The soft chime signaling dinner startled me, not the System this time, but from outside the suite door. I jumped, my heart doing a little flutter-kick against my ribs.
Kian's voice came from the other side, calm as ever. "Rui? Dinner."
My stomach did a flip. Eat with him? Or alone?He'd told me I didn't have to, but refusing felt… incredibly rude. What if a "Comfort Level" task popped up for sharing a meal? Plus, the food smelled amazing, wafting under the door. Survival first. Always.
Taking a deep breath, I walked to the door and slid it open. Kian was standing there, calm as ever, next to a tall, silent man in a crisp uniform pushing a cart laden with covered dishes. The aroma alone made my mouth water.
"Follow me," Kian said simply, gesturing towards the immense living area.
He led me to a sleek dining table made of dark, polished wood, easily seating twelve. It felt ridiculously large for just two people.
Kian sat at the head, leaving me to choose between a seat far away or awkwardly close. I picked one directly to his right, close enough not to seem rude, but far enough to give me a little breathing room.
The silent man swiftly uncovered the dishes: a steaming bowl of something that looked like creamy pasta, a perfectly cooked piece of fish with colorful vegetables, and a fresh salad. Everything looked like it belonged on a cooking show.
"Help yourself," Kian offered, picking up his fork.
I hesitated, unsure where to start. I hadn't eaten a proper meal in... I couldn't even remember. My hands felt clumsy as I tried to serve myself, probably making a mess. Kian ate quietly, his movements precise and elegant. I tried to copy him, but my own hands felt like giant clumsy paws.
The silence stretched, thick and heavy. I could hear the faint clink of Kian's fork against his plate, the soft hum of the air conditioning. It wasn't hostile, but it wasn't comfortable either. It was just… quiet. And I was bad at quiet.
Finally, forcing myself to speak, I looked up, meeting his eyes for a quick second before glancing back at my half-eaten plate. "Kian," I started, my voice barely a whisper, "thank you for… for everything. For bringing me here. But I just want to be clear that I'm only staying until… until my heat passes. And then I should go."
Kian's fork paused, mid-air. He slowly lowered it to his plate. His gaze sharpened, locking onto mine. "You are not going anywhere, Rui." His voice was low, firm, leaving no room for argument. "This is your home now."
A fresh wave of panic, mixed with a surprising spark of defiance, surged through me. "No, it's not!" My voice, to my own surprise, came out stronger. "This isn't my home! I… I'm just a cleaner from the slums, Kian! I can't live here! I don't belong here!"
His eyes narrowed slightly, and his scent seemed to deepen, becoming more intense. "You are my omega, Rui," he reiterated, the words a quiet, unyielding command.
Something in me snapped. The overwhelming luxury, the confusing System, his absolute certainty… it was too much. "Your omega?!" My voice trembled, but I pushed on. "I'm your mate, I get that! But I don't even know you properly! All I know is you're some kind of CEO, a billionaire, and you don't even know me! You like me because I'm your mate, because of this bond, not because you know anything about Rui Chen!" Hot tears pricked at my eyes, but I blinked them back furiously. "You're 24, I'm 17! This is insane!"
The words hung in the air, shattering the polite silence. Kian's expression, for the first time, actually shifted. His brow furrowed, and the sharp edge in his scent softened, replaced by something that felt… hesitant. He looked genuinely taken aback, perhaps even a little hurt.
"You're right," he said, his voice quiet, almost regretful. "Rui, I… I am sorry. I put too much pressure on you. I apologize." He paused, then continued, "You're right. We should… we should get to know each other. Properly."
I stared at him, stunned into silence. An apology? From the Kian Elros? My throat tightened, but this time not from fear. It was from a strange mixture of relief and disbelief. He actually listened.
Kian looked at me, a thoughtful, almost solemn expression on his face. "Tell me about yourself, Rui. Start with… when is your birthday?"
My eyes widened. My birthday? That was next month. No one had ever asked me about my birthday before, not like this. It felt like a small, unexpected olive branch in this overwhelming golden cage. "It's… next month," I managed, my voice still small, but a little less strained this time.
A faint, almost imperceptible shift crossed Kian's face, a hint of something doting in his eyes. "Good," he murmured, a soft note of satisfaction in his voice. "Then we have time. We'll start there. Now," he added, his tone gently resuming its previous calm, "you don't have to eat with me, but you should finish your dinner."
"…Okay."
Rui wasn't used to someone making space for him without conditions, let alone acknowledging his feelings. The instinct to shrink, to disappear, was still strong – but his skin no longer felt heavy, and the patch under his collarbone eased the tension of his scent leaking into the air. He curled his fingers into the soft fabric of the lounge clothes, grounding himself. He had a month. A month until… what? He wasn't sure. But for the first time, the terrifying future felt like it had a tiny, unexpected marker.
"You're right," he said, his voice quiet, almost regretful. "Rui, I… I am sorry. I put too much pressure on you. I apologize." He paused, then continued, "You're right. We should… we should get to know each other. Properly."
I stared at him, stunned into silence. An apology? From the Kian Elros? My throat tightened, but this time not from fear. It was from a strange mixture of relief and disbelief. He actually listened.
Kian looked at me, a thoughtful, almost solemn expression on his face. "Tell me about yourself, Rui. Start with… when is your birthday?"
My eyes widened. My birthday? That was next month. No one had ever asked me about my birthday before, not like this. It felt like a small, unexpected olive branch in this overwhelming golden cage. "It's… next month," I managed, my voice still small, but a little less strained this time.
A faint, almost imperceptible shift crossed Kian's face, a hint of genuine interest in his eyes. "Next month," he repeated, a soft, thoughtful note in his voice. "Good. We'll start there." He finished the last bite of his fish, setting his fork down with a quiet clink, signaling the end of the meal.
Rui wasn't used to someone making space for him without conditions, let alone acknowledging his feelings. His instinct to shrink, to disappear, was still strong, but with the pheromone patch working its magic and a full stomach, a new kind of quiet settled over him. He curled his fingers into the soft fabric of the lounge clothes, grounding himself. A month. A month until… what? He wasn't sure. But for the first time, the terrifying future felt like it had a tiny, unexpected marker.