Rendered

Chapter 9

Kenny's POV

Years of self-discipline were unraveled in an instant. Male-on-male relationships were not unfamiliar to me. Some of my business partners engaged in such relationships, and although it took time, I learned to withhold judgment, at least verbally. Working with diverse individuals of different races and beliefs taught me that there is no right or wrong belief system. If it works for someone, I will respect it. In our pack, mating and reproduction were highly valued, and adoption and same-sex relationships were considered taboo. Although I knew that some pack members engaged in such relationships, they usually stopped once they found their mates or when they felt it was time to settle down. They hid their relationships to avoid judgment.

For years, I had neglected the changing dynamics of sexual relationships and preferences. Back then, it didn't affect me or my pack since we were reproducing abundantly. Well, everyone except me. I never quite understood why humans and some werewolves were attracted to the same sex. It simply didn't make sense to me. How could you be attracted to someone who had everything you had and a flat chest? Yet here I am, breaking all the laws of nature and engaging in the very thing I had always considered barbaric, even though I never expressed it out loud.

I glanced at the warm body lying next to me. He had a frown on his face, as if something displeased him. He was still asleep, judging by his breathing. Everything that happened last night and in the early hours of the morning, I wanted to experience it again if possible, right now. Every aspect of it was amazing. The human obsession with such indulgences now made sense to me. Silver, too, seemed hooked, evident from his overindulgence.

Reality struck me. Nuzo and Grey were young, at the age of experimentation. Their exposure to these experiences made them curious to try everything. Just a day ago, when I was at his house, he was entertaining someone. I don't recall smelling another male, so I can assume it was a woman. Perhaps he's doing all this to forget his mate, and we all know that alcohol can make people do things.

He opened his eyes and shifted closer to me, which was unexpected. I noticed his discomfort, likely from the overindulgence. "Damn, my ass is on fire, and I need to use the bathroom," Nuzo greeted me, still half-asleep. "Well, good morning to you too," I replied, trying to avoid saying something that would scare him or upset him. I figured he would be regretting what happened.

I sat up, and he followed suit. After giving me a peck on the lips, he said, "Morning, Alpha. I hope you're feeling better than me. I feel ravaged." Then he got out of bed and headed to the bathroom. In a few minutes, I heard the toilet flush and the sound of running water. He was probably brushing his teeth. "I hope you're not regretting what happened, because I wouldn't mind doing it again," Nuzo shouted, toothbrush in his mouth. I didn't respond. As an alpha, I was expected to have an heir and a Luna for the pack, not to play with young men.

Nuzo poked his head out of the bathroom door and asked, "Cat got your tongue?" I still didn't know what to say. He went back inside, and I heard the shower turn on. He called out, "Come join me, Alpha bear. Morning glory makes a man's day pleasurable." He chuckled at his own words. Without thinking, I joined him in the shower. The shower indulgence was even better than I remembered. Once again, I found myself wanting more.

After we finished showering, we got dressed and packed our bags. We took them to the car and decided to have lunch since it was already noon. We had two more packs to visit before our next resting stop, and they were about two hours apart. I wasn't looking forward to today, and neither was Silver, who had initially been excited to find his mate. The car ride to Bela's pack would take an hour and a half. The entire car ride was silent.

When we arrived, we were welcomed by Alpha Ziyanda and the Luna of the clan. There was a line of young women, with a few older ones mixed in, ranging in age from 18 to 50. "Welcome, Alpha Kenny and Beta Nuzo," greeted Alpha Ziyanda. We entered the house, and I met his daughter, a lovely young lady who was also waiting to find her mate. "Thank you for welcoming us into your clan. You have beautiful lands," I responded. "

You better not be eyeing my lands, Kenneth, because I won't let go of them so easily," Alpha Ziyanda laughed after making such a peculiar comment. "Rest assured, we have no interest in your land. As we discussed over the phone, we are here solely to find our mates," Nuzo replied politely and dignifiedly, though I knew he was mocking Ziyanda deep down. "The unmated women are waiting outside to greet you. After a light lunch snack and entertainment, you will have a chance to mingle with them," the Luna informed us. "Karlien, come greet Alpha Kenny and Beta Nuzo," her mother called. The young girl approached us and shook our hands politely, wearing a friendly smile. "She's our youngest daughter, still unmated. We believe she'll find her mate before she turns 25. She only recently turned 18," the Luna said proudly. "Well, not all of us are lucky in that department. Look at me, 42 and still mateless. Thankfully, my parents had other children who were fortunate enough to find their mates, and they all have alpha blood," I replied. "It's not the same. Having your own kids and raising them is important. We all know that only the true alpha produces a strong successor," Ziyanda interjected with a condescending tone. "I find it interesting that you say that, Alpha Ziyanda. If I recall correctly, you were the 4th or 5th cousin of the Alpha when you became alpha after challenging the former Alpha's son. By the way, what became of the boy? He was just 9 or 13 years old, please remind me, as my memory isn't that clear," I responded to Ziyanda.

His face turned red, clearly offended by what I had said. "Alpha, the entertainers have arrived. We can now proceed to the garden," his beta announced. We followed him to the garden, which was beautifully decorated with flowers. There were a few people serving light snacks, and a group of young ladies, whom I assumed were the entertainers, singing and dancing in their clan language. I glanced behind me to see if Nuzo was enjoying the scene. It appeared he was, as he was laughing with Alpha Ziyanda's daughter and a few other ladies of the same age. "Excuse me, Ziyanda, I would like to meet and greet a few ladies," I requested, and he granted me permission. It took me 30 minutes to be certain that my mate wasn't among them, and I was ready to leave. I was already tired of being in this place. When I looked around, I spotted Nuzo,

who seemed to be having the time of his life. I decided to join Alpha Ziyanda and engage in some conversation, discussing potential business ventures. At 4 pm, we left and headed to the next pack.

Once again, I had no luck in finding my mate. However, the alpha and the pack were welcoming and kind. We had dinner with them and joined their 9 pm run. We left their pack at 11 pm and reached a hotel that was three hours away. We checked into our rooms, both located on the same floor. I was the first to arrive at my room and I checked the time—it was 2:30 in the morning. I could use some sleep, honestly.

"You want to join me for an early morning drink before turning in?" I asked Nuzo before I entered. "Sure, let me freshen up, and I'll come through," he responded.

About 20 minutes later, we found ourselves sitting on the couch, sipping whiskey. "Karlien, she was beautiful, wasn't she?" I initiated the conversation. "Yes, it's a pity I couldn't choose her as my mate," Nuzo replied. "Well, if she doesn't find her mate, you still have a chance. Did you exchange numbers?" I inquired. Nuzo finished his glass of whiskey and placed it on the table. He reached over, took the glass from my hand, and put it down as well. Leaning in closer, he passionately kissed me. Pulling back, he looked at me with a seductive gaze. I knew exactly where this was headed.

"I didn't need to exchange numbers because I've already chosen my mate. Now I just need to convince them to make up their mind," Nuzo said, laughing lightly. I wanted to ask him who it was, but he seemed done with the conversation. He took off his shirt and walked towards the bed. "Come, Alpha, let's indulge in our new favorite sport. My little man down there and Grey are getting impatient," he teased. Silver surged forward, answering, "Now you're speaking my language." I despised Silver for making us appear weak.