Chapter 5

Chapter 5 — SLEEP WITH AN OMEGA

Miguel’s heartbeat thundered in his ears. The air in the bathroom hung heavy, like it had turned against him. His wolf growled again, low and restless, pressing at the edges of his mind like a caged thing begging to be freed.

Then came the sound of footsteps, faint, slow and unhurried.

He thought he was imagining it until a he felt the bathroom door creaked softly. Miguel blinked hard, trying to focus, his breathing erratic.

“How…” His voice cracked, harsh and low. “The door was definitely—”

“Locked?” Caius’s tone was quiet, almost calm, but the smirk at the corner of his lips didn’t hide the weight behind his gaze. “It was.”

He stepped inside as though the heat didn’t bother him. The faint sound of water dripping from the tub punctuated the silence between them.

Miguel pressed a hand to his chest, forcing himself to breath steadily. “What are you doing here?”

“Returning something,” Caius said simply, and lowered himself to one knee before him.

Miguel’s muscles went rigid. The cold tile beneath him, the oppressive heat running under his skin, it all blurred. He could barely keep focus as Caius reached forward, retrieving the empty bottle from beside the tub. He turned it slowly in his fingers, as if studying it.

“You should be careful,” Caius murmured. “Drinking from bottles that aren’t yours.”

Miguel’s jaw tightened. “You—”

“Relax,” Caius said, cutting him off with a quiet voice that somehow still commanded the room. “It won’t kill you but your body will surely as heck burn with pleasure." He chuckled, "Taking an SSS Alpha's rutting liquid. You'll surely learn a lesson. Next time, don’t try making someone else go rut with tricks you don’t understand.”

The words slid out soft and unhurried, but they struck like claws.

Miguel’s breath hitched; anger flared through the haze, grounding him for a moment. “You think you’re clever?”

Caius tilted his head, still crouched in front of him, eyes reflecting the dim light. “No, I'm not ckever." He said calmly, "But I'm sure as hell aware of my environment unlike someone.”

Silence again, only their breathing filled the space, one uneven, one maddeningly steady.

The scent of Miguel's pheromones were damn Scentsy for an alpha, he smelled of peach blossom. Caius’s gaze flicked briefly over Miguel’s flushed skin, then back up to his face. “It burns, doesn’t it?”

Miguel’s throat worked. “What the hell did you—”

“I didn’t,” Caius interrupted, standing slowly. “You did.” He placed the bottle on the edge of the sink with a calm demeanor, his smirk fading into something unreadable. “I just let you drink what you prepared.”

Miguel’s wolf roared inside him, furious and humiliated. His fists clenched against the tiles of the bathtub. He wanted to lunge, to demand answers, but his body refused to move.

Caius stepped back, hands slipping into his pockets. “Don’t worry,” he said quietly. “It’ll wear off soon.”

He turned toward the door, but stopped just before stepping out. His voice dropped, almost too soft to hear over Miguel’s uneven breathing.

“Next time,” he said, glancing back with that same faint smirk, “try something secretive."

He turned to leave, but before he could take a step, Miguel’s hand shot out and gripped his legs. His palm was trembling, his skin slick with sweat.

“Wait,” Miguel said through uneven breaths. “Help me please. I’ll give you anything you want, I would make sure to do anything you want if you keep this a secret."

Caius blinked once, expression unreadable. “Anything?” He asked his mind racing with one thought.

Miguel nodded, the heat crawling under his skin almost unbearable. His voice broke. “I can’t bear it anymore, it won’t stop.”

Caius studied him for a moment, quiet, before saying flatly, “There’s a solution.”

Miguel’s head jerked up. “What is it?”

“Sleep with an omega,” Caius said simply. “That should calm your system.”

Miguel flinched, shaking his head hard. “No— I can’t. My father hasn’t passed the title yet. An alpha can’t have a child with an omega he isn’t mated to.”

Caius tilted his head slightly, bending down to Miguel's length. “Then do it with a boy,” he said, voice calm as though discussing the weather. “Maybe Dax or even Ash. I can help call them if you want.”

Miguel’s face twisted, panic flashing through his eyes. “No, they’re homophobes!” he blurted out instinctively, his voice cracking with a mix of anger and desperation.

Caius’s expression didn’t change. “Then leave it be,” he said coolly. “You can suffer it, it would wear off when it wants to.”

He turned, ready to walk away.

But before he could take another step, Miguel’s fingers clung onto his sleeve this time. His body trembling. The air between them grew thick, charged. Instinct overrode thought, his scent faintly slipped, brushing against Caius like a fevered pulse. Caius suprisenly scent was suiting Miguel down but it didn't still help.

“Please…” Miguel breathed

, voice breaking into a whisper. His eyes lifted, desperate, hazy. “Please…”