Elias barely had time to steady himself before Caidren moved.
The Alpha's presence was suffocating—commanding, dark, and utterly indifferent. He didn't rush, didn't need to. Power radiated from him with each deliberate step, each flick of his sharp silver gaze.
Elias forced himself to stand still as Caidren circled him, measuring him like a man assessing livestock.
Then, without warning, pain exploded through Elias' ribs.
A boot. A sharp, calculated kick—not hard enough to break anything, but precise enough to steal Elias' breath. He staggered but caught himself before he hit the ground.
The room was silent.
The guards did not react. The warriors lining the hall barely blinked.
This was expected. This was normal.
And yet, Elias could feel something in the air—an anticipation, a waiting.
He swallowed hard and forced himself upright.
Caidren watched, expression unreadable. Then, almost lazily, he tilted his head. "You hesitate," he observed. "Are you expecting kindness?"
Elias wiped the back of his hand against his mouth, forcing his breath to steady. "No."
The corner of Caidren's mouth twitched, though it wasn't quite a smile. "Good."
Another hit.
This time, a backhand—sharp, practiced. Elias' head snapped to the side, the metallic tang of blood blooming on his tongue. He tasted iron, but he did not move, did not react.
He would not give Caidren the satisfaction.
The Alpha exhaled through his nose, watching.
The room remained silent. Even the fire in the great hearth burned low, crackling softly.
Elias inhaled slowly and lifted his chin.
Caidren's expression didn't change. His silver eyes, cold and sharp, flicked over Elias' face, studying something.
And then, finally, he spoke again.
"You are not the first Omega to stand here." His voice was low, almost idle. "The others cried. Some begged. Some tried to run."
Elias stayed silent.
Caidren took a slow step forward, the heavy weight of his presence pressing against Elias like an unseen force. "But you," he murmured, "you do nothing."
He reached out.
Elias tensed, but he did not flinch.
The Alpha's fingers gripped his chin, tilting his face up—rough, impersonal, as if inspecting something beneath his notice.
For a long moment, he simply looked.
Elias forced himself to hold still.
Then, just as suddenly, Caidren released him. The force of it sent Elias stumbling back a step, but he caught himself before he could fall.
The Alpha exhaled sharply, a sound almost like boredom. "Take him back," he ordered. "I'll deal with him later."
The guards stepped forward, but before they could grab him, Elias finally spoke.
"Is that all?" His voice was hoarse, raw, but steady.
The warriors in the hall stiffened.
Caidren stilled.
A slow, dangerous silence settled between them.
Then, the Alpha turned back, his silver gaze flicking toward Elias once more.
He did not respond.
He didn't have to.
Because for the first time, Elias saw it—just the faintest flicker of something in the Alpha's gaze.
Not interest. Not amusement.
But something else.
Something Elias couldn't name.
And then, with a final glance, Caidren turned away.
The guards seized Elias by the arms, dragging him back toward the door.
He didn't fight them. Didn't resist.
Because as he was pulled from the hall, one thought settled heavy in his mind.
The Alpha had hurt him. The Alpha had tested him.
And yet—
He was still alive.
For now.