Dominating an Alley Cat (boyxboy) ✓

Chapter Sixty One

Kerberos glared back at him, harder and meaner. A sneer on his lips. "I'm not putting him through any training." He hissed. "And don't try to tell me I don't know what that's like when I damn well do."

Both me and my brother stared at him in surprise. I watched him with big wide eyes. He didn't look at me, finishing off his sandwich without making eye contact at either of us. Leaning back against the tree he pressed the beer bottle against the bark and it popped open, seemingly pretending neither of us existed as he took a swig from the bottle and stared off into the distance.

"Kerberos..." I murmured, placing a hand on his shoulder. "What do you mean?"

He sighed. "It doesn't matter."

"It does." Elijah said, surprising me. He sat forwards.

Ker glared at him. "It's certainly none of your business."

"Ker..." I touched his arm.

Elijah watched my hand, there was something wary in his eyes, he looked like he was ready to save me from Kerberos but I didn't know why he was afraid.

"How come you let him touch you like that?"

"Why shouldn't I?" He demanded.

Elijah shifted, looking down at his sandwich and examining it. "You're the leader?" He asked, disbelievingly.

Kerberos growled so loud and low my heart jumped in my chest and I gripped his arm, feeling his anger at being questioned like that, the automatic need to prove that he was indeed in charge here.

Elijah flattened himself against the tree, swallowing. "Fine. I get it. Stop."

While I had my hand on him, waiting for the vibrations of his growl to stop after it could no longer be heard, I leaned in without thinking. I wanted to lick him, I guess because I wanted to calm him down, but it would be a lie if I didn't admit that the scent on him was calling out to me, I wanted to taste it.

I reeled back in surprise when I realised exactly what I was just about to automatically do, my face burning.

Kerberos turned to look at me, but if he knew he didn't say anything.

"Why do you doubt it?" I asked my brother, genuinely curious.

Elijah took a large bite from his sandwich, he was slow but he looked hungry. "Why do you think? Group leaders are unfriendly and power-hungry. No one gets away with acting chummy with them, they get punished no matter what kind of cat."

"In the claw you were a part of." Kerberos stated firmly.

Elijah shook his head stubbornly. "In all the groups we visited and visited us as well. You lot are miserable authoritarian dictators with the power to match. I hate it, you shouldn't be anywhere near him." He hissed, growing more angry.

Before Ker could get angry in response, and I almost saw his hackles raising in front of me, I interrupted.

"He isn't like that." I said.

"I don't believe you, you're brainwashed."

"I-"

"You think because we're having a nice little picnic here that this is any less of a trap? You think you can leave if you want to?"

I sat back, startled for a moment, I glanced at Keberos. Could I leave if I wanted to?

I'd ran away once before and he'd brought me back, but it hadn't felt... It... I swallowed down what felt like a lump of clay in my mouth.

Was I not seeing the cage because I liked what I saw beyond the bars so much? Even when I ran away I had intended on returning, but when he had chased after me... I was surprised and worried but I had been happy.