✦ Chapter 05 ✦
Elian's lips parted in shock as he met those golden eyes — sharp and unwavering, burning through him like sunlight striking frozen glass. His throat tightened, words tangling before they could escape.
"I'm… not hiding anything," he managed, the tremor in his voice betraying him.
Warm fingers tilted his chin upward. The Alpha's touch was firm, inescapable — his skin radiated quiet authority. Elian's breath caught when those eyes, bright as molten gold, bore into his own violet gaze.
"That had better be true," the Alpha said, his voice a low rumble edged with frost. "Because if you're lying, I'll kill you myself."
The words slid through Elian like a blade wrapped in silk. His pulse thundered, his body trembling under the pressure of that stare. The Alpha's hand fell from his cheek but didn't release him entirely — instead, it closed around his wrist, steady and possessive.
"You're coming with me."
Elian froze. Every instinct screamed to run, yet he knew he couldn't. To refuse meant death; to obey might mean something worse. His heart drummed helplessly as he followed, his wrist caught in that unyielding grip.
The Alpha moved with effortless authority, his long white hair flowing down his back, bound by a gold clasp that shimmered in the early light. Elian barely noticed the two betas exchanging startled looks behind them; he only saw the commanding figure before him and felt the weight of invisible chains tightening around his chest.
They stopped before a vast mansion, its stone walls veiled in ivy and rows of blooming flowers that perfumed the air. Elian's eyes widened — the sight was too serene for someone so cold.
Who was this Alpha?
"Can we take our leave, Alpha?" one of the betas asked, his tone respectful, almost cautious.
The Alpha gave a brief nod, a soft hum escaping him. The betas bowed and withdrew, leaving Elian alone under the heavy silence.
Why did they bow? he wondered, but he didn't dare speak.
The gates opened. The Alpha's hand still circled his wrist as he led Elian inside. The house was vast and bright, filled with sunlight spilling across marble floors and vases of fresh lilies. Yet beneath the beauty lingered tension — servants stopped mid-step to stare, their eyes sharp with judgment. Elian felt each look like a blade against his skin and dropped his gaze to the ground.
"Lucien, you're finally here."
The new voice was clear and cool. Elian's head snapped up. At the top of the staircase stood a woman with long white hair that shimmered like frost under gold light. Her eyes — the same deep gold as the Alpha's — locked on him, hard and assessing.
She looked like him. She was him — in a softer, crueler mirror.
An icy smile ghosted over her lips. "An omega? Really, Lucien?"
Elian's stomach twisted. He wanted to speak, to explain, but Lucien's expression didn't change. His face remained carved in stone, his silence more commanding than words.
The air shifted. A sharp, spicy scent filled the space — oak and vanilla, dark and heavy. Pheromones. The woman's presence pressed down on the room, her aura unmistakably Alpha. Elian's knees weakened under the weight.
She approached Lucien slowly, her golden eyes flashing. "You brought a male omega into your home?" Her tone was sharp, but underneath it trembled something like disbelief.
Lucien exhaled quietly, pinching the bridge of his nose. "He's not an omega."
Her gaze darted to Elian, suspicious. "Then what is he? No beta has violet eyes — even among Alphas, it's rare."
Her voice rose, echoing through the hall. Lucien's eyes narrowed. "Then smell his pheromones," he said coldly.
The woman's lips thinned. She stepped closer until her breath brushed Elian's neck. He froze, every muscle tight, waiting for her judgment.
A second later, she pulled back, her face paling. "Impossible… how?"
Her shock made Lucien's lips curve — not into warmth, but a cold, knowing smirk. "Exactly. He's not an omega."
Vynn's eyes darted between them. "You're lying. No beta looks like this. No beta smells like that." Her voice cracked slightly, trembling with frustration.
"Enough, Vynn." Lucien's tone turned to steel. "Leave."
Her jaw clenched, gold eyes blazing. "As the next leader of this pack, I will not stand by and watch you—"
"Which pack, Vynn?" Lucien interrupted softly, but his words cut deep. "The only one you'll rule is the one you're married off to."
Her breath hitched. "Lucien, I'm older than you. I should be the next leader!" The rage in her voice trembled on the edge of desperation, but Lucien's smile didn't reach his eyes.
"Then tell that to your parents."
The air fell heavy between them. For a moment, neither spoke. Then Vynn's hand lifted, trembling, and she pointed at Elian, fury twisting her beautiful features.
"And you — I'll find your secret, mark my words."
Lucien didn't flinch. "Worry about yourself, sister. He's not your concern. He's mine."
Vynn's lips parted, but no sound came. Her anger simmered in silence before she turned sharply and stormed away, her scent fading from the hall.
Elian stood frozen, his heart pounding in his chest. He looked at Lucien — at the calm, dangerous stillness in his golden eyes — and realized with a chill that this was the most frightening Alpha he had ever met.
✦ End Of Chapter ✦