Sebastian stood before the Chairman's desk, his tablet held firmly in both hands.
Maximillian's right-hand man remained a few steps behind him, silent and watchful.
"The lab incident has been resolved, Chairman," Sebastian reported. "The research materials remain secure."
Maximillian rose from his chair.
The room changed instantly.
His pheromones spread without warning, heavy enough to crush the air from Sebastian's lungs. Every instinct screamed at him to lower his head, but he forced himself to remain standing.
"You allowed this to happen in my laboratory."
The back of his hand struck Sebastian across the face.
The crack echoed through the office.
Sebastian stumbled a step before catching himself. His cheek burned, but he lowered his head without protest.
"I'm... sorry, Chairman."
Maximillian stopped in front of him. He reached up and slowly straightened the collar of Sebastian's suit, smoothing the fabric with the same calm precision he might have used to correct a minor imperfection.
Sebastian held still.
Maximillian's fingers lingered at his collar for a moment before he looked directly into his eyes.
"Listen carefully, Sebastian." His voice was quiet, but there was nothing gentle in it. "I can forgive failure once."
Sebastian's throat tightened.
Maximillian let his hand fall from his collar.
"Twice is incompetence."
The words landed harder than the slap.
Sebastian lowered his gaze, forcing himself to keep his voice steady. "It won't happen again, Chairman."
Maximillian studied him for a long moment.
"Then make sure I never have to forgive you again."
Sebastian swallowed and bowed his head.
"Understood."
A long silence followed before the Chairman finally spoke again.
"Who is the missing subject?"
"Elio Arden. S-Class Omega. He's an idol under Empire Onyx."
The Chairman's eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly.
"...Elio Arden."
Sebastian caught the reaction.
"I've already deployed Onyx Security. We'll have him back before sunrise."
"No need."
Sebastian looked up.
"My men will retrieve him."
"Understood, Chairman."
Then Sebastian continued, knowing better than to wait for permission.
"There's another matter, Chairman. The Sovereign auction has been completed."
Maximillian's attention shifted back to him.
Sebastian turned the tablet toward him and opened the encrypted auction report.
The auction had left almost nothing behind. No names, no governments, no official records.
The bidders existed only as encrypted numbers, each representative isolated inside a sealed glass room with their face hidden behind an identical mask. The bids came through separate terminals, leaving no trace that could connect the transaction to any government or organization.
The opening bid had been set at four hundred and fifty million dollars for all five vials.
The numbers climbed quickly.
By the final round, only two bidders remained.
"The Russian bidder secured the lot," Sebastian said. "One billion dollars for the full five-vial allocation."
Maximillian's eyes remained on the report.
"One billion."
"Yes."
A faint smile touched Maximillian's mouth.
"People are willing to pay a great deal for something they believe can change the balance of power."
Sebastian said nothing.
"That's settled, then."
"Yes, Chairman. The transfer will be handled through the agreed channels."
Sebastian waited before adding, "The Recovery Serum is still scheduled for its market launch. The date hasn't changed."
"Keep it that way."
"Yes, Chairman."
Sebastian bowed once and left the office, quietly closing the door behind him.
For a moment, Maximillian remained silent, his gaze lingering on the auction report resting on his desk.
Then he lifted one hand in a small, almost casual gesture.
His right-hand man immediately stepped forward.
"I'll have the Chief of Security bring the Omega back."
Maximillian's eyes remained on the report.
"Make sure he's brought back alive."
"Yes, Chairman."
The man stepped back.
Only then did Maximillian reach for his phone and make the call.
"Kael."
"Yes, Dad."
"Review every security protocol in the laboratory. I want every entry point, every restricted floor, and every surveillance blind spot reinforced."
"I'll take care of it."
"See that you do. This will not happen again."
"Understood."
The call ended.
Maximillian remained standing before the windows, looking out over the sprawling grounds of the estate.
"Elio Arden," he murmured.
A faint smile touched his lips.
——
Elio zipped the backpack shut.
Before he slipped his phone into the front pocket, the screen lit up.
18 missed calls.
Every one of them was from Ada and Aris.
