Chapter 3 - The Offer

The alley smells of wet trash and ozone.

Rain started falling in thin, cold needles, plastering my hair to my forehead, I hate it how Lucien's body blocked the rain from heating me.

I hated how safe is made me feel.

"Let go". I said keeping my voice flat.

His hand did not move, if anything his grip tightened. Just enough to remind me he could break my wrist if you wanted to.

"Three minutes ago, you would have died In there", He said quietly.

I laughed Sharp and humorless.

"And what?, you are my hero now?, please you are just scared I will tell someone what you smelled like in that ballroom.

His Jaw clenched. "I don't care about my reputation Rian".

My breath caught, he said my name like he had been holding it in his mouth for hours testing the weight of it.

I had not given him my name.

"Wrong person, I am Beta Kade', I said quickly.

"Bullshit". his eyes scanned my face stopping at the edge of my mask and pull it out, your scent is all over my security footage. Enigma, unregistered male, 24 years, you have been working under three different IDs for the last 2 years".

Of course he knew, Voss Biotech owned half the city's data grid, how could I forget that.

I try to pull away again but he did not let me.

"If the task force finds you, they will dissecct you, Enigmas don't get trials Rian, you know that".

"So why help me?, what is in it for the great Lucien Voss?'. I asked.

His gaze dropped to my lips for half a second before snapping back up, when he spoke his voice was low almost rough.

"Because you are the only person who has ever made my rut stop". he answered

The honesty of it threw me off, no lies, no manipulation, just a fact stated like it was a problem he needed to solve but I hated that it mattered.

"I am not a cure, I am not staying with you so you can use me as a walking suppressant". I said.

" I am not asking you to stay I am offering you protection, my penthouse, my security, no one touches you without my permission", he said.

He stared at me so deep as if he wanted a quick yes. " That's not protection, that's captivity". I said

"It's better than a cage'. He said.

The siren were getting closer we had seconds before the task Force swept the Alley.

I made a decision I would regret later.

"Fine, but only until the heat passes, then I am gone".

Relief flickered across his face-too fast for most people to catch but I saw it.

"Agreed'. He said.

He pulled his jacket off and draped it over my shoulders, it smelled like him Goddamn it.

"Don't run; he said as he led me out of the alley, "If you run I won't Chase, I will hunt'.

The car was waiting at the end of the Street black, armored, tinted so dark I couldn't see inside. Lucien opened the door for me like I was something fragile, I slide in without a word keeping as much distance as possible.

He did not follow immediately he stood outside speaking quietly into his phone.

"Lock down the gala, no One leaves and scrub the east wing footage, all of it.

He hung up and got in beside me, the car moved before the door fully closed, silence fill the space between us it wasn't comfortable it was heavy, charged like the air before a storm.

"You are shaking'. He said finally.

"Cold". I lied.

"You are lying'. he said.

I turned my head to glare at him.

"You know for someone who wants my help you are really bad at this; I said to him.

"At what?'.

"Not being a controlling asshole".

His mouth twitched almost a smile.

"I am not good at asking".

" Try'. He was quiet for a long time when he spoke his voice was lower and rough.

"Stay with me Rian, let me keep you safe, I won't touch you unless you want me to".

The words hit harder than they should have, no one ever offered me a choice.

I did not trust it but I did not say no.

The penthouse was beautiful and silent outside, the 88th floor stretched with floor - to - ceiling windows and white marble, not a single personal item was inside, it felt less like a home and more like a showroom.

Lucien led me to a guest room, the bed was massive, the bathroom had a shower big enough for four people.

"Clothes are in the closet eat something, sleep, we will talk in the morning". He said.

"And if I try to leave?".

His eyes darkened.

"You won't make it pass the elevator".

I almost laughed, almost.

He hesitated at the door for a second, I thought he would say something else instead he just said.

"Lock the door if it makes you feel safer".

Then he left.

I did not lock it, locking it felt like admitting I was scared, instead, I stripped out of the Beta uniform and stepped into the shower, the hot water helped with the tremors, it didn't help with the ache that had started low in my belly.

His scent was everywhere on the towels, in the air, in my head.

As an Enigma, I was supposed to be better than this, supposed to have control, but Lucien Voss was a S-class Alpha in rut and I was the only thing in the world that could calm him.

That made me dangerous and it made him dangerous to me.

I dried off quickly, putting on the clothes he had left-soft, black, too expensive, I crawled into bed and stayed at the ceiling.

Sleep did not come instead I heard a low, guttural sound from down the hall.

Lucien.

His rut was starting.