Alpha Island: My Enemy Mate

Chapter 10

"What's wrong, Storm?" Kayden leaned over me so that his warm breath tickled my face. He placed his hands on top of mine, restricting my movements. He was so close! But for some reason, I wasn't pushing him away.

"Get off me, Butterscotch!" I hissed at him, narrowing my eyes. "Those gloves aren't going to help you if you keep annoying me!"

"Sounds like a promise." The corners of his mouth rose upwards. I tried to shove him off with my legs, but he intercepted my knee and pinned me lower into the mattress of this enormous bed. The damn lycan was good, and his royal blood wasn't wasted, giving him extra strength. I consistently underestimated his instincts, and it was about time I stopped doing that.

"Oh, it is a promise!" I lifted my head so that our lips were almost touching. He wanted to intimidate me, but I wasn't easily intimidated. "Now, get off before I make you regret your actions."

"I don't know, Rory," his voice rasped in his chest. "Something just pulls me to you!" A sly grin on his face let me know he was mocking our situation and that he absolutely deserved what was about to happen.

"Why fight it then?" I taunted him and slowly traced my tongue over the side of his chin up to his ear, whispering, "Maybe I can shock you after all."

Kayden growled from the sensation, and I made sure to send a shock of electricity that reached his bones. However, it didn't go the way I had planned. It sounded as if… he enjoyed that.

Breathing heavily, the lycan met my gaze. There was something in all this… Something captivating.

Not that I would ever admit that out loud. I'd rather die here and now.

"Now, Storm, is that any way to treat your mate?" He chuckled darkly and tightened his grip on my wrists.

"Wh-what are you talking about?" I blinked. He couldn't be serious!

Kayden stared me directly in the eyes, and it felt like the whole world had frozen around us. Could he be serious?

I gulped, realising that, of course, he couldn't. We met before and…

"We are curse mates," he replied, and that smirk was back on his face. Gods, I hated that guy! He was just playing with me, toying with me, just like everyone else.

"Get. Off. Me." My voice was menacing and so cold that he did as he was told this time.

I couldn't believe his audacity!

Kayden looked like he was about to say something but changed his mind at the last moment. With an exasperated sigh, he simply went to his bag and started to unpack his belongings into the one and only chest of draws in the room.

The reality sunk in. We were really going to live together for the next… Gods knew how many days. I would have to wake up and see his face first thing in the morning.

Wait… wake up...

"I hope you are not thinking you are sleeping on this bed!" I wanted to clarify everything between us, whatever ideas he seemed to have in his head on the issue.

"Of course, I am sleeping in the bed!" Kay scoffed, turning his back to me. "This is why they gave us this room in the first place!"

"In your dreams!" I snarled at him, cursing myself inwardly. My lycan was getting through more often than I liked. "They gave us this room so that we could coexist while the curse lasts. That doesn't mean we have to sleep together!"

"You are right," he suddenly agreed, but I felt it was a trick. He wouldn't let me have anything that easy. No way. "If you insist, it wouldn't be right to force you. So, take the couch, then. Do as you please."

I closed my eyes, counting to ten. I wanted to fry him here and now. I am sure as hell positive that would break the curse for me since he would be gone. McLaughlin never said that we had to make it to the end together! I could be free and forget all of this like a bad dream.

But I also had my royal obligations. Killing a prince of an ally kingdom would be bad, like a new war kind of bad. So, that bought this prick his life.

"No, Kayden," although I tried to sound sweet, each word of mine was laced with venom, "you take the couch."

He finally returned his gaze to me, and that smug smile was back on his lips as well. Just how could I erase it?

"I don't see why I should do that!" He leaned over the chest of drawers and crossed his hands, eyeing me with a challenge.

"Because you insist you are a gentleman, remember?" I forced my lips to curl a little bit, although my eyes were throwing daggers at him.

"No, Rory, you insist that I should be a gentleman, and I just don't see a reason as to why I should!" he chuckled. "Unfortunately for you, I am a warrior, not a courtier. I don't see why I should sacrifice comfortable sleep when two of us could fit nicely on that bed."

"Because it's inappropriate!" I snapped, even though I knew he was aware of my reasoning. He just wanted to get on my nerves.

"These are modern times, Rory," the wolf snorted. "And we have been forced to live together. Your reputation will be safe either way!"

"I can't promise you the same!" Now a giggle escaped my chest, and Kayden arched his brow questioningly. "It would be a shame if a rumour starts around Alpha Island University that the Lycan Prince, the mighty general of the Lycan army, underperforms in bed!"

He pushed off the drawer and slowly walked in my direction, not taking his eyes off me. Like the predator that he was. "It feels like you challenge me to prove otherwise."

"I challenge you," I mimicked his tone and tilted my head, "to sleep on the couch!"

"No, thanks!" He replied curtly and started unbuckling his jeans.

"What are you–" I closed my eyes and turned away at the last moment, escaping to see his royal jewels by some miracle. I could hear the pants fall to the ground, and him stepping out of them.

"I am going to take a shower," Kayden informed me dryly. "It has been a long day already. Sleep where you want, Rory! I told you where I am sleeping!"

Judging by the sounds of his steps, he indeed left for the bathroom.

Gosh, I hated this guy so much! My heart was racing, and my breathing was hitched. I could literally kill someone right now.

I went through the bags, trying to find something suitable to play the role of home clothes. But all I could find were tiny silky things my mothe... my stepmother packed. A shopping trip was a must in the near future.

Groaning, I pulled on a white silk camisole and almost screamed in delight when I found a pair of jeans. They were tighter than what I preferred to wear, but at least it was something.

I was about to start placing my things in the drawers when I realised the curse wasn't letting me. The distance was too far.

