The fire crackled, low embers casting shifting shadows along the stone walls of the Alpha's chambers. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, hands steepled beneath his chin. The memory of Elias's eyes—calm, calculating, utterly unshaken—wouldn't leave him.
He had seen men break under lesser circumstances. He had made men break.
But Elias?
He had stood there, blood on his hands, bodies at his feet, and still managed to play the part of a trembling, defenseless Omega.
It was a lie. A beautiful, convincing lie.
And the Alpha wanted to tear it apart.
A sharp knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts. He exhaled through his nose, already knowing who it was before the door creaked open.
His childhood friend stepped in, uninvited, as he always did. His smirk was lazy, his eyes far too amused. "Still thinking about him?"
The Alpha didn't answer.
He didn't need to.
His friend chuckled, leaning against the table. "You should have killed him."
The Alpha's fingers tapped idly against his knee. "Why?"
"Because he's dangerous."
"That's what makes him interesting."
"Interesting," his friend repeated, shaking his head. "That's not what I'd call it." He tilted his head. "If you let him live, you'd better make sure you know exactly what you're keeping."
The Alpha's lips curled slightly. "That's the plan."
His friend sighed. "And here I thought nothing could ever hold your interest." He pushed off the table and started toward the door. "Try not to let him kill you in your sleep."
The Alpha didn't respond.
Not because he doubted Elias's capability.
But because, for the first time in a long time, he was looking forward to seeing what the Omega would do next.
Elias's Thoughts
In the solitude of his room, Elias sat on the edge of the bed, his hands resting loosely in his lap. The guards outside his door were silent, but he knew they were there. Watching. Waiting.
His mind replayed the moment the Alpha had held his chin. The warning. The way his voice had dipped into something quiet, dangerous.
Most Alphas would have killed him for what he had done.
But this one…
This one was watching him now. Studying him.
That was more dangerous than death.
Elias closed his eyes. His heart should have been racing. His nerves should have been frayed. But they weren't.
Because for all the uncertainty, one thing was now clear.
The Alpha wasn't going to kill him.
Not yet.
And as long as Elias was breathing, he still had a chance.
A chance to escape.
A chance to uncover the truth.
A chance to win.
And he would win.
Because no matter how much the Alpha watched him…
Elias was watching him, too.