Chapter 9 - chapter 8

### Chapter 8: Tangled in Their Chains 🐺🔥🌙

**Dorian's POV**

My wolf is restless, clawing at my insides, hungry for control, for submission, for *her*.

Lia's out there, somewhere in this damn pack house, and the mate bond burns in my chest, a fire that won't let me forget her defiance, her fire, her hate.

Two years she ran from us, from me, Eric, and Rick, thinking she could escape what's written in our blood. My boots echo on the stone floor as I lean back in the living room, the firelight casting jagged shadows across the walls.

The air's thick with the scent of ale and smoke, but it's Rick's scent—warm, hesitant—that pulls my focus as he stumbles in.

He slumps into a chair, his hazel eyes flicking to me before dropping, like he's afraid to meet my gaze. Always so soft, so weak when it comes to her. It makes my blood boil and my wolf howl. 🩸✨

I chuckle, low and mocking, and stand, my boots heavy as I stalk over to him. He's tense, his shoulders hunched, like he's carrying her weight on his back.

"What was that all about, pup?" I ask, my voice teasing but sharp, cutting through the silence. "Playing hero for your little omega again?"

He looks up, his eyes burning with something rare—defiance.

"We're scaring her," he says, his voice steady but tight, like he's fighting his own wolf. "Too much, Dorian. We need to stop."

I laugh, a cold, sharp sound that bounces off the walls. I sit close, too close, my thigh pressing against his, my aura pressing down like a storm.

The bond between us flares, hot and alive, a reminder that he's mine too, not just hers.

"Scaring her?" I say, my voice dripping with mockery. "I haven't even started, Rick. And you? You think that soft heart of yours will make her believe you're better than us? That you're not one of us?"

His jaw tightens, his hands clenching, but he doesn't look away. I lean in, my face inches from his, my breath hot against his cheek.

The bond pulses, pulling me to him, and I hate how much I want it—want him, want her, want all of them.

"The real beast here is you, Rick," I whisper, my voice low, dangerous, each word a blade. "What if she finds out *you* killed her parents? You think she'll kiss you again then?"

His eyes flash yellow, his wolf surging, then fade back to normal. His face pales, and I chuckle, leaning back, relishing the way he squirms.

"You can play the hero," I say, my voice smooth but sharp. "Pretend you're her savior. But you know your place. I *hate* when someone defies my orders."

I stand, my shadow falling over him, and turn to leave, but Eric's there, leaning against the doorway, his arms folded, his blue eyes cold and unreadable.

He's been watching, silent, but I feel the bond with him too, a dark thread tying us together. Rick's voice stops me, low and shaky, as he stands.

"What if she doesn't know?" he says, his voice trembling with something desperate. "What if she just thinks *you* did it?"

I laugh again, louder, the sound filling the room like a storm. I turn back, stepping close, my hands landing on his shoulders, my grip firm, possessive.

"Oh, Rick," I say, my voice dripping with amusement. "I don't care if she thinks I killed her parents. I'd tell her myself, let her hate me more. But you? You better watch your step. The beast she's hunting? That's you."

I lift his chin, forcing his eyes to meet mine, and my voice drops to a whisper, low and intimate.

"Don't worry, pup," I say, my lips curling into a smirk. "She's nothing to us. Just an omega who can't fight, can't run fast enough. But you? I've been taking care of you, haven't I? Like a mate should."

My fingers trail down his jaw, slow and deliberate, and I feel him shiver, the bond flaring hotter, pulling us closer.

"Even without her, I can take care of you… like before."

I slide my hands around his waist, pulling him against me, my lips brushing his neck. His breath hitches, his pulse racing under my touch, and the bond ignites, a fire that burns through me, through him, through us all.

We're mated—not just to Lia, but to each other, a tangled web of need and power that's stronger than anything.

My lips linger on his skin, tasting the salt of his sweat, and I growl softly, my wolf urging me closer.

Another hand touches mine, cool and firm, and I smirk—Eric, stepping behind me, his lips grazing my neck, his touch sending a jolt through me.

The bond hums, alive and electric, tying the three of us together in a way Lia could never understand.

I pull Rick closer, my lips crashing against his, hungry and rough, my hands tangling in his hair. He gasps into the kiss, his body tense but yielding, and I deepen it, my tongue claiming him, the bond burning so hot it's almost pain.

My fingers tug at his shirt, the fabric tearing under my grip, and I feel Eric's hands on my shoulders, his lips moving lower, trailing fire across my skin. It's raw, consuming, the kind of heat that could burn this whole pack house down.

I want more—more of Rick, more of Eric, more of this bond that makes us whole, even without her.

"What the hell are you guys doing?" a voice snaps, sharp and raw, cutting through the haze.

I freeze, my lips still on Rick's, my hands gripping his hair. I turn my head, slow and deliberate, and there she is—Lia, standing in the doorway, her eyes wide with shock, her face a storm of fury and something else, something that makes my wolf howl.

My smirk widens, slow and deliberate, as I meet her gaze, letting her see every bit of the monster she hates. 🥀✨