Alpha Arkan
"That's why we can't act as one the way we used to," I said, turning my gaze toward the portrait of my Lycan form. "He needs to forgive me before I can shift into that form again."
You betrayed me.
You know I'm the last Lycan, and that marriage was only meant to secure an heir.
That changes nothing. I would never betray my mate, Bozok snarled inside my mind. Humans are the ones who betray.
At Bozok's words, I lowered my head and clasped my hands together.
"I was only thinking about the future of my people."
When I felt Kayra's soft hand rest over mine, I turned to her.
"I know. I'm here."
My heartbeat began pounding in my ears.
Did she truly mean that?
Of course she does, Bozok said. But only when she says she understands why you did it.
Are you sure?
Yes, I'm sure.
How can you be so certain? I asked as I searched Kayra's eyes for the truth.
It's simple, Bozok scoffed. She's human too. And look.
He tried to draw my attention to Kongar, but I refused to take my eyes off Kayra.
She's betraying us too. She's clinging tightly to that freak's hand just so she won't have to be with us.
I barely managed to suppress the growl rising in my throat.
What's wrong? Are you jealous? Bozok asked mockingly. What if you had married that blonde and sired the heir you wanted so badly? Do you think Kayra would still be by your side, or would you have lost her completely?
I don't know. But none of that matters anymore.
Of course it doesn't, Bozok grumbled. Because that's more convenient for you. Running away was always easier, and that's what you've always done.
I tried to stop listening to him. He was one of the reasons our people had grown weak enough to become prey for the vampires. He was partly responsible for Kayra being in danger now as well, but he refused to admit it. In his eyes, I was the only one who had made a mistake, and that was why he had turned his back on me. He might have been angry with me, but I didn't have the luxury of sulking and withdrawing from everything.
Taking a deep breath, I turned my attention back to Kayra. She hadn't taken her eyes off me this entire time.
"Kayra…"
If you can't claim what belongs to us, then I will, Bozok said.
Before I could comprehend what was happening, Bozok ripped control of my body away from me.
Give me back my body. You're going to frighten Kayra.
Just watch, Bozok snarled. I'll show you how to claim what's mine.
Then Bozok leaned toward Kayra and pressed a brief kiss to her lips. As he kissed her, I felt Kongar's gaze settle on me, but I ignored him. He could watch us, but he could never touch Kayra.
I'm not so sure about that, Bozok said.
As Bozok lingered over Kayra's strawberry-red lips, an involuntary moan rose from my throat.
What do you mean? He can't touch what belongs to us.
You saw how my Kayra reacted to him, Bozok said as he slid my tongue into Kayra's mouth.
At the movement, the scent of Kayra's arousal flooded my senses, and her breathing quickened.
Besides, his heartbeat mimics Kayra's.
Yes, I'm aware. But that doesn't mean anything. Weren't you the one who wanted to tear him apart?
Yes, Bozok growled.
Although Kayra flinched, she didn't pull away from us. Instead, she continued to respond with equal passion, and Bozok's satisfaction spread through my body as though it were my own.
But if my Kayra cares about him, there's nothing I can do, Bozok said, threading my fingers through Kayra's hair and tugging her head back sharply.
"Ah…"
That sweet sound spilling from Kayra's lips made my breathing quicken, and it became harder for me to stop him.
I can't stand my Kayra touching that freak, Bozok said.
As Bozok spoke, he slowly began lowering Kayra onto the bed.
Kongar stubbornly refused to release Kayra's hand. When she lay back on the bed, he was forced to climb onto it as well because he wouldn't let her go.
As Kayra's scent mingled with mine, restraining Bozok became even more difficult.
"Kayra."
When Kongar leaned down and spoke into Kayra's ear, a threatening growl rose from my throat.
"Kayra, is this what you want?" Kongar asked, completely ignoring us.
