Broken Bond: Claimed by My Ex-Husband's Alpha Billionaire Uncle-Chapter 126: When The Rut Begins

Damon’s rut cycle hadn’t kicked in yet on their first day at the villa, so the two of them spent the time wrapped up in a blanket and curled together on the couch.

They played a TV series they’d both been meaning to see, a kind of cozy moment they rarely got to enjoy with how busy life usually was.

"You know ..." Charlotte began, resting her head on Damon’s shoulder, her voice soft with a hint of mischief, "there’s something that always bothers me when watching movies like this."

Damon, sipping his soda with a relaxed sigh, replied in a lazy tone, "Like what?"

Charlotte pointed at the screen. "Like this movie, for example. Why do werewolves always have to be compared to vampires? And why do we always end up being the weaker ones?"

She started gesturing more as she spoke, clearly annoyed. "I mean, sure, vampires live forever, but we live a long time too. And honestly, who even wants to live forever? That sounds exhausting."

Damon chuckled, setting his drink down. "Wouldn’t it be nice though? Living forever ... together?"

Charlotte chuckled, nudging him with her elbow. "You’d get bored of me."

"Nonsense," Damon replied instantly, tightening his arm around her. "I could never get bored of you."

Charlotte shifted, turning to face him. She gently brushed his hair back, wanting to see his face more clearly. "But isn’t it also beautiful to live and die together? Life would feel more meaningful when we know it won’t last forever."

Damon stared at her for a moment. "I get what you mean," he said after a pause. "Knowing our time is limited ... maybe it makes every second matter more."

Charlotte nodded slowly. "Exactly. We wouldn’t take each other for granted. Every laugh, every fight, every kiss, all of them would be more meaningful."

They gazed at each other for a long time before Damon moved first.

He leaned in and kissed her gently, his hand cradling the back of her head as he pulled her closer. The warmth of his lips, the familiar scent of his skin, the way he held her like she was something precious, it all made her chest ache.

Charlotte melted into the kiss, her fingers gripping the front of his shirt, anchoring herself to the moment.

They didn’t take things too far that night since they wanted to save their energy for the real "big deal" when Damon’s rut cycle actually began.

But just because his rut hadn’t started yet didn’t mean they couldn’t enjoy the little things like kissing, cuddling, holding each other for as long as they wanted.

In fact, Damon couldn’t seem to stop kissing her.

He kissed her the moment they stepped into the villa.

He kissed her while she was peeling fruit in the kitchen, gently brushing her hair aside to press a kiss to her neck.

He kissed her while she was unpacking their luggage, sneaking up behind her just to steal a quick peck on the cheek.

And he even kissed her when she was on the phone with the film director earlier, discussing something serious and work-related, but Damon didn’t seem to care.

Now, even while they were watching TV, he couldn’t keep his lips off her.

Charlotte tried to focus on the screen, but Damon’s mouth kept brushing against her temple, her cheek, the corner of her lips, until she finally gave up and climbed onto his lap, letting him kiss her more easily.

"You’re hopeless," she said with a laugh, her hands resting on his chest. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

"I told you," Damon whispered against her lips. "I’m not easy to handle during my rut cycle."

Charlotte rolled her eyes, though her smile gave her away. "It hasn’t even started yet."

"Then think of this as a warm-up," he said, pulling her in for another kiss.

The movie kept playing, but neither of them remembered what it was about. At that point, the only thing they were watching was each other.

Eventually, wrapped in each other’s arms and buried under the blanket, they drifted off to sleep right there on the couch.

The night passed quietly ... at least for a while.

By morning, something had happened.

Charlotte stirred first, stretching gently as the early morning light peeked through the curtains. She blinked several times and reached out for Damon, only to find the space beside her empty.

"Damon?" she mumbled, sitting up slowly.

She looked around until she suddenly heard a low, guttural growl.

Her body froze and quickly threw off the blanket and looked over the edge of the couch.

That’s when she saw him.

Damon was kneeling on the floor, one hand gripping his shoulder, his breathing shallow and rough. His shirt was damp with sweat, and the air was thick with a musky scent.

His pheromones were everywhere.

His rut cycle had finally started.

"Damon!" Charlotte gasped, scrambling off the couch and dropping to her knees beside him. "Hey, hey, look at me. Are you okay?"

He clenched his jaw, his whole body tense as he tried to hold himself together. "It’s ... starting," he ground out. "It hurts ... more than I remember."

Charlotte cupped his face with both hands, gently making him meet her eyes. "It’s okay. I’m here. You’re not alone this time."

This was his first rut cycle since having a mate and it was only natural that everything felt more intense, more overwhelming than anything he’d ever been through.

If Charlotte hadn’t come with him ...

If she hadn’t insisted on staying by his side ... Damon might’ve been trapped in this unbearable state for days, maybe even weeks.

Alone. Suffering. Consumed by the fire burning in his blood.

"Help me ... Charlotte," he groaned, reaching for her with trembling hands.

His pheromones thickened with every breath, flooding the room with heat and aching desire. The air felt heavy, almost too thick to breathe.

Charlotte’s body reacted instantly. Her skin burned, her heartbeat quickened, and her thoughts started to blur. His scent wasn’t just intoxicating.

It was made for her.

It was calling to her.

"I’m here," she whispered, wrapping her arms around him. "I’m right here, Damon."