A low chuckle rumbled from Bryan's chest, his shoulders shaking slightly as he reached the bathroom. "This woman…" he muttered to himself, shaking his head with a smirk.
"Easy to compliment, huh? I'll show her who's easy," he murmured under his breath, grabbing a clean towel. In the bathroom, he found a small towel as expected, wet it with warm water, and then wrung it out before taking a moment to clean himself. Once he was done, he leaned over the sink, the warm water running over his hands as he rinsed the towel thoroughly. Satisfied, Bryan wrung out the towel one last time and turned off the tap, glancing at himself briefly in the mirror. "That will do," he muttered to himself before heading back to the room where Kira waited. As Bryan stepped back into the room, his powerful stride brought him closer to Kira, who could not help but stare. Her eyes roamed over his bare, muscular frame, lingering on the hard ridges of his abs and the broad, powerful curve of his shoulders. Kira had always known that her mates were hot, but damn, he was temptation made flesh, dangerously perfect and impossible to look away from. And if all those were not enough to make her mouth water, her gaze fell to his manhood. Immediately she gulped. "My eyes are up here," Bryan teased, smirking knowingly, as he had caught her lingering stare. "Hm?" Kira questioned, acting oblivious to what Bryan had said. Meanwhile, her cheeks had already started burning as her eyes darted up to meet his. "I-I I- wasn't—" she stammered, quickly looking away and clutching the sheets tighter around her. "Oh," Bryan chuckled, stepping closer to the bed. "You weren't, huh? Sure," he said, his tone playful and teasing as he tried to stifle a laugh. "I believe you." Kira, noticing the sarcasm, ignored him, not wanting to say anything that might jeopardize her composure. "Shy and ignoring me now, are you?" he asked when he sat on the edge of the bed, and she had not said anything yet. With the towel in his hand and his smirk widening as he noticed Kira's flushed cheeks, he moved closer to her. "Who is this shy person that has taken over my mate? Give her back." He said dramatically, his eyes sparkling with amusement and his lips twitching with suppressed laughter. Kira still paid him no mind, refusing to answer. Instead, she buried her face in the crook of her arm, her blush deepening. She also wanted to laugh but forced herself not to. She would rather not give him any satisfaction. Unknown to her, she was already giving Bryan enough satisfaction, evident from the way he tilted his head, clearly enjoying her reaction. "What happened to all that confidence, naughty little Omega?" he teased further. "Naughty girls don't blush," he said, teasing her some more before leaning in to plant a quick kiss on her cheek. Kira gasped softly, surprised at the sudden affection. She was too focused on not giving him any satisfaction, that she had not even noticed how close he was. She turned to look at him, wanting to say something but stopped herself, seeing that he was already focused on something else. Something else that still had to do with her. Bryan carefully lifted the sheets, exposing her thighs, as he started using the warm towel to clean her up. He did it gently, his touch firm yet tender; his attention focused as he wiped her clean. Kira smiled while she watched him, but shivered lightly later on when the warm towel brushed against her inner thighs. She tried to distract herself from the sensation she was feeling, his touch maddeningly calm, almost too focused but doing things to her. Kira's breath hitched when he reached her most sensitive areas, and she instinctively cleared her throat, trying to control herself. "What is wrong with me?" She asked herself inwardly. "Why can't I control myself, oh Goddess…this man." "Something wrong, love?" Bryan asked, glancing up at her; one brow raised, and his voice smooth. "No-no," Kira muttered, quickly looking away as she was unable to meet his eyes. Her voice was barely audible, and she felt like if she looked into those eyes… She shook her head immediately, not wanting to think further. She was definitely not in control of her body. "Relax, I can smell how horny you are," Bryan said, chuckling softly, but didn't press further. "Bryan," Kira groaned, her eyes widening, embarrassed by the truth in his teasing. "You… that's so embarrassing," she muttered, a nervous laugh escaping her lips. "I suppose it's okay for you to be shy, you naughty confused mate," he said to her, his chuckle deepening. "One minute you are... the next you are…" He said, not completing the words of each sentence, knowing that she understood what he meant. "I can be both," Kira retorted, her cheeks still flushed. "Mhm," was Bryan's response, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lip as he was finally done with cleaning her up. With a teasing grin, he took her by surprise again, leaning down and planting a quick, soft kiss on her lips. "What a sly thief!" Kira blurted, smiling widely. No matter how she tried to suppress her smile—bending her lips, twisting them left and right, twitching them, pursing them, and all—it refused to be suppressed. And by the time she blurted those words out, Bryan had already pulled away and was now standing up from the bed. "You don't have to be embarrassed with me, love," Bryan said, "But I do enjoy it all." Then, he paused for a moment before walking back to the bathroom. Kira watched as his naked form disappeared again, clearly hearing him laugh. "This is crazy," she murmured to herself while reaching for a pillow and hugging it to herself, unable to wipe the