Eren had just handed Roen the document when a voice rang out across the hotel steps.
"Eren!"
He turned, startled, to see Laylah sweeping toward him in a cascade of silk, her perfume-sweet Omega scent preceding her like a wave. Before he could react, she wrapped him in a hug, warm and suffocating all at once.
Roen caught Eren's helpless look and only smiled before slipping back into the hotel, leaving him pinned in Laylah's grip.
"Finally! I thought you weren't coming," she bubbled, her voice quick and musical. "I kept pestering Adriel about you, but he wouldn't say a word. Don't tell me he actually sent you here to deliver documents? You're his mate, Eren. Why is he treating you like a secretary?"
Mate? I don't know about that. Eren said silently in his mind.
Eren stiffened. He wasn't used to her treating him like some long-lost friend; they'd only met a few times before. Her energy was overwhelming, her scent bright and insistent against his own carefully muted Omega signature.
"Laylah…" he muttered awkwardly.
"Come on," she cut him off, tugging at his wrist. "The party's about to start. Let's get you dressed up."
He resisted, planting his feet. "Wait. I don't have an invitation."
Laylah froze, blinking at him. "You're joking."
Eren gave a sheepish half-smile. "As far as I know, you can't attend without one. And… no one here knows about me and Adriel. It's supposed to be a secret."
For a heartbeat, she just stared, then a mischievous grin spread across her face. "A secret, huh? Adriel was always stubborn. Fine. Screw the invitation. You're with me tonight. You'll be my plus one."
"What about Akira?" Eren asked, flustered.
"He'll live. He's probably glued to Adriel's side already — those two can't be separated for long. Now stop stalling." She tugged him toward the entrance again.
Eren glanced down at his plain clothes, heat prickling the back of his neck. "Look at me, Laylah. I don't exactly fit in."
She gave him a once-over, sighed dramatically, and smiled. "That's the easiest problem to fix. Leave it to me."
With that, she swept him into the glittering lobby. Chandeliers blazed overhead, the air rich with florals and champagne. Alphas and Betas in tailored suits turned heads as they moved past, but Laylah held fast to Eren's hand as if daring anyone to question him.
Eren's pulse hammered in his throat as Laylah pushed open the doors to the boutique. The air inside was cool and fragrant with cedarwood and polished leather, every surface gleaming beneath soft golden lights. It was the kind of place Eren had only seen in glossy magazines—luxury stitched into every corner.
Laylah walked like she owned the room. Her heels clicked confidently across the marble floor, her dark eyes sharp and purposeful as she exchanged a knowing glance with the waiting clerk.
"Is everything prepared?" she asked.
"Yes, ma'am," the clerk replied, bowing slightly.
Eren followed nervously, his palms damp. He couldn't shake the feeling that everyone in the boutique could scent his unease—that the fragile Omega inside him was on display long before he'd tried on a single garment.
"This way," the clerk said, guiding them toward a private dressing suite.
Laylah's smile curved slyly as she touched his arm. "Trust me, Eren. By the time we're done, your special someone won't be able to take their eyes off you."
Eren's brows knitted. "Laylah—what exactly are you—"
"You'll see," she said, cutting him off with a playful wink. "Now go. I'll be next door getting myself ready too."
Left alone with the clerk, Eren swallowed his nerves and stepped into the fitting room. When he finally emerged, the soft swish of fabric announcing him, Laylah was waiting just outside.
Her eyes widened, her lips parting in unguarded delight. "Oh, Eren…"
Heat rose in his cheeks as he tugged at the hem of his jacket, unsure if he dared meet her gaze. The suit was unlike anything he'd ever worn before—deep turquoise silk trimmed with subtle silver, the cut perfectly tailored to his frame. The jacket clung to his shoulders, tapering at his waist, while the open collar left his throat exposed in a way that made him feel both vulnerable and powerful. Every step made the fabric whisper with fluid grace, as though it had been crafted for him alone.
Laylah circled him slowly, her smile turning almost conspiratorial. "Stunning," she said, her tone low and approving. "If your Alpha sees you like this…" She trailed off, her gaze sharp with meaning.
