Chapter 13 CUDDLES
Adam’s POV
The night air was colder than I expected.
I pulled my hoodie tighter as I stepped outside, careful not to make the old door creak. The last thing I needed was my family waking up. The front yard was dim, washed in moonlight… and there he was, leaning casually against his car, like he belonged there.
Kael.
Even from a distance, he looked unreal. His white shirt caught the silver light, his hair slightly messy, his expression soft in a way that made my chest ache.
“You actually came,” I whispered as I approached him, trying not to smile too much.
He turned, his lips lifting in that small, knowing way. “You said I could.”
“I didn’t think you’d mean tonight.”
“I couldn’t wait till morning.”
That made me look away because damn it, why did he say things like that so easily?
He reached into the car and pulled out a paper bag. “Dinner. Or maybe midnight snack — depending on how you see it.”
“You brought food?”
“Packed food,” he said, opening the bag and revealing neatly wrapped boxes. “And pastries. You humans seem to love pastries.”
I laughed softly, shaking my head. “You say ‘you humans’ like you’re not half the reason my life’s turned upside down.”
“I take full responsibility,” he said smoothly, patting the hood of the car. “Come. Sit. Eat with me.”
I hesitated for a second but slid onto the hood beside him. The metal was cool under me, and the smell of warm bread and roasted meat filled the air. I hadn’t realized how hungry I was until I started eating.
For a while, we didn’t talk, it's just the quiet sound of wrappers, the soft hum of night insects, and the occasional distant bark of a dog. It was strangely peaceful.
When I finally looked at him again, I asked, “So… what was that earlier? The urgent matter? Were you able to sort it out?”
He sighed, leaning back on his hands. “It’s handled now. Just some pack trouble. The Star Moon Pack is causing chaos again — they’ve been a problem ever since they betrayed their leaders and crowned that menace of a wolf as their Alpha.”
“Wow,” I said between bites, raising an eyebrow. “So you guys have power struggles too, huh? Sounds very human to me.”
He chuckled, low and warm. “You could say that. Some wolves crave power more than peace.”
I looked at him, curious. “Aren’t you ever worried? You know… about being betrayed or overthrown?”
He turned his head, his gaze meeting mine. There was quiet confidence in those icy eyes. “That’s the least of my worries. No one would dare. And unlike other packs, mine isn’t built on fear; it’s built on loyalty and peace.”
I stared at him for a moment, trying to decide if he was bragging or just telling the truth. Probably both.
“You sound proud,” I said.
He smiled faintly. “Maybe I am. My people are my family. I’d die for them. And they’d do the same for me.”
Something about the way he said it made me quiet. Maybe because no one in my life had ever spoken about loyalty like that; not where I came from.
By the time we finished eating, the night had deepened, stars scattered across the sky like spilled salt. I hadn’t realized how much time had passed until I noticed the streetlights flickering.
“I should head back in,” I said reluctantly. “If anyone notices I’m gone—”
Kael’s voice cut in softly, almost pleading. “Wait. Just a little longer.”
“Kael…”
“Please,” he murmured, his tone slipping into something dangerously soft. “Just a cuddle. Nothing more.”
I stared at him. “In the car? Really?”
He grinned, unbothered. “We could adjust the seats. Or move to the back.”
I sighed, crossing my arms. “Just because I let you cuddle me last night doesn’t mean I’ll—”
He tilted his head, giving me this look — half puppy eyes, half Alpha charm. “You make it sound like torture.”
I groaned under my breath. “You’re impossible.”
He didn’t deny it. Just opened the car door and looked at me expectantly.
“Fine,” I muttered, sliding in after him.
He guided me to the back seat, adjusted the recline, and when his arms came around me, I felt that familiar warmth spread through my body. His soothing scent filled the space. I didn’t even realize how much tension I’d been holding until it melted away.
Minutes turned into an hour. Maybe two. We talked quietly about nothing… about movies he hadn’t seen, human foods he didn’t understand, and what it was like to live between two worlds. Somewhere in between, my eyelids grew heavy. His heartbeat under my ear was steady, grounding.
“Kael,” I murmured sleepily, “you know this is crazy, right?”
“Completely,” he whispered back. “But it feels right.”
I didn’t know what to say to that. So I didn’t. I just closed my eyes and let myself rest against him for a little while longer.
By the time I opened them again, the world outside was darker, quieter. I blinked, realizing how late it must be.
“Kael,” I said, sitting up. “I have to go back before someone notices I’m gone.”
He looked at me, reluctant but understanding. “Alright. But be careful.”
“I will.”
We said our goodbyes; short, soft, almost too gentle for what the night would become. He brushed a thumb across my jaw before I slipped out of the car, and something in my chest clenched painfully.
I moved quietly, like I’d practiced it a hundred times before. The front door creaked, and I froze. But the house was dark — or so I thought.
I had just closed the door when a light flicked on.
“Where were you?”
My father’s voice. Low, dangerous.
I turned slowly, heart sinking. He stood there by the stairs, his face shadowed but his eyes blazing. I opened my mouth, searching for words — any words — but none came out.
His hand struck before I could even flinch. The slap echoed in the hallway, sharp and hot across my cheek.
“Who were you with?” he demanded.
I swallowed hard, tasting iron. “No one.”
“Don’t lie to me, boy!”
He grabbed my arm, fingers digging in painfully, and before I knew it, he was dragging me down the narrow corridor — past the kitchen, past the back door, to the small storeroom that smelled of dust and rusted chains.
My stomach twisted. I knew this place. I’d been locked in here before.
“Dad, please—”
“Maybe a night in here will make you remember how to behave,” he snapped.
He shoved me inside. The cold hit first, then the sound of metal as he chained my wrist to a pipe. My breath came out in uneven gasps. The door slammed shut, the lock clicked, and his footsteps faded away.
In the dark, I pressed my forehead against the cold wall, shaking.
I’d known peace for a few hours. Warmth. Safety. A laugh that didn’t sound forced.
And now it was gone.
But this time, instead of feeling defeated, I whispered the only name that made me feel less alone.
“Kael.”