Chapter 3
Elliot
The blood drained from my face, leaving me cold and clammy. I never thought I would hear something like that.
Connected to my father? Sharing mutual interests with that wolf? It was a chilling prospect, far more terrifying than the initial chase through the forest. My entire life had been a carefully constructed lie, a shield against the world's harsh realities. And now, that shield was shattered.
I had no protection. I had to protect myself.
"What kind of interests?" I managed to choke out. I really didn't want to say anything, but still had to. The words tasted like ash in my mouth.
The wolf chuckled, a low rumble that seemed to vibrate through the very ground beneath me. "Those are questions best left unasked, Elliot." He paused, and for a moment, I thought he was going to drop it, let me wallow in my despair. Instead, he continued, "But since you're so curious…"
"My name is Damon Vexley." The words were deliberate, formal, contrasting with the predatory growl that had accompanied them earlier. Then, with a sudden ripple, a shimmering distortion filled the air around him. I gasped, instinctively recoiling as the wolf began to… unravel.
The transformation was breathtaking, mesmerizing, and deeply unsettling all at once. The massive form of the wolf seemed to compress, bones shifting and reforming, fur receding into the skin, muscles reshaping themselves with an almost agonizing fluidity. It happened quickly, yet felt like an eternity stretched thin. I thought I would never see such a thing.
And then, he was human. Standing before me, fully naked, his skin gleaming in the dappled sunlight filtering through the trees.
I stared, dumbfounded, unable to process what I was seeing. He was even more imposing as a man than he had been as a wolf. Taller, broader, with a presence that seemed to fill the entire clearing. His ice-blue eyes, now unmasked by the fur, held a potent intensity that made it difficult to breathe.
He didn't move, didn't flinch at my stunned silence. He simply stood there, naked and unapologetic, radiating an aura of absolute confidence. It was disorienting.
I was pretty sure he was enjoying my reaction. Given the way he was looking at me, there was no reason to think differently.
My breath hitched in my throat, a nervous flutter in my chest escalating into something else entirely. I hadn't expected this. Not this. The sheer audacity of it, the blatant disregard for how I might feel. It was both shocking and strangely exhilarating.
I quickly averted my eyes, my cheeks burning with a mixture of embarrassment and an unwelcome, burgeoning arousal. "You… you can shift?" I stammered, the question sounding ridiculously inadequate even to my own ears.
I mean, yeah, of course he could shift. Why did I even ask that question? I was so stupid.
A slow, predatory smile curved his lips, revealing a flash of white teeth against his tanned skin. "I can, yeah," he replied, his voice now deeper, richer, infused with an undeniable sensuality. He took a step closer, closing the distance between us. My heart pounded against my ribs like a trapped bird.
"It's a rather useful skill," he continued. "Especially when one has… business to conduct." He paused, letting his gaze trail down my body and back up again. The blatant assessment made me acutely aware of every inch of my own skin. "And you, Elliot Hayes, appear to be rather central to that business."
I swallowed hard, struggling to regain control of my racing thoughts. "What… what do you want from me?" I repeated, the question feeling weak and inadequate even as it left my lips.
He took another step closer, invading my personal space. The scent of his skin, clean and musky, filled my senses, almost overwhelming. "Because you are mine. You are in my territory, so you're mine now."
"Mine?" I repeated, the word tasting like defiance on my tongue. "I'm not an object to be claimed, Damon. I'm a person."
His smile widened, revealing a hint of predatory amusement. "A very appealing one," he murmured, his eyes raking over my face. "And quite valuable." Valuable? I asked, wondering what he meant by that. He took another step closer, until I could feel the warmth radiating from his skin. "You are in my care now."
I bristled, pushing back against his dominance, despite the unsettling flutter in my stomach. "I don't need your care. And I certainly don't belong to you."
He chuckled softly, a low rumble in his chest. "Oh, but you do. You just haven't accepted it yet." He paused, letting the words hang in the air before adding with a playful smirk, "It will come to you."
No, it will never come to me, and even though I wanted to say that right to his face, I knew it wouldn't make a difference.
My gaze flickered downwards, drawn against my will. A completely involuntary reaction, I swear. It was like my eyes had a mind of their own. And suddenly, all coherent thought seemed to evaporate from my brain. I literally could not think.
His… anatomy… was rather impressive. I mean, really impressive. I'd never seen anything quite like it, even in the most lurid of romantic novels I'd devoured when I was younger. It was… substantial. Very substantial. Hanging there, fully exposed, surprisingly pale against his tanned skin. Even flaccid, it possessed a certain undeniable presence.
Even though I knew it was wrong, I wanted all of it. Every single inch.
I quickly snapped my eyes back up to meet his, mortified. My cheeks burned with a furious blush. Oh god. I can't believe I just did that. I felt like the most foolish, inexperienced omega in existence.
Because now… Now he was going to take advantage of my mistake.