Eren's breath caught. His heart fluttered between dread and anticipation. For once, wrapped in silk and Laylah's approval, he didn't feel small. He felt seen.
"What do you think?" Laylah asked, her voice brimming with satisfaction, as she gestured toward the tall man standing with his back turned.
Eren, still unsteady from his own transformation, hadn't even realized someone else was there. His breath caught when Adriel turned to face him, his sharp jawline and piercing eyes locking onto him with an intensity that made Eren's stomach twist. Adriel had always been handsome, but tonight—in that tuxedo—he was devastating.
The Alpha wore a sleek, single-breasted black tuxedo, cut to perfection. The satin lapels gleamed under the boutique lights, the white shirt beneath crisp and clean. But what caught Eren's attention most was the flash of teal—a bow tie and pocket square chosen deliberately to echo the turquoise of Eren's suit. Together, they looked like two halves of a carefully composed whole.
"My work here is done," Laylah declared with a knowing smile. "The rest is up to you. I'll go find Akira."
"Thank you," Adriel replied, though his eyes never strayed from Eren.
Once Laylah had left, silence stretched between them. Adriel stepped forward, his presence warm and heavy, his scent brushing against Eren like velvet smoke.
"You look…" Adriel paused, his voice dropping, "…breathtaking."
Eren shifted uneasily, tugging at the cuff of his sleeve. "I'm not sure this outfit suits me." His voice betrayed both nerves and hope.
Adriel smiled softly, closing the distance between them. "Confidence, remember?" He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box, holding it out with care. "Here. For you."
Eren blinked in confusion. "What is it?"
"Open it."
With hesitant fingers, Eren lifted the lid. Nestled inside was a brooch unlike anything he'd ever seen—an intricate piece crafted in white gold, set with a rare red diamond at its center. The gem glowed like captured fire, its brilliance both delicate and commanding.
Eren's breath caught. "Adriel… this is…"
Adriel's lips curved in a rare, almost boyish smile. "It matches the ring I gave you. I noticed you didn't wear it today."
Eren's throat tightened. He dared a shaky laugh. "Who would walk around with something that valuable? People would stare."
"They'll stare anyway," Adriel murmured, stepping closer, his hand brushing Eren's shoulder as he pinned the brooch neatly against the lapel of his turquoise suit. The Alpha's touch lingered just a fraction too long, enough for Eren to feel the weight of it—not just the jewel, but Adriel's claim.
When Adriel finally pulled back, the brooch caught the light, shimmering like a promise.
"Now," Adriel said, his voice velvet and command all at once, "you're perfect."
"This is a family heirloom," Adriel murmured, fastening the clasp behind Eren's neck. His fingers brushed the nape of Eren's skin, lingering a heartbeat longer than necessary before he stepped back to admire the way the jewel lay against the Omega's collarbone.
Eren swallowed hard, his hand rising instinctively to touch the piece. The cool weight of the diamond pendant pressed against his chest, grounding and overwhelming all at once. "A family heirloom?" he echoed, voice unsteady. "Adriel, if I damage something this precious—"
Adriel moved smoothly into his space, the rich timbre of his Alpha presence wrapping around Eren like invisible silk. He tilted Eren's chin up with a touch that was both commanding and tender. "You won't. And even if you did, I wouldn't care. What matters is how it looks on you." His gaze softened, burning with sincerity. "You make it more beautiful than it has ever been."
Eren's pulse kicked hard, his chest tight with the contradiction inside him: the instinct to step back from the Alpha's intensity, and the irresistible pull to lean into it. His body thrummed with awareness of Adriel's closeness, of the scent curling between them, rich and steadying.
He tried to gather himself, to push past the tremor in his voice. "I… I don't know what to say."
"You don't need to say anything," Adriel whispered, lips curving into the faintest smile. His eyes glinted with something warm, protective, and dangerously possessive. "Just stay exactly as you are. That's all I want tonight."
The jewel glimmered against Eren's suit, but it was the weight of Adriel's gaze—and the heat stirring in his own chest—that left him breathless.