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And he was undeniably attractive. In the golden light of the sun, his hair was a mess of curls. His eyes were a clear, bright blue, the color of the sky. Despite the worry on his face, his youthful features were a sight to behold.
And then there had been that morning, the drops of water clinging to his skin, the way his lean muscles moved under his bare skin as he bathed in the river...
Rael's instincts were primal, impossible to ignore. The urge to claim, to mark, to mate — it thrummed through him, a call as old as the universe.
He'd never had a problem with his instincts before. When he wanted something, he took it. He fought threats, he cared for his people, he defended his territory.
But this was different.
This was a human in the middle of a war. A human that he'd taken for a bounty.
A human that he'd convinced himself was nothing more than a job, a task to be completed.
This was a human that he couldn't stop thinking about, no matter how hard he tried.
And worse — or better — the human seemed to feel the same way.
Rael had seen the desire in Elian's eyes, felt the heat of his gaze on him as they looked at each other at the river. Despite the dangers and the trials of their journey, there was a spark between them, growing hotter and hotter with each passing day.
It was madness. Rael was an alpha. He could have his pick of any mate he desired. He'd never felt the urge to settle down and begin his own family, though. Keeping his people safe in times of war was demanding enough, thrust into leadership suddenly with the loss of his father.
He had no room for distractions, especially not distractions in the form of soft, tempting humans with eyes that shone with unquenchable curiosity.
But that morning, he'd been tempted down to the bone.
As Elian bathed in the river, it had been impossible to ignore him. Rael had wanted to claim the human, to press him down into the sands, to cover that gasping mouth with his own and drink in the sound of his surprised moans as the cool river water ran over them both...
Rael's thoughts drifted back to that morning, to the feel of Elian's slender, wet body pressed against his own. The memory was intoxicating, a potent mix of desire and frustration that had lingered with him all day. He could still feel the way Elian's back had molded to his chest, pliant with trust and arousal, the smooth warmth of the human's skin beneath his fingers.
His arm had been a band of iron around Elian's waist, holding him tight, possessive. The other hand had moved with a will of its own, stroking, teasing, until Elian had been writhing in his grasp, moaning and gasping. The sound had been like a spark to tinder, igniting a furious arousal within him.
He remembered the feel of his own hardness, the rough fabric of his trousers rubbing against Elian's ass, the friction both torture and pleasure. The urge to take the human as a mate had been overwhelming, a primal instinct that had taken every ounce of Rael's self-control to resist.
In the end, he had been forced to release Elian, to step back and turn away. But the memory of Elian's body, of the way he had felt, the way he had sounded… It stayed with him.
As Elian had bathed, dipping unaware underneath the river's surface, Rael had sought a quick and furious release. His hand had moved urgently, imagining that his grip was instead Elian's hand, his mouth, his body…
The fantasy was a torment, a sweet, tantalizing taste of something he could not have. He was an alpha, a leader, and Elian was a human, a captive. The line between them was clear, unyielding.
But the memory of that morning, of Elian's body, wet and warm and willing in his arms, blurred that line.
Rael shook his head, as if the action could dislodge the forbidden thoughts. It was madness. He was going to go mad. He already was mad, to be considering anything other than delivering Elian safely into the hands of the military.
But at the same time, his heart disagreed. His instincts disagreed. His body certainly disagreed, his desire for the human burning hotter than any flame.
Finally, they reached the opening that Rael was searching for. "Here," Rael said, gently guiding Elian. "Sit here, by the wall. I'll start a fire."
Elian turned to face him, the human's eyes searching for him in the dark. "Are we safe here?"
Safe. The word echoed in Rael's mind, taking on a dozen different meanings.
"Yes," he managed to growl out, the sound thick with desire and self-loathing. "We're safe here."
Safe from any danger but his own traitorous instincts.
Rael set up their makeshift camp, his movements efficient. He started a small fire, more for the light than anything else, and divided up their rations. Despite the scant provisions they had, Elian seemed determined to make the best of their situation, his chatter light and easy as he worked.
"I never thought I'd be camping out in a cave with an alien," Elian said, his tone dry. "Guess life's full of surprises, huh?"
