Chapter 6 : A Null in Heat

The club was loud but not loud enough to cover the sound of Jace’s heartbeat. Elias walked straight towards Jace, irritated that Jace would come to a place like this. His little innocent wolf...getting corrupted was the least thing he wanted.

“Leaving the mansion in the middle of the night, drinking questionable things in a club, and rubbing against strangers?” Elias’s voice was calm as he stopped in front of Jace. “Is this who you are now, Little Wolf?”

"No...I....I..."

Elias stepped closer, “do you even know what this place is?”

“I was just trying to clear my head,” Jace replied. “I heard others talk about it.”

“Others like you?” Elias said.

Jace looked away. “How...how did you find me?”

“I followed your scent. I always do...and your little heartbeat.” Elias’s words were simple.

Jace took a shaky step back, bumping into someone. “You can’t just stalk me...”

“You left the mansion and it was obvious cause your scent left with you. All I had to do was follow it.” Elias stepped closer. “That’s what wolves do.”

The girl who had been dancing with Jace tried to touch him again. Elias caught her wrist mid-air. “Get your filthy scent away from him...He’s done here.”

"Filthy?" She growled. One look from him and the girl backed away, confused and dazed like she'd just escaped a spell. Elias focused on Jace. “You let those females rub off their scent on you...."

Jace suddenly grabbed Elias’s arm. "You have no right to tell me who can rub their scent on me or not.”

Elias felt the touch of Jace's small hand holding on to him, teasing his skin cells. Elias only tilted his head. “You said you did’t want me to touch you. But you just touched me.”

“I didn’t...”

“You did.”

Jace quickly pulled away like he’d been burned. Elias sniffed the air again. And this time, his body reacted before his brain did. The scent wasn’t just Jace anymore. Jace's scent was overriding those female scents that rubbed on him. Elias eyes went wide in shock.

He quickly surveyed around. He could feel the thirsty predators, dominant wolfs who were unmated, restless and scent-driven. Their heart rates were spiking in excitement. Every single one of them would smell what he smelled.

Every one of them would want what he had just found.

Elias grabbed Jace’s arm. “Come with me. Now!”

“But...”

“No arguments.”

He dragged Jace out through the back exit, into the cool night air. Jace stumbled behind him, confused and overwhelmed.

“Why are you...”

“Do you even know what you’re doing?” Elias snapped, spinning him around once they reached the alleyway.

“What are you talking about?!”

“Your scent,” Elias growled. “It’s everywhere.”

“My...my scent?”

Elias stepped in, closer than close. “You smell…” Elias narrowed his eyes, though he couldn’t see. He tilted his head, breathing deeper. “Different.”

Jace stepped back, giving space. He wiped his forehead, still panting slightly. “I’m fine, sir. It was just hot in there.”

Jace wiped his forehead again, trying to avoid anything that would make Elias touch him. 

Elias stepped closer. “You’re more than hot. You’re... leaking pheromones. That club was full of Alphas. Do you know what could’ve happened if I wasn’t there?”

“I didn’t think...”

“No. You didn’t.”

Jace went silent. Elias took another step, slowly. His hand lifted, half-reaching, but stopped midair. He sniffed again, his brow arching upwards. “But you’re a Null (Servant type).  Nulls don’t have active heat cycles. Not unless...” He cut himself off.

There was no unless. Jace was a servant wolf. Low-ranked. Elias had smelled thousands like him before, they never ever went into heat. So why was this scent so...Alive?

Jace blinked. “That’s not possible. I...I don’t know what you mean.” Jace’s voice cracked. “I just felt strange, and hot, and...”

“And you decided to come here?” Elias’s jaw clenched. “Where any of them could've touched you? Claimed you?”

"Most werewolves avoid mating with Nulls...so I didn't think I would be in trouble”

Elias growled. "Asides the rules, that's because most servant types don't have enticing scents and don't have heat cycles." 

"I don't experience heat cycles." Jace got annoyed. "stop making assumptions....sir."

"Sir? " Elias stepped forward again, so close Jace had to press his back to the wall.

The scent was stronger now. Elias's wolf clawed at his chest. Touch him. Taste him. Claim him. Elias smirked, then he bent, his nose grazing Jace’s neck.

Jace gasped. “E-Elias?”

“You’re not just warm, little wolf...You’re burning.”

“I...I don’t know why...sir.”

Elias was gradually not himself anymore. His hands moved. One gripped Jace’s wrist. The other slid along his side, fingers tracing downward. 

Jace gasped again. “W-What are you doing...?”

“Testing a theory.”

“Alpha...please...get your hands off me.”

Elias’s hand pressed flat against Jace’s lower stomach. He held still, breathing hard, shaking with restraint.

“You’re swollen here,” he whispered.

“I...I don’t know what that means...”

“It means your body’s reacting to mine,” Elias said. “You’ve started your first heat... and it’s probably because of me.”

Jace turned red, from his ears down to his chest. "I'm not on heat. It's not possible. And even if it's possible, it can't be for you... for a man."

Elias giggled, taking his fingers to Jace's tits, tracing round it. Jace was trembling in his hands and he loved it. He loved the excitement and pleasure that came from it. "Little wolf...tell me you like this..."

“I don’t want this!” he cried. "I don't want you to touch me...please." Tear drops falling off his face on Elias's hand.

Elias’s hands dropped, instantly. He stepped back like he’d been slapped.

“I know,” he said quietly. “I just couldn't help myself around you.”

Jace sank to the ground, covering his face. "This is not what I want...I am not attracted to males."

"You are reacting to me though."

“I don’t understand what’s happening to me.” Jace muttered.

Elias stared down at him, fighting every instinct in his body. He then turned away, hand dragging through his hair.

Why did he always do this?

Why did he always give Jace what he wanted?

No one else got his mercy.

No one else could look at him and say “please” and have Elias listen.

Why him?

“You can’t stay here,” Elias said finally. “I have a meeting with the other Alphas tomorrow, and you’re not safe wandering around like this.”

Jace looked up.

“You’re coming back with me.”

“I don’t want to cause any more problems,” Jace whispered.

“You already have,” Elias said flatly. “Might as well let me protect the damage you’ve done.”

His words wasn’t meant to be cruel but it still hurt. Jace said nothing more. Elias turned toward the road, his voice low. “Let’s go, Little Wolf.”

Jace followed without question, while Elias was dying inside because of Jace's heightened scent. What could explain a Null having pheromones at this level if Nulls rarely have heat?