THE FATED OMEGA MATE

Chapter 9:Damian

I had walked into Elias’s room with a mission.

I wanted to know what Max had said. I could have asked him directly, or simply called Elias like I normally did, but no. Something in me wanted to see him. To look at him. Maybe to explain myself… or maybe just to erase the memory of that hurt I had seen in his eyes earlier.

God, those eyes.

The words I had thrown at him during the session were cutting, dismissive, cruel. They had landed harder than I had meant them to. And though I hated omegas with every fiber of my being, though I had every reason to despise them, I knew… Elias wasn’t like the rest. I should have known better. He had proven himself time and again. Loyal. Gentle. Steady.

And yet, I still crushed him with my words.

Why?

Why did I always do this?

I still don’t know why I chose him. There were thousands of applicants for the assistant position, more qualified, more suitable. But something in me, something I didn’t understand, had pulled me toward his file, his name, his picture. It was like gravity. I wanted him close, even when I swore I didn’t.

When he didn’t answer my knock, I pushed the door open. I told myself I was only confronting him, that I wanted to keep things professional. That I should give him space. But the truth? I couldn’t stay away.

“Elias?”

I barely got his name out when he turned toward me, his body unsteady. His lips parted as if to speak. “Damian…?”

And then he collapsed.

Straight into my arms.

For one terrifying second, my heart stopped. But instinct took over. I caught him before he hit the floor, his weight soft and warm against me.

God, he was so soft.

I adjusted him carefully, carrying him toward the bed. Each step felt heavier, not because of him, but because of the strange pull inside me. Laying him down felt too intimate, too careful for a man who wasn’t supposed to care. I checked his pulse, my heart thudding in relief when I realized it was steady. Just asleep. Max’s warning about the medication echoed in my head.it was strong, enough to knock him out cold.

My eyes lingered on Elias’s face.

Even in his sleep, there was a quiet humility in him. A softness that stirred something dangerous in me. His lashes rested against pale skin, long and dark. His lips, full, red, slightly parted, looked too inviting, too tempting. I shouldn’t have noticed. I shouldn’t have thought about kissing them.

But I did.

I have been with countless women. The most beautiful, the most willing. I knew s*x, I knew bodies. Yet Elias, fully dressed, unconscious, completely unaware, was more alluring than any of them.

Why?

Why did my chest ache like that? Why did I want to hold him, kiss him, make him mine?

Adrian’s words returned to me then, unbidden, 'male omegas are different. More dangerous than you realize. They draw you in before you know it.'

I swallowed hard, fighting the urge to touch him. But I lost.

My fingers brushed against his cheek, tracing the delicate line of his jaw. His skin was warm beneath my touch, his lips so close, so… perfect. My hand moved down almost on its own, sliding to his waist. I froze when I realized how small it was, my palm could nearly circle it. Too fragile. Too breakable.

And yet, I wanted him.

I shouldn’t. I knew I shouldn’t.

But before I could think better of it, I slid into bed beside him, pulling him gently against me. His body fit perfectly against mine, like he belonged there. I buried my face in his hair, inhaling deeply. His scent was sweet, intoxicating, uniquely his. He wrapped around me, making my blood burn.

I didn’t know why I was doing this. I couldn’t explain it. All I knew was that holding him felt right.

Selfish. Dangerous. Wrong.

But at that moment, I didn’t care.

Because, for the first time in years, I felt at peace.

And it was all because of Elias.

At that moment, I wished Elias was awake so he could feel the way my arms held him, so he could know how much I wanted him close. And yet, at the same time, I didn’t want him to open his eyes. If he did, I would have to face what I was doing, face the questions in his gaze, face the truth I wasn’t ready to admit.

My heart beat faster, the steady rhythm betraying the storm in my chest. But instead of the usual restlessness, I felt something strange. Something foreign. Happiness.

It startled me. Happiness was not something I had allowed myself in years. Not in this house. Not with the weight of my name, my responsibilities, my past. Yet here I was, lying in bed with Elias in my arms and a smile tugged at my lips before I even realized it.

All we were doing was cuddling. No heat, no pheromones, no s*x. Just quiet closeness. And for the first time in as long as I could remember, I felt whole.

In this position, it almost looked like we were a couple. A real one. Two people tangled together in warmth and trust. The thought pierced me in a way I couldn’t explain. I wanted to freeze time, to stay at this moment forever.

I don’t know when sleep claimed me, but it must have. Because the next thing I knew, I felt movement.

Elias was stirring.

He shifted gently, trying to slide out from under my arm without waking me. His movements were careful, hesitant, he didn’t want to disturb me. But the second I felt his warmth slipping away, panic surged through me. Even half asleep, my body reacted faster than my mind.

No. I didn’t want him to go.

With instinct, I didn’t question it. I tightened my hold on him, pulling him closer until his back was pressed against my chest, his small frame fitting perfectly against mine. I buried my face in his hair, inhaling the faint sweetness of his scent, letting it soothe me.

“Stay,” I whispered, my voice rough and quiet in the morning hush. “Let’s stay like this a little longer.”

For a heartbeat, I expected resistance. Elias had every reason to pull away, to remind me of boundaries, to remind me of who I was and who he was. But he didn’t.

Instead, he stilled. Then, with a soft sound, half sigh, half hum, he nodded. “Mhm.”

Just that. No arguments. No questions. No walls.

And then he relaxed back into me, letting my arms circle him tighter.

My chest swelled with something I couldn’t name. Relief. Contentment. Maybe even joy. Whatever it was, it wrapped around me, as warm as the man I held.

I let my eyes fall shut again, drifting back into sleep with Elias safe in my embrace. For once, I didn’t dream of the shadows that usually haunted me. For once, there was only peace.

And for the first time in my life, I wondered, could happiness really be this simple?