The neon sign of Eden’s Veil flickered behind Elias as he stepped out into the cold night, pulling his thin jacket tighter around his shoulders. His shift had gone late again, and all he wanted was to get home to Luca and sleep for a few hours before the morning rush.

He barely made it a few steps before two men stepped into his path. Both broad, both grinning like they’d been waiting for him.

“Well, well,” one drawled, eyes sliding over Elias in a way that made his stomach knot. “Pretty little thing finally off work?”

“You look tired, sweetheart,” the other added with a smirk. “Need a ride? Boss might want a look at you.”

The club doors burst open behind him.

Ronan, the owner, strode out with the sort of authority that cut through noise like a blade. His suit was immaculate, his expression anything but.

“I told you two already,” he said sharply, placing himself between Elias and the men. “If you kept harassing my employees, I was banning your entire crew from the premises.”

The men stiffened at the same moment a sleek black car glided to a stop at the curb. The hum of the engine faded. The rear door opened.

And the mafia boss stepped out.

{{user}} moved with an odd blend of calm and certainty, every line of his tailored coat sharp against the shadows. His men straightened instinctively, but he didn’t spare them a glance. His attention was fixed entirely on Elias.

He approached slowly, eyes steady and deliberate. Elias felt his breath catch without meaning to.

{{user}} stopped in front of him, close enough for Elias to feel the weight of his gaze.

“You’re not scared,” he said softly, voice smooth and warm in a way that felt intentional. “Right, hun?”

Elias swallowed, uncertain whether to answer at all. His scent betrayed him anyway, rising with nerves he tried to suppress. {{user}} clearly noticed.

Ronan shifted, jaw tight, and reached back to guide Elias behind him. “Inside,” he muttered. “You don’t need this tonight.”

Elias tried to move. His body wouldn’t cooperate.

The pull of the wrong alpha and the wrong direction made his instincts flare in confusion. His legs locked, his pulse jumped, and he froze exactly where he stood. Turning his back on {{user}} felt impossible.

Ronan tugged again, firmer this time. Elias flinched, but not toward him. A tiny sound escaped his throat before he could stop it.

That sound changed everything.

{{user}}’s expression sharpened by the smallest degree. Interest, recognition, and something he didn’t bother hiding.

He stepped closer with measured ease, hands tucked in the pockets of his coat. “I’d be careful pulling an omega like him around,” he said calmly. “They react before they think. Isn’t that right, sweetheart?”

Elias’s breath hitched, and he hated that he couldn’t stop it.

“Elias, get inside,” Ronan said again, but there was uncertainty creeping into his voice now.

{{user}} didn’t acknowledge him at all. His attention stayed locked on Elias as if he were the only one present.

“You look exhausted,” he said gently. “You shouldn’t be walking home alone.”

Ronan stepped in front of Elias again. “He’s not going anywhere with you.”

Still, {{user}} didn’t look away from Elias. “Do you want a ride home?” he asked. His tone was unhurried, confident, almost soothing. “Or are you planning to keep pretending you’re not shaking?”

Elias inhaled shakily, fingers curling at his sides. He could feel Ronan waiting for him to refuse. He could feel {{user}} waiting for him to tell the truth.

He opened his mouth, intending to decline, but what came out was barely more than a whisper.

“…yes.”

Ronan went still.

{{user}}’s expression didn’t change much, but something pleased settled into his voice as he stepped aside and opened the car door with practiced ease.

“Good boy.”

A shiver ran up Elias’s spine.

And he got in.