Davien's P. O. V
"What happened?" I demanded rushing into Oliver's bedroom, he hadn't told me that Kian would be here, and I hated myself for guessing right that he did bring him to his bed.
Kian was passed out on his bed with two sheets covering him, his sweet scent was barely even there, it was overshadowed by the strong scent of herbs and scented candles.
"Last night his temperature suddenly shot up, it seemed better this morning, but I didn't know he was just hiding it from me. Fortunately, I found him passed out in the bathroom…" he stopped himself from saying anymore.
I sat beside him and took a feel of his temperature, and just like Oliver had said, it was burning hot. Damn, was it okay for a shifter to burn up this quickly?
"Davien, I saw it." Oliver said with a grim expression, when I didn't say anything in response we went on to explain himself.
"He had a scar on his back, and I've seen motorcycle cuts and bruises, but I was freaked out of my mind when I glimpsed at it." Oliver told me.
"Did you give him any medicine?" I asked diverting the conversation from Kian's scar, he didn't want anyone to talk about it much less see it.
"Only the best we had, the healer said he's just reacting early to the hunt, phermones are already at an all time high. She said it would be good for him if he had his mate's phermones to calm him down." He explained, walking towards the door.
I stared at Kian's burning red skin, worried if he would make it through the entire hunt. He wasn't in any condition to go with the pack, and I didn't feel at ease with leaving him behind.
"Davien, I know this isn't my place to say anything, but I think you should reject him, for his own good." Oliver's words both startled and riled me up.
"What was that?" I spat out in a venomous voice, daring him to repeat that crap again.
Oliver pinched his temples, "I didn't word it right. I meant, if you don't have any intention of becoming serious with him, then don't make the kid suffer any longer."
"And what do you mean by I'm making him suffer?" My voice was an even mix of anger and irritation, the last thing I needed was someone telling me how to treat my mate.
But Oliver didn't stand down, "If my sister was around, she'd be around his age, so I can't help but want to act like a big brother to the kid. You're seven years older, a well known Alpha and on the way to becoming the chairman of Moore group. You've rejected three mates flat out and been with more than half of the pack she-wolves." He spat out, reading me the riot.
"But he's just nineteen, Davien, he isn't loved by his pack, he has serious trust issues and you're his first ever mate. He hasn't even finished college or gotten a job, he's weak, secretive and hurting. And now, you have him in a packhouse filled with wolves that hate him, and you cannot even give him your phermones to make his burden lighter. No matter how I look at it, your relationship with him will only make him suffer the longer you two are together. Do him a favor, if you're not going to be serious about him, then let him go."
On his way out Oliver said under his breath, "You're good at doing that."
After he left, I couldn't find the courage to leave Kian's side. Just like Oliver said, my phermones helped to reduce his fever, allowing him to slowly regain his consciousness.
I watched him struggle to sit up, and when I could no longer bear it, I sat behind him, wrapping my arms around him from behind. I buried my face in his neck, taking in his scent which was gradually coming back.
Weakly he protested, "You're too close—"
"Just let me stay like this a bit longer." I begged, he didn't say anything but at the same time he didn't try to push me away, he sat stilly, which I took as a sign to stay.
"I won't get intimate with you, if that's what your agenda is." Kian noted loud and clear.
I chuckled dryly, "There won't be any need to, just let me take in your scent a bit more, I want to remember it even when five years has passed by." My arms fitted perfectly around his slim waist, and my chest welcomed his back.
His body was highly compatible with mine, I could tell without even getting naked.
"You don't need to act this way, you already sniff me on a daily or don't think I haven't noticed. Instead of going all out, I may let you occasionally get a whiff of me, but only if you behave." Kian said, his voice which at first sounded hoarse had picked up momentum.
He was getting better, and fast.
"I thought I was discreet."
He scoffed and placed his hands on mine, "You aren't sorry to break it to you." His voice softened, I picked up on the scent of worry from him, causing me to rest my chin on his shoulder.
"Kian I…"
"Don't do it." Kian interrupted in a whisper, he stretched his fingers out over mine, and I realized they were shaking quite a bit.
"Whatever it is you want to tell me, don't say it. The only time people are nice to me, is when they want to abandon me. So don't say it." He spoke as though he could tell what I was planning on saying next. And judging by his reaction, he didn't want it, maybe just as much as I didn't want to.
"Can I ask you a question?" Kian politely said, stunning me that his tone wasn't sarcastic or spiteful.
"Mhmm," I replied and softly kissed the side of his neck, where his scent was most potent, drilling the sensation into my memory.
He tilted his head to the side, allowing me to plant more kisses onto his neck, which I hungrily did. The more I got physically in contact, the quicker my phermones dispersed across the room.
"Why did you reject three of your mates?" Kian asked out of the blue.
I wanted to pretend I didn't hear what he said and continue planting my lips onto his skin. But when I noticed how his hands hadn't stopped shaking, it made me wonder if that was the reason why I detected the scent of worry from him.
Was Kian maybe afraid I would reject him?
Pulling my lips away I sat up straight and looked to the ceiling, my thoughts spiralled back to that day, and the incident. The memories flooded my head all at once, and it made both Ralph and myself angry.
But Kian's scent helped me calm down, I felt the rage as though it was just yesterday it happened, when in fact it had been nine whole years ago.
"I didn't want my feelings dictated to me." I said lost in thought.
"The moon goddess?" He asked, I nodded still looking up. "The thought of getting together with that one person because of a bitch playing match maker. It sickened me to give up all of my control, to a person who didn't do anything, but won a lottery with the prize mate attached to it. If I was going to burn for someone, then I wanted it to be because I genuinely wanted it." I took a pause and looked at him.
He had shifted his body and was facing me directly.
"I want to yearn for someone not because I'm told to…" I reached out and cupped his left cheek in my palm, maintaining my gaze with his, the scent of the scented candles fanned the flames of my lust.
Or so I wanted to believe.
Continuing I said, "But because they've become my desire. A desire I'm willing to lay down my life for, a desire I'm willing to kill for to protect."
Kian stared intently at my lips while I spoke, he was as caught up in the moment as I was, but he didn't act, he kept a civil distance between us, all while nestling into my touch.
"Can I ask you something?" I retorted, he hesitated for a second then closed his eyes and nodded.
Holding his gaze I asked, "Can I see it? Can I see your wolf?"
He flinched underneath my touch, I could see the obvious hesitation in his eyes as they darted across my face. His uncertainty was justified, seeing him in his wolf form, would mean breaking all the barriers between us.
We would be surrendering most of our control to our inner wolves, letting them take the lead. Which meant, that our inner most passion and desire would be unfiltered.
I would see him in his most vulnerable state, a version of Kian that I had never seen before. It was selfish of me to even ask considering I was just about to reject him some moments ago.
Yet, he caught my gaze and with fierce eyes he nodded. "Fine, I'll show you my wolf." He said, but then he sharply inserted.
"But only if you show me yours…"
Author's Note: Hi guys, thanks for reading. Anyway, I want to open a special space for readers to ask casual questions about the characters from the story, like their likes, dislikes, favorite foods and etcetera.
Readers can drop comments with the questions they'd liked answered and during the weekend, I'll then create auxiliary free chapters in an interview format with the characters.
If I get a good response from the readers we can make it a weekly thing. But if not, then the idea will be scrapped out. What do you guys think?
THE BOND YOU FORFEIT is finally out on webnovel.