Status Quo

Chapter Five

[Picture of the Alpha above]

Caleb's POV

Who thought, after the life that I've lived, I'd complain about being trapped in a mansion, like that princess that was locked at the top of a tower. No wonder he calls me princess. I've lost count of how many days I've been away from mum, I can't even remember when I last fed. All I know is I'm not doing well at all, the withdrawals are painful. My body is on fire, I'm sweating profusely, I can't stop shaking and my fangs are permanently on display.

Fuck, it's so pathetic. I know full well I can't last another day without feeding and that's exactly what the bastard wants. He wants me to come crawling to him, begging him. Of course, he would, he's a fucking mutt that wants nothing more than to watch me submit. That's why I've fought against it for this long, why I've left it to the point my mind is tipping. To the point that logical, sane thoughts are no longer even in the question. I can't bear to see the satisfaction on his face.

I haven't slept in days. Contrary to belief, we do sleep, albeit it's not as often as the mongrels. The lack of rest hasn't helped the ache in my muscles but as much as I'd like to blame missed sleep as the cause of my discomfort, it's evidently not. I know my eyes must be red with desire, warning me that I'm hours away from becoming feral again, an outcome nobody wants to be a part of.

The first few days after my encounter with the Alpha weren't too bad. The taste he'd given me the last time I went feral was enough to satisfy the burning ache and has worked to keep the demon inside me sedated. I'd started to understand the life of the Alpha. That Zion is more complex than those of us on Abaddon led ourselves to believe. Despite being an island notorious for reckless Alpha bachelors looking for a good time, there are a small number of gated communities where the most renowned Alphas reside. Alphas who own a significant portion of Zion.

Mateo Alvarez. The maids are relentless in their discussions of him, but no fucking surprise there, they're Gammas after all. The twang of jealousy in their tone when they talk about the Alpha finding his mate almost makes me sick. Imagine being so desperate for an Alpha, do they have no shame?

Thankfully his absence had made the overbearing desire inside of me lessen, but unfortunately, that left a different type of desire to fester. Although it had suppressed my inclination to feed, his absence also made an ache grow inside me. An ache to press myself against the Alpha until the tingling in my groin is rubbed hard enough that I gain relief. It's so apparent that even the thought of him has me throbbing. Despite such little interaction, the mate bond had started its devious ways and had begun latching to the Alpha and entwining our souls. Forcing me to crave his touch, his attention, and every second in his presence.

Perhaps that's why curiosity became so rife in my mind. Why I had become so intrigued with hearing any details of the Alpha that I could. He's not just any Alpha, he comes from a long line of powerful ancestors who have amounted to vast generational wealth and his succession of such heritage is part of the reason he's in the position he is. Although his genetics have been a far greater factor, he's a hybrid.