Chapter 2: Going Into Rut

Elyse’s P.O.V

Kyle tilted his head, his voice dropping into something softer, almost intimate. “You’re sweating, you know.”

I turned my head sharply, glaring at him. “What’s your point?”

My body wasn’t just reacting to Kyle’s pheromones anymore—it was something deeper, more primal, stirring inside me. My skin was burning, my breaths came short, and that all-too-familiar ache low in my abdomen clenched tighter with every step.

No. Not now.

I swallowed hard, gripping the handle of my suitcase as if the pressure would ground me. My mind screamed at me to focus, to shove everything else aside, but my body refused to listen.

I didn’t need anyone to tell me what was happening. I was going into a rut. And it was because of Kyle.

It seemed impossible…Alphas didn’t…weren’t supposed to react to another Alpha’s scent like this. But how else was I supposed to explain what was happening to me?

His scent still lingered, wrapping around me even as he trailed a few steps behind. It was maddening—rich, warm, intoxicating in a way that gnawed at my self-control. My pulse thundered in my ears as I fumbled with the suitcase, desperate to escape into the safety of my room before—

“Elyse.”

His voice froze me in place. Calm, curious, but laced with something sharper. I could hear him approaching, his footsteps slow and deliberate.

“What?” I muttered without turning around, my teeth clenched so hard my jaw ached.

“Are you…” Kyle paused, and I could feel his eyes boring into my back. “Are you in a rut?”

I stiffened, heat flooding my face. My grip on the suitcase handle tightened as humiliation surged through me. Of course, he’d figured it out. There was no hiding it now, not with how close he was.

“It’s none of your business,” I snapped, my voice harsher than I intended.

Kyle didn’t back off. Instead, he moved closer, his presence looming just a step away. “You reek of it,” he said quietly, his tone unreadable, as he took a whiff of my scent. “It’s all over you, all over this enclosed space...”

I whipped around, glaring at him. “I said it’s none of your business.”

But the moment our eyes met, I faltered. His expression wasn’t mocking or smug like I’d expected. It was… curious. Maybe even concerned. And that made it so much worse.

The heat surged again, stronger this time, and I bit back a groan, my body trembling under the strain. I turned away, fumbling to hide my obvious arousal behind my suitcase. God, this couldn’t be happening. Not here. Not in front of him.

“Elyse…let me help you.”

The moment the words left Kyle’s mouth, my blood boiled. “You’re out of your damn mind,” I spat, glaring at him. My fists clenched at my sides as the heat of my rut warred with my anger. “I don’t need your help. I don’t want your help. So, do us both a favor and fuck off.”

Kyle didn’t even flinch. Instead, he leaned lazily against the elevator wall, arms crossed, his infuriatingly calm expression making my rage simmer hotter. “You’re not thinking straight,” he said smoothly. “And let’s be real—you’re not exactly in a position to refuse me right now.”

My grip tightened on the handle of my suitcase, nails biting into my palm. “We’re rivals, Kyle. Rivals. Did you forget that? I want nothing to do with you.”

“Rivals?” he echoed, arching a brow as though the word amused him. “You’re seriously pulling the ‘rivals’ card right now? You can barely stand, Elyse. That heat’s going to get worse before it gets better, and I’m the only one here who can make it easier for you.”

“Easier?” I laughed bitterly, though it came out more like a rasp. “You think this is about convenience? You think I’m going to let you of all people—” I cut myself off, shaking my head. “Just stay out of my way.”

Kyle’s eyes darkened, and before I could process what was happening, he reached out and pressed the stop button on the elevator. The soft hum of motion came to a halt, and the floor indicator froze at nineteen.

“What the hell are you doing?” I snapped, stepping back instinctively.

Kyle turned to face me fully, his expression unyielding. “Helping you make a choice,” he said simply.

“There is no choice to make!” I snarled, heat rising in my cheeks.

He took a deliberate step toward me, the confined space of the elevator making his presence feel suffocating. “Oh, there’s a choice,” he said, his voice low and calm, but with an edge that made my skin prickle. “You can leave this elevator, walk out onto the nineteenth floor, and let everyone on that floor smell exactly what’s going on with you. Or…” He trailed off, his eyes locking onto mine, “You can let me help you.”

Fuck! He wasn’t serious…was he?

“You’re running out of time,” Kyle said softly, his tone almost… gentle.

I gritted my teeth, squeezing my eyes shut as another wave of heat crashed over me. “I don’t need you,” I whispered, though even I didn’t believe it.  “I hate you.”

“You don’t have to like me,” Kyle replied, his voice closer now. “You don’t even have to thank me. But pretending you can handle this on your own isn’t going to get you anywhere.”

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms hard enough to hurt. “You’re such an asshole,” I muttered, though the fight in my voice was starting to waver.

“Maybe,” Kyle said again, that infuriating smirk tugging at his lips. “But I’m also right. You know I am.”

Another wave of heat surged through me, and this time, I couldn’t stop the small, broken sound that escaped my throat. My knees buckled slightly, and I pressed harder against the wall, desperate for any kind of stability.

Kyle didn’t move, didn’t push further, but his gaze remained fixed on me, steady and unwavering. “The offer still stands,” he said quietly.