KAIRAN
The day felt off. Meetings were efficient, my schedule running smoother than usual, but something gnawed at the edge of my awareness, a nagging disquiet. It wasn't until I decided to visit Serin at her studio that the tension in my chest began to ease. Watching her dance always had a way of silencing the storm inside.
Before heading out, I stopped by the executive lounge to wash my hands and face. The cool water was refreshing, but it did little to erase the feeling that something was wrong.
And then, I heard them.
"She's too full of herself, isn't she? Just because she's a famous singer's sister doesn't mean she can act untouchable."
I froze, my senses sharpening. The sound of two men chuckling reached my ears, oblivious to the predator lurking nearby.
"She's at the studio late tonight" the second voice sneered. "All alone. Let's see if she's still so perfect when we're done with her."
My vision darkened.
Hades stirred, a low growl rumbling through me.
They dared to speak her name. They dared to plan against her.
I turned off the tap, my movements methodical. I stepped out of the lounge and into the hallway, the air around me thick with malice.
They were leaning casually against the wall, completely unaware of their impending doom.
"You think she'll scream?" one of them joked.
The other grinned. "I'll make sure she does."
"Interesting theory" I said, my voice cold and calm.
Both of them jumped, their gazes snapping to me.
"Who the hell are you?" one demanded, trying to mask the fear already creeping into his tone.
"The wrong person to meet tonight."
I didn't give them a chance to run.
Hades surged forward, my wolf taking over completely. The hallway seemed to darken, the oppressive weight of my power flooding the air. In an instant, I was on them.
The taller one tried to swing at me, but his movements were slow, laughable. My claws slashed across his throat before he could land a hit. Blood sprayed, hot and metallic, staining my neck. He gurgled, clutching at his neck as he crumpled to the ground.
The second man screamed, stumbling back. "W-wait! Please, I didn't mean—"
"You spoke her name" Hades snarled through me, his voice guttural and raw. "You planned to harm her."
I grabbed him by the throat, lifting him effortlessly. His legs kicked uselessly in the air.
"Mercy" he gasped, his eyes wide with terror.
Hades chuckled darkly, the sound reverberating through me. "Mercy? You don't deserve it."
With a flick of my wrist, I slammed him into the wall. The crack of bones breaking echoed through the corridor. He slid to the floor, coughing and gasping for air.
"You thought you could touch her?" I crouched before him, my claws digging into his shoulder. "You thought you could defile what's mine?"
"N-no, I—"
I didn't let him finish. My claws pierced his chest, silencing him forever. His lifeless body slumped forward, blood pooling beneath him.
The first man was still twitching, his breaths shallow. Hades wanted more.
"Not enough" he growled.
In a blur, I finished him too, tearing through flesh with ruthless precision. When it was over, the hallway was silent, the only sound the faint drip of blood.
I stood, breathing deeply as Hades receded. My wolf was satisfied, but the evidence of his rage remained. The blood that stained my skin and collar felt hot against me, a mark of the punishment we'd delivered.
I pulled out my phone, dialing a number with practiced ease.
"Mr. Park" I said when my assistant answered. "There's a mess in the executive wing. Two bodies. Clean it up."
"Yes, sir" came the immediate reply. There was no hesitation. My assistant knew better than to ask questions.
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The lingering scent of blood was faint now, but I knew it hadn't escaped Serin's notice. She stood in front of me, her wide eyes locked on mine, the worry etched on her face clear as day. The faint smudge of blood on my neck and collar had betrayed me despite doing my best cleaning them, and her questions earlier had peeled back the layers of truth I'd hoped to keep hidden.
she had asked what happened?, her voice was soft but edged with worry. As the conversation unfolded, I told her just enough. The weight of what I'd done wasn't something I wanted her to carry. Yet she'd figured it out, her sharp mind piecing together the fragments of what I'd admitted.
"You mean… they were planning to hurt me?" she had asked, her voice trembling but steady.
"Yes" I'd replied, the anger rising again as I remembered their vile words. "And I made sure they wouldn't get the chance."
