"Mummy, where is Adrian heading to?" Celeste asked, her voice trembling as she clutched the hem of her wedding dress. Her parents exchanged confused glances, just as lost.
Bravin hurried after Adrian, but by the time he reached outside, the car had already shot down the road, moving at a reckless speed.
Celeste ran to Bravin, tears streaking her face. "Where has Adrian gone?" she cried.
Bravin's chest tightened. He knew where Adrian had rushed to, but the truth would only spark greater trouble. Biting his lip, he steadied himself and bowed slightly.
"I don't know, madam," he lied.
...
Lucien sat in the bathtub filled with ice and cold water, his body trembling as purple pheromones leaked faintly into the air. His breaths came heavy, staggering, each one dragged out by the pain burning inside him.
"Adrian...I need you," he murmured, voice breaking.
For a moment, he thought he heard Ash's voice calling from beyond the door. Lucien, Lucien, where are you? His eyes squeezed shut. "No...it can't be Ash," he whispered, sinking deeper into the icy water.
The bathroom door suddenly burst open. Ash froze at the sight before him, fear tightening his chest. He rushed to the tub, reaching out with trembling hands to pull Lucien up. The moment his fingers touched Lucien, he was yanked forward, stumbling straight into the water. He fell against Lucien, his weight pressing down as he tried to push himself back.
Lucien's head tilted up, his eyes locking on Ash's irises glowing faintly with a dangerous purple hue, pheromones seeping more sharply into the air, filling the space with suffocating intensity.
Ash's heart pounded, his omega instincts flaring in panic. Realization struck; Lucien was in rut. Lucien's trembling grip tightened around him, breath rough against Ash's skin. His voice, strained and angry, broke the silence. "Why have you come now, idiot?"
Ash's lips trembled, his voice breaking as fear gripped him. "I...I thought..."
Before he could finish, Lucien moved suddenly, twisting Ash's body and pressing him back against the cold wall of the tub. Water splashed around them as Lucien's trembling hands tried to fumble with Ash's clothes.
Ash struggled weakly, tears spilling down his cheeks. "Stop it, Lucien...please, I didn't mean it," he cried, his voice cracking.
But Lucien, lost in his rut, seemed deaf to his words. His strength surged, pinning both of Ash's wrist firmly against the edge of the tub as he leaned lower, desperation driving his movements. Ash squeezed his eyes shut, powerless, bracing himself.
Then Lucien suddenly coughed, his grip loosening as his body trembled in the icy water.
Then an Angry, familiar voice cut through the air. "Ash, get out."
Ash turned sharply; it was Adrian. His body radiated sharp silver pheromones, the strength of it pressing heavy into the room. Lucien coughed harder, suffocating under the clash of Adrian's presence.
Ash stood frozen in confusion until Adrian's voice snapped again, harsher. "Are you deaf? I told you to get out."
Fear jolted through Ash. He scrambled out of the tub, water dripping from his clothes onto the tiles. Adrian stepped forward and shut the door firmly behind him. But Ash, driven by curiosity lingered just outside. Quietly, he leaned close, peeking through the crack.
Inside, Adrian's pheromones slowly withdrew, the heavy suffocation easing. Lucien, still shivering, managed to whisper hoarsely, "He's the one who...?
"I know," Adrian cut him off, his voice low and sharp.
Without another word, Adrian stripped off his clothes and stepped into the tub. Water splashed as he pressed Lucien firmly against the wall, leaving no space between them. His hands gripped Lucien's waist, his dominance absolute.
Lucien gasped, a choked sound escaping his throat as Adrian's strength bore down on him. The clash of silver and purple pheromones filled the air again, harsher, heavier; each wave making the walls seem to close in.
Outside the door, Ash pressed himself to the frame, heart pounding at the muffled sounds within. Fear and confusion twisted inside him, but still he could not pull away.
His breath caught, his mind reeling. Lucien...Adrian's fiance's brother...how can they...?
The thought turned darker, more disturbing. Two S-ranked Alphas...mating? Lucien, an S-rank, being forced down...
Ash's chest tightened, disbelief and dread choking him until he could hardly breathe. Through the narrow crack, Ash caught sight of Adrian stepping out of the tub. Panic rushed through him, and he quickly pulled back, forcing himself toward the living room. He sank into the couch, struggling to steady his breathing, straightening his posture as if nothing had happened.
A few minutes later, Adrian appeared, now fully dressed. Without a word, he held out a folded set of clothes. "Your clothes are soaked. You'll catch a fever. Wear Lucien's clothes. Bravin is waiting outside to take you home."
Ash hesitated, glancing up at him. "And you? Aren't you going?"
Adrian's gaze was calm, unreadable. "I'll stay behind for a while."
...
When Ash reached home, he found his mother sitting stiffly on the couch, worry written across her face. Adrian's father sat nearby, his expression tight with fear.
On the mounted screen, the news played in bold headlines:
"Alpha Adrian abandons his fiancee on their wedding day!"
"Why do you think he walked away?"
Beneath, mocking comments scrolled across the feed:
"Maybe he finally realized he can't handle marriage."
"Poor bride, what a shame on such a day."
"An Alpha with no sense of honor? Disgraceful."
Adrian's father leaned forward, fuming with anger. "Do you know where Adrian is?"
Ash froze, his mind tangled. He didn't know how to answer, still in awe, still unsettled, not yet recovered to what he had just seen. His lips parted, but only a faint murmur escaped.
Before he could say more, his mother cut in sharply. "Darling, how can he know? Adrian left alone." She turned to Ash, her tone softer. "Go to your room.
...
In his room, Ash sat on the edge of the bed, the words from the headlines echoing in his head.
Why do you think he walked away?
His chest tightened as the answer formed, unshakable.
Because his heart belongs to Lucien.