The Defiant Claim - The Claim: Book 2 [LGBTQ+]
Chapter 23 - Sam (Part 1)

Pain gripped Sam. From his head down to his toes. Why was Mik here? Of all wolves to be by his side, why did it have to be him?

“No.”

“Go away,” Sam repeated more forcefully, but still sounded feeble and weak.

“No fucking way,” Mik said in a low voice that rumbled on the edges.

Sam tried to swallow but sandpaper lined his mouth and esophagus, scraping against the burning coal of emotions lodged in his throat. He cracked his eyes open, still struggling to focus on the male next to him in the bright light. His vision blurred under the heavy lids. Something was off about him, he couldn’t tell what.

“I’ll get you some water,” Mik mumbled.

Sam felt his arm move. Saw the blur of it shift, moving away from Mik’s form to his side. A squeeze to his hand. The ripples of electricity fired off drawing a gasp into his lungs from the sensation of it before the current was lost as Mik pulled away and walked out of the room.

An emptiness filled him as the fire pulsing through his veins ebbed and vanished. He pulled more air into his lungs as he turned his head to look around but couldn’t. Lifting his hand to rub his eyes, his arm felt unbelievably heavy. Sucking air into his lungs, he tried to muster his strength but the best he could do was lift his arm and lay it across his stomach. Blinking his eyes, the room slowly came into focus. The backroom of the infirmary. He heard the heart monitor behind him matching the beat of his heart in his chest. Why was he here? Why did he feel so weak?

Closing his eyes, he let the air out of his lungs as memories flashed behind his lids. Mik’s head in the crook of a female’s neck. Her arms and legs wrapped around his torso. He gasped, his eyes flying open when he saw himself falling from the cliff overlooking the waves and rocks below. Sᴇaʀch Thᴇ FindNøvᴇl.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Chest heaving, lungs expanding and contracting with each deep exchange, he looked down at his feet—a lump under the blankets at the foot of the bed. His eyes came into focus, snaking up his body under the blanket and stopping at his arm draped across his stomach. The one that surged with fire and electricity moments before. The one that was so heavy he could barely lift it.

The door opened and a male with lean muscle walked in with a glass of water and straw in hand. Eloise and Heather tried to peek inside before the male closed the door. Mik’s delicious scent wafted in and over him.

But then... the room itself was filled with Mik’s scent. Every corner and crevice was saturated in his heavenly musk that raised the hairs on Sam’s arm.

Or was it because of the male staring back at him that raised the hairs on his arm?

His hair was buzzed short, maybe a third of an inch long, blond, with a week or two old scruff lining his chin and cheeks. Rich brown eyes held his as he stepped to Sam’s side and held the glass of water before him and put the straw to his lips.

“Drink.”

The command, deep-throated and masculine, caused a shiver to creep up Sam’s spine. He didn’t refuse, eagerly accepting the water he offered. Pulling it up through the straw, Sam closed his eyes with a sigh as the cold fluid slid over his rough tongue and down his parched throat. He drank and drank until he sucked up air with a sputtering noise.

Sighing, he released the straw and relaxed against the bed. He didn’t want to open his eyes again. Didn’t want to face this male that smelled like Mik, sounded like Mik, but didn’t look like Mik.

“Sam?” he asked after a moment’s pause. Was there a hint of nervousness? Sam inhaled Mik’s scent, revealing all.

“Go away.”

“No.”

“Go away,” he said again with more force.

“Make me.”

Gritting his teeth, a growl rumbled deep within his chest. Mik met him with his own and he opened his eyes to glare back at him, staring intently into those deep browns that he never allowed himself to stare into for more than a second.

Seconds passed, Mik meeting his stare and not backing down. If anything, he made himself more comfortable, sitting on the edge of his bed and leaning in closer. Sam could hear his confident heartbeat while the heart monitor gave away the shakiness of his own, jumping up and down. His palms started to sweat. Mik was always stronger, always more dominant than him and this time, Sam didn’t want to back down. He couldn’t let Mik have the upper hand. He did the worst thing a mate could ever do and Sam knew he had to stand his ground and not give in.

