Chapter 2: The First Warning
1446 Words
Tessa’s legs felt like concrete, frozen to the floor. Her heart pounded too fast, too loud, drowning out reason. Lucien’s fingers were still curled lightly under her jaw, but the weight of his touch felt heavier than stone.
“You’re mine.”
Three words. Quiet. Simple. But they thundered through her body with the force of a bond she hadn’t asked for.
She jerked back.
His hand slipped away, but only because he let it. He stood there, completely unbothered, watching her with a faint smile and eyes that gave nothing away.
“I don’t know who you think I am,” she said quickly, her voice trembling but trying to stay firm. “I shouldn’t be here. I’m leaving.”
She turned on her heel and started walking, clutching her purse like it could shield her. The hallway to the elevator wasn’t far. Ten steps. Maybe less. She could hear her own footsteps echoing too loudly in the silence.
“Tessa,” Lucien said from behind her.
She didn’t stop.
“I said—” he called, and this time, his voice sharpened like a whip— “stop.”
The command slammed into her like a cold wind. Her body locked mid-step, muscles seizing without her permission. She gasped, blinking, struggling to move. Her mind was screaming to run. Every part of her wanted distance from him. But her Omega instincts had already kicked in—overridden everything.
She hated this.
She hated how easily he could take control without even touching her.
Lucien walked up slowly behind her. She couldn’t see him, but she could feel him—the presence, the power. Her skin buzzed with unwanted heat.
“You’re not marked,” he murmured close to her ear. “That surprises me.”
She clenched her jaw. “Let me go.”
“I didn’t even touch you,” he said. “Your body listens to me all on its own.”
A flush of shame crawled up her neck. She wanted to scream. Wanted to throw something. Instead, she forced her hands to move—inch by inch—and finally turned to face him.
“I’m not Haylee,” she said.
“I know.”
“I’m not interested in this—whatever game you’re playing.”
“I’m not playing, Tessa.”
Her name on his lips made her stomach twist. He said it too easily, too confidently, like he had the right.
“You’re an Omega,” he continued calmly. “You came here without protection. No chaperone. No bond. No claim. You walked into my space and sat at my table.”
“I didn’t know who you were,” she snapped. “I was just helping my sister.”
Lucien tilted his head. “So the sweet twin does the dirty work while the selfish one runs off?”
Her throat tightened. “You don’t know anything about me.”
“I know enough.”
“You don’t.”
He stepped closer again, and this time she refused to move. Her feet stayed rooted, even when every nerve in her body begged her to back away. He leaned in just a little, his voice low.
“You’re trembling.”
“Because you’re a King Alpha,” she said. “Because you’re dangerous.”
“You’re not wrong.”
She tried to side-step him, but he blocked her path effortlessly. Not aggressively—just casually, like it was nothing.
“You can’t keep me here,” she said.
“I could.”
“You won’t.”
Lucien studied her. She couldn’t read him, and that scared her more than anything. Most Alphas were obvious. Easy to understand once you figured out what they wanted. Lucien wasn’t like that.
“I haven’t decided yet,” he said finally.
Her heart thudded louder. “Decided what?”
“Whether to let you walk away.”
Her mouth opened, but no sound came out. That wasn’t something an Alpha was supposed to say. Not in public. Not in a city with laws and cameras and a legal system designed—at least on paper—to protect unclaimed Omegas from exactly this kind of threat.
“You can’t just—”
“I can,” he interrupted. “But I won’t, if you listen.”
Tessa took a breath that didn’t help. Her fingers tightened around her purse strap.
“Why me?” she asked, voice quieter now. “You have plenty of Omegas who’d throw themselves at your feet.”
His expression didn’t change. “That’s the problem.”
She blinked. “What?”
“They throw themselves,” he said. “They want the title. The money. The power. You didn’t want anything from me.”
“No,” she whispered. “I wanted out.”
Lucien stepped back, giving her just enough space to breathe again.
“I’ll have the car brought around,” he said finally. “You’ll be driven home safely.”
Tessa didn’t move.
“I’ll give you that,” he added. “A safe ride. One chance to walk away.”
Her stomach twisted. “What do you mean ‘one chance’?”
Lucien didn’t answer. He just turned and walked back to the table, leaving her standing there alone.
Tessa stayed frozen for another full minute, heart racing. Then she ran—fast, heels clicking against the marble floor, pulse roaring in her ears—until the hostess guided her toward the exit.
As promised, a sleek black car was waiting at the curb.
She got in without a word.
The ride home was silent. She pressed her forehead to the window, trying to calm the storm inside her chest. Her scent blockers had all but failed by now. Her body still ached, humming with Alpha pressure. But the worst part wasn’t the physical reaction.
It was the fear.
The fear that he hadn’t been bluffing.
That he wasn’t finished with her.
That he had only just begun.
When the car pulled up to her house, she got out quickly, barely saying thank you to the driver. She practically sprinted inside, locking the door behind her before leaning against it, trying to steady her breathing.
Haylee was curled up on the couch with popcorn and a movie playing.
“How was it?” she asked without looking up.
Tessa stared at her, eyes wide, chest still heaving.
“Who did you send me to?” she asked.
Haylee glanced over, confused. “What do you mean?”
“His name wasn’t Luca.”
Haylee frowned. “I swear that’s what it said on the app.”
“He’s not poor. He’s not shy. He’s not some awkward Alpha looking for love.”
“Tess, what—?”
“His name is Lucien Virell.”
The color drained from Haylee’s face.
“No,” she said quickly. “No, that’s not— You must’ve got the name wrong.”
“You sent me to dinner with a King Alpha, Haylee,” Tessa said, her voice shaking now. “Do you have any idea what could’ve happened?”
“But I didn’t know— I swear I didn’t know it was him!”
Tessa stared at her sister like she didn’t even recognize her.
“I wore your dress. I wore your scent. I pretended to be you. He thinks I’m the one who agreed to meet him.”
Haylee stood up, guilt etched across her face. “Tessa, I didn’t mean to— I just wanted you to live a little.”
“You almost sold me.”
The room went silent.
Tessa turned and walked straight to her bedroom, locking the door behind her. She didn’t want to hear the apologies. Not now.
She changed out of the red dress like it was a snake’s skin, tossing it into the corner like it burned to the touch. Her hands trembled as she reached for her scent wipes, scrubbing her neck, her wrists, trying to erase the memory of him.
But she couldn’t.
Because even now—hours later—she could still feel the heat of his breath on her skin.
And worse…
She could still smell him.
She climbed into bed and pulled the covers over her head, desperate for sleep, desperate to escape. But sleep didn’t come.
Only a dull ache in her chest.
Only silence.
Until her phone buzzed.
One new message.
From an unknown number.
She opened it.
You left too soon.
I wasn’t finished.
Her breath caught.
And this time, there was no misunderstanding what that meant.
Lucien Virell wasn’t done with her.
Not even close.
- Writer
