The dim light from the chandelier glimmered across the surface of the wine glass, reflecting crimson streaks that danced with the slow, deliberate swirl of Silas's hand.
He sat in his private chamber, the air thick with the scent of aged liquor and cigar smoke. The city lights outside the tall windows flickered faintly, illuminating the faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
The door creaked open.
Kane stepped inside, his arm still bandaged from the bullet graze he'd sustained at the auction. His expression was dark, shoulders squared with restrained fury.
Silas didn't look up immediately. He took a measured sip of his wine before finally speaking, voice smooth as silk but sharp as a blade.
"Did you find out who dared to interrupt my event?"
Kane bowed slightly, his tone clipped. "Yes. It was the Crimson Vultures… and the Wolf Marks. They joined forces."
At that, Silas's hand stilled midair. Then, he let out a low, amused hum. "Both of them, hm? Interesting."
He set the glass down, the faint clink echoing in the silence. "It seems those two are getting rather confident lately. A couple of gangs thinking they can meddle in my affairs…"
He rose from his chair, walking toward the tall window. The city stretched endlessly before him — his kingdom, his empire. His reflection in the glass was calm, but his eyes gleamed with cold delight.
"They're getting out of hand," he murmured. "And when people forget who holds the leash… it's only polite to remind them."
He turned slightly, looking over his shoulder at Kane.
"Send the leader of the Crimson Vultures a gift."
Kane didn't ask what kind of gift Silas meant. He knew better. He simply bowed his head. "Understood."
As the door closed behind him, Silas remained by the window, lifting his glass once more. He took another slow sip, the taste of wine thick and metallic on his tongue.
"This is going to be… interesting."
At the Wolf Marks headquarters, the mood was far from relaxed.
Everyone had gathered in the living room — a large space lined with dark furniture, warm light, and the faint hum of conversation.
Rin— who wake up some time ago—sat among them, still pale but more alert than before. His posture was composed, though his body was still weak from recovery. Kael sat across from him, silent, his piercing gaze moving between the men as they discussed the results of the raid.
Lucas leaned back in his chair, flipping through a file. "We recovered what was left of the shipment. There were five bottles of the drug."
He looked up at Rin. "We've sent samples to our lab for analysis. We'll know its full chemical structure within a day or two."
Rin nodded slowly. "Good. That drug shouldn't exist in the first place."
He glanced around the room. "Now that we've made our move, the Ash Fangs won't stay quiet. Silas will know we were behind it by now."
Kael folded his arms, his voice low and steady. "Then we'll prepare for retaliation."
A heavy silence fell over the room. Everyone knew what that meant — heightened security, tightened borders, and endless nights of vigilance.
A servant stepped into the room and bowed politely. "Dinner is ready, sir."
Kael nodded once, dismissing him. The meeting broke apart as the men slowly filed toward the dining hall.
Dinner was simple, quiet, and heavy with unspoken tension. Afterward, everyone dispersed to their assigned rooms — they were all staying in the Wolf Marks' base for now, mostly because Rin's condition hadn't stabilized enough for travel.
Eric walked beside Rin, supporting him with a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Careful," he murmured, guiding him to the room Kael had assigned him.
Kael followed behind them, hands in his pockets, his gaze steady and unreadable.
Inside, the room was softly lit. Eric helped Rin sit down on the edge of the bed, then began to check the wound on his side.
Kael stood by the door, watching silently until Eric turned to him. "Sit down, Kael. I need to talk to you both."
Kael's brow lifted slightly but obeyed, taking a seat in the chair beside the bed. Rin looked at Eric with confusion, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Eric took a deep breath, rubbing the back of his neck. "Okay. Before either of you react, I need you to both listen until I finish speaking."
Rin blinked. "That… doesn't sound good."
Eric ignored him, his tone serious. "I've thought about this a lot — about Rin's condition, his unstable pheromone levels, and what happened at the auction. And I've come to a decision."
He looked directly at Rin, then at Kael.
"I think it's best if Kael continues to mark him."
The words dropped like a bomb.
Rin froze. Kael's eyes narrowed sharply.
Before either could respond, Eric hurried on, "Not permanently. I'm talking about a temporary mark. Once a week, at least, until Rin's system stabilizes. Or you can go with permanent mark too that will be the best option in my opinion."
Rin's mouth opened, but no sound came out. His mind blanked completely.
Eric looked at him seriously. "You know your body can't handle going into unregulated heat again. It almost killed you. You were planning to find someone to give you a permanent mark eventually, right?"
Rin's face drained of color. "That's—"
Eric raised a hand to stop him. " Rin you were going to talk to Lucas about it anyway. But since Kael's already aware of your condition… and he's the one who marked you first… it makes sense."
Rin looked down, his throat tightening. He couldn't look at Kael. He could feel the Alpha's presence — solid, quiet, and burning.
Kael, meanwhile, had gone completely still. Shock flashed across his features, but it was quickly replaced by something else — thoughtfulness, calculation, and a faint flicker of something deeper.
Eric turned to Kael. "I know I didn't ask your permission. You have every right to refuse. But if you agree… it'll make things easier. For Rin, and for everyone else."
Kael's gaze drifted to Rin. The younger man's face was half-hidden by the shadow of his hair, but his trembling hands gave him away.
When Eric mentioned Rin's plan to ask Lucas to mark him, Kael's jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. A strange, unwelcome tightness coiled in his chest. The idea of another Alpha's scent on Rin — permanently — made something primal twist inside him.
He didn't speak.
Rin, still processing, finally managed to whisper, "Eric, this is absurd."
Eric met his eyes firmly. "No, Rin. It's survival. You can't keep relying on suppressants — they're killing you slowly. You know that."
Rin's lips pressed together. He didn't want to admit it, but Eric was right. The suppressant withdrawal had nearly torn his body apart last time. Without an Alpha's stabilizing pheromones, his system was dangerously unstable.
Eric sighed, rubbing his forehead. "I'll leave you two to talk. But think fast — because you'll need to decide before your next cycle hits."
He started toward the door, then paused and turned slightly, his tone lighter but still serious.
"Oh — and, Kael?"
Kael raised an eyebrow.
"Make sure you mark him again tonight. His heat hasn't fully passed. If you don't, his fever might come back."
The door closed behind him with a quiet click.
The silence that followed was suffocating.
Rin stared at the floor, his hands clenched in his lap. His heartbeat was too loud in his ears. He didn't dare look at Kael. He didn't want to see what expression the Alpha was wearing right now.
Kael sat there, silent, his gaze unreadable. He studied Rin quietly, his mind a storm of questions and unfamiliar emotions.
Rin looked fragile in that moment — pale skin, his shoulders trembling slightly as he tried to keep his composure.
And Kael realized something dangerous.
He didn't want to see another Alpha anywhere near him.