Chapter 2 Chapter 2

E L A R A

My hand flew to my cheek, and I stumbled back, my breath shaking. Shame and fear hit me all at once, hot and cold in the same breath. I wanted to explain, to tell her I hadn’t meant to, that it had just happened, but the words stuck in my throat. My eyes stung, not from the slap, but from humiliation.

I heard movement behind her, a low, rumbling growl that silenced the air.

“Enough, Sera.”

His voice was deep, rough, and it vibrated through me like thunder. The woman, Sera, I supposed froze instantly. The anger drained from her face, replaced by obedience. She bowed her head slightly, then stepped aside, her jaw tight.

Now it was just him and me.

Kane rose slowly from his throne. He was even taller than I had imagined, his presence filling the room so completely it was hard to breathe. Every movement was deliberate, predatory like a wolf circling something fragile. His eyes locked on me, and even though I tried to look down, I could feel them, feel him, everywhere.

When he finally spoke again, his tone was calm, but there was a sharpness beneath it that made me flinch.

“And why are you here, lowly omega?” His voice rolled over me, deep and dangerous, but there was a strange curiosity in it too. “I’ve been told, of course, but I would love to hear it from your own mouth.”

My stomach twisted, and my palms went clammy. Every nerve in my body screamed at me to run, to hide, but I couldn’t. Luca needed me. I had to be strong, no matter how terrified I was.

“I… I need your help, Alpha,” I stuttered, my voice trembling despite my best effort. “My son… he’s sick. I went to the council, but no one would help. The doctor… he said if I don’t pay for the treatment, Luca… he’ll die. Please. I have nowhere else to go.”

His gaze didn’t move from me. I felt it like fire burning across my skin, weighing me down, probing for every lie, every weakness. The silence stretched on, long and suffocating, and my pulse raced so fast I thought it might betray me.

Finally, he spoke again. “And what,” he asked, his tone sharp but controlled, “are you offering me for this help?”

Heat flamed through me, and I felt my cheeks burn. I lowered my eyes immediately, bowing my head as far as I could, stretching my forehead almost to the floor, trying to make myself smaller, invisible. “I… I brought some money, Alpha,” I whispered, my voice shaking. “It’s little, I know… but I will pay back every penny, bit by bit. I promise.”

A soft, almost cruel chuckle drifted through the room.

Sera.

I froze, my stomach twisting. The sound made my cheeks heat even more. I could feel her eyes on me, sharp and amused, mocking the desperation I had worked so hard to hide.

I didn’t dare look up. I couldn’t. My hands gripped the envelope so tightly I thought it might tear. My heart thudded in my chest like it would burst, and I prayed silently that Kane didn’t see my fear, that he might care more about my words than my trembling body.

Kane’s voice cut through the silence again. “Is that all you have to offer?”

The question made my chest tighten. My lips parted, but no words came out at first. My throat was dry, my heart pounding so loudly it drowned out everything else. I wanted to say yes, that the money was all I had but I saw the faint smirk tug at his lips, the sharp glint in his eyes, and I knew that wasn’t the answer he wanted.

Desperation made me speak before I could think. “I… I will offer anything you demand,” I said quickly, the words tumbling out of me in a rush.

The moment I said them, I froze. Why did I just say that? My stomach twisted painfully as the meaning sank in. I wanted to take the words back, to swallow them before they reached his ears. But it was too late. They hung in the air between us, heavy and binding, and I could feel Sera’s quiet amusement from the corner of the room.

Kane moved.

He didn’t rush, he didn’t have to. Each step he took toward me felt like thunder rolling across the ground. The air seemed to thicken, pressing against my skin, making it harder to breathe. I stayed still, my body trembling despite how hard I tried to stay composed.

When he stopped in front of me, I could feel the heat of his body, the scent of something wild and dark filling my lungs. His shadow fell over me completely.

Then his hand came forward, slow but deliberate. Rough, warm fingers caught my chin, tilting it upward until my eyes met his. The touch sent a shiver racing down my spine.

“Careful what you offer,” he said softly, his voice a low rumble that seemed to vibrate through my bones. “I take great pleasure in taking.”

I swallowed hard, the sound loud in the stillness between us. My heartbeat painfully against my ribs. His words echoed in my head, each one laced with something dangerous, something that both frightened and trapped me.

My lips parted, but no sound came out. His gaze held mine, deep and golden, and for a heartbeat I forgot to breathe.

Kane’s golden eyes held mine for a long moment, unblinking, as if weighing every fiber of me, every thought racing through my panicked mind. My stomach coiled tighter, fear and something else I couldn’t name twisting together.

A slow, predatory smile curved on his lips gesturing lazily toward the envelope still clutched in my white-knuckled grip. “The money? Keep it. It's an insult to even bring it here.” His tone sharpened, brooking no argument. “There is only one request I have. And you said you will offer anything.”

I blinked, my pulse spiking. One request… one? That’s it? My mind raced through possibilities, each more terrifying than the last. I swallowed, nodding slowly, my voice caught somewhere between obedience and dread. “Y-yes… anything,” I whispered, my hands tightening on the envelope.

His eyes darkened, pupils swallowing the gold as he leaned in closer, his breath warm against my ear. “Strip,” he commanded, the word simple, unyielding, like an order etched in stone. “Show me how much you need my help. Every last piece.”

The word hit me like a hammer. My eyes widened, and I froze, my brain trying to catch up with the meaning of what he’d just said. Strip? My hands instinctively clutched the envelope tighter, as if it could shield me from this impossible demand.