Chapter 12
Alexander
“And you,” Alexander said. “Why did you give me your blood?”
“I…” Boaz stepped back instinctively. Alexander moved with him, his fangs sliding free.
“Why?” Alexander pressed. “Why did you give me your blood… and keep giving it to me for over a hundred years?” Boaz’s feet hit uneven ground, but he kept retreating.
“You never missed a day,” Alexander continued, stalking him forward.
“Never let anyone else do it. You made that choice. You gave me your blood.”
“I—I was trying to help,” Boaz said. “It was the only way to keep you in the coffin. I thought—”
“To enslave me!” Alexander roared.
“No!” Boaz took another step back, panic flickering across his face. But Alexander didn’t stop. He followed until Boaz’s back hit the wall.
“You did this,” Alexander said. “You made me this way.”
Boaz’s breath visibly hitched.
“Until my body adjusts to being awake, I can only drink your blood. Only yours. Do you think I would be here if I had a choice? Do you think I would have done what I did… if I didn’t have to?”
“I…”
Alexander braced his hands on either side of Boaz’s head, cutting off any excuse the werewolf might have come up with. He was done with this, done with the sneaking around.
“You’re going to give me your blood,” he said firmly, leaving no room for argument. “You’re going to let me feed until my body adjusts.”
“You’re not even going to ask me for it?” Boaz asked.
“No,” he said. “I didn’t ask you the first time.”
“I was saving your life,” Boaz gritted out.
“It seems you’re not done yet,” Alexander murmured. His lips brushed against Boaz’s neck, before his fangs sank in. Boaz’s blood flooded his mouth, warm and rich.
Alexander groaned, the sound dragged out of him as his claws dug into the wooden wall beside Boaz, splintering the surface.
His entire body trembled. It was always like this.
The feedings. It felt like his entire body vibrated, and the world receded leaving only him and the werewolf.
He drank deeply, until his hunger dulled.
Slowly, he pulled back, licking over the wound, erasing any trace of what he’d done.
Then he stepped away.
They stood there, facing each other, the space between them thick with tension. Alexander turned to leave, but Boaz’s voice stopped him.
“For how long?” Boaz swallowed hard, the sound loud in the silence. “How long are you going to feed from me?”
“I don’t know,” he said, then disappeared into thin air. He reappeared in his room, his chest rising and falling hard, the pounding of his heart echoing loudly in his ears.
He stared down at himself. The outline of his thick cock visible in his pants. He’d been getting hard lately when he fed, his body reacting to the werewolf in ways he never thought possible.
He’d always told himself it was just adrenaline. The rush that came from taking something that wasn’t his.
But tonight had been different. He hadn’t slipped into the werewolf’s cabin. Hadn’t used his powers to bend him to his will. Boaz had known that he was there.
And still— he’d grown hard. He’d wanted more than just blood.
Alexander shook his head, cutting the thought off before it could take root. He had a bride.
He was slowly courting her. That was what mattered. Not this… whatever this was.
He forced his body to calm, pushing the lingering heat down. Then he stepped out of his room and followed the noise to the family room where his vampires spent most of their time.
Inside, a few of them sat around a table, cards spread out between them. Others were gathered in front of the television, shouting and laughing as they hacked at each other in some sword-fighting game.
The sight stirred memories from a long time ago. Back when his clan was bigger and the nights were spent outside under open skies.
Alexander drifted toward the window. The glass was fogged over from the cold outside, a thin layer of frost creeping along the edges. He wiped a small patch clear and looked out.
The courtyard was blanketed in virgin snow.
And just like that, he was back there. Him and Drago— their breath cloudy in the freezing cold, muscles tight as they clashed, swords ringing with every strike. Their laughter echoed in his head so clearly it almost felt real.
The ache in his chest was so sudden, it took his breath away.
Alexander turned away quickly, forcing the memory down. His gaze landed on the younger vampires, still caught up in their game, yelling and shoving each other as they fought.
“Do you want to try that with the real thing?” Alexander said, his voice loud cutting through the noise.
Darius and Micca turned immediately, excitement lighting up their faces.
“Come on,” Alexander added, already heading for the door without waiting for an answer. He could hear them scrambling after him seconds later.
A faint smile tugged at Alexander’s lips at the thought of stepping outside.
“Where are you all going?” Greer asked as they passed him in the hallway.
“To the armory,” Alexander tossed over his shoulder.
Behind him, the younger vampires broke into excited chatter, their voices bouncing off the walls as they descended deeper into the bowels of the castle.
The air was cooler here. Thick dust coated nearly every surface.
Cobwebs hung low from the ceiling, stretching across the walls and draping over forgotten weapons.
Alexander coughed under his breath as the stale, damp air filled his lungs.
When was the last time anyone had been down here?
“I haven’t seen this place in years,” Greer said quietly behind him, as if answering Alexander’s silent question.
“Why not?” Alexander asked, glancing back at him.
Greer shrugged. “After the war… we focused on surviving. Keeping everyone together.”
Alexander studied him for a moment, then reached out and slapped his back firmly. “You did well.”
Greer blinked, caught off guard.
Alexander turned away and moved deeper into the armory, his gaze sweeping over the walls until it landed on the rack of swords. He reached up, brushing aside a thin layer of dust before unhooking one. The metal gleamed faintly beneath the grime.
He tested its weight in his hand.
“Come on,” he called over his shoulder. “Pick one.”
For a split second, no one moved, then a rush of footsteps broke the silence as they moved all around him.