Page 73 of Captivated By Alphas 1, Fated (The Blood Moon Chronicle #4)

“Your five minutes expired about ten minutes ago,” Eli murmured, though he made no move to leave Jace’s lap or restore his clothing to professional standards.

“Did they?” Jace checked his watch with exaggerated surprise, though his attention remained focused on the pulse point visible in Eli’s throat. “Time flies when you’re properly motivated.”

“My mother is going to murder me.” Eli sighed, though his fingers continued tracing idle patterns on Jace’s shoulders with unconscious intimacy. “And then she’ll murder you for corrupting her innocent son into making poor life choices during work hours.”

“Worth every risk,” Jace decided, stealing another brief kiss that tasted of surrender and possibility. “Though perhaps we should make you presentable before you face the maternal inquisition.”

No. Leave claimed. Show everyone our marks.

Eli groaned, hands flying to his neck in belated realization of his thoroughly compromised state. “Oh God, everyone’s going to know exactly what happened. I might as well wear a sign that says Recently Ravished by Jace Carmichael in neon letters with flashing arrows.”

“I like that idea,” Jace admitted with shameless satisfaction, his panther rumbling approval at the thought of such public claiming. “Very clear communication. No room for misinterpretation.”

“You’re absolutely insane,” Eli complained without heat, sliding off Jace’s lap to attempt repairs to his appearance with hands that weren’t entirely steady.

“All of you. It’s like genetic predisposition to overwhelming confidence and boundary issues.

Did they teach a class at rich boy school called Advanced Presumption 101? ”

Jace stood as well, taking in Eli’s appearance with critical assessment. The sight sent another wave of satisfaction through him—his mate looked thoroughly claimed, from his mussed hair to his swollen lips to the fresh marks decorating his neck like badges of possession.

Perfect. Clear claiming. All will see and know.

“It’s… noticeable,” Jace deliberately understated, reaching out to help button Eli’s shirt with fingers that lingered longer than strictly necessary. The domesticity of caring for his mate’s appearance pleased him almost as much as the marking had. “Your hair needs attention.”

He attempted to smooth the disheveled platinum strands, though part of him preferred the evidence of possession they represented. “And your lips are somewhat… well used.”

Leave him marked. Want everyone to see our claim.

Eli groaned again, burying his face in his hands with theatrical despair.

“I’m never going to live this down. The entire household staff will be gossiping about this for months.

‘Remember when Eli disappeared during the family reunion and returned looking like he’d been attacked by a very enthusiastic vampire? ’ It’ll become estate legend.”

“Let them talk,” Jace said, gently pulling Eli’s hands away from his face with tender authority. “I’m not ashamed of wanting you. Of having you.”

The simple honesty seemed to catch Eli off guard, his extraordinary eyes widening with vulnerability he tried to hide behind more defensive wit.

“Easy for you to say,” he replied with less venom than usual. “You’re not the one who has to serve dinner while looking like a walking advertisement for questionable decision-making and poor impulse control.”

Jace laughed, charmed by the imagery despite the implied criticism. “Very creative description.”

“I’m full of creative descriptions,” Eli shot back, straightening his vest with determined professionalism.

“Along with terrible judgment and an apparent weakness for men who could bench-press small vehicles. It’s a character flaw I’m working on in therapy.

Well, I would be if I could afford therapy. ”

“I’m not terrible judgment,” Jace corrected, his voice dropping to a more serious register as he cupped Eli’s face with gentle possession. “This isn’t just physical attraction or temporary insanity. I want you to understand that.”

Mate for life. Only mate. Forever and always.

Eli’s pulse jumped visibly at the declaration, his breath catching with something that might have been hope or terror in equal measure.

“You can’t mean that. This is—we just met—you don’t even know if I’m worth this kind of intensity.

For all you know, I collect vintage spoons or have strong opinions about pineapple on pizza that could destroy any chance of long-term compatibility. ”

“Sometimes you just know,” Jace interrupted with gentle certainty, his thumbs tracing the sharp line of Eli’s cheekbones. “And I know exactly what I feel when I’m with you.”

The raw emotion in his voice hung between them like a bridge neither was quite ready to cross completely. Eli broke the tension with characteristic deflection, though his eyes betrayed his pleasure at the words.

“What you feel is probably oxygen deprivation from too much family bonding,” he quipped with less conviction than usual. “Give it a week and you'll be back to dating heiresses and celebrities who actually belong in your world instead of someone who thinks caviar is just expensive fish eggs.”

