Chapter 35

Chapter 35: Chapter 35

Chapter 35

I’d rather have continued staring at Kai, taking in the intricate view of him and pretending I’d never seen him before. I’d have loved to drown in the ocean of his handsomeness. Even after leaving the bed while he still slept, my body wanted nothing more than to crawl back there and engulf myself in his warm embrace.

He was so big. And so hot.

But I’m a lover boy, and I’d always looked forward to having a time like this with Kai, so I headed to the kitchen to find something to cook for him and surprise him with.

Instead, I found Butler Hector.

The man was almost done with the dishes, a short towel draped over his shoulder. There was an AirPod in his ear, and when he turned around and caught sight of me, he smiled.

Sliding the gadget from his ear, he greeted, "Good morning, Master Alex."

My brows raised, and I waved dismissively in front of him. "Oh, please no. Not for me, Butler Hector."

"You’re a master of the house too. Master Kai was clear and precise on that." The man continued, retaining his warm smile. "Would you already like something to eat? I’ve prepared breakfast. Sorry, but we follow a timetable here. If you’d prefer something else, I can return to cooking. My skills are impressive."

I chuckled before I could stop myself, clutching my stomach as more laughter threatened to spill through.

"Aw, thank you. But wait, I thought there were chefs."

"Master Kai prefers his breakfast to be made by me," the man replied simply before turning to lower the heat beneath the pan.

The smell of roasted chicken drifted toward my nostrils, mixing with other fantastic scents of mouth watering food. The red pepper pasta in the cooler was what I wanted most. Something about how juicy it looked, soaked gracefully in its sauce alongside the many vegetables of green, red, and yellow, made me want to dive in already.

But instead, I controlled myself enough to remain civil.

"Oh, I see. I actually woke up to make him breakfast."

"I see you have his best interests at heart. It proves why he cares for you," Butler Hector complimented without even realizing it. My cheeks warmed with a blush, and I hid them beneath my hair.

When I took a seat on the footstool, I grabbed a jug of water, poured myself a glass, and drank it in one swift motion. Then I began playing with the rim of the glass as more questions curled around my mind.

"Um, I haven’t been here long, but I think it’s safe to say you’re like a father figure to Kai. He really holds you in the highest esteem." I started with that.

Butler Hector took his time, his lips spreading into a smile. "That’s a gracious observation."

He finished the last of his cooking, which was chicken sauce meant to accompany the white rice. Taking a seat opposite me, he began serving me the pasta.

Oh, he must have caught me staring at it earlier.

As I dove into the food, my mouth full while my tongue savored the richness of the flavor, he continued the conversation on my behalf.

"I am many things to Master Kai. Sometimes I like to think of myself as his second Papa, or perhaps even his godfather."

"Wow. You’ve stayed by his side that long?"

"I was there when he was born. In fact, you could say he was born into my hands."

I slurped the ends of the pasta through my lips, careful not to spill the sauce on my eyes. I didn’t want to move from pleasure to pain out of impatience.

"That’s fascinating," I simply replied. "Please, tell me more."

Butler Hector told me how Kai had been born into his hands. In fact, he had been the first person to carry him after his mother. Butler Hector reminisced on her divine beauty, claiming she had been as perfect as our Moon Goddess, flawless in every way, and that her fruit had been so highly blessed she gave Kai’s father, the current Alpha King, five children.

I’d have preferred Kai was the last born so I could insult his bickerings and childishness with that, but according to Butler Hector, he had been the third born. He had two brothers before him and two after him.

"Their family sounded so perfect. What changed?" I asked.

I wouldn’t lie. The curiosity was alarming and very much necessary. I used to think the Alpha King was some malicious man who didn’t care about his family, but according to Butler Hector, it seemed he had loved all his children and his wife.

It sounded like everything I never had in my family, and everything I lost because of the accident.

"Kai was the least favorite. It’s always been that way, so when..."

Butler Hector stopped mid sentence when Kai walked in. He was rubbing his eyes, his gait lazy. He looked like he’d just pulled himself out of deep sleep. Blinking downward, his eyes settled on me and his lips tugged to the side.

"Morning, sweet peach."

"I’m glad I forced you to sleep last night. You’d probably have become a zombie by now," I said, and he came behind me, pressing a kiss to the back of my neck. "Good morning, my ass King."

Kai occupied the seat across from me, still weary in appearance, when he suddenly paused and perked up.

"Is that supposed to be a compliment or an insult?"

"Which one would turn you on?" I asked, every second becoming a battle not to burst into laughter.

"You’re very bubbly this morning," he noticed and glanced down at the food.

And that was when I remembered Butler Hector was still in the room with us.

Oh, goodness.

Kai appeared and I forgot about the food, lingering presences, and every other object around me.

Was I whipped in... love?

"Thank you, Hector. This will do."

"Yes, Master Kai. Shall I prepare...?" Butler Hector began saying before Kai raised his hand.

"No, we’ve got that ourselves. Thank you. This is more than enough," Kai finalized, and the man nodded.

When he finally left, Kai piled various foods onto his plate that I didn’t even think could be mixed together, and then began eating. He caught the look on my face and only chuckled.

For a man built like him, I didn’t think he was a junk food addict. And indeed, I was learning more about him.

I was truly getting to know him better in the simplest and best ways.

About two hours after we’d finished breakfast, Kai told me he was heading out. When he asked me to join him, I didn’t decline.

More chances to know about his Alpha business? Of course I’d leap at the opportunity.

He drove out a sports car this time, sleek black with fancy tires and such quiet engines you wouldn’t even know it was running. But I didn’t fail to notice it was another Mercedes Benz product too. I think he might be a fan.

We headed into a town that looked like something from the rich streets of London in the early nineties. The houses were made of brick, and the streets carried the same texture. It looked vintage and so beautiful I believed I could stare forever without growing tired.

And to finalize the scenery, the town knew exactly how to play with colors, giving everything the final touch of life’s beauty.

"Remember him?" Kai pointed toward a man in the distance.

We approached a tent positioned in front of a bungalow. A man sat there, drinking from a cup while seeming deep in thought. But I surely recognized the scar on his brow and the sternness of his jaw.

"Clawface. Your commander," I said, and Kai nodded.

"I’m glad you’re catching on."

He released my hand once we arrived at the tent. The sun was shaded by the thick material above, allowing the breeze and the beauty of the town to be appreciated better.

"Sire." The man bowed.

"Protect him."

"Yes, Sire."

"I’ll be back. I must meet with an old friend," Kai muttered into my ear before entering the building.

Left with Clawface, I carefully took a seat opposite him.