Page 4 of Trapped By the Cartel

"Reasons are fascinating," I mused. "Tell me them, then. Don't keep anything from me, otherwise…"

"It's… complicated," he mumbled, his gaze darting around the forest floor. He seemed to be avoiding my eyes. Seemed? I immediately thought. He definitely was.

"Most things are," I agreed. "Life is rarely straightforward, is it?" I paused, allowing the silence to hang in the air. "Tell me a little about your family."

He hesitated, clearly weighing his options. "My father… he works for someone powerful."

There was something he didn't say. He was thinking that I knew more about his father than I was letting on. And in some way, he was right.

"Powerful how?" I pressed subtly, feigning ignorance for now.

"I don't want to talk about it," he mumbled, burying his face in his arms.

"That's not very helpful," I commented. The understatement of the century, I thought amusedly.

"I'm just scared, okay?" Elliot snapped out suddenly. "Can you… can you shift back?"

The question surprised me slightly. It was direct and desperate, a plea for normalcy in a situation that was anything but. I considered it, weighing the implications. Revealing myself would be a risk. But so was prolonging this tension.

"Patience," I rumbled, a low vibration in my chest. I had already made my decision, and he wasn't going to like it. "Everything in its time. There are protocols to follow."

"Protocols?" Elliot echoed, his voice rising slightly in disbelief. "You're following protocols while you have me trapped in the middle of nowhere?!"

I let out a soft huff of amusement. "Everything is protocol. Even this, little omega."

"But why? What do you want from me?" He was becoming more assertive, and it intrigued me.

"That's a question you'll find an answer to," I replied cryptically. "Eventually."

He glared at me, or rather, at the wolf that was me. "You're not helping."

"I am providing context," I countered. "You ran away from something. You're seeking sanctuary. And you've stumbled into my territory. That is all that there is to it."

"Your territory? So, you own this forest?"

"In a way," I agreed, the word laced with a subtle undertone of power. "Everything has its rightful owner. Don't you agree?"

He didn't respond, just stared at me in silence. He didn't know what to say, which was understandable.

"You have a sharp mind," I said finally, breaking the quiet. "It's a shame you're wasting it on fear."

"And you have a very strange way of putting people at ease," he retorted, defiance flickering in his eyes.

I let out a low chuckle. "Perhaps. But I am known for my unconventional methods."

"Unconventional is one word for it," Elliot replied, his voice still trembling slightly but gaining a hint of steel. He was fighting, and I found myself appreciating that, even as I knew he would lose. They always all did.

"Indeed," I rumbled, circling him again, slower this time, savoring the way his scent sharpened with anxiety. "Though I prefer 'efficient.'" I paused, letting the word hang in the air before adding, with a playful smirk, "Time is precious, Elliot. Best not to waste it on unnecessary fuss."

He glared at me, or rather, at the large wolf that was currently orbiting him like a predator around its prey. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"Amusement is an important part of survival," I countered smoothly, letting my gaze linger on his face. It was such an adorable face, framed by those unruly curls and illuminatedby those wide, apprehensive eyes. A perfect little omega face. "Besides, it's not every day I encounter a runaway with such… potential."

He frowned, clearly unsure what to make of my words. "Potential for what?"

"For everything," I replied, letting the word trail off, letting him wonder what he should be thinking in that moment. The air around us thickened, almost feeling suffocating. I could feel his pulse quickening, his omega scent intensifying. Delicious.

"I'm not a toy," Elliot retorted, a flash of anger momentarily eclipsing the fear in his eyes.

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