The silence between them stretched, heavy and charged, like the moments before a storm. Damian's grip on Ahicia's wrist loosened slightly, his dark eyes searching hers with an intensity that made her chest tighten.
Ahicia could feel the warmth of his body, the way his breath brushed against her skin, and the unspoken emotions flickering across his face—desire, frustration, conflict. His tail twitched behind him, betraying his usually perfect composure.
Then, without warning, Damian began to lean in.
Ahicia's heart raced, her pulse pounding in her ears as his lips came closer. For a moment, she froze, unsure of what to do. His scent—earthy, musky, and overwhelmingly alpha—wrapped around her, making it impossible to think clearly.
Her body responded instinctively, a flush of heat spreading through her, her omega instincts battling against her logical mind. She tried to steady herself, but the air between them was saturated with his pheromones, a heady and intoxicating presence that made her knees weak.
But just as his lips were a breath away, she turned her head.
His kiss landed on the corner of her mouth, a near-miss that left him hovering there, his eyes opening in surprise. Ahicia could feel the tension radiating from him, the way his body seemed to stiffen at her rejection.
"I..." she began, but the words wouldn't come.
Damian pulled back, his expression unreadable. Slowly, he released her, standing up and stepping away from the bed. The loss of his warmth was jarring, and Ahicia found herself wanting to reach out, to stop him, but her hands remained clenched at her sides.
"I shouldn't have done that," Damian said, his voice low, almost to himself. He turned his back to her, his tail swishing agitatedly. "Stay away from me, Ahicia. For now."
The words were cold, but the tone was anything but. There was an edge of something—regret? Restraint?—that made her chest ache.
Ahicia sat up, her fingers twisting in the silk of her nightgown. "Damian..." she started, but he shook his head.
"Don't," he said firmly, his shoulders tense. "I won't be the one to force you into something you don't want."
The raw honesty in his voice was disarming, and for a moment, Ahicia was at a loss. But then, before she could think it through, she moved.
Standing quickly, she crossed the space between them, her tail swishing nervously behind her. Without a word, she reached up, her hands trembling as they cupped his face.
Damian's eyes widened in surprise as she pulled him down slightly, her lips brushing against his cheek in a feather-light kiss.
"I'm not... ready," she mumbled, her voice barely audible. Her gaze dropped to the floor, her ears flattening in embarrassment.
The room was still, the weight of her words hanging in the air.
Then Damian froze. His alpha instincts flared, and an unmistakable wave of pheromones surged from him, filling the room with an overpowering dominance. The scent hit Ahicia like a physical force, her omega body reacting instinctively as her own pheromones spiked in response, sweet and alluring, clashing with his in a dizzying cocktail of power and submission.
Ahicia's legs wobbled as her body betrayed her, the air between them growing thick with the primal scents that filled her lungs. Damian's eyes darkened further, and his tail lashed behind him as if struggling against his composure.
The change was instantaneous. Damian turned back to her, his expression unreadable for only a moment before a fire ignited in his eyes. Without warning, he closed the distance between them, his hands gripping her waist firmly as he lifted her off the ground.
"Ahicia," he growled, his voice rough with need.
Before she could protest, he pressed her back against the wall, his lips finding hers in a kiss that was anything but gentle. It was a raw, consuming thing that left her breathless, their mingled pheromones amplifying the intensity of every touch, every taste. His tail curled around her leg, holding her in place as if tethering her to him.
Ahicia gasped, her hands clutching at his shoulders as he ravished her with an intensity that made her head spin. His mouth trailed from her lips to her jawline, down the delicate curve of her neck, leaving a trail of fire in its wake.
"Damian—wait," she managed to say between breaths, but he didn't stop.
"You've already started this," he murmured against her skin, his voice a low rumble that sent shivers down her spine. "Now, I'll finish it."
His hands roamed, the silk of her nightgown slipping under his touch as he explored her with a fervor that bordered on desperation. Ahicia's mind was a whirlwind of sensations—heat, pressure, the intoxicating mix of pheromones, pain, and pleasure.
Yet, even as he claimed her, there was something restrained about Damian's movements, a flicker of the internal battle he was fighting. He was dangerous, yes, but he was holding back, even if only barely.
Ahicia's tail twitched against his, their movements becoming tangled as if their bodies were communicating in ways words never could.
And just as suddenly as it had begun, Damian stilled. His chest heaved as he pulled back slightly, his eyes locking onto hers.
"Tell me to stop," he said, his voice hoarse, raw.
Ahicia stared at him, her heart pounding as she tried to find the words. But none came.
The silence was answer enough.