Chapter 14 – The Alpha's Shadow
The party glittered with gold and temptation. Crystal chandeliers spilled warm light across the vast ballroom, where men in tailored suits and women in shimmering gowns moved like actors on a grand stage. Laughter, music, and the clink of champagne glasses filled the air, but beneath it all lingered something darker, something sharp—like the taste of wine just before it turns bitter.
Ethan tightened his grip on the invitation card in his pocket. He felt out of place, standing at the edge of the crowd in his simple black suit. The air was heavy with Alpha pheromones, mingling and colliding, but Leon's presence drowned them all out.
"Relax," Leon's smooth voice whispered from beside him. Ethan hadn't even noticed him approach. "You look like a rabbit lost in a wolf's den."
Ethan stepped away, but Leon only chuckled, guiding him forward with a hand at his back. "Come. There are people you should meet."
"I didn't come here for introductions," Ethan muttered, but Leon ignored him, leading him into the throng of elites.
Businessmen, politicians, even foreign investors—all greeted Leon warmly. But when their eyes shifted to Ethan, there was always a flicker of curiosity. Some smiled politely; others lingered too long. It made Ethan's skin crawl.
Leon, however, seemed delighted by the attention. "This is Ethan," he introduced casually, though the sly curve of his lips betrayed amusement. "Adrian's… most precious possession."
Ethan's breath caught. The word possession stung, but before he could protest, a ripple of whispers spread through the circle.
"So this is the Omega Adrian married?" one woman whispered behind her hand.
"I heard he keeps his identity hidden," another murmured, voice dripping with intrigue. "No wonder."
Ethan's chest tightened, and heat crept up his neck. He wanted to disappear, to melt into the floor.
Leon leaned closer, his breath ghosting against Ethan's ear. "Do you see? One secret, and the whole world starts to look at you differently. Tell me, Ethan—are you tired of hiding yet?"
Ethan turned sharply, meeting Leon's eyes. They gleamed with dangerous amusement, but beneath that, something else—something hungrier.
"Why are you doing this?" Ethan demanded softly.
Leon tilted his head, feigning innocence. "Because you interest me. And because Adrian doesn't deserve you."
Before Ethan could respond, Leon slipped a glass of wine into his hand and raised his own in a mock toast. "To freedom."
Ethan hesitated but clutched the glass without drinking. His heart was hammering so loudly he barely heard the sudden commotion at the entrance.
The crowd shifted, whispers rising like a wave. And then Ethan saw him.
Adrian.
He stood in the doorway like a storm given form—dark suit perfectly tailored, eyes sharp as blades, his aura crashing over the room in suffocating waves.
The chatter died instantly. Guests stepped aside without being asked. No one dared meet his gaze.
But Adrian's eyes didn't wander. They locked directly onto Ethan.
Ethan froze. His chest constricted, panic seizing him. He wasn't supposed to be here. He wasn't supposed to know.
Adrian moved forward, each step deliberate, controlled, but Ethan could feel the fury rolling off him like heat from a fire.
Leon, however, smiled wider, utterly unbothered. He casually draped an arm around Ethan's shoulders, his grip firm, daring. "Ah, cousin. You're late."
The tension in the air snapped taut like a bowstring.
Adrian stopped just a few feet away, his eyes narrowing at the sight of Leon's hand on Ethan. His jaw clenched, and when he spoke, his voice was a low growl.
"Remove your hand."
Leon chuckled, leaning closer to Ethan instead. "Why? Does it bother you? After all, he came here willingly."
Ethan's breath hitched. Leon's words struck the room like a spark in dry grass, setting whispers aflame.
Adrian's gaze flicked briefly to Ethan—sharp, accusing, wounded—but only for a heartbeat. Then his attention snapped back to Leon, colder than ice.
"You're testing me," Adrian said softly, dangerously.
Leon smirked. "And you've always hated losing, haven't you?"
Before Ethan could react, Adrian stepped forward, his hand shooting out to yank Ethan free of Leon's grasp. His grip was tight, possessive, almost painful, but Ethan didn't resist.
"Let go," Leon said mildly, though his eyes glinted with challenge.
Adrian turned his head, meeting Leon's stare with a predator's stillness. "He's mine."
The declaration rang through the ballroom, silencing every whisper. The weight of Adrian's pheromones surged, suffocating and undeniable. Guests staggered back, some even gasping under the force of it.
Ethan's knees went weak, his suppressed instincts straining under the pressure. He clutched Adrian's sleeve just to stay upright, trembling.
Leon's smile faltered for the first time, though only slightly. "You think cages can hold forever? Even the most loyal pet eventually bites."
Adrian's eyes burned. "And you think you can take what belongs to me?"
The two cousins locked eyes, a clash of titans hidden beneath polite words. The tension was unbearable, the room suffocating with power.
Finally, Leon raised his glass, chuckling as if dismissing the entire scene. "Enjoy your evening, cousin. The night is still young."
But as Adrian dragged Ethan out of the ballroom, Ethan couldn't shake the shiver down his spine.
Because Leon's parting glance wasn't defeat. It was promise.
---
Adrian said nothing until they were in the car, the silence heavier than steel. His grip on Ethan's wrist never loosened, as if letting go would mean losing him entirely.
Finally, as the city lights streaked past the tinted windows, Adrian spoke—his voice low, dangerous, trembling with barely restrained rage.
"Why were you there?"
Ethan's lips parted, but no words came out. He wanted to explain, to justify—but how could he, when he himself didn't know why?
Adrian's hand suddenly cupped his chin, forcing him to look into those burning eyes. "Answer me, Ethan."
Tears pricked at the corners of Ethan's eyes. "I… I just wanted…" His voice cracked. "I just wanted to breathe."
Adrian froze. For the first time that night, the fury in his eyes flickered, giving way to something rawer, something he couldn't quite hide.
But then his grip tightened, and his tone turned cold again. "You don't need to breathe anywhere but by my side. Remember that."
Ethan swallowed hard, his heart breaking and racing all at once. And though he wanted to argue, to scream, he stayed silent.
Because in Adrian's eyes, he saw something terrifying.
Not just anger.
But fear.