think we should all freshen up."Clay chuckled, playfully saying, "I agree. I can smell him from over here."Luke leaned down, his eyes locking onto my toes. While still a bit discolored, the healing was evident. "Okay, I'm in," he conceded, "as long as you promise to stay seated on the bench in there."Luke's arms enveloped me, lifting me effortlessly from the counter and carrying me toward the bedroom. As we entered, his touch felt protective, almost reverent, as he helped me out of my clothes. A sense of vulnerability washed over me, but it was softened by the look in his eyes—gentle, caring, yet tinged with a melancholy I couldn't quite place.Once undressed, Clay swept in, his arms warm and sturdy as he lifted me up and carried me into the bathroom. Luke was already in
Rival Alphas: Dance of Desire 87. (Clay POV)
The sensation of waking up was disorienting. For a moment, I let myself savor the peace. Despite the chaos that had swallowed our lives, this small pocket of morning tranquility was like a hidden treasure. As my eyes fluttered open, I took in the sight before me: a human knot of limbs and torsos, woven so tightly it was hard to tell where one of us ended and the other began. Lexi was tucked safely between Luke and me, her head resting on my chest, while Luke's arm draped over both of us.The scent of breakfast wafted through the air, pulling me further out of my sleepy haze. It was a strong smell, loaded with bacon, scrambled eggs, and fresh coffee. I felt Lexi stir, the movement rippling through the tangle of bodies.Luke's eyes opened, meeting mine. "Wow," he said, grinning as he breathed in deeply. "How I've missed waking up to the smell of your mom's cooking.""Yeah," I said, feeling the corners of my mouth stretch into a smile. "Me too."As we extricated ourselves from the tangl
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Rival Alphas: Dance of Desire 130. 5 Years Later
Our front yard was a scene of pure, unadulterated joy, with Reni and Lachlan, our beautiful 5-year-old twins, and their cousin Finn chasing each other around, their laughter and shouts filling the air with the vibrant energy of childhood. I found solace on the porch swing, enjoying the afternoon sun, while Moro, now a permanent fixture on our land as my advisor and friend, sat beside me. Moro's life had taken a beautiful turn; she was dating Devlin, sharing a life with him in more ways than one.Both Moro and I were weeks away from giving birth, our bellies round and full of life. Devlin emerged from the woods and greeted Moro with a kiss that spoke volumes of their shared affection. He glanced my way, assuring me that Luke and Clay would join us shortly.True to his word, Clay and Luke approached, already wearing shorts. Our attempts to maintain a semblance of modesty in front of the kids were somewhat amusing yet necessary. The dry boxes they kept on the edge of the woods for such o
Rival Alphas: Dance of Desire 128. (Luke POV)
In the quiet of our home, the absence of the familiar bustle and noise felt almost surreal. As Clay gently lifted Lachlan from his car seat, his voice broke the silence. "I'm just going to give him a bottle," he said softly.I nodded, a smile touching my lips. "It's all frozen, man." I thought about Lexi and how diligently she'd been pumping since leaving the hospital. She'd been a force of nature, feeding the twins or pumping tirelessly. We'd even bought a new freezer just to store all the milk she'd accumulated. Her determination was something I admired deeply.We tiptoed to the bedroom, careful not to disturb the tranquility. Lexi lay there, sleeping soundly, clutching our pillows close. The sight tugged at my heartstrings. "She was so tired," I whispered.Gently, I lay down behind her, feeling the warmth of her body against mine, while Clay positioned himself in front with Lachlan cradled in his arms. Lexi's eyes fluttered open, and a smile lit up her face as she saw our baby boy.
