Kai's POV
The moment I crashed into his massive chest, I knew I was safe.
His thick, muscled arm locked around me instantly. The sheer weight of him was overwhelming. Heavy biceps pressed against my back and a broad chest solid enough to shield me from the entire world. When he told Alpha Knox that I was his in that deep, commanding voice, something inside me finally settled.
I had made it.
When Knox finally left, the enigma carried me bridal-style into his lair like I weighed nothing. He laid me gently on the softest bed I had ever felt, then stepped out of the room.
I was beyond exhausted, but I forced myself to sit up anyway. No matter how safe this place felt, I had learned the hard way never to let my guard down completely. If things went wrong, I needed to be ready to run again.
The air shifted the second he returned.
He was carrying a bowl of water and a towel. Only then did I truly look at him.
He was enormous, easily 6'3, with powerful, battle-hardened muscles and veins that spoke of real strength, not just gym aesthetics. His face was devastatingly handsome, but cold. Sharp eyes, arrogant brows, and a mouth that looked like it had forgotten how to smile. His mere presence filled the entire room.
He set the bowl down and sat on the edge of the bed, dangerously close.
That was when it hit me.
His scent, thick, heavy, and rut-laden pheromones, flooded my senses like a drug. My body reacted instantly. A violent wave of heat crashed through me, far too early. Slick gushed between my thighs as my temperature spiked. The pain from my wounds faded into the background as raw, aching need took its place.
Not now. Please, not now.
"How are you still able to move around in this state?" His voice was a low, smooth baritone that commanded attention without effort.
I answered his questions as carefully as I could, trying to ignore the fire spreading through my body. But when he casually said he would send me away once I recovered, my heart sank.
Of course. What else did I expect from a stranger?
Still, I told him everything, about Knox, about how my own pack had sold me, about the five years of hell.
I could have sworn his expressionless face became emotional for a brief second but the expression quickly disappeared before I could be sure.
When I finished, I took a shaky breath and looked him straight in the eyes.
"I'm sorry for crossing into your territory," I said softly, "but I didn't come here by mistake. I came here on purpose. Everyone says this land belongs to something even alphas fear. So I came straight to you for protection. Please... don't send me back."
He studied me silently while gently cleaning the blood from my neck. His touch was surprisingly careful.
"So you knew exactly whose territory you were running into?" he asked.
I nodded.
He gave a low sound, almost amused. "Brave. Or stupid. Or both."
We continued talking, and I tried my best to distract myself from the slow, rhythmic brush of his fingers on my skin. Every touch sent sparks through me.
"We haven't even introduced ourselves properly," I said, trying to smile. "I'm Kai. Kai Ashwood, an omega from the Lunar Reavers pack."
"I don't give a fuck about your name," he replied flatly. "We part ways as soon as you can stand on your own feet."
The words hurt more than they should have. I don't want him to send me back, Knox is going to come for me the moment I am outside of his protection. I needed to come up with a plan for him to let me stay.
After a few minutes of thinking, I came up with nothing, but instead of giving up, a reckless idea flashed through my mind.
What if I seduced him? What if I made him want me so badly that he wouldn't want to let me go?
It sounded insane. Looking at his cold, emotionless face, I knew it would be incredibly difficult. But I had no other choice left.
He raised an eyebrow slightly. "So you had the nerve to run straight into an enigma's lair... even while in heat?"
My stomach dropped.
He knew, he knew that his rut has triggered my heat.
"I knew it was dangerous," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. "But anything was better than going back to Alpha Knox and his ruthlessness. Anything."
He watched me closely, his expression unreadable.
"If this had been any other enigma's territory," he said, "this story would have ended very differently."
"I know," I replied. "That's exactly why I chose you. I've heard many things about you."
His eyes narrowed slightly. "Like what?"
I leaned in just a little, letting my voice drop softer.
"Well... for starters, I heard you were devastatingly handsome." I met his gaze. "But they were wrong. After seeing you in person... I don't think the English dictionary has a strong enough word to describe your handsomeness"
For a split second, the corner of his lips twitched.
It was barely there, the ghost of a smile, before it vanished completely.
But I saw it.
And for the first time since I started running, a tiny spark of real hope flickered in my chest.
