Chapter four: the pull of the bond

Kai woke the next morning to the soft chirping of birds and the distant rustle of leaves in the forest. He hadn’t intended to fall asleep, but exhaustion had claimed him while leaning against the tree. Now, the sun was beginning to rise, casting golden rays through the canopy.

For a moment, he allowed himself to enjoy the calm. But then the events of the previous night came rushing back—Lucian, Rhett, Kieran, and the undeniable bond tying him to the three Alphas.

His stomach twisted.

Kai stretched, brushing dirt and leaves from his clothes. He needed a plan. Running hadn’t worked, but staying felt even more dangerous. He had to figure out what these Alphas wanted from him—and how to get away before he lost himself in the bond entirely.

He headed back toward the campsite, his steps hesitant.

The three Alphas were already awake when he returned, each of them engaged in their own tasks.

Lucian sat by the fire, sharpening a blade with deliberate precision. His black hair glinted in the sunlight, and his piercing blue eyes flicked to Kai as soon as he stepped into view.

“Good. You’re back,” Lucian said, his tone unreadable.

Kai crossed his arms, unwilling to meet the Alpha’s gaze. “What, did you think I’d run again?”

“No,” Lucian replied, his lips curving into the faintest of smirks. “But I like to be prepared.”

Rhett was crouched nearby, tending to the remains of last night’s fire. He looked up and grinned, his green eyes sparkling with mischief. “Morning, sweetheart. Sleep well?”

Kai bristled at the nickname. “Don’t call me that.”

Rhett raised an eyebrow, his grin widening. “Touchy, aren’t we?”

Before Kai could snap back, Kieran approached with a calm, easy demeanor. He held out a bundle of berries and a piece of cooked meat wrapped in leaves.

“Here,” Kieran said softly. “You must be hungry.”

Kai eyed the food warily. He hadn’t eaten in days, but accepting anything from them felt like a surrender.

“I’m fine,” he muttered, though his stomach growled in protest to his shame. Kai pushed and kept his head down.

Kieran didn’t push. He set the food on a nearby rock and stepped back, his golden eyes studying Kai with quiet understanding. “It’s there if you want it.”

Kai’s shoulders stiffened under their collective gazes. “If this is some kind of game to you, I’m not playing,” he said, his voice hard.

“This isn’t a game,” Lucian said firmly, standing. His tall, commanding presence made the air feel heavier. “We told you last night: the bond is real. Whether you like it or not, it ties us together. And the sooner you accept that, the easier this will be for all of us.”

Kai glared at him, his wolf growling low in his chest. “Easy for you, maybe. You’re not the one being cornered.”

Lucian’s jaw tightened, but it was Rhett who spoke next.

“You think we don’t feel cornered too?” Rhett’s voice was sharp, his smirk fading. “You think this is what any of us wanted? We’ve got packs to lead, responsibilities to deal with. None of us asked for this bond, we surely didn't come out to the neutral territory in hopes to find a mate  but here we are.”

Kai’s anger faltered, a flicker of doubt creeping into his mind. He had assumed they were only pursuing him because of the bond, because they wanted to control him. But what if they were struggling with this just as much as he was?

He looked at Kieran, whose steady gaze held no trace of deception. “Why are you all so determined to make this work?” Kai asked, his voice quieter now.

Kieran hesitated for a moment before answering. “Because we know how important the mating bond is and don’t want to lose what this bond could mean. For us. For you.”

Kai’s chest tightened. The sincerity in Kieran’s voice was almost too much to bear.

“I don’t know if I can do this,” Kai admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

“You don’t have to figure it out all at once,” Kieran said. “Just take it one step at a time. Start by letting yourself trust us.”

Lucian nodded, his expression softening slightly. “We’re not your enemies, Kai. We want to protect you, not control you.”

Kai looked between the three of them, his emotions a tangled mess. Part of him wanted to believe them, to let go of the fear and distrust that had kept him alive for so long. But another part—the part that had been hurt too many times—refused to let his guard down.

“I don’t trust any of you,” Kai said finally, his voice steady despite the turmoil inside him.

Rhett chuckled, though there was no malice in it. “Fair enough. We’ll just have to earn it.”

Kai blinked, caught off guard by the Alpha’s easy acceptance. He didn’t know what he had expected—anger, maybe, or frustration—but not this.

Lucian stepped closer, his piercing gaze locking onto Kai’s. “You don’t have to trust us today. But you’re not alone anymore, Kai. Whether you like it or not, we’re in this together.”

Kai’s heart ached at the words, a small, fragile part of him wanting to believe them. But he wasn’t ready to let them in, at least not yet.

For now, all he could do was keep his walls up and hope they wouldn’t break him down too quickly.