Shame burned through Ehlian, and in a moment of panic, his gaze darted towards the door. It wouldn’t lock for another ten minutes. This was his last chance to escape—to step out for a minute, break the spell, and preserve the final shred of dignity before everything inevitably came crashing down.
He moved. One, two, three steps—
‘Stop right there.’
His body froze, halted by a will that wasn’t his own.
Hayce followed, matching his steps—one, two, three—before stopping just behind him.
‘Turn around.’
Ehlian’s body obeyed. His vision filled with the sight of taut skin where the top two buttons of Hayce’s dark uniform lay casually undone.
‘On your knees.’
The moment Ehlian’s knees hit the floor, a scorching wave of lust tore through him. The controlling power lifted from his body, but he stayed there… willing. Hayce’s crotch was only a breath away, the outline of his cock straining against the fabric, making Ehlian’s mouth run dry.
Hayce’s fingers threaded through Ehlian’s hair. “You really know how to drive an alpha insane,” he murmured, voice low and quiet. “You sleep in my bed every night like you belong there. You let me touch you—but don’t let me have you.”
“I don’t belong to you,” Ehlian breathed, a final, feeble attempt at denial.
Hayce hummed darkly, the sound vibrating through the charged air between them. “Me or Grasson?”
“You.” Ehlian hated how easily the word slipped out. Too instinctive. Too natural.
“Loyal to me. I like that.” The warmth in Hayce’s voice slid across the pack bond, and Ehlian’s breath caught as the alpha’s approval surged through, like a heated caress—soothing, yet intrusive, curling around his core with breathtaking intensity.
“You like that?” Hayce’s voice was a quiet growl.
Ehlian shook his head, lips shaping a voiceless, weak‘no.’
“Can’t even fool yourself,” Hayce said, fingers tangling tighter in Ehlian’s hair. He pulled, firm and guiding, and Ehlian followed, swaying forward.
His lips closed over the clothed bulge, mouthing the length, the hardness beneath. The encouraging strokes in his hair only fed his hunger. He traced over every inch with a boldness that surprised even himself. He’d always loved sex, but he’d never let himself get this lost in the feeling. Never this easily.
His hands slid up Hayce’s thighs at an infuriatingly slow pace. They halted at the waistband, resting there, while his breath left damp patches over the fabric covering Hayce’s cock.
His fingers crept up to the top button, flicking it open with ease, then the second, third, fourth. His slightly trembling hand slid inside Hayce’s underwear and met warm, soft skin. His palm curled around the hardness, tugging gently, freeing it from the confining layers.
The moment his mouth closed around the head, Hayce’s fingers tightened in his hair, pleasure surging through the pack bond. Ehlian moaned, his eyes slipping half-closed. It was so rare that Hayce let go, even slightly, allowing a crack in his composure. Ehlian craved more. His tongue swirled around the tip, sucking slowly before his lips sank lower, lower, taking inas much of the thick length as he could manage. He moved unhurriedly, savouring the spike of Hayce’s pleasure.
He glanced up, locking eyes with Hayce’s dark, heated gaze, and in that instant, Ehlian felt powerful. He felt the thrill of having an alpha like Hayce on the brink of losing control. Spurred on, Ehlian quickened his pace, his head moving faster, more eagerly—
The waves of Hayce’s pleasure cut off abruptly.
“Enough.”
Ehlian sat back on his heels, waiting, unsatisfied, aching for the feel of Hayce’s lust flowing through him again.
“Stand up.”
Ehlian rose, swaying just a little closer to Hayce but stopping short of touching.
Hayce’s eyes dropped to his lips. They must have been red, a little swollen, and for a fleeting moment Ehlian thought Hayce might kiss him. A muscle ticked in Hayce’s jaw, his gaze tearing away from Ehlian’s mouth as he slowly circled him, making a half-turn before stopping right behind him. It was a clear, deliberate effort to put space between them, as though Hayce were forcing himself to stay composed, pulling back from temptation.
Ehlian should have felt relief, really. Even if he’d reached the point of crossing the line, of letting Hayce have him, any emotional attachment was out of the question. He might give Hayce his body, but he would never give him even a fraction of his heart.
Hayce’s hand entangled in his hair, and slowly, he tilted Ehlian’s head to the side until his neck strained, exposing the vulnerable skin.