grin off her face. "And for goodness' sake, PUT SOME CLOTHES ON BEFORE I LOSE ALL SELF-CONTROL!" she shouted, laughing.Bryan had just stepped into the bathroom when Kira's loud voice echoed through the room. He paused, gripping the edge of the sink, her voice loud and teasing as he let out a deep chuckle. "Oh, you're asking for it now," he muttered under his breath, a plan forming in his head as amusement danced in his black eyes.After rinsing the towel and keeping it properly, he rinsed his hands quickly; his mind already set. Kira didn't know what she had just started, but he was going to show her, and he will definitely not let her go away with it. "I did warn her," he thought, turning to leave the bathroom.Meanwhile, Kira was relaxed so elegantly on the bed—maybe not much elegance with how disheveled she looked, but she looked disheveled in a good way. She had adjusted her position on the bed, still clutching the pillow to her chest, but this time, her head was titled as she stared up at the ceiling."He's probably rolling his eyes right now and laughing," she whispered to herself, giggling af
Bryan sighed after their laughs had subsided, looking around the room for his clothes. "You were supposed to leave, Aiden," he said, although he was just joking despite his words."Oh, please," Aiden shot back. "You were joking, obviously, and I'm sure you didn't believe I really left. Plus, when do you ever want me gone?"Ignoring Aiden's question, Bryan shook his head, chuckling softly as he pulled his boxers off the floor. He and Kira's clothes were scattered around, and thinking about it made him smile widely as he slipped into his boxers before grabbing his trousers and shirt to start dressing.Aiden, who was still half-in and half-out of the room, finally stepped inside, shutting the door, although he remained near it. He crossed his arms, leaning lazily against the door, as he quietly watched Kira and Bryan.Meanwhile, Kira had dropped the pillow she was holding onto earlier and had now wrapped herself in the sheets. She had not been feeling so self-conscious earlier, but bei
Five months had passed, and the pack was thriving. Everything was going so well—great victories and a sense of camaraderie. Though there had been occasional rogue reports and a few tense discussions over business alliances, the pack had managed to keep peace, and the Leader of Reykholt had accepted Bryan and Aiden's proposal. So far, businesses were doing great as well.Day-to-day life was vibrant; markets bustled with activity, warriors and their families laughing, and exchanging cheerful banter. Training grounds filled with sounds of sparring, laughter, talks, and encouragement. The members of the pack seemed happier than ever.Kira often found herself smiling at the sight of pups running through the fields, carefree and safe. She also thought of what it would be like if she were to have a pup of her own. She would smile at the idea and had even had the conversation with Bryan and Aiden, who also loved and enjoyed talking about it. They never pressured her about giving them a child
As the night settled in, warriors moved swiftly to prepare the arena for the final event of the day. They already knew what was to come, and long wooden poles were carried into the makeshift battlefield, each topped with a torch soaked in oil.Though these were modern days, tradition was never forgotten. They secured the poles into the ground, spacing them evenly around the circular arena. Sparks flew as one of the warriors lit the first torch, and soon, the entire circle was ablaze.With the preparations complete, the warriors went back to where each of them stood or sat earlier, leaving the stage set for the battle everyone had been waiting for. It was not news that Kira was going to be fighting today, the rumors had somehow spread so fast within the pack. Nothing to hide anymore. Kira herself was already dressed for a fight from the beginning, knowing fully well how it would go, so she doesn't have to change. Plus, she was quite comfortable in what she was putting on.Once the to
Kira lay on the ground, her chest pressed against the dirt. She tried taking deep breaths, and each breath she took was a struggle that sent sharp pain through her ribs."F*ck," she said to herself but inwardly. She was even surprised she was able to still think. Blood dripped slowly from her split lip, pooling at the corner of her mouth and staining the ground beneath her. She remained on the ground, arms sprawled out beside her and unmoving, except for her chest rising. This was definitely not what she had envisioned. Kira squeezed her eyes shut, and tightened her lips as if trying to hold back from crying out in pain. She already felt embarrassed and defeated, that would just make her feel much worse.She let out a soft groan, her voice low and filled with hurt. Her fingers twitched slightly as she tried to see if she could get up on her hand at least, but she didn't have much strength to push herself up. She didn't have any strength at all, and she hated how weak she felt.Wo
Elara, seated near her sons, was already worried about Kira, her concern showing all over her face. She shifted in her seat, leaning in slightly as her gaze moved from the battlefield to her sons.Leaning closer to Bryan, she lowered her voice to a whisper, not wanting others to overhear. "Will you intervene and call off the fight? It is not looking good for Kira," she said, her tone filled with worry.She looked back at the field, seeing how Kira was held like a rag doll by that hair and her hands tightened slightly in her lap, "It really is not looking good, Bryan."Without turning his head, Bryan answered in a low voice, that was very much calm. "It is not supposed to look good. It is a fair fight, Mother. No one leaves until one has submitted or been knocked out. And from the looks of things, neither has happened yet.""But Kira is down," Elara pressed, her voice dropping even lower and sounding more urgent. "This would save her from much more embarrassment or pain," she added, he
