Elias sat by Lila's hospital bed, the soft beeping of her heart monitor filling the quiet room. His sister's face was pale, her body still under the thin blanket. He held her hand, his fingers shaky as he kissed it gently.
"I met the boss, Lila," he whispered, his voice soft. "Viktor Drago. He's scary as hell. He also put a gun to my head last night. The twins are wild, but they love him. I'm gonna keep you safe, no matter what." His throat tightened, thinking of the mafia mansion and his hectic job. He sighed repeatedly and immediately straightened up when he heard footsteps approaching.
A nurse appeared at the door, her smile was professional but warm. "Mr. Kane? Dr. Hargrove wants to see you. It's about your sister."
Elias's stomach dropped, his face paling. "Is she okay?" he asked, standing too fast, his legs unsteady from exhaustion.
"She's stable," the nurse said. "He just needs to talk. Follow me."
Elias nodded, leaving behind the daisy he'd brought for Lila close to her bed. The nurse led him down a quiet hallway, far from the hospital's main bustle.
The walls were bare, the lights dim, like this wing was cut off from the rest of the world. She stopped at an unmarked door with a small nameplate: Dr. Hargrove. "He's inside. Good luck," she said, then left.
Elias hesitated, his heart racing.
'Why was the office so hidden?' He knocked, and a smooth voice called, "Come in."
Inside, a pale man with glasses sat behind a desk, with a wide smile on his wrinkled face. The air was heavy with his Alpha Pheromones... cloying, like rotting fruit.
Elias fidgeted, twisting his fingers.
"Hi, Dr. Hargrove," he said, his voice small. "What's going on with Lila?"
Hargrove stood, rubbing his hands together. "Elias, right? Sit. Sit." He gestured to a chair, his eyes glinting. Elias sat, his skin crawling as the doctor leaned closer. "You look tired. You must be working too hard, huh? Caring for your sick sister?"
Elias frowned, impatient. "Please, just tell me about my sister."
Hargrove laughed, a soft, creepy sound. "Straight to the point. I like that." He paced, his pheromones stronger now, making Elias's head spin. "Lila's condition is the same, but her bills are piling up. The hospital's getting pushy. If you don't pay soon, we might have to... rethink her care."
Elias's breath caught, sweat beading on his forehead. "Rethink? You mean she could die?" His voice broke, his hands trembling. "Please, give me a few days... no, a few weeks. My new job pays well. I'll get the money."
Hargrove stepped closer, his hand landing on Elias's shoulder. "Calm down, kid. We'll figure something out." His tone was too slick, and before Elias could move, Hargrove's arms wrapped around him, pulling him close. The doctor's lips pressed against Elias's neck, a low moan escaping as he rubbed himself against him.
Elias froze, panic surging through his body. He shoved Hargrove back, stumbling to his feet. A red mark burned on his neck, stinging.
"What the hell?" he shouted, his voice shaking. "Why would you do that?"
Hargrove smirked, adjusting his glasses, his hand lingering on his crotch. "I knew it! I was fucking right! I know what you are, Elias. You're a dominant omega, hiding as a recessive one. I never thought I'd see a rare and irresistible one." He licked his lips, stepping closer. "Here's a deal, Elias. Become mine, and I'll pay all of Lila's bills. Every cent."
Elias's blood ran cold. He never thought someone would figure out his secret. It's not like he wanted to live like this but who would believe he's a Dominant omega with his weak ass body.
Dominant omegas were one in a million, their scents driving alphas wild. Of course, he'd spent his life hiding it, doubling up on pills to stay safe so he won't be captured or something.
"I'm not interested in you and your deal," he said, backing toward the door. He grabbed the handle, but it was locked.
Hargrove's smile widened. "You must agree to my terms, or you're not leaving."
Elias's heart pounded, but anger overtook fear. Lila needed him, not this creep. He kicked the door hard, the lock splintering, and stormed out.
Hargrove's voice followed, low and chilling. "I don't give up on omegas like you, Elias. I must have you before others find out,"
.
