Prince of Gluttony: Born from Betrayal

It was the sun peeking through the blinds that caused Cain to stir in the morning. His entire body ached as if he had done some strenuous activity the night, especially around his hips. Slowly opening his eyes, he stared at his ceiling in confusion.

'What was that smell?'

'Why am I feeling a chill?'

'Why is my back sore?'

'Why do I feel something on my arm again?'

Those were the questions on his mind as the memories of what happened before he lost consciousness came rushing back to him. His eyes opened with a jolt as he looked down at himself. He was completely naked in his bed.

The sheets were a total mess and the culprit who had given him that elixir was nuzzling herself up in his arms without a stitch of clothing on.

Cain's heart skipped a beat as he lay frozen in place, staring at the girl nestled against him. Jayden's soft hair brushed against his bare chest with each slow breath she took. Her tail twitched faintly as if in some pleasant dream, her ears flicking once before settling again. The warmth of her body against his own made it impossible to ignore the truth of what had happened.

His mouth felt dry. He could still taste the faint traces of her on his lips. The ache in his muscles only confirmed it further.

Cain tried to move, but the slightest shift caused her to stir. Jayden mumbled something incoherent and burrowed closer, wrapping her arms tighter around him. Her face was flushed even in sleep, a small smile lingering there as if she was reliving the night in her dreams.

Cain's breathing grew shallow. The reality of her unclothed form pressed against him sent another rush of heat through his veins. He clenched his jaw, unsure whether it was guilt, satisfaction, or hunger that stirred within him.

Carefully, he tilted his head back against the pillow, staring at the ceiling again as if it could give him answers.

"What the hell did I do…" he whispered under his breath.

But his voice was barely audible, and Jayden only shifted again, sighing contentedly as if the sound comforted her.

Her ears flicked once more, and this time her eyes began to flutter open.

The first thing she did when her eyes were opened was gently squeeze Cain as if trying to rub her scent ontto him further.

Jayden blinked a few times, her jade green eyes hazy with sleep before they focused on him. A lazy, satisfied grin spread across her lips as she nestled her face against his chest, inhaling deeply.

"You smell like me now," she murmured, her voice soft but dripping with contentment. Her fingers trailed idly across his stomach, tracing the lines of his muscles as if staking her claim.

Cain stiffened beneath her touch, unsure if he should shove her away or let her linger. His mind screamed at him for answers, but his body betrayed him, shivering under her gentle caress.

"Uhh. Morning...." Cain remarked awkwardly. He didn't know what exactly he had done but he knew that they had crossed a line they both could never step back across.

Jayden stiffened with surprise, the hair on her tail bristling as she hadn't expected Cain to wake up before her. Like a robot, her head slowly swiveled around to face him. She trembled slightly as she was afraid of what he would say after having given him that elixir without telling him the whole truth about how it was also an aphrodisiac.

Her trembling grew more noticeable the longer he stayed silent. Jayden's ears drooped slightly, betraying the confident front she usually wore. For once, her playful grin faltered.

"I… didn't think you'd wake up this soon," she said softly, her voice a mixture of guilt and hesitation.

Her tail twitched nervously behind her, betraying the inner turmoil that her face tried to hide. She pressed her forehead against his chest, muffling her response.

"I'm sorry...." she mumbled

Cain's jaw tightened as he stared at the ceiling, her muffled apology sinking into his chest like a stone. He felt her words vibrate softly against his skin, and for a moment he did not know how to respond. His mind raced with questions that had no easy answers.

Jayden's arms trembled as she clung to him, waiting for the inevitable rejection she believed was coming. She drew in a shaky breath, then slowly lifted her face, her green eyes shimmering with unease.

"I shouldn't have given it to you," she whispered. "I just… I wanted you, Cain. More than I could control."

Cain turned his head and met her gaze. The raw honesty in her voice struck him harder than he expected. He wanted to be angry, to accuse her of robbing him of a choice, but the warmth of her body and the memory of their shared night twisted his emotions into knots.

"You didn't even warn me," he said quietly, his tone sharper than he intended.

Jayden flinched, her ears folding back in shame. "I know. I was scared you'd push me away if I told you everything. I was selfish."

The silence that followed stretched heavy between them. Cain searched her face, looking for some trace of malice, but all he found was fear and regret. She looked so small now, so unlike the bold, girl who had cornered him before.

Finally, he sighed, running a hand through his tangled hair.

"I know I am no saint and won't ever pretend to be one. From the moment I saw you, I thought you were beautiful. To have such a beauty want me like this is beyond flattering. To be honest, I don't think I have ever been wanted before. This may sound weird with everything that's happened but...thank you."

Jayden's eyes widened at his words. Her lips parted, but for a moment no sound came out. She had braced herself for anger, maybe even hatred, but not gratitude. Her trembling stilled as she studied his expression, searching for a hidden blade in his tone. There was none.

Tears welled at the corners of her eyes, quickly blinked away as she forced a shaky laugh. "You really are the strangest man I've ever met," she whispered. Her voice cracked with relief.

Cain shifted slightly, the ache in his muscles reminding him of the night they had shared. He still did not fully understand what it meant for either of them, but the rawness in her eyes tugged at something deep inside him. Something he thought had long been dead.

Jayden pushed herself up a little, her hair falling across her face as she looked down at him. "You don't hate me…? After everything I did?"

"Why should I? I now have a beautiful woman to call my own."

Jayden froze, her breath caught in her throat. For a heartbeat, she wasn't sure she had heard him correctly. Her eyes widened, her jade irises shimmering with disbelief, and her ears perked upright as if straining to catch his words again.

"You… what?" she whispered, almost afraid to trust what she thought she heard.

Cain turned his gaze toward her, his expression calm but firm, the faintest hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "I said… why should I hate you? I now have a beautiful woman to call my own."

Her heart thudded wildly in her chest. She had prepared herself for rejection, for cold words, for Cain to push her away entirely. But this? This admission washed over her like warmth after a long winter, melting away her fear and uncertainty.

Tears slipped down her cheeks before she could stop them, and she quickly ducked her face to hide against his chest again. Her shoulders shook as a muffled laugh escaped her, half relief, half joy. "You really don't know what you've just promised, Cain," she whispered, her voice trembling. "But I'll hold you to it. Every word."