A minute passed. Sam’s eyes began to water. His nerves started to twitch and tremble. His breaths came in short quick gasps while Mik was still as calm as ever. Dammit!

“Go away.” Even his voice lost its strength and confidence and trembled under the strength and pressure that Mik had.

“Never.”

“Why?”

“Because that would be the second biggest mistake of my life.”

Cracking, Sam closed his eyes, clenching his eyelids together tight, begging himself not to cry.

“I’m sorry, Sam.” The words hung heavy and burdened in the air between them.

“Sorry doesn’t cut it.”

Don’t cry. Be strong. Don’t let him see how much it hurts.

“I know. But I’m going to make it up to you. I promise. I hope one day, you can forgive me.”

Don’t cry. Don’t give in. Don’t cry.

Emotions betrayed him, seeping out from his eyes and trickling down his cheeks. His heart ached. Every part of his body ached. It hurt to breathe, to gather the air into his lungs that felt too big for his chest. He took in a shuddering breath and wheezed it out. Tears turned to wracking sobs and all he wanted was to be held and soothed—but not by Mik.

“L-Luna,” he sobbed out. “Luna!”

Mik pressed a tissue to his cheek as the door opened and she came in. Her scent lifted the weight on his chest a bit, knowing that she was here and had just been waiting for him to call her in.

A rumble of discontent emitted and shifted backward, but Sam ignored it. He tried to reach up to wrap his arms around her, but he didn’t have the strength. He didn’t even have the strength to lean forward and rest his head on her shoulder. He cried harder at his inability to reach her while she held him, smoothing her hand over his hair and cooing to him, telling him he would be okay.

It took several minutes for him to settle down. She wiped his tears and helped him to blow his nose, telling him over and over that he would be okay.

He didn’t know how anything would be okay now. He tried so hard to make it work with Mik, but in the end, it wasn’t enough. He would never be enough.

“Make him go away,” he pleaded to Luna softly, her head next to his. “Please.”

“I told you, Sam. I’m not leaving.”

The finality in Mik’s voice irked him, scraping against Sam’s spine. Why was he even there in the first place? After everything he had done, why?

“Leave! Go!” Sam shouted. “I don’t want you here!”

“Outside, Mikwam,” Alpha commanded.

Sam couldn’t see them over Luna’s shoulder and he didn’t want to.

Snarls and growls rumbled out.

Sam’s fingers curled to form fists as fresh tears dribbled down.

“I told you, I’m not going without a fight,” Mik spat.

“Take him outside,” Luna ordered, doing her best to shield Sam and comfort him at the same time.

“No!” Mik snarled, his voice grizzled, morphing with the threat of an impending shift. “I’m not going anywhere without a fight!”

Snarls cut through the room. The crick-crack of bones shifting and repositioning themselves quickly. Claws scraping against linoleum. A thump against the wall. Scuffling. Claws and teeth ripping flesh. Blood spurting and splattering.

The door thrust open and the snarling left the room. Sam could still hear the battle on the other side, growing more vicious. Beds banging against walls. Roars of rage—or pain, Sam couldn’t be sure, but he struggled to breathe.

“He’s fighting for you, Sam. But he’s no match against Alpha,” Luna told him gently, still holding him and not letting go.

He didn’t want her to. He felt his world was tipping over again and he couldn’t get a hold of himself.

Like he was standing on the cliff again, overlooking the wonder and beauty of the water and sky beyond. To jump or not? To give up or try again? Try something different? How could he face a world where even his mate didn’t want him?

He slipped when he heard someone cry out his name. The world tipped on its axis. Falling.

The last thing he saw was emerald eyes staring back at him over Mik’s shoulder in a lovers’ embrace.

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