The man who sees too much

Lucien Vale did not miss details.

That became painfully obvious within the first month.

At first, I thought I was imagining it—his gaze lingering a second longer than necessary, his questions phrased a little too precisely, his silences stretching just enough to be uncomfortable.

Then I realized something far worse.

He wasn’t watching me the way men watch omegas.

He was watching me the way hunters watch terrain.

Which, frankly, felt unfair. I’d signed up for espionage, not psychological warfare.

I adjusted the suppressor patch on my neck as subtly as possible, fingers brushing skin that felt raw from constant use. The tech hid my alpha scent, twisted my instincts into something foreign. Sometimes it made my head ache. Sometimes it made my chest feel hollow.

Worth it, I told myself.

“Worth it,” I muttered again as I entered the main meeting room.

Lucien was already there.

Of course he was.

He sat at the head of the table, posture relaxed, one arm resting casually on the armrest while his lieutenants filled the seats around him. The room was quiet—not because he demanded it, but because everyone instinctively gave it.

I took my place near the wall, eyes lowered, body angled slightly inward. Non-threatening. Forgettable.

Or at least, that was the goal.

“Begin,” Lucien said.

They discussed weapons shipments, port access, rival syndicates pushing into contested territory. Names and numbers stacked neatly in my mind, already categorized for later transmission.

Then Lucien looked at me directly.

“What do you think?” he asked.

The room froze.

I swear someone stopped breathing.

I felt every gaze in the room slam into me like a spotlight, sharp and judging. Omegas did not speak in meetings like this. Omegas didn’t think about logistics.

Inside my head, I panicked.

Oh, this is it. This is where I die. Please let it be quick.

Outwardly, I hesitated. Just enough.

“I…” I started, swallowing. “The eastern route seems… exposed.”

Lucien didn’t interrupt. Didn’t pressure.

Just watched.

“If the council realizes you’re shifting shipments through there,” I continued carefully, “they’ll tighten inspections. You’d lose time. Resources.”

Silence.

Then Lucien nodded.

“He’s right,” he said calmly.

And just like that, the meeting shifted. Men scribbled notes. Plans adjusted. No one argued.

I stared at the table, heart pounding so loudly I was sure someone else could hear it.

Great, Kael. Congratulations. You’ve upgraded from ‘invisible’ to ‘interesting.’

Love that for you.

After the meeting, one of the lieutenants passed me and muttered, “Careful.”

I wasn’t sure if it was a warning or a threat.

Probably both.

Later that night, I found Lucien alone in the upper study.

Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the city, lights scattered like fallen stars. He stood with his back to me, hands clasped loosely, posture unreadable.

I shouldn’t have spoken.

I did anyway.

“You wanted to see me?”

He turned slowly.

“Yes,” he said. “Walk with me.”

That wasn’t a request.

We moved together through the quiet corridors, our footsteps echoing softly. No guards followed. That alone made my nerves scream.

“So,” I said lightly, because silence made me spiral, “if this is where you kill me, I’d like to request something dramatic. Maybe lightning.”

Lucien glanced at me.

“You joke when you’re nervous,” he observed.

I blinked. “Wow. You say that like you’ve been watching me.”

“I have.”

My mouth went dry.

He stopped near the windows, city lights reflecting faintly in his eyes.

“You don’t move like an omega,” he said calmly. Not accusing. Curious.

I laughed, a little too fast. “Wow. Harsh. I have layers, you know.”

“You’re observant,” he continued. “You listen more than you speak. You don’t smell afraid.”

There it was again.

That sentence curled around my spine like a finger tapping glass.

“That’s just the suppressants,” I said quickly. “They’re… strong.”

Lucien studied me for a long moment.

Then he surprised me.

“Fear makes people predictable,” he said. “You’re not.”

Something twisted in my chest at that.

Something dangerously close to pride.

“Oh,” I replied, forcing a grin. “Trust me. I’m very predictable. I like food, sleep, and not being murdered.”

A pause.

Then—just barely—his lips curved.

It wasn’t a smile.

But it was close.

That night, I reported everything to my handler.

“He’s suspicious,” I said quietly. “I think he’s testing me.”

The response came swiftly.

Maintain cover. He suspects nothing concrete.

I stared at the words until they blurred.

“You’re wrong,” I whispered. “He suspects me.”

I closed the channel and leaned back on my bed, staring at the ceiling.

For the first time since accepting the mission, the danger didn’t thrill me.

It scared me.

Because Lucien Vale wasn’t a monster chasing prey.

He was a man who saw too clearly.

And if he ever saw all of me—

I wasn’t sure there would be anything left to run away with.

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