O1uwapelumi

Synopsis:
In a world where Alphas rule with absolute power, Alpha Caidren Thorne stands above them all—a warlord feared for his cruelty, a ruler whose hands are stained with the blood of both enemies and kin. His lands are harsh, his rule even harsher, and his name alone is enough to strike terror into the hearts of those who hear it.

But there is a darker truth hidden beneath his legend.

Every Omega sent to him has perished.

No one knows why. No one dares to ask. Some whisper that his presence alone is enough to snuff out their fragile lives, that no Omega can withstand his brutality. Others say that he is cursed, doomed to be alone forever. But Caidren does not care. He has never let anyone close—not a mate, not a lover, not even his own people. His heart is stone, and his hands are weapons.

When the noble House Velmire is forced to offer him an Omega, they do not send their treasured daughter. Instead, they send Elias—an adopted outcast, a boy without a place in their world. Elias has spent his life alone, unwanted, and now, he is being sent to a fate worse than death.

And when he arrives at the Bloodfang Stronghold, he is welcomed by a scene of horror.

A man clothed in black can be seen writhing in agony. Blood soaking the ground. And standing above it all, delivering judgment with cold precision, is Alpha Caidren.

Elias’ fear takes root instantly. This man is no savior. He is death itself.

Caidren barely acknowledges him, dismissing him with a single glance. Another Omega. Another life that will soon disappear.

But Elias does not die.

Days pass. Then weeks. And for the first time, an Omega survives.

Elias is not weak. He is not fragile. He is not like the others. And against every instinct, every warning, Caidren begins to take notice.

What starts as indifference turns to fascination. What was once just another burden soon becomes something the Alpha refuses to let go of.

For the first time in his life, Caidren is afraid—not of war, not of death, but of the one thing he never thought he could have.

And when enemies rise and threaten to take Elias away, Caidren will burn the world to keep his Omega safe.

scarred by the Alpher, claimed by his touch.

Elias barely heard the door click shut.

Barely felt the cool air brush his skin in the Alpha's absence.

Not the kind of heat he could fight with sheer willpower. Not the kind he could brush off as nothing.

A sharp shudder ran through him, and he bit down on his lip, hard, trying to focus, to steady himself.

But the moment the Alpha had turned his back, something inside him snapped.

It was instinct. It was raw, unfiltered need.

Before he even realized it, his body surged forward, his fingers grasping—

And suddenly, the Alpha wasn't at the door anymore.

He was against the door, Elias's weight pressing against him, pinning him there.

His breath came in ragged gasps, his entire body trembling against the firm heat of the man beneath his fingertips.

The Alpha's voice was silk, amusement dripping from every syllable.

Should have pulled away, should have run.

The heat pulsing through his veins only intensified, his skin hypersensitive, every inch of him aching for something he refused to name.

He could feel the steady rise and fall of the Alpha's chest. Could feel the warmth of his breath ghosting over Elias's cheek.

"So desperate all of a sudden," the Alpha murmured, voice low, taunting. "And here I thought you wanted me gone."*

His mind screamed at him to push away, to fight—but his fingers curled into the fabric of the Alpha's shirt instead.

"Tch," the Alpha hummed. "Look at you. Trembling. Overwhelmed. And yet, still pretending you have control."*

Every syllable sent another sharp pulse of heat through Elias's body, made his knees weak, his thoughts blurred.

His hands were gripping the Alpha's shoulders now—clinging.

"You—" Elias started, but the words died in his throat.

Just enough to make Elias feel how solid he was beneath him. How easily he could turn the tables. How easily he could break him apart.

"Tell me, Elias," the Alpha mused, tilting his head. "Is this why you were looking for me?"

The Alpha leaned in, and Elias's body betrayed him, pressing closer, like a moth drawn to flame.

"That's what I thought," the Alpha whispered.

The heat, the dizziness, the unbearable ache clawing at his insides—

A sudden, unbearable rush of heat.

His vision blurred for a split second, his grip tightening—his body moving on its own.

And for the first time, his amusement faded—replaced by something darker, sharper.

His hands shot up—firm, strong—gripping Elias's wrists, stopping him.

The command cut through the haze, through the thick, suffocating heat.

And his next words were a whisper against Elias's ear, low and dark and dangerous.

"You have no idea what you're playing with, little one."*

chapter 144: playing with fire