Chapter 26

JEFFREY walked out of the car with a straight back. His heart pounded with an entirely different reason. He's scared of seeing Cedric again. Jeffrey is sure he's going to create havoc inside his mind.

The moonlight illuminated half of his face. And the heat that was gone is now back. He hissed. "Don't get out, alright?"

Owell nodded. Jeffrey was about to walk into Cedric's car when a warm wind blew past his neck. "Little shit," a grim voice spat. Big arms enveloped his waist. On the reflection of the car window stood Cedric behind him. Eyes black and face taught with tension. "Were you hurt?"

"No." Jeffrey stopped breathing. Ashamed of how his shoulder shook with Cedric's comforting warmth. "Get away from me."

"Sure." He sniffed the side of his face, lips twisting in a wry smile. "Only if you mean it. You smell like garbage. What happened?"

"I said get away from me!" Jeffrey gasped. Greedily taking in Cedric's scent. He complained, "Why do you reek of smoke?!"

"Try not getting kidnapped next time and I won't."

Jeffrey hung his head low. Allowing Cedric to roam his hands on his front. Realising that the heat inside him was now gone. He felt calm. A first time since these past few weeks.

"Stop. I won't be able to control—" Jeffrey bit his lips when Cedric's hand nudge at the bulge between his legs. His scalp tingled when he noticed the man's hand still hovering above his crotch. "Can you stop it? For a guy who found me disgusting, you sure like groping me a lot?"

"What a mouth. And here I thought you're submissive."

He flushed in mortification. "I'm not that stupid. You don't like me. Why don't you just go away? I'm okay now!"

"I can't eat properly. I can't sleep for more than three hours a day. My skin feels itchy all the time and the people working under me we're all grouching about my bitchy mood." Cedric laughed. Jeffrey was horrified to feel giddy at the sound of it. "I haven't got laid since I met you. You broke my life, you little shit."

Jeffrey's nose soured. He wished he can't understand his words. That way, he won't feel like he's responsible for it. "I don't want you too. You're too much. You hate me! You can't say a single nice thing to me! It's not like I chose you, right? I have no say in this matter. Yet you're embarrassing me like I'm the one who set this up!"

A click broke Jeffrey's trance. His eyes cleared, and he saw an unfamiliar man clasping Owell's hands on his back. "I'll send him back to the coven, Mr. Duvas."

"Don't hurt him." Jeffrey ignored Cedric's arms tightening on his waist and continued, "Give him some food to eat. Make sure his brothers were safe. Those kids are innocent."

"So you know how to quarrel with me as well." Cedric quipped, "I don't think I like that for a mate."

"You can say all you want. It's not like you can have another mate after me, right?" Jeffrey smiled. He knows it's not a pretty one. "I can always ask for my mom and dad for help. Except for the temperature drop, I don't feel anything particular. You can now keep on hating me, for all I care. I'm not the one stuck with you, Mr. Mallory. You're the one who has to stuck up to me if you want to survive!"

Cedric's lips twitched. His face darkened. Jeffrey doesn't know why but he can feel that the man is not really mad.

In fact, it was like... he's mildly amused.

"It's naive of you to think I won't be able to find comfort without you. Why does the likes of Ria exist? For those men like me who doesn't want their inner demons rule over their head. I am a man, Jeff. Not an animal. I can resist you."

Warm breath fanned Jeffrey's face. It took a great while for him to grasp that the harried breath belonged to him.

This time, Jeffrey's head boiled with agitation. This man never failed to irritate the goodness out of him. "For a guy who's claiming he doesn't want me, you sure love hugging me a lot. You should step back, you know. Or a naive guy like me will misunderstand and bite you out of spite!"

"… huh, really." Cedric whispered. His tone not without exasperation. "Why do I find this attractive?"

'Why do you keep making it sound like it's my fault?'

"You know what? You're right. I'm taking the brunt harsher than you. This is not fair. We should do something to amend this. Right now."

Jeffrey blinked. The warning in Cedric's tone had him wriggling out of his embrace. "What do you mean, Cedric?!"

"Don't move." His voice went uncharacteristically soft. Before Jeffrey could protest, a sudden jolt of pain from the crook of his shoulder made him utter a soundless cry.

Jeffrey didn't know how long did it last but he had an inkling that it went for hours. His brain feeling deliciously mellow, and the bulge in his crotch was now suspiciously damp and sticky.

He felt good, and a bit disoriented.

Cedric finally remove his teeth from his skin. His slick tongue lapping the blood flowing from the wound. He sighed. Relieved and happy.

'The little shit taste good.'

"What..." Jeffrey's lips trembled. "You..."

'How can you do that without my permission?' Tears formed in his eyes. Making his sight blurred and misty. 'You don't consider me as a person. You don't respect my right to disagree. I'm not an object.'

Cedric's hand loosened. His forehead touching Jeffrey's shoulder. The man now can feel the link between them. He can hear his thoughts. Now that Cedric blocked it, Jeffrey felt empty.

"Fuck." He inhaled sharply. Returning the arms around Jeffrey with doubled strength. "I'm sorry. I was... I've been holding back since the first time I saw you, okay? I can't think properly now that the two animals inside me had noticed you."

"You could've listen to me when I say go away, no?" Jeffrey hoped his voice sounded strict. Though he had a feeling that it was half-hearted at best.

He felt at peace. More grounded than he usually were.

"Shit. I'm sorry. I know, it's my fault. How about you claim me?" Cedric pursed his lips. "We can... go to a hotel."

"You bit me." Jeffrey ignored him and proceeded to ask the most important thing. "What are we gonna be now?"

The man spun him around. Holding his shoulder in place before peering into his eyes.

Up close, Jeffrey became sure that the man lost weight. The blackness surrounding his eyes were proof of his lack of sleep. He looked terrible. He's in more trouble than him. Jeffrey found that satisfying and reassuring.

"Jefferson Duvas, I'll take responsibility." He winced. Sighing softly, he said, "Fine, I am an asshole sometimes but if there's something I don't tolerate, it's leaving someone behind. I marked you. I'll do everything so I can make everything you want be possible from now on. I'll be your dog."

Jeffrey's lips thinned. "What if I want to put my thing in you?"

Cedric's face blanked for a moment. Jeffrey rolled his eyes and decided not to push his luck. The man is domineering at best. There's no way he will agree— "We can talk about that in the future. We'll... arrange that, if you want. Just... not now. Please."

Jeffrey lowered his head. He couldn't resist and broke out into peals of laughter. Cedric stared at him while he laughed. His eyebrows twisted into knots, looking annoyed but the hands around his waist didn't loosen.

Jeffrey shook his head. "Cedric, can I call you that? Cedric?"

"Hmn..." His eyes avoiding him. "You can."

"How about we book a hotel? Do you know one near here?"

Cedric stilled for a moment. His breath sped up. "You're going to claim me?"

"Yeah. Turns out, I want to be responsible for you too."

Now that the guy reached out and strive to make this work. He should follow suit and do his best to understand him. Because just like what he said, they were both stuck with each other.

The best option is to look for the reason why does the fates decided that they suit each other. He can only hope that their effort won't go to waste.