People froze with their drinks halfway to their mouths. Whispers started traveling across the room like wildfire.
"Is that... the Enigma?" a wealthy CEO whispered to his wife, lowering his glass.
"Look who is standing next to him," a pack leader murmured, his eyes wide with shock. "That is Julius. The rumors were true."
Harrison did not look at any of them. He kept his chin high, his massive shoulders broad as he walked forward. His hand rested firmly on the small of Julius’s back, a clear gesture of total ownership and protection.
He was openly showing the entire high-society world that Julius belonged to him. Everyone in the hall instantly understood the ssage: Julius was no longer just a business partner. He was the person the feared Enigma valued most in the world, and touching him ant certain death.
"Just breathe, baby," Harrison said softly, his deep voice only for Julius to hear. "Keep walking. Let them look."
Julius kept his head up, his voice steady. "I’m fine. They just look like they’ve seen a ghost."
They walked toward the center of the hall, where waiters in suits were carrying trays. Harrison had to step away for a brief mont to speak with an older board mber who blocked their path, leaving Julius standing near one of the high tables.
Julius leaned one hand against the edge of the table, trying to look relaxed. He watched Harrison from a distance. Harrison was listening to the older man, nodding his head slowly.
But before Julius could look away, a beautiful woman in a bright designer dress walked straight up to them. She smiled warmly at the board mber, but her eyes quickly shifted to Harrison. She laughed loudly at sothing they said, her head tilting back.
Then, she stepped closer to Harrison. Julius watched as she casually rested her manicured hand right on Harrison’s broad shoulder, leaning in to whisper sothing in his ear.
A sudden wave of anger hit Julius right in the chest. He felt completely pissed off. His fingers tightened against the table, and he felt a hot irritation rising up his neck.
Without even thinking, Julius reached out and grabbed a fresh glass of fruit juice from a passing waiter’s tray. He gulped the entire drink down in one go, trying to clear the sudden tightness in his throat. He walked straight over to Harrison, completely ignoring the woman’s glare as she noticed his approach.
"I need to use the toilet," Julius whispered directly into Harrison’s ear, his voice tight and short.
Harrison turned his head quickly, his dark eyes searching Julius’s face. He began to reach out a hand, but Julius didn’t get to reply before he turned around and walked away quickly.
As he hurried toward the quiet corridor leading away from the ballroom, Julius muttered under his breath, his chest huffing with annoyance. "Stupid Enigma. He probably loves seeing pissed."
He was walking so fast, thinking about that woman’s hand on Harrison’s shoulder, that he didn’t notice the tall figure stepping out from the side lounge area.
Bam.
Julius bumped hard into the person’s chest, stumbling backward from the impact. Strong hands instantly reached out, catching his elbows to steady him before he could fall back onto the floor.
"Sorry about that," a deep, smooth voice said.
Julius shook his head to clear his blurry vision and looked up. The man standing in front of him was an absolute gentleman, with neat hair and a polite, apologetic smile. He released Julius’s elbows carefully as soon as Julius found his balance.
But as Julius stood there, a sudden, heavy scent hit his nose. Julius froze in place. The person’s scent was completely off. It did not sll like a regular Alpha or a Beta at all. It slled dark, and crushing — exactly like Harrison’s Enigma aura.
Julius quickly shook his head again, taking a large step back. No, that is impossible, he thought to himself. Maybe I am just hallucinating because I’m angry. Harrison was the only Enigma currently in the city. There was no way another one was just walking around this party.
"Are you alright?" the gentleman asked, his voice kind and calm.
The handso stranger smiled gently at him, making Julius’s cheeks feel strangely warm. Julius quickly cleared his throat, gave a small, hurried nod, and moved past him. "Yes, I am fine. Excuse ."
He hurried past the man and went straight into the restroom.
Inside the quiet restroom, Julius turned on the tap and washed his face with cold water. He took a few deep breaths, trying to calm his racing heart and clear his mind of the strange interaction. He wiped his face with a paper towel, looking at his reflection. He told himself he was just stressed about the gala and the missing drive.
When he finally pushed the door open to walk out into the dim corridor, he froze dead in his tracks.
Harrison was standing right there, leaning his massive fra against the wall. His dark eyes were fixed on the doorway, and his face was completely expressionless. The warmth from earlier was entirely gone from his features.
"Why do you sll of another powerful male?" Harrison asked instantly. His voice was dangerously low as he stepped forward, completely blocking the narrow hallway.
Julius gulped, but he tried to keep his voice calm and steady. "I just crashed into soone on my way here. It was an accident, Harrison."
Harrison did not let him finish his sentence. He stepped directly into Julius’s personal space, stopping him halfway. A dark, terrifying chuckle escaped Harrison’s lips, but his eyes remained completely cold and steady.
"You stink of this stranger’s pheromones, darling," Harrison murmured. He lifted his large hand, his fingers coming up to touch the side of Julius’s neck, right over his collar, where the unfamiliar scent was strongest.
Julius felt a cold shiver run down his spine, but he quickly shook his head, trying to make Harrison understand. "No, Harrison, listen to for a second. I noticed sothing really off about him. His scent... it felt exactly like an Enigma."
Harrison completely cut him off. He did not seem to care about the explanation or who the man was. His control was entirely gone, replaced by a raw, possessive fury that filled the small hallway.
Harrison slowly tilted his head back, his dark eyes looking up toward the ceiling for a brief second as a cold, dark smile touched his lips.
When he looked back down at Julius, his eyes were pitch black.
"Whose hand am I chopping this ti, Julius?" Harrison growled, his voice dropping into a deadly whisper that made the air feel incredibly thick. "I. NEED. A. NA."
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