Chapter 233
Chapter 233:
Kain leaned down, his lips brushing the shell of my ear. The intoxicating scent of ancient cedar wrapped around me, but his voice was a freezing, calculated whisper meant only for me.
“It’s for the cameras, little wolf p>
The tiny, fragile ember of hope that had ignited in my chest instantly turned to cold ash. Of course. Grant had threatened him, and the paparazzi were watching. The Lycan King needed to put on a show to prove our alliance was unbreakable.
I swallowed the bitter lump in my throat and forced a stiff nod.
Kain selected a deep, blood-red leather band for me and a black one for himself. As I turned to pretend to look at the wallets, I caught Kain whispering to the tattooed vendor. He slipped the man a hundred-dollar bill, pointing to the inside of the red bracelet and murmuring something about ancient Lycan runes. I didn’t ask what it meant. It was just another prop in his elaborate play.
We stood near the edge of the booth, waiting for the branding iron to heat up.
“Oh my god, don’t look now, but that’s Alpha King Kain!” a hushed, excited voice squealed nearby.
I𝘯𝘀𝘁𝘢𝘯𝘁 𝗮cc𝗲s𝘀 𝗈n
I stiffened. A group of young, trendy female wolves from a neutral Pack was walking past. They weren’t whispering quietly enough.
“I heard he really loves his Beta, Fletcher Banks,” another girl replied, her tone dripping with scandalous delight. “They say that wolfless Omega he’s with is just a smokescreen. A total fake p>
The bustling market around me plunged into a dead, ringing silence. The words weren’t just gossip; they were a public execution of my dignity. My blood ran entirely cold. I stood paralyzed, my chest tightening so painfully I couldn’t draw a breath. I could feel my own scent—usually a crisp blend of wild roses—souring rapidly with profound, suffocating humiliation. My disguise as a respected Luna was being torn apart in the middle of the street.
I expected Kain to step away, to maintain a dignified, Alpha distance.
Instead, he moved with terrifying, predatory speed. He stepped directly behind me, his massive arms wrapping around my waist like iron bands, pulling my back flush against his rock-hard chest. He buried his face in the crook of my neck—the exact, sacred spot where a Lycan would leave his Marking bite.
His scent exploded. The ancient cedar and crackling ozone of a violent winter storm completely swallowed my souring aura, rolling over the street in a suffocating, possessive wave that made the gossiping girls gasp and practically sprint away in terror.
Kain’s warm breath fanned across my sensitive skin, sending a violent shiver down my spine.
“You are mine. Let them talk,” he growled, his voice a low, guttural vibration that shook my very bones.
My heart hammered a frantic rhythm against my ribs. The sheer, raw dominance of his embrace made my dormant Inner Wolf whimper with a confusing mix of fear and a desperate, undeniable thrill of being protected.