Kira's cold gaze locked onto Tahila's, her lips parted slowly as if she was savoring the power in her words. Her eyes bore into Tahila's and the crowd held its breath, every eye on the two women.Before Tahila could react, Kira tightened her grip on Tahila's fist, her fingers locking firmly around it and as Tahila tried to pull away, Kira held her fist tighter, her grip stronger than ever.Unexpectedly, Kira then pushed Tahila off her with so much force that Tahila was sent flying to the other side of the field. Tahila's body slammed into the ground, dirt kicked up around her as she skidded to a halt.Kira got up slowly, placing one hand firmly on the ground before pushing herself up to her knees. Her other hand followed, steadying herself as she rose. Soon, her posture was straightened, her shoulders back and her chin lifted."Go, Luna!" Kira heard someone yell, their voice breaking through the noise of pack members talking, gasping, murmuring and so on.Another gasped, "This has got
The field, which was once silent, now roared with cheers as everyone clapped and cheered for Kira. The battle had indeed taken an unexpected turn.Kira slowly rose to her feet, brushed her hands together to clear the dirt before tilting her head to the side. Though she had won as Tahila had ended up unconscious, it was not over yet.She walked forward calmly toward Tahila, who lay unmoving on the ground. She stopped a few feet away from Tahila, looking at Tahila as so many thoughts crossed her mind. She then turned her head slightly toward a group of warriors who were standing nearby."Bring me a bucket of water," she ordered, her voice cutting through the cheers.The cheers started to falter as confusion swept through the crowd. The warrior who Kira had ordered didn't hesitate for a split second before he rushed to fulfill her command."What is happening?" Orion asked his sons, his curiosity at its peak.Bryan and Aiden exchanged knowing glances before turning to their father with id
As instructed, they all remained seated and waited patiently for her. No one said anything, and surprisingly, the silence wasn't empty. It didn't have any tension; it was comfortable, but still had the feel of emotions that weren't spoken. Along with that, Kira sat still, maybe not too still as she kept tapping her feet on the ground and her fingers lightly on her knee while glancing around and often stealing glances at Bryan and Aiden, who would also look at her from time to time and wink, even though they were all seated on one couch.And then, footsteps.It was soft but firm, quick yet steady in approach.Elara walked back into the room holding books and pens. She moved quietly, her face not giving away anything as she walked toward them."Tear a sheet of paper and place it on your book when given to you," she said, giving all of them instructions as she stopped in front of Orion and gave him a book and a pen.Then, she turned and walked to where Bryan, Aiden, and Kira were seated
Aiden shook his head softly at his mother and sighed, "We were not pretending to be happy. We were genuinely happy.""Yeah," Bryan and Kira murmured, concurring with what Aiden had said."That is what I don't understand," Elara said to them, the confused expression still etched on her face. "How can you be happy? This is very sad news. Extremely sad, and even I, myself, am still trying to wrap my head around the whole situation. So, how?""Mum, I understand you completely," Kira said. "I also cried, then we cuddled and then at dinner everyone was together again. Even my emotions right now are inconsistent because I don't know if I should cry, be sad, be happy or think about it, as we have been given a specific time to be together and so cuddling with them, talking and laughing at dinner helped me realize that it was better to be happy and just forget about the sad stuff for the moment. Leaving you all is already sad for me; you have no idea. But staying… even if it is my last day here
Dinner was great as always—the laughing, the conversation, the playful banter, everything. It was no surprise that manners were forgotten at the dining table, hence the talking while eating, and now everyone was relaxed and chatting as they were all done eating."Dad, Aiden and Bryan are just… they just won't stop messing with me," Kira complained to Orion, gesturing to Aiden and Bryan, who were grinning at first but immediately kept their faces serious when she complained about them."What now?" Orion asked Kira after looking over at his twins. "What are they doing this time?""Nothing," Bryan answered before Kira could. "We are literally not doing anything to her except keeping her on her toes. She can't even stay still on those toes, you know. We are simply just having fun, father.""Exactly," Aiden said and nodded in agreement. "We are not doing anything to her.""Seriously?" Kira asked them, although she hid her smile and feigned annoyance, just so Orion could side with her."So
