Ezra
"I don't know what you're talking about," I said quickly. My voice came out lower than I intended.
"Don't play dumb with me, omega," he said, his voice deep and unnecessarily hot.
His scent hit me harder as he inched closer to me. It was strong. I didn't like the way my body was reacting AT ALL!
"I wasn't—" I started, but he cut me off.
"It was a mistake, right?" he said. "You didn't mean to peek."
I swallowed. "It was. I didn't mean to. I didn't know anyone was here."
He took another step closer, and I instinctively stepped back. My heel brushed against the grass behind me, but I couldn't move any further without falling.
"Yes," he said slowly, "it was a mistake." His tone softened, but not in a comforting way.
"And now you're going to fix it."
"Fix it?" I repeated. "I already said I'm sorry."
He tilted his head, eyes locked on me.
"An apology isn't always enough."
"Then what do you want me to do?" I asked. My voice sounded thin even to me.
He smiled. It wasn't a kind smile. "If you don't know how you can fix this," he said, "I have a few ideas."
My stomach tightened. I hated that part of me was curious to know what those ideas were.
"Alpha Xenon," I said, forcing myself to sound calm, "I didn't mean anything by it. I swear. I just stepped out for air, and—"
"And your eyes just happened to land on me while I was half-naked, right?"
My face heated immediately. "That's not….. I wasn't looking like that."
"No?" He leaned in slightly.
"Because the way your scent spiked when you saw me says otherwise."
I froze. My scent?
He could smell that?
Of course he could. He's an alpha.
"I didn't…" I started again, but he interrupted me once more.
"You're lying," he said. "I can always tell."
He was standing dangerously close to me now and my senses were starting to feel dull. My stomach also felt unnecessarily warm too, which was a huge contrast to what I was truly feeling.
"I'm not lying," I said quietly.
His eyes flicked down to my lips for a second before returning to my face. "Then prove it."
"How?"
He smiled again, slow and deliberate.
"That's the question, isn't it?"
My throat felt dry. "You're just trying to mess with me."
He shrugged slightly. "Maybe. Or maybe I'm testing you."
"Testing me for what?"
"To see what kind of omega you really are," he said, voice low and rough.
"I don't want anything from you," I said.
"Then why are you still standing here?"
His questions came without any warning and they destabilized me.
Because he was right. I should've run the second he knew I was hiding and looking at him. But I didn't. I stood there like a fool.
"I don't owe you anything," I said quietly.
"You're in my nest," he reminded me, his voice dropping even lower. "That means you're under my rules."
I met his gaze and immediately wished I hadn't. There was heat there, not just in his eyes but in the air between us.
"What do you want from me?" I asked.
He tilted his head again, studying me. "I want you to stop pretending."
"I'm not pretending."
"Really?"
"Omega Ezra, you're quite naughty. Your scent isn't helping your argument either. "
"I can't control that," I said quickly.
He smiled faintly. "You could try harder."
"This isn't fair," I whispered.
"Life rarely is," he said simply.
For a second, we just stood there. "Your heart's racing," he murmured.
"Because you're too close," I said, my words barely above a whisper.
"Am I?" he asked, his tone almost teasing.
"Yes."
He didn't move back. Instead, he studied my face again.
"Tell me something," he said softly. "When you saw me training, what went through your head?"
I blinked. "What?"
"Don't make me repeat myself."
"I— nothing. I just… I was surprised. That's all."
He didn't look convinced. "You were staring for a long time to just be 'surprised.'"
I felt my chest tighten again. "I wasn't thinking anything bad."
He chuckled. "Bad, no. But definitely something."
I took a step back, trying to create some space between us, but his hand caught my wrist.
"Let me go," I said quietly.
"I wasn't looking at you like anything," I said through my teeth.
"Again, your scent says otherwise."
"I can't control that," I snapped. "It's not fair to use that against me."
I turned my head away, trying to ignore the way his scent clouded my thoughts. "Why are you doing this?"
He was quiet for a moment, and when he finally spoke, his voice was low and even.
"Because you shouldn't have looked."
"It was a mistake," I repeated.
"Yes," he said, "and now I'm offering you a way to fix it."
I looked up at him. "And what if I say no?"
"Then you'll leave my nest," he said, "but we both know you won't."
He said it with so much confidence, a part of me knew that there was a huge chance that he was right.
His eyes locked onto mine again.
"You have a sharp mouth, Ezra."
I frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"
He smiled faintly. "It means I know exactly what that sharp mouth of yours can do."
I didn't say anything. I couldn't. I was trying to get away from this situation but even my own mind and body was betraying me. We both knew what he meant but there was no way in hell that I'd give him the satisfaction of knowing. That's if I already haven't.
Xenon didn't say another word either. He just stood there, watching me with so much intensity, it was hard to believe this was the same Alpha that wanted to bite my head off a few hours ago.
The garden was too quiet. I could hear the sound of my heartbeat in my ears.
When he finally spoke again, his voice was softer, but no less commanding.
"Think about how you want to fix this," he said. "I'll be waiting."
Then he turned and walked back toward the training area, leaving me standing there, feeling breathless, confused, and very aware that something had just shifted between us.
And no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't shake the scent of him from my mind. What do I do? I'm alone with a disastrously hot Alpha and I'm not dumb enough to act like I don't know what he wants me to do. The big question now is, do I want to? Would he let me go if I don't?