Ruin Me, Alpha-Chapter 9: Seduction Scent

When I got back, my hand was shivering as they hovered over the door to knock. I take a deep breath and knocked.

He opened the door himself, shirt sleeves rolled up, looking effortlessly handsome. Sick bastard. "Irene. Come in."

I brushed past. "Make it quick."

He guided me to a table, food laid out. "Eat. Talk."

"Are you going to poison me?"

He chuckled darkly. "Trust me, if I wanted to killed you, it wouldn’t be poison."

I glared and sat stiffly. "What’s the real game? Why me?"

"You’re special," he said, serving himself. "Potential. And... intriguing."

I grabbed a wine and downed the whole glass. "So, what part did you fuck that night? The one with potential or intrigue?"

Was I drunk already? 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

He paused, spoon of spaghetti hovering in the air. "I fucked the sexy and breathtaking Irene Harvey."

I swallowed, watching as he proceeded serving my plate.

I felt nauseous. This dinner. Sitting with Alpha Devon, inhaling his cedar scent. I bit down on my lips. I didn’t belong here.

"Why are we having this dinner?"

"Consider this the real interview since the first one this morning did not go quite well." He sat after serving our plates, and sipped from his wine.

"You started it."

"You spat on me."

"You were an asshole."

"I was respectful enough."

I sighed, grabbed a fork and stabbed the shrimp. "Listen, Alpha Devon," I probed the shrimp into my mouth, chewing, "One more sentence of your voice and I’d throw up on this table. Your sight makes me want to puke please, go straight to the point."

He grabbed his fork and swirled his spaghetti. "Strange. The last time I checked, you called me an handsome stranger."

"Because I didn’t know who you were."

"Doesn’t change the fact that you think I’m handsome."

I poured myself a cupful of wine and took a long sip. I was going to get drunk at this point. "To be honest, I won’t deny that you are indeed handsome but you are a monster to me. And all monsters are meant to be ugly."

"False," he countered, a small smirk playing on his lips, as if he was enjoying this. "There are handsome monsters."

"So you agree? That you are a monster." I shoved a fork full of spaghetti into my mouth.

"I don’t mind being called a monster by you."

I slammed my fork on the table and got up, the chair scraping.

"Tell me why I am here or I am leaving."

He looked up at me, "Sit Irene Harvey."

"I won’t unless you—"

He cuts in, voice sharp and intimidating, "Sit Irene. Don’t make me repeat myself."

I did. Settling slowly on my seat.

We began eating in silence before he breaks it again after a few minutes.

"You smell nice." He said, sipping from his wine.

"Do you except me to say "thank you"?"

"Absolutely not. I’m simply pointing out something."

"Pointing what out?" I glared up at him, abandoning the food in front of me, focused more on the wine and how I had almost finished my second bottle.

I swear if I get drunk...

"It’s Miss Clara."

I frowned. "What?"

"You are wearing Miss Clara perfume. Specially worn for seduction."

Wait, was that what Brielle was trying to say??

"Don’t get the wrong idea. It was my best perfume brand." I dismissed.

He smirked behind the rim of his glass as he takes another sip. "It’s the same perfume you wore that night."

Realisation dawned on me.

Oh shit...

I bent my head to sniff my dress. It was really the same perfume I had worn that night we had sex...

How had I not noticed?

"You want to know why you are here, right?" my head snapped up at him.

I glared. "Yes,"

"I brought you here because I have a request."

I relaxed into my seat and downed the rest of the wine. "Shoot."

"I want to fuck you... again."

I dragged myself to the training grounds at dawn, the mandatory Omega session hanging over me like a noose. After that humiliating dinner last night, where Devon had toyed with me like a cat with a mouse, I barely slept. His smirk, his scent, his audacious "request" to fuck me again—it all boiled in my veins. That monster thought he could own me. I’d show him otherwise, even if it meant playing along in this farce of a training.

The field was packed with Omegas, all shuffling into lines under the watchful eyes of Devon’s Gamma, a burly guy named Harlan with a scar across his cheek. He stood on a makeshift platform, arms crossed, barking orders like he owned us.

"Listen up!" Harlan shouted, his voice gravelly. "Under Alpha Devon’s new rules, loyalty to the Alpha is non-negotiable. You’ll train harder, fight smarter, and report any disloyal whispers directly to me. No more slacking, breaches mean demotion or worse. We’re Ironcrest now, unified. Praise the merger or get out."

Murmurs rippled through the crowd. I clenched my fists, scanning the faces. Some nodded eagerly, traitors already sucking up to the new regime.

"Unified my ass," I muttered under my breath, lining up with the others.

Harlan jumped down, pacing the rows. "First drill: combat basics. Pair up. Show me what Ironfang’s got, and we’ll blend it with Silvercrest edge. Remember, Alpha Devon’s watching—impress him, rise up."

Whispers started as we paired off. The girl next to me, a mousy Omega named Tessa, leaned in. "Heard Alpha Devon killed three rivals last week. Just snapped their necks in a challenge. No hesitation. Ruthless, but damn, it keeps the pack safe."

Another voice chimed in from behind. "Yeah, and those rogues? He hunts them personally. Whispers say he’s got a list of enemies—wipes them clean."

I gritted my teeth, pairing with a random Omega who looked as thrilled as a kid in candy. "He’s a murderer," I hissed to no one in particular. "Framed my father, killed my brother. Ruthless is just code for monster."

Tessa shot me a look. "Shh, Irene. The merger’s good. Better rations, real training. Alpha Devon’s turning us into warriors, not servants."

I spun on her, eyes blazing. "He’s invading our pack, planting his spies, and you praise him? What about loyalty to Alpha Theo? Or does a charming smile wipe that away?"

Tessa stepped back, but another Omega, Lena from the kitchens, jumped in. "Hey, ease up. The merger means power for us Omegas. Alpha Devon’s fair—gave me extra shifts with pay. He’s cool about it, listens when we talk. Not like before."

I laughed bitterly, voice rising. "He frames innocents, strips families, and you call him fair? Wake up! He’s charming you into chains. I’d rather die than bow to that bastard."

The field went quiet. Heads turned. Harlan’s eyes locked on me from across the way. "Problem here?"

Lena shrugged. "Just Irene venting. She’s... upset about the changes."

"Upset?" I snapped at her. "Try furious. This merger’s a takeover, and Devon’s the thief in charge. Praising him makes you complicit."

Tessa frowned. "Irene, stop. You’ll get us all in trouble."

"Good," I shot back. "Maybe trouble wakes you up."

Harlan marched over. "Harvey, right? Mouth off again, and you’re running laps till sunset. Focus on the drill."

I glared but bit my tongue, throwing a punch at my partner to start the spar. Whispers continued—more about Devon’s "ruthless" feats. "Heard he executed a beta for betrayal, no trial." "Yeah, but he’s charming in meetings, makes you feel seen." It fueled my rage. Every punch I landed imagined Devon’s face.

Mid-drill, a shadow moved from the corner of the field. There he was—Alpha Devon, leaning against a tree, arms crossed, watching with that cool, assessing gaze. His dark hair caught the morning light, gray eyes scanning the group. He looked effortless, like he owned the dawn itself. Bastard.

Our eyes met. He motioned me over with a subtle flick of his head. Harlan noticed and nodded me off. "Go. Alpha wants you."