He was watching me, of course. And not with surprise or confusion, but with a slow, deliberate amusement that sent a fresh wave of heat surging through my veins. A corner of his mouth lifted in a knowing smirk. He knew I'd been staring. How could I be so stupid?
"Interesting, isn't it?" He drawled, winking slowly. "Most omegas find themselves… captivated."
I sputtered, desperately trying to regain some semblance of composure. "I was not… I wasn't looking," I stammered, the words sounding feeble even to my own ears. "It's just… you're naked! And… and big!" The last word escaped in a mortified whisper. I should not have said it.
He threw his head back and laughed, a rich, throaty sound that resonated through the clearing. It wasn't a mocking laugh, not entirely. It was… appreciative. And somehow, incredibly infuriating. "Big, you say?" He teased, wiping a stray tear from his eye. "I suppose it is rather hard to miss."
The laughter subsided, leaving a comfortable silence in its wake. His eyes softened slightly, the predatory gleam receding to reveal a hint of something else—a flicker of genuine amusement, perhaps even… kindness? It was fleeting, quickly masked by his usual aura of dominance, but I caught it nonetheless, and I didn't know what it meant.
"Look," I said, attempting a more serious tone. "This is insane. I need to go. I need to find somewhere safe."
He raised an eyebrow, a hint of challenge in his eyes. "Safe? From what, Elliot? From me?" He took another step closer, closing the distance until I could feel his breath warm against my skin. "You're not going anywhere."
"Don't be ridiculous," I retorted, trying to maintain a facade of defiance. "I'm not a prisoner." Or at least, that was what I thought.
He simply ignored my protestations, reaching out with a hand that seemed impossibly large, impossibly calloused. It enveloped my own, dwarfing it completely. The difference in size was startling—his hand rough and weathered, mine soft and slender. A jolt of unexpected sensation ran up my arm, a strange combination of nervousness and… something else. Something I didn't quite understand.
He squeezed gently, commanding without saying anything, and pulled me to my feet. My legs were shaky, protesting the sudden movement, but he steadied me with a surprising gentleness.
I hadn't put up much of a fight, I realized with a touch of shame. Perhaps it was the exhaustion, perhaps the lingering fear, or perhaps something else entirely. There was something undeniably compelling about his dominance, his raw power. A strange sort of security in being completely controlled.
"Where are we going?" I asked, my voice barely audible. He didn't answer verbally, just turned and began walking deeper into the forest, setting a brisk pace. I followed, reluctantly at first, then with a growing sense of inevitability.
"You're awfully quiet," Damon commented after a few minutes of silence. His voice was low and resonant, easily carrying through the dense undergrowth. "Most people have a lot to say when they're being escorted against their will."
"I'm processing," I replied defensively. "It's a bit difficult to engage in witty banter when you've just been abducted by a naked wolf-shifter."
He chuckled, the sound warm and surprisingly pleasant. "Abducted? That's hardly fair. More like rescued, I think."
"Rescued from what?" I retorted, rolling my eyes. "My perfectly normal, albeit slightly chaotic, life?"
"From yourself," he countered. "You were running blind, Elliot. Headlong into oblivion."
What was he talking about? He didn't know anything about me. He might know my name and about my father, but who I really was? That he didn't know anything about.
I stopped walking abruptly, turning to face him. "And you think you have a better plan for me?"
I was just curious what he might say as an answer.
He shrugged, a gesture that was both casual and dismissive. "Let's just say I have resources. Connections. And a distinct lack of patience for pointless wandering."
And pointless wandering wasn't what we were doing in that moment?
"So, what? I'm your new pet project now?" I asked, holding back a chuckle.
"Something like that," he agreed, resuming his walk. "A fascinating one. Besides, it's not every day an omega wanders into Nightshade territory."
I frowned. "The Nightshade… is that what you call your operation?"
"A family business," he corrected smoothly. "Generations in the making." He paused, glancing at me over his shoulder. "We're involved in various ventures. Let's just say we have a hand in keeping things running smoothly."
"And what exactly does that involve?" I pressed, my curiosity overriding my apprehension.
He considered for a moment before replying. "Maintaining order. Protecting our interests. Ensuring the stability of the region." It was vague, evasive, but I suspected he wasn't lying. Not entirely, at least, and he was doing it on purpose.
"So you're… criminals?" I blurted out, regretting the question as soon as it left my lips.
I hadn't heard anything about the Nightshade, or whatever his group was called.
He let out a soft laugh, shaking his head. "We prefer the term 'entrepreneurs,' Elliot. With a certain… flair for efficiency." He paused. "Don't worry your pretty little head about it. You won't be expected to participate in anything unsavory."
"I don't want to participate in anything!" I exclaimed, my voice rising slightly. "I just want to go home!"
"Home is where you are," he replied, his tone shifting to something softer, more persuasive. "And right now, home is with me." He paused, then added with a playful smirk, "Besides, your father will be quite relieved to know you're safe and sound."
I did not want to see my father.