The office buzz fell into silence the moment Eren stepped through the glass doors. Conversations faltered, keyboards stilled, and every pair of eyes swung toward him. He could feel the weight of their stares pressing down, sharp and accusing. He already knew what this was about — last night's party.
The Ulrick Corporation's grand anniversary had been the talk of the city, but no one had expected him, a mere secretary, to walk in alongside the President, wearing the legendary Crimson Fate brooch. Even now, the memory felt surreal.
"Well, look who finally decided to show his face," one of his coworkers sneered, pushing back from her desk. "The star of last night. Tell us, Eren, what exactly did you do to trick the President into giving you that honor?"
Eren kept his jaw tight, refusing to answer, but the whispers swelled around him like a tide.
"A brooch like that was supposed to shine on Kairen. Everyone knows it."
"Imagine—an omega secretary stealing the spotlight from a celebrity."
"Tyler said it himself—Kairen was meant to wear it. So why him?"
Eren's gaze flicked instinctively to Tyler's desk. The alpha sat back in his chair, arms folded, lips curled into a mocking smirk as he watched the spectacle unfold. He didn't need to join in; his silence was enough to pour fuel on the fire.
"You're pathetic," another coworker spat, stepping closer. "Pretending to be humble while you chase after the President. Wasn't it enough to dye your hair and dress like you're someone? You really think catching Adriel Ulrick will make you more than a secretary?"
Her voice rose, sharp and accusing, each word stinging. The others joined in with jeers and laughter.
"Opportunist."
"Climbing into the President's bed won't make you his equal."
"You're just his charity case—everyone knows it."
Eren's hands curled into fists at his sides. His heart pounded, not just from anger but from the subtle hum of pheromones in the air — alphas pressing down on him, testing him, baiting him into breaking.
"Enough," he muttered, his voice low but firm.
The woman smirked and stepped closer, too close, her eyes glittering with cruelty. "Or what? You'll run to your alpha and cry?"
The words cut deeper than she realized. Before Eren knew what he was doing, his hand shot out and struck her across the face. The sound of the slap cracked through the office like lightning.
A stunned silence followed. Gasps echoed. Even the hum of the printers seemed to falter.
Eren froze, his own breath caught in his throat. He had never laid a hand on anyone before. For a moment, he didn't even recognize himself.
"Oh, so you do bite," another coworker muttered darkly, shoving him hard in the shoulder. "What are you so proud of, huh? Just because you wore an heirloom brooch for one night, you think you're untouchable?"
Eren stumbled back, his pulse racing, the room closing in on him. He could feel Tyler's gaze burning into him, calm and calculating, like a wolf watching prey exhaust itself before the kill.
Eren staggered back as one of his coworkers shoved him hard, his back slamming into the edge of a desk.
"You dare slap me?" the woman spat, her face twisted in rage. "You're nothing but a secretary. Nothing."
Another joined in, her voice sharp and mocking. "Don't get cocky just because you stood beside the president for one night. You don't belong there—you never will."
The second shove came harder. Eren's stomach collided with the corner of the table, and a sharp pain exploded through him. His knees buckled, his breath hitched, and instinctively, he clutched his lower abdomen.
The room fell into a strange silence as he sank into the chair by the table, trembling. Then came the sight that made the women recoil in horror—blood running down his legs.
Eren's heart lurched. His vision blurred. A sickening dread filled his chest. Not here. Not now.
At that exact moment, the office door burst open. Adriel, Roen, and James entered together, their footsteps halting at the sight before them.
Adriel's eyes locked on Eren—his secretary pale, clutching his stomach, streaks of blood staining his trousers. For the briefest second, the president's expression shattered into raw panic.
"What the hell happened?" Adriel's voice cracked like thunder, fury and fear mingling.
The two women froze, faces drained of color. One stammered, "H-he just… collapsed—"
"Silence," Adriel snapped, his voice low and lethal.
At once, the air shifted. A heavy, suffocating wave of Alpha pheromones rolled through the office, thick and oppressive. The temperature seemed to drop as every breath grew harder to draw. Panic rippled across the room—shoulders stiffened, knees weakened, and even Roen and James instinctively straightened under the weight of Adriel's dominance.
The two women who had tormented Eren gasped audibly, trembling as though their bodies recognized the primal threat before their minds could. Their faces drained of color, their eyes wide in terror, and for a moment it felt as though the very walls pressed in around them.
No one dared to move. No one dared to breathe.
"Get. Out." Adriel's command reverberated like steel, his tone sharp enough to cut through bone.
The women stumbled over each other in their desperate rush to flee, as if their lives depended on it.
And then, just as quickly as it came, Adriel reined in his aura, his sharp focus turning back to Eren—where his pheromones shifted, softening, protective. He lowered himself beside Eren, the scent curling warmer now, no longer oppressive but anchoring, coaxing Eren to stay conscious.
Adriel was already at Eren's side, kneeling down. "Eren. Look at me," he said, softer now, though his hands trembled as he brushed Eren's damp hair back from his forehead. "Stay with me."
"I—" Eren tried, his voice breaking, his body wracked with pain.
"Don't speak." Adriel's arm slid behind his back, steadying him. His other hand clasped Eren's tightly, refusing to let go.
Roen was already dialing for an ambulance. "They're on their way," he said quickly.
James lingered a step behind, his expression unreadable. For once, he said nothing.
Adriel scooped Eren up with surprising gentleness, cradling him as if he were something fragile and irreplaceable. "You're safe. I've got you," he whispered against Eren's temple, though his own heart thundered with fear.
As the sirens wailed outside, Adriel climbed into the ambulance beside him, refusing to release his hand even as the medics worked around them. Every bump in the road made Eren wince, and Adriel's grip only tightened, his jaw set.
"Hold on," Adriel murmured, his voice breaking despite his best efforts. "You're not allowed to leave me. Not you."