Rion Vale's POV
My eyes slowly open. Sunlight filters through the curtains, warm and blinding. I stretch my body, and for the first time in years, I feel… good. Strong. Fresh. Like an alpha again.
I sit up, rubbing my temples as fragments of last night flood back into my mind — the party, the heat, the scent, and—
My eyes widen.
What the hell… I slept with Evan Lee.
My biggest rival. My enemy. The man I swore I'd destroy in business.
How is that even possible? For two years, I couldn't stand touching humans — their scent was always wrong, their skin felt empty. And yet with him... my body responded.
"Shit…" I mutter under my breath, dragging a hand through my hair. He must know. He must've noticed something.
Did I... mark him? No, that's impossible. He's human — not an omega. It shouldn't even be possible to leave a mark on someone without pheromone compatibility.
I shake my head, trying to dismiss the thought. Still, a part of me can't ignore the faint memory — the warmth of his skin under my lips, the way his body trembled.
Too many questions swirl in my head, and none of them have answers.
A soft knock breaks the silence.
"Come in," I say quietly.
My secretary, Gen, steps inside, his posture sharp as always. "Good morning, sir." He pours a glass of water and hands it to me.
I take a sip, my throat dry. "Gen… who brought me home last night?"
"Sir," Gen said, standing straighter. "When I noticed you were missing, I started searching everywhere. Then Mr. Evan's secretary called — he said you collapsed in the bathroom and were resting in one of the hotel rooms."
I pause, gripping the glass tighter. "So Evan wasn't there when you found me?"
"No, sir. Only you."
I nod slowly, thoughts racing. Where did he go? Did he realize what I am?
If I really lost control last night... then a normal human couldn't possibly handle an alpha's strength during rut. Especially mine.
I swing my legs off the bed, my jaw tightening.
"I need to see him," I mutter. "If something happened to him… it's on me."
Evan Lee's POV
Morning light glows through the curtains, but I can't find the strength to get up. My whole body aches — and my bottom hurts like hell. I groan, trying to move, but every muscle burns.
"Damn it…" I whisper, my voice hoarse. "That bastard Rion…"
He was too strong — not like a normal human at all. His touch, his scent, everything about him felt wild, overwhelming. That black orchid scent still lingers in my head, heavy and addictive.
I try to sit up, but the pain shoots through me, forcing me back down. Then, a knock echoes on the door.
"Mr. Lee, I brought the medicine you asked for," my secretary's voice calls.
"Come in," I say quietly.
He steps inside, placing ointment and painkillers on the table. "Sir, let me help you sit up."
I sigh. "Fine."
He helps me, and even sitting feels like climbing a mountain. My legs are weak. He pours me a glass of water and hands it over.
"You should eat before taking the painkillers," he says politely.
"I don't have any appetite."
"But, sir—"
"You can go, Arem."
He hesitates, then nods and leaves.
Once he's gone, I drag myself to the mirror. My reflection looks terrible — skin covered in bruises, faint bite marks, and red trails.
But then my eyes stop at one spot — right between my neck and shoulder.
A mark.
It's not a normal hickey. It's darker, shaped differently… and when I lean closer, I notice it glows faintly under the light. The scent around it is strong — black orchid, deep and intoxicating. My chest tightens as a strange heat spreads through me.
I touch it slowly, feeling a strange warmth under my skin.
"What the hell are you, Rion Vale…" I whisper.
No matter how many times I shower, this scent won't fade. It's like it's inside me now — his scent, his mark.
****After two days****
It's been two days. I still don't have the strength to go to the office. My body burns with fever, and no matter how many medicines I take, it won't go down. I sit up slowly and reach for my phone on the bedside table — too many missed calls from Mom, Dad, and… Zoe. My fiancée.
I sigh and set the phone back down. The sound of a knock follows almost immediately. My secretary steps in quietly.
"Sir, I think you should go to the hospital."
"No," I mutter. "Just… call my personal doctor."
He nods. "Understood, sir. Also, Mr. Evander Lee wants to meet you. He's been asking why you've been absent."
"Tell Dad I'm handling something urgent. I'll manage everything online."
He nods again and leaves the room. The door clicks shut. Silence fills the space.
I sink back against the bed, every nerve in my body screaming with fatigue. I've never felt this kind of weakness before—like my strength has been drained straight from my bones. My eyelids fall shut, heavy with exhaustion and shame.
No one can know about this. Not a single soul.
It would be the greatest humiliation of my life if anyone ever found out I slept with my biggest rival—Rion Vale. He forced himself on me, and I couldn't stop him. The thought makes my stomach twist, shame mixing with something darker. How could I be so powerless against him? How could I let it happen?
My hands curl into fists, trembling with fury. Heat surges beneath my skin—not fever this time, but anger. Cold, sharp, and alive.
I stare at the ceiling, jaw tight.
I'll make him pay for this.
Rion Vale.
Wait and see.