The Billionaire’s prison
1075 Words
The bond refused to loosen.
Elias could feel it with every breath.
Like an invisible chain wrapped around his chest, pulling him toward the one person he never wanted to be connected to.
Kael Draven.
The ruthless Alpha billionaire.
The man standing before him now with an unreadable expression.
Rain continued to pour around them, soaking Elias’s clothes and plastering dark strands of hair against his forehead.
For several seconds, neither of them spoke.
Neither of them moved.
The bond pulsed again.
Pain shot through Elias’s chest.
“Dammit!” he hissed.
His knees nearly gave out.
Before he could hit the ground, a strong arm wrapped around his waist.
Warm.
Firm.
Dangerous.
Elias immediately pushed against Kael’s chest.
“Don’t touch me.”
The words came out weaker than he intended.
Kael’s jaw tightened.
“I wasn’t planning to.”
“Then let go.”
“No.”
The answer came instantly.
Elias glared up at him.
“You said you don’t want this bond.”
“I don’t.”
“Then why are you holding me?”
Kael’s silver eyes darkened.
“Because if I let go, you’ll collapse.”
Elias hated that he was right.
His body felt unstable.
The bond had formed too suddenly.
Too violently.
And every instinct inside him was screaming.
The Alpha standing before him was now the center of his world.
A terrifying thought.
One Elias refused to accept.
“I’m leaving.”
Kael actually looked amused.
The expression disappeared almost immediately, but Elias caught it.
“You’re not.”
“I wasn’t asking permission.”
“You don’t understand the situation.”
Elias clenched his fists.
“Then explain it.”
A black luxury SUV suddenly pulled up behind Kael.
Several security guards stepped out.
All of them froze when they noticed Elias.
More specifically—
When they smelled the bond.
Shock flashed across their faces.
One guard nearly stumbled.
“Alpha…”
Kael didn’t even look at him.
“Prepare the east wing.”
The guard blinked.
“The east wing?”
Kael’s expression turned colder.
“Do I need to repeat myself?”
“No, Alpha.”
The guards immediately hurried away.
Elias stared.
East wing?
What east wing?
Then realization hit him.
“Oh no.”
Kael looked at him.
“Oh yes.”
Elias pointed toward himself.
“You are not taking me anywhere.”
Kael raised an eyebrow.
“You think this is a choice?”
“I know it is.”
“It isn’t.”
The bond pulsed again.
Stronger.
This time both men winced.
For the first time, Elias saw genuine irritation cross Kael’s face.
Good.
At least the Alpha was suffering too.
“Until we understand what’s happening,” Kael said calmly, “you will stay where I can monitor you.”
Elias laughed.
“Monitor me?”
“Yes.”
“That’s a fancy word for kidnapping.”
Kael looked entirely unconcerned.
“I prefer protective custody.”
“You billionaire Alphas really have a different definition of words.”
Before Kael could respond, another vehicle approached.
A sleek black sedan.
The moment it stopped, a woman stepped out.
She looked to be in her early thirties.
Elegant.
Sharp.
Dangerously intelligent.
The second she noticed Elias, her eyes widened.
Then she looked at Kael.
Then back to Elias.
Then back to Kael again.
“Oh.”
That single word carried far too much meaning.
Kael sighed.
“Don’t.”
“I’m not saying anything.”
“You are thinking it.”
The woman smiled.
“I’m definitely thinking it.”
Elias looked between them.
“Am I missing something?”
The woman extended her hand.
“Vivian Cross. Chief Legal Officer of Draven Enterprises.”
Elias shook her hand cautiously.
Then Vivian smiled.
“Nice to meet the impossible mate.”
Silence.
Elias groaned.
“Can everyone stop calling me that?”
“No,” Vivian replied immediately.
“Wonderful.”
Kael pinched the bridge of his nose.
Clearly he regretted bringing her here.
Unfortunately for him, Vivian looked delighted.
She studied Elias carefully.
“Interesting.”
“I don’t like that look.”
“You shouldn’t.”
“Great.”
Vivian laughed.
Kael turned toward the SUV.
“We’re leaving.”
Elias folded his arms.
“I’m not going.”
Kael stared at him.
Elias stared back.
Neither moved.
Five seconds.
Ten seconds.
Fifteen.
Then the bond pulsed violently.
Both men doubled over.
Pain exploded through them.
Elias gasped.
Kael cursed under his breath.
When the pain finally eased, Vivian looked almost concerned.
“That’s getting worse.”
Kael nodded.
“I know.”
“We need answers.”
“We will get them.”
Elias rubbed his chest.
The pain was becoming unbearable.
“What if I refuse?”
Kael’s gaze settled on him.
For a moment, something dangerous flashed behind those silver eyes.
Not anger.
Not dominance.
Fear.
It disappeared so quickly Elias almost thought he imagined it.
Then Kael spoke.
“If you refuse, the bond could kill us both.”
The world suddenly felt very quiet.
Elias stared at him.
“What?”
“It shouldn’t be possible,” Vivian said softly. “But that’s what it looks like.”
Elias felt his stomach drop.
Kill them?
A mate bond wasn’t supposed to do that.
Everything about this situation was wrong.
The way it formed.
The pain.
The intensity.
The connection.
None of it made sense.
And yet…
When he looked at Kael now, he could feel him.
Not physically.
Emotionally.
A faint awareness.
As if part of Kael’s presence existed inside his mind.
It was terrifying.
Kael seemed to notice his expression.
“Now do you understand?”
Elias swallowed.
Unfortunately…
He did.
At least enough to realize he had very few options.
Kael opened the SUV door.
“Get in.”
Elias glared at him.
“You’re enjoying this.”
“No.”
“You’re lying.”
“Probably.”
For the first time that night, a tiny smile tugged at the corner of Kael’s mouth.
And strangely…
It made him look human.
The realization caught Elias off guard.
He quickly looked away.
That was dangerous.
Far more dangerous than the bond.
Because the last thing he could afford was seeing anything good in Kael Draven.
The Alpha billionaire who had just become his mate.
His prison warden.
And possibly—
The biggest mistake of his life.
To Be Continued
- Writer
