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93. (Clay POV)
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Rival Alphas: Dance of Desire 94. (Lexi POV)
Heat enveloped me, and as I stirred awake, I felt as though I were tucked inside a furnace. Both Luke and Clay were practically lying on top of me, their arms cocooning me tightly as if shielding me from some invisible danger."Guys, you've gotta let me up, or I might just wet the bed like a three-year-old," I joked.Their grips slackened almost simultaneously, and I wriggled out from between them, heading for the bathroom. The cold tile felt good against my feet, contrasting with the warmth I had just left.I caught sight of myself in the mirror as I washed my hands and paused. The woman staring back at me looked older, her eyes reflecting a kind of wisdom that wasn't there a month ago. I was no longer that wide-eyed college student; now, I saw a Luna in my reflection. My eyes landed on the mark on my neck. It occurred to me that Clay, despite feeling everything through our mate bond, wasn't marked like Luke and I were. A shadow of discontent crossed my mind.As I emerged from the ba
Rival Alphas: Dance of Desire 95. (Luke POV)
The silence in the office was almost a physical entity, thick and smothering, filled with tension that neither of us could articulate. My wolf prowled restlessly within me, its growls a ceaseless litany of disapproval and unease. Every fiber was screaming that Lexi shouldn't be out without us, not after what she'd been through. I looked at Clay, who seemed lost in a similar turmoil."Your wolf is uneasy too, isn't it?" I finally said, breaking the stifling silence.Clay nodded, his jaw clenched. "Can't blame him, considering.""I know," I sighed, feeling like an iron band was constricting around my chest. "But she needs this, Clay. She needs her freedom, her space.""Yeah," he said softly, almost wistfully. "Doesn't make it easy, though."We tried to work. We really did. But every document I looked at, every email I tried to compose, the words swam in front of my eyes, transforming into a jumbled mess that made no sense. My thoughts drifted back to Lexi, to the way her eyes twinkled w
Rival Alphas: Dance of Desire 96. Can We See The Dead Body Now?(Lexi POV)
The car ride back home was a mixture of excitement and, oddly enough, tension. Moro's revelation left me oscillating between shock and a newfound closeness. It was like stumbling upon an old photograph you never knew existed. When we pulled into the driveway, the trunk full of shopping bags and one oddly wrapped package, I could feel my anticipation building. Moro popped the trunk, and we began hauling our finds inside. I gripped the enigmatic, heavily wrapped package tightly, its form secure yet oddly shapeless under its multiple layers of bags. I headed straight for the bedroom, the mysterious package swinging lightly in my arms. I set it down on the bed with a sense of reverence. Then I turned to help Moro hang the cascade of new clothes in my closet. The colors and fabrics spoke of future days, of experiences not yet lived. There was an undeniable thrill in that, a promise of something more. As we were knee-deep in a sea of tissue paper and new clothes, Luke walked into the roo
Rival Alphas: Dance of Desire 97. (Clay POV)
As I stood there, my parents' car idling on the gravel path that led away from our home, the atmosphere felt thick with the unspoken, charged with emotions that words could barely contain. My dad's eyes met mine, a world of understanding exchanged in that glance. "Call anytime, son," he said, the simple words carrying a lifetime of meaning.Meanwhile, my mother was a whirlwind of maternal wisdom, dispensing advice to Lexi and Luke as if her words could form a protective shield around them. Her voice was tinged with a loving concern that only a mother could offer, and it settled in the pit of my stomach, a poignant reminder of the ephemeral nature of these family gatherings.As I tried to absorb the emotional textures of the moment, I noticed Luke lean down to whisper something to Lexi. I didn't need to hear the words; Lexi's face, her eyes, told me everything. I could see her nod softly, her eyes meeting Luke's in a moment of mutual understanding, and my heart sank.Soon after my pare
Rival Alphas: Dance of Desire 98. Like My Life (Luke POV)
I stormed into the house, my fingers clenched around the keys until they bit into my palm. With a frustrated growl, I hurled them across the room. They collided with the wall, scattering in different directions, like my thoughts.Like my life.I sank down onto the edge of the bed, my head dropping into my hands.How did I let myself slide back into this darkness? I was furious, not just at the world, but at myself. Clay had a point, as much as I hated to admit it. His words replayed in my head, each syllable like a hammer strike, shaping the metal of my regret. But what hurt most was Lexi. The silence from her was the deepest cut, severing something inside me that I didn't even know was vulnerable. Through our mate bond, I sensed a cloud of mixed emotions—anger, disappointment, sadness. Was it hers or mine? Maybe both.The door opened quietly, and Clay walked in. I felt his presence fill the room, a bittersweet blend of ease and conflict. I moved to stand up, to put distance between
Rival Alphas: Dance of Desire 99. (Luke POV)
The tension in the room was so thick it was almost tangible, suffocating me with every breath I took. Clay's furious gold eyes bore into mine before he yelled, "Luke, get the fuck over here and help!""She won't let me," I stammered, my voice cracking under the weight of my guilt and shame.Before I knew it, Clay had me by the collar and was dragging me over to where Lexi sat, her eyes averted, her body trembling like a leaf in a violent storm. He pushed my hand onto hers, forcing me to apply pressure to the towel wrapped around her wounded fingers. "Don't fucking move," he commanded, before disappearing out of the bathroom.I looked at Lexi, but she wouldn't meet my gaze. She was shaking, her face pale, her eyes hidden under her long, black eyelashes. It was like being stabbed in the heart. The physical sensation of her emotional pain rippled through our mate bond, each pulse feeling like a gut punch I fully deserved."I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," I whispered, leaning down to gently li
Rival Alphas: Dance of Desire 100. Damage (Lexi POV)
As I sat there, the pricking sensation of the needle wove in and out of the flesh of my damaged fingers. Each puncture brought a sting that radiated up my arm, like an incessant reminder of the night's calamity. Beside me, Clay gripped my other hand, his thumb tracing slow circles on the back of my palm. He was there, but not really. It was as if his thoughts had carried him to a distant realm, somewhere far away from the small, sterile room where the healer worked on me.His distant demeanor wasn't lost on me. I knew he was wrestling with his own turmoil, perhaps struggling with how to bridge the widening chasm between us and Luke. At that moment, though, the physical discomfort was overshadowed by the unsettling stillness that lay between us. Clay was a rock in turbulent seas, dependable but inherently separate from the chaos. His silence weighed on me more than the sensation of the stitches pulling my skin taut.I tried to focus on the healer's movements instead, on the scent of an
Rival Alphas: Dance of Desire 101. (Clay POV)
Pulse pounding in my temples, my jaw clenched tight, I couldn't shake the vivid anger that surged through me. Standing in Luke's trashed apartment, the weight of my own regrets bore down on me. The resentment grew as I broke into his apartment—again. It's as if he had a flair for ticking me off in new and inventive ways. "Great," I thought bitterly, "now she gets to meet Drunk Luke too. What a grand introduction to our lives before her."The tangible tension of the moment weighed heavy on my shoulders as I surveyed the room, my eyes falling on Luke's disheveled form on the couch. I was livid, the kind of deep-seated anger that sits low in the gut and refuses to budge. I had a gnawing suspicion this would happen; the fear had been there from the start, ever since I'd first seen the way Luke handled his addiction. But to witness it unravel like this, endangering Lexi in the process, churned my insides. My hands clenched into fists involuntarily. Fuck, what I wouldn't give for five un
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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