Kayra's lips suddenly went still against mine. Her body, which had been responding to our kiss only moments ago, stiffened as her breath caught in her throat. She opened her eyes and looked at Kongar in alarm. Then she began to struggle as if panic had seized her, trying to turn her face away from us.
She pressed her hands against my chest and pushed me away with all her strength. But instead of releasing her, Bozok tightened his grip on her hair and pulled her a little closer.
You're frightening her.
She's mine. Once we complete the bond, she might not want him anymore.
If you keep acting like this, she won't want us either.
My words must have gotten through to him. Bozok finally released Kayra's hair, slowly straightened, and sat on the bed.
Kayra stared at the ceiling for several seconds as she tried to steady her breathing. Then she began to sit up as well. Without releasing her hand, Kongar helped her upright before sitting beside her.
As Kayra tried to smooth her disheveled hair, Bozok's gaze remained fixed on her reddened lips. A moment later, he slowly ran my tongue across my lips.
Kayra didn't notice, but Kongar hadn't taken his eyes off us. Then his gaze dropped to Kayra's lips, and he licked his own.
Was he imitating us?
I'm going to rip those yellow eyes out of his skull, Bozok snarled.
Kayra frowned at me.
"Why are you growling?"
Yes, Bozok, why are you growling? You were spouting nonsense about Kongar only moments ago. What changed?
Bozok grumbled in irritation.
I want to kill him. But we can't, and I can't allow Kayra to hate me.
That was another problem. I had no idea how we were supposed to rid ourselves of a creature like him.
"You're mine."
As Bozok spoke those words through my mouth, Kayra's eyes widened and her heartbeat quickened once again.
At that moment, Kongar shoved his head between us, blocking my view of Kayra.
"That heart belongs to me, Kayra."
What nonsense was this creature spouting?
When Kayra didn't respond, I began fighting Bozok to regain control of my body.
Stop fighting me, Bozok said as he suddenly grabbed Kongar by the hair and yanked his head back.
"What are you doing, Arkan?" Kayra demanded. She tried to pull my hand from Kongar's hair, but Bozok ignored her completely. As Bozok leaned over Kongar and forced him to meet our gaze, a growl rose from my throat and I felt my canines lengthen.
"What do you mean, freak?"
My body trembled as it struggled against the shift, yet the bastard kept staring at us with that same grin on his face.
"Kayra's heart belongs to me."
Those words were enough to drive both Bozok and me over the edge. In the next instant, Bozok transformed my free hand into a claw and slashed clear through Kongar's neck with a single sweep.
"Ah! Nooo!"
Kayra's anguished scream filled my ears as we watched Kongar's severed head roll across the bed and fall to the floor.
Kayra remained frozen for several seconds. Her gaze moved first to me and then to Kongar's headless body, as though she were struggling to comprehend what she was seeing. Then she suddenly slapped herself hard across the face.
"None of this is real. No… it isn't," she murmured.
What have you done? Kayra will never forgive us.
Instead of answering, Bozok silently began wiping the yellowish blood that had splattered across us.
Kayra is mine.
"W-why… why did you do that?"
Kayra's voice trembled. Tears continued streaming down her cheeks as she gripped Kongar's body with both hands and shook him.
"He can't die. Soren said he couldn't be killed."
As she spoke, she looked into my eyes with such hope that the unease inside me grew even stronger.
Kongar seems to mean far more to her than we thought, Bozok. Getting rid of him won't be easy.
Yes, it certainly seems that way, Bozok replied.
Bozok slowly rose, picked Kongar's head up from the floor, and carried it over to the headless body. Then he set the head back against the severed neck.
Kayra grabbed my hand, refusing to let Bozok walk away.
"What happens now? He isn't dead, is he?"
Bozok first looked at Kongar's hand, which Kayra still refused to release, before turning his gaze back to her.
"Unfortunately, he isn't," Bozok said as a low growl rose from my throat.
At that, Kayra slowly released my hand and retreated several steps.
"Bozok… you're Bozok, aren't you?"