“I've dated heiresses, celebrities, supermodels—all kinds of people from my supposed world,” Jace replied with complete honesty. “None of them made me feel like this. None of them made me want to throw decades of careful control out the window for five minutes of kissing.”

Only mate matters. All others meaningless.

Before Eli could mount another protest or self-deprecating comment, Jace leaned in for one final, claiming kiss. This one was gentler than the others, less desperate but no less possessive, designed to linger in memory long after they separated.

When he pulled back, Eli looked dazed and slightly unfocused, his lips parted as if still anticipating more contact.

“You should go,” Jace murmured reluctantly, though his hands remained possessively placed on Eli’s waist. “Before someone organizes an actual search party.”

No. Keep him. Not finished claiming.

Eli blinked several times, clearly struggling to process the sudden shift from intense claiming to gentle dismissal. “You’re stopping? Just like that?”

The confusion and disappointment in his voice sent another wave of satisfaction through Jace’s system. His mate wanted more—wanted him—as desperately as he wanted Eli, even if he didn’t fully understand the supernatural implications yet.

Mate wants more. Take more. Continue claiming.

“For now,” Jace promised with absolute certainty, his thumb tracing Eli’s lower lip, still swollen from his attention. “We have all the time in the world, little snow kitten. And I intend to savor every moment of claiming you properly.”

Eli wrinkled his nose at the endearment with indignation. “Snow kitten? Really? That’s your pet name of choice? I was hoping for something with more dignity, like ‘Your Majesty’ or ‘Supreme Overlord of Sarcasm.’ Snow kitten sounds like something you’d order off a dessert menu.”

“It suits you perfectly.” Jace grinned, enjoying Eli’s offended expression. “Pale and beautiful and just enough claws to keep things interesting when properly provoked.”

“I’ll show you claws,” Eli muttered with mock threat, though the pleased flush on his cheeks undermined any attempt at intimidation. “See how you like being on the receiving end of my legendary wit and devastating sarcasm.”

Jace reluctantly released him, stepping back to give Eli space to collect himself and restore some semblance of professional appearance. “Go. Adrian’s waiting his turn, and he gets pouty when forced to wait too long for artistic inspiration.”

Share with pack. Pack bonds strengthen claiming.

Eli’s eyes widened dramatically at the explicit mention of what was to come, his pulse visibly accelerating beneath skin that was already flushed with arousal and confusion. “His turn? You’re serious about the sharing thing? All three of you actually want—”

“You,” Jace finished for him, his voice dropping to a register that promised extensive future claiming. “All of us want you. Equally. Completely.” He leaned in for one final, brief kiss that tasted of promise and possession. “And you, Eliot Harper, are definitely ours.”

Ours. Belongs completely to us.

“That’s— You can’t just— I’m not property to be passed around like a particularly interesting book,” Eli spluttered, though the increased tempo of his pulse betrayed his interest in the concept despite his verbal protests.

“I have rights. And opinions. And a very strong sense of self-preservation that’s currently screaming at me to run for the hills. ”

“Of course not,” Jace agreed with easy conviction. “You’re something far more precious than property. And far more dangerous to our carefully maintained self-control.”

With that enigmatic statement hanging in the air like a promise of future complications, he moved toward the door and checked the hallway for potential witnesses.

“Coast is clear. You should be able to make it back to the main reception without encountering disapproving maternal figures or gossipy staff members.”

Eli hesitated in the doorway, clearly conflicted between duty and desire, professionalism and the pull of whatever was building between them. “This is… I don’t even have words for what this is.”

“It’s the beginning,” Jace replied with simple certainty. “The most important beginning of our lives.”

Not finished. Want more time. Need complete claiming.

He watched as Eli slipped out the door and disappeared down the hallway, satisfaction coursing through his veins at the visible evidence of his claiming—the marks decorating Eli’s neck, the slight dishevelment that no amount of straightening could completely hide, the dazed look in those extraordinary eyes that spoke of thorough possession and the promise of more to come.

Through the pack bond, he sent his cousins a final, triumphant image of their properly claimed mate.

Your move, Adrian, he challenged with alpha satisfaction. Though I doubt even your artistic vision can improve on perfection.

Impossible, his panther added with territorial pride. Our marks are deepest. Our claim strongest. First rights permanently established.