Kira's mouth dropped open. "You—!"But before she could even finish what she was about to say, Bryan, who was already close to her, leaned down and planted a quick peck on her cheek, making her eyes widen instantly.The audacity!Then, without giving her a chance to retaliate, he moved past her and took his seat at the dining table like nothing had happened.Laughing softly and shaking his head, Aiden stepped closer to Kira and stood beside her. "Bryan, I don't even know what to say to you," he muttered, while still laughing.Meanwhile, Elara and Orion looked at each other with amused expressions before turning their attention back to Kira."Well, at least he was honest about it." Orion said to Kira while chuckling, enjoying how his son teased her. "I'll get back at you, Bryan Tyrell," Kira threatened, narrowing her eyes at Bryan and crossing her arms. "Oh, I will!"Still laughing softly, Aiden leaned in and pressed a soft peck to the side of her head. "Don't mind him," he murmured a
Kira smiled warmly and raised her hand to Aiden's cheek. She caressed his cheeks, her smile growing wider, before she leaned in and gave him a soft peck on the lips. "Let's go," she whispered, her gaze not leaving his.Aiden nodded and smiled back as he started pulling away to stand; his heart warmed from her gentle affection and soft peck.As Kira sat up and got ready to get out of bed, she glanced around, noticing that Bryan wasn't in the room. "Where's Bryan?" She asked Aiden, her brows furrowed slightly. "Did he go somewhere?"Aiden opened his mouth to respond, but before he could speak, the bathroom door opened and Bryan walked out."I'm here," Bryan said in a casual, deep voice. "Missing me already?"Kira turned, a smile creeping up her face again. "Yes. As a matter of fact, I missed you so very much," she admitted as she got up and walked toward him before he could reach the bed.She stood close, Bryan looking at her with a playful smile and a raised eyebrow. He tilted his h
Kira walked slightly ahead of her mates as they returned home together, her heart and mind full.Aiden was the first to take her hand, walking closer and slipping his hand under hers before curling his fingers around hers. His grip was gentle at first, and then he held her closer.As Kira felt his hold, she turned her head slightly, her brown eyes meeting his dark ones, and smiled softly at him before looking ahead again.Meanwhile, Bryan, watching them, walked closer. He decided to do the same as his brother and slid his fingers between Kira's, his hold warm. Kira smiled softly and turned to him, not surprised that he had followed Aiden, her eyes full of love.As they held her hands and walked back home, they didn't let go, and soon they reached the mansion. The house was quiet when they stepped inside, but they didn't stop. They walked up the stairs and entered their bedroom together, still holding hands.It was only when they reached the bed after shutting the door did they final
Leaning into Bryan, Kira took slow, uneven breaths, trying to calm herself. She knew it wasn't their fault for making such a decision, but it didn't help with how she felt inside. She was sad, exhausted and emotionally drained.She knew they would do anything for her, yet those words, "We can't ask you to wait for us," lingered, and it pained her so much. It pained her that there was nothing much she could do but leave. Staying might destroy them even more than leaving. And Kira knew that.She let out a shaky breath as Bryan rubbed her back and whispered sweet, soft words to her, her weight pressing into him as she could no longer really hold herself up. "It's okay," Bryan murmured, his chin resting lightly on the top of her head while he continued rubbing her back in slow, comforting circles. "We are here. We got you."Hearing those words from him almost made her start crying again, but she held back and nodded against his chest, whispering, "I know, and I got you too."Bryan, also
Stepping outside, Bryan leaned against the outer wall. He tilted his head back and closed his eyes, his chest heaving as he tried to calm himself and steady his breathing, but that was impossible. The ache in his heart refused to let up. He took deep breaths and exhaled shakily, his knuckles already white because of how tightly he balled his fists. After some minutes of inhaling and exhaling, he tightened and relaxed his fists, before he felt a hand on his shoulder.Bryan didn't need to check when he felt the hand on his shoulder; he just prepared himself, knowing what was coming, and he knew that whatever was coming was going to be for the best."You know what we have to do." Aiden's voice was low, controlled, and filled with the pain he didn't try to hide. He stepped closer, his hand still on Bryan's shoulder. "It will be for the best.""I know, Aiden," Bryan nodded, his throat tightening as his voice broke slightly. "I know. I just—" He stopped, closed his eyes and sucked in anot
Aiden raked a hand through his hair, the hopelessness of the situation frustrating the life out of him. "I don't understand," he said to Morane, the frustration in his tone fully on display. "There has to be another way! What do you mean, we have to stop being mates?""Look, I am not angry with you. You have done a lot for us, and we are genuinely grateful, but this…this was the last thing I expected to hear. I never even expected to ever hear such," he said as he leaned forward slightly and ran his hands over his face before gripping his hair in desperation. "This curse of a thing is just so exhausting.""I know, I understand," Morane said, raising her hands slightly. "But listen to me first. Please calm down," she said softly, fully understanding what the three of them were currently going through. "The curse can only be broken by the witch who cursed you or someone from her bloodline. Do you understand what that means? We do not even know who the witch is. Talk more about someone f