Page 26 of Trapped By the Cartel

"Choices are funny things," I murmured, running my thumb across his bottom lip. "Sometimes, they look different when you step back and take a good, hard look at them."

"And what choices do I supposedly have?" He challenged, his eyes burning with a different intensity now.

"A chance to stay here," I began, counting off each option on my fingers. "To learn more about who you truly are. To explore this… thing between us." I paused, letting the implications sink in. "Or, you could choose to leave, to walk away from everything you've discovered tonight."

Elliot swallowed hard, considering my words. "Why would you even give me that option?"

"Why wouldn't I?" I shot back, a hint of anger creeping into my tone. "Do you think so little of me that you believe I would force you to stay against your will?"

"No," he admitted softly, his gaze dropping to my chest. "That's not what I meant. It's just... unexpected, coming from someone like you."

"Someone like me?" I echoed, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, you know," he said, waving his hand vaguely. "An alpha. Someone used to taking what they want without regard for anyone else's feelings."

"I won't deny that I'm like that sometimes," I conceded, my expression softening. "But I also know the value of consent, of respecting boundaries—even if they sometimes chafe against my nature."

"That's... that's surprisingly progressive of you." His surprise was palpable, and I couldn't help but feel a swell of satisfaction knowing that I'd managed to catch him off guard once again.

"And then there's the fact that I genuinely care about what happens to you," I added, tucking a curl behind his ear. "I want whatever makes you happy, whatever helps you thrive. And if that means allowing you to spread your wings and figure out where you belong in this world, then so be it."

He was silent for a long moment, absorbing my words, searching for some hidden agenda that wasn't there. Finally, he sighed, deflating beneath me. "Okay, fine. Maybe I am no longer a prisoner. But that doesn't mean I have to accept this… lifestyle. This… pack dynamic."

He was obviously talking about our clan's preference to be naked.

"You don't have to accept anything," I assured him, tracing patterns on his bare shoulder. "All I ask is that you keep an open mind. That you consider the possibility that there might be something worth exploring here, something that could bring you pleasure and fulfillment beyond your wildest dreams."

He shivered, his cock twitching against mine at the suggestion. "And what if I decide I don't want that? What if I decide I want to maintain my independence, my freedom?"

"If that's truly what you desire," I replied, cupping his cheek, "then I'll support you. I'll help you find a way to live your life on your terms, outside of the Nightshade pack."

He seemed taken aback by my response, his mouth opening and closing several times before he finally spoke. "Really?"

"Of course," I said, smiling down at him. "I may be many things, Elliot—a dominant alpha, a powerful leader—but above all, I am a man of my word. If you tell me that you wish to leave, then I will make sure it happens."

"But..." He trailed off, biting his lip uncertainly. "What about us? What about what happened earlier?"

"What about it?" I asked, though I knew exactly what he was referring to. "You said that it changed nothing."

"It was... incredible," he admitted reluctantly. "The best sex I've ever had. The most intense experience of my life."

A smug grin tugged at my lips. "Glad to hear it."

"But it doesn't change anything," he repeated, his nails digging into my shoulders. "It was just one night. One amazing fuck. Nothing more."

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Always so quick to dismiss your own desires, aren't you, little omega? So eager to put yourself back in that neat little box labeled 'Independent' or 'Unavailable'."

"Well, what else am I supposed to think?" He demanded, his frustration mounting. "You can't possibly expect me to believe that we share some deep, profound connection after one roll in the hay!"

"Maybe not," I conceded, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead. "But I do expect you to recognize that our connectiongoes far deeper than mere physical attraction. We're bound together now, Elliot." And I had marked him.

He looked up at me, his hazel eyes filled with uncertainty and fear. "How can you be so sure?"

"Because I've felt it before," I whispered, the ghosts of my past threatening to resurface. "With another omega, years ago. A love lost too soon, taken from me before its time. But I never stopped believing in the power of such bonds—that they exist, that they're real, and that they're worth fighting for."

His breath hitched, his voice barely above a whisper as he asked, "What happened to him?"

My heart clenched painfully, the memories of that tragic day washing over me like a tidal wave. "He died giving birth to our child," I rasped, my throat tight with emotion. "A beautiful boy who didn't survive the birthing process."

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