Rival Alphas: Dance of Desire 127. Precious Cargo (Clay POV)
Sitting in the NICU, our baby boy's warmth against my bare chest provided a strange sense of solace amid the beeps and hums of the machines. I glanced at Luke, our little girl nestled in his arms, her frailty marked by the wires and tubes assisting her breath. Despite her struggle, there was a certain resilience in her tiny frame. On the other hand, the boy made his presence known through his cries, only pacified in moments of sleep or cradled in our arms. The NICU staff, recognizing our unique situation, had granted us unrestricted access, a small mercy in this rough time. Lexi had stayed behind this visit, exhaustion finally claiming her. The look in her eyes when she thought one of the babies would not get as much attention because she wasn't there made her hyper-vigilant. The three of us couldn't go together, so we switched off, her the constant as one stayed home. Luke finally put his foot down, saying he was getting fragile herself. She only conceded to rest after I promise
Rival Alphas: Dance of Desire 126. Struggling (Luke POV)
In the sudden chaos of the night, with Lexi's water breaking unexpectedly, my world tilted on its axis. She sat up abruptly in bed, urgency in her voice, "Oh shit, Luke, Clay, wake up, wake up now!" We both jerked awake, disoriented. "What's wrong?" I mumbled, rubbing my eyes, trying to process her words. "I'm sitting in fluid. I think my water broke..." Rushing to the hospital felt like a blur. Doctors swarmed around Lexi, their movements precise, their decisions swift. They decided on a c-section, taking out both babies at just over 32 weeks. Panic clawed at my throat, the reality of the situation pressing down on me like a physical weight. In the sterile confines of the hospital prep room, Clay, whom the hospital staff believed was my brother, helped me don the medical gown required for the surgery room. I paused, leaning my forehead against the cool window, a wave of emotion overwhelming me. Tears streamed down my face as I admitted, "I don't think I can do it, Clay. I don't thi
Rival Alphas: Dance of Desire 125. (Lexi POV)
Six months had flown by, and I was sitting on the floor with my pregnancy pillow wrapped around me. It was a quiet morning, just the soft light of dawn filtering through the curtains. I shifted and stretched in every possible way, trying to coax the baby - or babies, to be precise - to ease their foot or elbow from my ribcage.Under my breath, I pleaded with them, my voice a mix of discomfort and affection. The movements inside me were relentless, a constant reminder of the life growing within.Luke, stirred by my soft murmurs, slowly crawled down from the bed to join me on the floor. He stretched, a lazy yawn escaping him, then leaned over to kiss my round belly. "Stop torturing your mama," he whispered into my belly button, his voice soft and playful, sending ripples of laughter through me.He gently massaged my belly, tracing the visible lines of tiny feet and elbows gliding across my skin. The babies seemed to respond to his touch, their movements becoming more pronounced.I could
Rival Alphas: Dance of Desire 124. Untamed (Luke POV)
At that moment, with Lexi beneath me, everything felt amplified and intensified beyond my usual senses. My body responded with a fierce urgency, a primal need to ravage her. Every kiss, every bite of her lip, every roll of my hips was a testament to a desire that was more than just physical. It was as if an ancient, primal force had awoken within me, urging me to solidify our connection. I had to remind myself constantly – she was human. My strength, enhanced by the mate bond, could quickly become overwhelming. The last thing I wanted was to hurt her, to let this raw, untamed part of me cross a line. Lexi, lost in the intensity of the moment, seemed to be riding the same wave of passion. Her moans, her surrender to the sensations, spurred me on, yet the cloud of doubt loomed heavier with each passing second. Carefully, so as not to startle her, I eased myself up, maintaining our kiss until the very last moment. My grip on Clay's arm reminded me of the balance I needed to maintain.
Rival Alphas: Dance of Desire 123. Slip By (Clay POV)
As I stood there, watching Luke and Lexi, a profound sense of certainty washed over me. It was more than just witnessing two people in love; it was the palpable sensation of Fate weaving its intricate tapestry. There was no denying it – they were meant to bring a new life into this world. It felt like every star in the sky, every whisper of the wind, was conspiring to guide them toward this destiny.For me, the realization that I wasn't the first to embark on this journey of fatherhood brought a surprising sense of relief. I pondered why this was, delving into the depths of my thoughts. Was it the enormity of the responsibility that daunted me? Or perhaps the fear of confronting my own potential as a father.Yet, as I observed them, another far more profound reason dawned on me. It was the desire to see Luke transcend his past, to break free from the chains of his troubled upbringing. I wanted this for him – to prove that he was not a mere product of his genetics, but a man shaped by
Rival Alphas: Dance of Desire 122. Like Hell He Is (Lexi POV)
The shift in the room was noticeable as Clay finished updating the drawing of our tattoos. It symbolized our unity, of everything we had become together. Of everything we had to go through to be together. He flopped down beside us, pulling me onto his lap with a gentle tug. His kiss was a silent promise, a reaffirmation of our bond.The thought of having a baby seemed both daunting and incredibly right. I couldn't explain the pull I felt, a deep, instinctive urge that seemed to transcend my human understanding. A part of me worried about the potential complications of one of them being the biological father before the other, but I kept those thoughts to myself for now.Lost in Clay's kiss, I reached out instinctively and grasped Luke's hand. The moment our hands touched, the sexual tension that had once existed between Luke and Clay surged back with an intensity that took us all by surprise.Luke recoiled, almost as if he'd been shocked. "Holy shit," he exclaimed, jumping back.Clay g
Rival Alphas: Dance of Desire 121. Let Me Do It (Luke POV)
Something deep and primal within me stirred as Lexi's lips met mine. It wasn't just the rush of hormones or the inexplicable workings of magic – it was something more profound, more intimate. This was the enchanting kind of magic that comes with love, a deep connection, and the unspoken desire to nurture that connection further.Having kids was a concept I had never seriously entertained. Kids who grow up in rough homes like I did often fear the possibility of passing on those horrible experiences to their own offspring. I was no exception to that, but as Lexi kissed me, every fiber of my being seemed to awaken to a new reality. It was time – time to think about an heir.This realization hit me with such force that I felt compelled to voice it aloud.To my astonishment, neither Clay nor Lexi reacted with the same shock I felt. They seemed almost calm, accepting of the idea.I also felt this powerful urge to tend to Lexi's mark. A part of it was because of the tingling sensation overt
