Page 8 of Feral, Part Two (Wolfscorge #2)

Tears stream down my cheeks as my knuckles become raw, the skin splitting and revealing stripes of red. Crimson coats the drywall, the sight of my pain physically laid out before me, making me want to laugh and cry at the same time.

I throw another punch forward, a rough hand catching it as my body is dragged backwards before spinning me around.

I find myself pressed back against the wall, Kael towering over me with a snarl twisting his features.

His eyes are dark, his expression twisted up with something I can’t read, a growl vibrating in his chest.

I should have known that he would tear me from my destructive behavior.

I agreed not to hurt Preston, not to scare him, not to put any more stress on the Omega that has some part of my heart.

Slowly, I look up at him with tear-filled eyes, waiting for what happened last time.

Waiting for him to yell at me for hurting myself, for being weak, for not being able to handle my own emotions like a proper Omega should.

I brace myself for the lecture, for the disappointment, for the confirmation that I really am too broken to be worth keeping.

Instead, Kael just looks down and takes my hands in his. His thumbs run over my knuckles, assessing the damage without causing additional pain. The contrast between his rough exterior and the tenderness of his touch makes fresh tears spill down my cheeks.

"What happened?" His voice is softer than I've ever heard it, lacking the harsh edge that usually accompanies our interactions. "Why would you do this to yourself?"

I frown, confusion cutting through the haze of pain and emotion. This isn't what I expected. This isn't the reaction I've learned to anticipate from Alphas.

"I'm sorry for scaring Preston and I..." I start.

Kael shakes his head, cutting off my apology before I can finish it.

He leads me over to my makeshift den and sits me down on the floor.

I notice that he doesn't scoot inside the den but instead positions himself just at the edge, close enough to offer comfort but far enough away to respect my space.

"Talk to me," he says, and there's something in his voice that I've never heard before. Not a command, not a demand, but a request. I don’t respond because I have absolutely no idea how to.

His thumbs continue to brush across my knuckles before he raises one of my hands to his lips, his tongue running across my knuckles where the skin has split.

I try to pull back, confusion and alarm shooting through me. "What the fuck are you doing?"

Kael doesn't say anything, just continues what he's doing, his tongue moving methodically across each knuckle. A low rumble starts in his chest, a sound of contentment that vibrates through the air between us.

He moves to my other hand, giving it the same treatment, and I glare at him, trying to understand what he’s doing. There’s nothing sexual about Kael’s touch, but there’s a tenderness in it that doesn’t match what we are to each other.

That's when I realize the pain is gone. The sharp, stinging ache that was radiating from my knuckles has completely disappeared, replaced by smooth, unbroken skin. I stare down at my hands in shock, turning them over to examine what should be wounds but now looks like nothing ever happened.

"I didn't even use my other hand," I whisper, looking at the unmarked knuckles of my left hand where I know I hit the wall.

Kael finally breaks the silence, speaking as if he didn’t just lick my hands and heal me. I suspect it has something to do with our Feral pack status, but I don’t get a chance to ask. "Now tell me what brought this on. And no, I'm not asking because of Preston."

I frown and look around, suddenly remembering that we're not alone in this room. Thane and Malik are holding my beautiful Omega, Preston’s face pale and eyes wide with worry, their own expressions tense as they watch the scene unfold.

I don't know how to explain the spiral of thoughts that led to me punching a wall. They wouldn’t understand it.

"It's nothing," I lie. "I just have to wrap my head around being owned, but it's fine. I've got free dick and an Omega who loves me." I crack a smile, hoping to lighten the tension in the room, but it doesn’t work.

Kael rumbles at my statement, a sound that's darker and more dangerous than before. He settles back slightly, his eyes narrowing as he studies my face. "Is that all we are to you?" he asks, a tinge of hurt in his voice, maybe. Or disappointment.

"You of all people should understand that," I shoot back, my defensive walls slamming back into place. "You don't even want me here."

"That was because I thought you were going to hurt Preston," Kael admits.

"And now that I'm not, I can stay? That's bullshit." I shift back a little, relishing the darkness and safety that the movement provides.

Kael shakes his head. "That's not it. I thought I was doing right by my pack, but you're mine too, Slate."

A hiss releases from me, my body tensing for a fight. "I'm not going to submit." We’ve had this conversation several times and either one of us walks away or I find myself getting fucked. I don’t hate the second option, but I’m done rolling over. I can’t do that anymore.

"You wouldn't be you if you did," Kael agrees, throwing me a smile that’s equal parts soft and all Alpha. "I just don't want you to hurt yourself."

"Because of Preston," I counter, waiting for him to confirm what I already know - that I only matter in relation to their precious Omega. The very same Omega who claimed me a few days ago.

"No," Kael barks out, the sound running down my spine. I scoot back a little further, Kael running a hand down his face before massaging his fingers into his salt and pepper beard. "Because of you and your wellbeing."

I snort, not ready to believe anything that comes out of his mouth. I’ll thank him for healing my knuckles and I’ll apologize for scaring Preston, but that’s it. “Kael, let’s not play games. You hate me. And that’s okay.”

Kael sighs, his shoulders falling in defeat as he reaches toward me and then thinks better of it, dropping his hands into his lap.

"I hated the idea of you, of what you represented, of what you've changed since you came to this house.

But truthfully, I hate that you had to exist the way you are now for me to meet you. "

"What?" I'm genuinely confused now, thrown off by the direction this conversation has taken.

"I wish you did not have to suffer to find us," Kael continues, his voice softening. "But I don't hate what you've become. You were right that you are my Omega, but I'm not your Alpha, and that's something I have to come to terms with so that one day I might be worthy of you."

This isn't what I expected. This isn't the rejection or conditional acceptance I've been bracing myself for. Kael finally leans forward and presses a kiss to my forehead, the gesture so gentle it makes my eyes burn with fresh tears.

He pulls away and stands up, gesturing toward Preston to come closer.

I’m almost surprised that Kael would let Preston anywhere near me, but my beautiful Omega waddles toward me, eager to lie down beside me.

Kael watches as Preston finds a comfortable spot, his purr rumbling through his chest. “You’re perfect right where you are, Slate.

” He taps the top of my den before ushering Thane and Malik out, confusion still swirling around in my chest.

"I'm sorry I scared you," I murmur, guilt eating at me as I remember his shriek when I first hit the wall.

"I'm sorry for bringing it up," Preston tells me, scooting a bit closer. "I don't like seeing you hurt."