Now, as we stood in the quiet studio, her hand lightly resting on my chest, I braced myself for her judgment. The silence stretched, heavy and tense, as her gaze searched mine. I couldn't read her expression, couldn't tell if she was angry, afraid, or something else entirely. My wolf, Hades, growled restlessly, his protective instincts surging. We were ready to face whatever reaction came next, even if it tore us apart.
For a moment, she was silent, her expression flickering between confusion and something else....something I couldn't place. But then, she looked up at me, her face softening into something I wasn't expecting. Her lips parted slightly, and I saw it: the way she understood, the way she wasn't afraid of me.
And then she did something I hadn't expected at all.
Serin leaned in, her lips brushing mine in a soft, tentative kiss. It wasn't what I had imagined. It was gentle, almost questioning, but it was enough to make my breath catch. I froze for a second, unsure how to respond, until the feeling of her warmth against me shattered whatever control I had left.
My hand moved to her back, pulling her closer, and the kiss deepened, my need for her surging. She wasn't afraid. She wasn't disgusted. Instead, there was a quiet understanding in her touch. She wasn't pushing me away, wasn't repelled by the blood or by the violence in me.
Her lips parted, and I heard her whisper, barely above a breath, "Thank you... no one's ever protected me like this."
I froze, the words hitting me like a punch to the chest. 'No one's ever protected me like this'. The quiet sincerity in her voice nearly broke me. My eyes widened in surprise. She wasn't scared. She wasn't disgusted. She wasn't rejecting me. She was thanking me.
And that was when everything inside me snapped.
I kissed her again, this time with everything I had, with every ounce of desire and love I could pour into it. My lips were hungry, demanding, yet still tender. My hands gripped her tighter, as if to reassure myself that she was real, that she was mine. My wolf howled inside me, the bond between us burning brighter, fiercer as our eyes glowed gold and silver.
I pulled her closer, deepening the kiss, my tongue tracing the curve of her lips, demanding more. She gave it to me, responding with the same fire, the same need. I could feel her heart racing against mine, the way her hands moved up to my shoulders, clinging to me like she never wanted to let go.
When we finally pulled away, both of us breathless, I rested my forehead against hers, my hand cradling her face gently. I could still taste her, still feel her warmth. But there was no going back now.
"I'll never let anyone hurt you,Luna" I whispered, my voice low, hoarse with emotion. "No one. You're mine."
She didn't say anything at first, just looked at me with those wide eyes, her breathing still erratic. And then she smiled, that same smile that always made my heart race. But there was something new there now, something deeper. It wasn't just affection. It was trust.
"I'm not afraid of you, Kai" she whispered, her voice trembling a little. It was as if she had seen right through me. "I'm not afraid of you." She repeated for me to believe that it was the truth.
Her words sent a shiver through me, something deep and primal stirring inside me. I pulled her back into my arms, burying my face in her neck, inhaling the scent of her.....sweet, intoxicating. "You shouldn't be" I murmured. "I'll protect you always, Luna. No one will ever touch you again."
I brushed my thumb over her cheek, marveling at how something so pure, so gentle, had been fated to someone like me. Her unwavering trust, her delicate strength.....it was both my salvation and my undoing.
"I don't deserve you" I said suddenly, my voice low, as if the truth would shatter her if I said it too loudly. "But the Moon Goddess gave you to me. And I'll spend my life making sure no one, not even the gods, takes you away."
She blinked up at me, confusion flickering across her face. "Kairan, you're not__"
I silenced her with another kiss, this one softer but no less commanding. "I'm not a good man, Serin" I said against her lips, my voice rough, laden with the darkness that came with my name. "For this world, I'll always be the enigma they fear....the black flag that flies over their graves. But for you..." I cupped her face, locking my gaze with hers, letting her see the depths of what she meant to me. "For you, I'll be everything. Even if it means burning the world to the ground."
Her breath hitched, her lips parting as she stared at me. I didn't wait for a response. I kissed her again, swallowing the words she might've said, letting my actions speak the truth she needed to know. I wasn't a hero, wasn't a savior. I was her mate, her protector, her damnation if it meant keeping her safe.
As I pulled her impossibly closer, the world outside ceased to exist. Nothing mattered but her. And for the first time in my life, I didn't care about redemption. I only cared about her.