The water switched on, and I knew Kayden was already in the shower.

Too bad that I didn't care and hated his guts. He kind of deserved this, so I took a few quick steps to where I needed to be, pulling him behind me with the help of the curse.

The sound of a loud thump emerged. His loud swearings were like music to my ears, and I couldn't help the smile that stretched across my face.

However, my triumph didn't last long, as the bathroom door burst open.

Kayden was fuming and panting. Thanks to all the gods, he managed to wrap a towel over his hips. I had to bite my lip to hold back laughter because he was partially covered with soap bubbles too.

"I am so…" I wanted to apologise, but before I could, he was beside me and took me in his arms just like the last time. "Put me back!" I protested, but again, just like the previous time, he ignored me and brought me straight to the spacious shower cabin where the water was still on.

"Since you don't know how to play nicely, I'd better keep you in my sight at all times!" He snarled at me as the water poured over both our heads. My camisole was soaking wet, and I knew it was already see-through, but I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of acting embarrassed. This was probably what he was counting on.

"Gods!" I rolled my eyes, "You showed me!"

"I haven't even started!" Kayden growled.

"I am shaking!" I challenged him, raising my chin higher. "Although, if I were you, I would be petrified now!"

"Why is that, Rory?" He placed his hands against the wall on both sides of me.

"Because we are both standing under pouring water. Because I hate you and because my power is Lightning!" I reminded him, but he didn't even flinch. Some kind of dangerous spark appeared in his eyes, and I didn't know how to read it.

"Then hit me with your best shot, Storm!" His face was right next to mine, and I found myself breathing heavily, my chest going up and down.

Kayden's gaze grazed over it, and his lips parted slightly as he took me in.

"You know what, Storm?" He leaned closer. "There is one thing we absolutely have to check about this curse."

Of all things, I didn't expect him to speak of this now.

"What is it?" The words left my mouth even though I knew he was about to do or say something irritating again.

"McLaughlin cursed us when she found out we hated each other," he rasped into my ear, his nose accidentally brushing over my cheekbone. "What if, to break the curse, we need to overcome our hatred and become closer?"

"That's… not impossible," I had to agree because… that sounded reasonable.

"Remember the old fairy tales?" He whispered.

"Uh-huh," I mumbled.

"So many curses were broken with a kiss–" His lips were so close. I could feel their warmth. "It's only fair if we try one too."

It indeed seemed fair. I mean… we had to try, right?

"Just for the curse!" I muttered.

"Why else?" He leaned lower, his breathing ragged, eyes darker than usual.

"Remember that I hate you!" I told him when he pressed his chest against mine.

"Right back at you, Storm," he assured me, wrapping his arms tight around me.

"I still hate you more!" I said as my fingers dug into his flesh.

I wanted to add something else, something spiteful that would make him livid, but his lips crashed into mine, crumpling them under his direct attack. I gasped, and he used the momentary weakness to gain access and thrust his tongue inside, gliding it over mine. The initiative was all his, but I couldn't let it go on like this. I tried to take the dominance back from him.

Kayden grunted and pushed me harder against the wall as if he feared that I was about to stop or leave. Could he be, really?

He stole my breath away, quite literally, his fingers laced into my hair as he deepened the kiss and made me feel things I had never felt before.

I have been kissed several times in my life, but not like this. Never like this.

Kayden tasted like power and freedom. Like butterscotch, which was secretly my favourite candy, and like something else that I couldn't define or find a name for, but I needed more of that thing. That something...

A moan escaped me, which made him lose it, lifting me up and helping me wrap my thighs around him.

Dragon gods, what was I doing?!

"Want… you!" He rasped and started covering my neck with kisses. His tongue torturously travelled to that one place where wolves were marking each other. I closed my eyes and imagined his canines piercing my skin, claiming me.

That... helped me to sober up.

We had to stop!

"No!" I forced myself to say, and to my surprise, he stopped the second he heard me. He stayed like this for a few seconds, as if it was hard for him to break the contact.

Kayden tore off me and studied my face, which I am sure was now of a crimson red colour.

"Why?" He asked, and to be honest, I was shocked by the question.

"Because we hate each other, remember?" I was still short of a breath or two, still pressed against him, still feeling his hardness against me and– still not pushing him away.

"Very well," he gritted his teeth. "I will try to be the gentleman you want me to be, after all!"

With those words, he carefully placed me back on the ground and left the bathroom without giving me a second glance.

Something pulled me toward the door, and I realised that the curse was still on. The hate kiss fixed absolutely nothing.

The pulling eased, and I knew Kayden was standing behind the door, giving me time to do whatever I needed to do. That thought alone made me smile a little.

I peeled my clothes off and took a shower, trying not to think of what had just happened. It was stupid. We were stupid. Of course, it wouldn't be as easy as that. And now things would be awkward.

I got out of the cabin and wrapped myself in a towel, promising that I could do this without embarrassing myself further. So what if it was the best kiss of my life? Big deal! They say angry se.x was good too, but it doesn't mean anything. Right? Right!

Right…

When I walked out of the bathroom, Kayden was already getting into bed. So, he was serious about that. At least he pulled on some dark fabric pants beforehand, and I sighed in relief.

I was too exhausted to fight him now and noticed that he had opened one of the books Torrin had brought us. This was actually a good idea. We could study, and we didn't have to talk at all. I followed his example, and after pulling on a night slip, which made him growl when he saw me and turn away as if I burned his eyes, I took a few books to the bed as well.

Yes, I wasn't going to give up the bed. I would just simply push him off in the middle of the night and do it until he got tired of it and gave up on the cosleeping idea.

We didn't say a word to each other and just read, read, read until our eyelids got too heavy.

I didn't notice when I had fallen asleep, but when I woke up…