Kai – Morning After Magic
Kai woke up slowly.
The world was soft. Still. His body felt warm. Comfortable. Not like before, when every nerve screamed with heat and fire. This was something else.
Arms wrapped around him. Strong. Steady. A chest pressed against his back. Breath touched his neck in quiet waves.
He was not alone.
His eyes opened slowly. Pale light filtered through the tall window across the room. Morning had arrived.
He tried to move, but the arms held him gently, like they were afraid he might vanish.
Then it hit him.
Lucien.
Last night—the garden, the bond, the dream under glowing trees. It wasn't just a dream. It had felt real. Magic wrapped around them. And now, here he was… in Lucien's bed.
He turned his head slightly and looked back.
Lucien was still asleep.
His face looked different without the cold stare or the cocky smirk. His dark lashes rested against his cheek. His lips were soft, just slightly parted. His long hair had fallen across the pillow like waves of ink.
For a second, Kai didn't move. He didn't want to.
He felt safe.
And that scared him.
Lucien wasn't supposed to make him feel safe. He was supposed to be the enemy. The powerful Alpha who pulled him into all this. But now…
Now he was something more complicated.
Kai whispered, barely loud enough to hear himself."Why does it feel like I know you?"
Lucien shifted behind him, groaning softly. His arm pulled Kai closer without even waking up.
Kai's body reacted before his mind could think. A soft warmth filled his chest, and lower — a throb, not painful like heat, but need mixed with confusion. He closed his eyes.
But before he could lose himself in that feeling—
BOOM.
A loud noise echoed through the floor.
Kai sat up fast. Lucien's eyes snapped open.
He was alert in an instant, already moving.
"What was that?" Kai asked, heart pounding.
Lucien got out of bed, going straight to the window. He pulled the curtain aside, just a little.
His back stiffened. "Someone's here."
Kai got to his feet. "Who?"
Lucien didn't answer at first. His voice came out low and careful. "Another Alpha. Maybe two."
Fear crawled up Kai's spine. "For me?"
"Possibly. Or me. Or both."
Lucien moved across the room quickly, grabbing a long coat and pulling it on over his bare chest. His hair was wild from sleep, but his presence shifted instantly — cold, sharp, dangerous.
Kai watched him, heart racing.
"I'll help," Kai said.
Lucien turned. His eyes softened just a bit. "You're not trained. I won't risk you."
"I'm not helpless."
"I know." Lucien stepped closer, stopping just in front of him. "But if the bond reacts too strongly—if they touch you—it could be worse. It could hurt you. Or them. Or both of us."
Kai looked down, then back up. "So what do I do?"
"Stay behind me. And whatever happens, don't run."
Another rumble shook the floor.
Lucien held out his hand. "Come on."
Kai hesitated, but then placed his hand in Lucien's.
A pulse of magic rushed up his arm, sharp and warm.
Lucien's eyes flicked with surprise. "You're getting stronger."
Kai blinked. "That's not just you?"
Lucien shook his head. "It's you too. Your bond. Your power."
They walked through the hallways quickly, Lucien leading. Kai followed close, barefoot but determined.
Downstairs, the lights flickered.
Kai whispered, "What if they're here to take me?"
Lucien didn't look back. "They won't."
"What if they fight you?"
"They won't win."
Kai swallowed.
They reached a wide doorway that led to a grand entrance hall. The tall front doors were closed, but the magic barrier buzzed faintly against them — blue light crackling like electricity in water.
Outside, Kai could feel it.
A presence.
Big. Heavy. Angry.
Lucien's voice was quiet, but firm. "Stay behind me, no matter what."
Kai stood just to his left, heart pounding like thunder.
Lucien raised his hand, and the door creaked open slowly.
Cold air swept in.
And there, standing just beyond the entrance, were two men — both tall, built like warriors. Alphas.
One had silver hair, his eyes like steel. The other was younger, rough-looking, with scars across his face.
They didn't smile.
The silver-haired one stepped forward. "Lucien."
Lucien didn't move. "You're not welcome here."
"We didn't come to play nice," the scarred one said, eyes locking on Kai. "We smelled him. An unclaimed omega, during heat. That scent could set the whole city on fire."
Lucien stepped forward, blocking Kai from their view. "He's not unclaimed anymore."
Kai's eyes widened.
He hadn't agreed to anything like that. But hearing Lucien say it—out loud—sent a rush through his body. Shock, then heat, then something deeper. Something strange.
The bond pulsed.
The silver-haired Alpha narrowed his eyes. "You're claiming him?"
Lucien's voice was like ice. "Yes."
They stared at each other. The wind howled between them. Magic filled the air, thick and tense.
Then, the scarred one sniffed the air again. His eyes widened. "He's awakening."
Lucien didn't flinch. "You're too late."
"You can't hide power like his," the other warned. "You don't know what he is yet."
Lucien smiled — cold, deadly. "He's mine. That's all you need to know."
Suddenly, the air around Kai shimmered again — that same gold light from the night before. His hands sparked. The ground beneath his feet glowed faintly.
The two strangers took a step back.
Kai whispered, "Lucien… what's happening to me?"
Lucien didn't take his eyes off the intruders. "You're bonding. You're becoming what you were meant to be."
The Alphas looked at each other, then turned.
"This isn't over," one of them hissed.
And then, they were gone.
The door slammed shut by itself. The barrier flared, locking them out again.
Kai collapsed to his knees, breathing hard.
Lucien rushed to his side, pulling him into his arms again.
Kai didn't fight it this time.
His voice shook. "They wanted to take me."
Lucien whispered, "They won't. Not while I'm here."
And in the silence that followed, the bond between them thrummed — louder than ever. Deep, hot, alive.