Elias took a cab back to the Drago estate, his skin crawling with Hargrove's scent. It clung to him, sour and wrong. It was nothing like Viktor's smoky cedar that had stirred him last night.
He shook his head, shoving the thought away.
'Why the hell am I thinking about Master?' He slapped his cheeks till they turned red.
He knew he was safe because his body wouldn't react to Hargrove's or other Alpha's Pheromones. Dominant omegas only responded to Alphas they instinctively trusted, and Hargrove was a predator. But Viktor... Elias blushed, hating himself for even thinking about it.
'Not again!'
.
He slipped through the mansion's gates, breathless and dishevelled, his hand covering the mark on his neck. Gerald was waiting in the hall, his face stern. "Elias," he said, his voice low. "The master wants you in his room. Now."
Elias's stomach twisted. "Did I do something wrong?" he asked, his voice shaky.
Gerald hesitated, his eyes softening. "God, I hope not. Just go. And... good luck."
Elias nodded, his heart racing. He rushed to his room, showered fast, scrubbing Hargrove's scent away, and changed into a clean sweater to hide the neck mark. Standing outside Viktor's office door, his hand trembled on the handle.
But before he knocked, he heard Viktor's voice, low and commanding. "Come in."
Elias stepped inside, the room dark except for a desk lamp casting shadows. Viktor sat in a leather chair, his black shirt unbuttoned at the collar, his grey eyes piercing.
The air was thick with his cedar scent, and Elias's knees wobbled, his body tingling with that same unwanted heat from last night. He stood frozen, clutching his sweater.
"You left my sons for a date," Viktor said, his voice cold. He stood, towering over Elias, his eyes flicking to the sweater's high collar. "Explain yourself."
Elias's eyes widened. "A date? No, sir, I swear. I was visiting my sister. She's in the hospital, in a coma. I'd never..."
Viktor cut him off, stepping closer. "Your sister?" His gaze zeroed in on Elias's neck, where the sweater slipped slightly, revealing the edge of the red mark. His jaw tightened, his voice sharp. "You expect me to believe that? With that on your neck?"
Elias's hand flew to cover it, his face burning. "It's not what you think! I went to see Lila, I swear. The hospital... she's sick, I had to..."
"Enough," Viktor snapped, his eyes narrowing. "You sneak off, come back with a mark, and expect me to buy some story about a sister? I told you, my sons come first. This is your last chance. If you ever lie to me again, you're done."
Elias's throat tightened, tears stinging his eyes. "I'm not lying," he said, his voice desperate. "Lila's all I have. I'd never do anything to hurt Dante or Dario."
Viktor leaned in, his face inches from Elias's, his pheromones overwhelming. "Are you hiding something?" he said, his voice low, dangerous. "If you didn't meet someone, then who gave you that mark?"
Elias froze, his heart pounding.
'Did Viktor smell Hargrove? Or worse, my omega scent?'
"It was... a mistake," he said, too fast. "At the hospital. I..."
Viktor's eyes darkened, his jaw clenching.
"A mistake," he repeated, his tone dripping with disbelief. "This is a rule, Elias. Never leave this house without my permission again. And as long as you're taking care of my kids, stay away from whoever's marking you up. Understood?"
"Yes, sir," Elias said, his voice barely audible, his hands shaking.
The twins burst in, breaking the tension. "Dad, you're yelling at the nanny, huh?" Dante asked, grinning as he leaned against the door.
"Yeah," Dario said, hopping onto Viktor's desk. "He's not that bad. Don't fire him yet, okay?"
Viktor's face softened, but his cold eyes stayed on Elias. "Get them to bed," he said then leaned closer to Elias. "We're also not done talking."
Elias nodded, ushering the twins out, his heart still racing. In their room, he tucked them in, their chatter lighter now. "You in big trouble with Dad?" Dario asked, smirking.
"Maybe," Elias said, forcing a smile. "But I'll handle it."
"Sure you will," Dante said, laughing. "Don't cry, nanny."
Elias left, his mind spinning with all the trouble he went through today. But as he walked back to his room, a shadow moved in the hallway, stopping him cold.
"Did you forget the part where I said we aren't done talking?"