Chapter 296: 296: Moonlit Claiming
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After the reunion, Kai goes to look for Alka, she had gone to wander around after dropping them off. Now she is back on the mountain top. It was a winding path carved into the mountain’s spine. The night wind was cool, and the moon lit the stone in silver. At the very top, a hollow ledge overlooked the entire valley, its cliff edge curved like a natural nest.
"This will be your perch," Kai said, resting a hand against Alka’s warm feathers. "From here, you can see everything. Come and go as you please. This is your home now too."
Alka preened a feather and lowered her head to nudge his shoulder. "I like it. It smells like sky."
"I will build a proper nest for you," he said. "Large enough to rest, lined with fur and moss. This will be your roost."
She gave a contented chirp, her sharp eyes scanning the horizon. "I will protect it."
"I know you will."
A moment later... Back in the main chamber, Kai addressed his subordinates.
"Begin construction," he said. "We need homes for the new arrivals. Chambers for the ant girls. Living quarters for the others. And a proper roost for Alka."
Shadeclaw bowed. "It will be done."
The four soldier ants exchanged looks, then grinned.
"Building homes for the harem," Vexor said with a chuckle. "Truly, our king Kai has returned."
"Do you want us to make a separate hall for your... personal guests?" Shale asked, smirking.
Kai narrowed his eyes. "Dig the rooms. Don’t say it in front of Luna. She is already angry enough."
Needle says, "The strong and weak all fear the angry wife."
They laughed, their voices echoing against the stone walls. The sound was warm. Familiar. Like the heartbeat of a home that had been waiting to wake.
By the time the night deepened, the mountain hummed with life again. Orders were given. Plans were set. The old and the new were weaving together under one roof.
Kai stood at the heart of it all, hands resting on the stone railing, and allowed himself a small smile.
He was home. And this time, he intended to keep it safe, no matter how many women or eggs it took.
The night air in Monarch Mountain’s upper hall was heavy with the scent of stone, warm fur, and the faint sweetness of the glowing moss that lined the walls. A soft wind slipped through the carved stone windows, brushing across Luna’s skin and making her silver hair ripple like water in moonlight.
Luna sat on the edge of the stone bed carved into their private chamber, her arms folded on her chest, her legs crossed. The Moonvine bracelet on her wrist pulsed faintly, a constant reminder of the bond that tied her to him. She had bathed after the day’s chaos, her soft skin gleaming in the dim light, her white tunic sliding off one shoulder as she leaned forward.
Her ears flicked when the wooden bark door to the chamber slid open.
Kai stepped inside, his footsteps steady and deliberate. He had shed his battle cloak and clothes, leaving his upper body bare, his human form sharp and powerful with twelve packs abs. His skin still bore faint scratches from battle and travel, but his movements were relaxed and precise, the kind of confidence that came from knowing exactly what he wanted.
Luna refused to look at him at first, keeping her gaze on the floor. "You think I will forgive you that easily just because you came here looking so hot," she said softly, her voice calm but threaded with heat.
Kai stopped a few paces away, taking in her scent. Her natural fragrance mixed with the faint aroma of the oils she had used after her bath, warm and floral with a subtle musk that stirred something primal in his blood.
"I do not want you to forgive me," he said quietly. "I want you to feel me. To remember that no matter what happened outside, I belong here. To you."
She lifted her eyes, and the flash of silver in them caught the torchlight. Her glare had softened, but it was still sharp.
"You slept with them," she said. "You touched them. And now you come here and expect me to open my legs to you?"
Kai moved closer, slowly, until he stood directly in front of her. He crouched, bringing his eyes level with hers. His voice dropped to a low, intimate rumble.
"I slept with them because I thought I might never come home. But I never loved them. Not like I love you."
Luna’s lips trembled, her breath quickening despite herself. His presence always had this effect on her, like her body recognized him before her mind could argue. His scent, his heat, the way his aura wrapped around her like a promise she couldn’t ignore.
Kai lifted a hand and brushed the back of his fingers along her cheek. She shivered, her ears twitching as her body betrayed her anger.
"You are my first," he whispered. "My queen. My moon pie. My cutie pie. My anaconda’s true food."
She inhaled sharply, her chest rising. Her fingers gripped the edge of the bed. "Then prove it," she said, her voice soft, breaking on the last word. "F*ck me like you claimed, I am the one and only for your anaconda. I want you to love me like you have never done before."
Kai’s hand slid down her neck, fingers tracing the curve of her shoulder. He leaned in and captured her lips in a slow, deliberate kiss. Luna gasped against his mouth, her arms instinctively wrapping around his neck. The kiss deepened, wet and hungry, almost half a year of trust and twenty plus days of longing fusing into heat.
She let out a muffled moan when his hands slid to her waist, pulling her onto his lap. Her legs wrapped around him naturally, and he rose, carrying her effortlessly to the center of the bed.