Ada: What happened?
Aris: Are you okay?
His thumb hovered over the display for a moment before opening Aris's chat.
Elio: I'm okay. Call you later.
He hit send, locked the screen, and slipped the phone into the front pocket, making sure the laptop was still secure inside.
As he slipped the backpack over one shoulder, his gaze caught the fresh mark beneath Vyn's collar.
Elio stepped closer, took out a skin-toned concealment patch, and pressed it over the bite beneath Vyn's collar. He smoothed the edges into place until it blended seamlessly with his skin, the medical film masking both the mark and the scent bleeding from it.
As his thumb smoothed the edges into Vyn's skin, he asked quietly, "Why are you doing this?"
He adjusted Vyn's collar, hiding the mark from view before finally lifting his eyes to meet Vyn's.
Vyn didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he reached for Elio's hand, gently closing his fingers around it.
"Because I'm not letting them take you."
His fingers tightened around Elio's hand.
"Not while I'm still breathing."
Elio searched his face.
For the first time, Vyn's composure slipped. Something bitter flickered across his face before it disappeared.
Vyn held on, his thumb brushing once across the back of Elio's hand.
"Let's go."
Elio gave a small nod.
"Yeah."
They had barely turned toward the door when the doorbell echoed through the unit.
Neither of them moved. A few seconds later, the bell rang again.
He crossed to the entry panel and tapped the screen.
"Holy shit..." Vyn murmured. "They're here."
The screen showed ten elite high-tier Alphas in identical black suits standing outside the unit. None of them moved. They simply waited.
Vyn studied the screen for another second before switching it off.
His hand twitched.
There was no time to hesitate now. Whatever happened next, he would have to handle it without holding anything back.
Without warning, the air inside the unit turned crushingly heavy.
Alpha pheromones flooded through the broken entrance, making the lights overhead flicker as the invisible force swept across the unit. The reinforced door groaned under the strain.
The door burst inward.
Vyn reacted before he had time to think, pulling Elio behind him as the first Alpha came through the ruined entrance. The man barely had time to raise his fist before Vyn struck him across the jaw, sending him hard into the wall.
Another Alpha came from the opposite side. Vyn turned with the attack and drove his elbow beneath the man's ribs, feeling the body buckle before he shoved him away.
"Take them!" the Chief ordered.
One of the Alphas broke away from the fight and headed straight for Elio. Vyn tried to intercept him, but another body crashed into his path and forced him back.
The Alpha lunged.
Elio didn't run. He simply looked up.
For the briefest moment, the icy blue of his left eye caught the light, a faint silver sheen passing through it before disappearing.
The Alpha stopped.
His raised foot remained suspended above the floor. Confusion crossed his face as he tried to move again, only for his body to refuse him.
"What the fuck...?"
His jaw tightened. Every muscle beneath his suit strained as he fought whatever had taken hold of him, but his leg would not move.
Then Elio's pheromones broke loose.
The pressure swept through the unit in one violent wave. The Alpha nearest him dropped first, followed by another, then another, until eight men were down across the wrecked living room.
Vyn felt the force hit him too. His knees weakened, and a sharp heaviness settled across his chest.
Across the room, one of the remaining Alphas caught himself against the wall. His eyes widened as his legs shook beneath him.
"What...?" The word came out almost disbelieving.
He tried to straighten, only for his knees to buckle again.
The Alpha beside him caught his arm. "Stay on your feet."
"I'm trying," he managed through clenched teeth.
His knees buckled again, and he grabbed the wall harder, frustration flashing across his face as he forced himself upright.
The remaining Alpha stared at Elio.
"This isn't an Omega."
The Chief's jaw tightened.
For the first time, the certainty in his expression faltered. His eyes narrowed as he studied Elio, his face remaining composed even as the pressure pushed against him.
He slowly straightened, refusing to show what the pheromones were doing to his body.
The Chief and the remaining Alpha closed in.
Vyn was already at Elio's side. He caught him by the shoulder when he saw him sway.
The Chief moved in, forcing Vyn and Elio apart. Vyn moved left to avoid one attacker, and Elio followed without thinking, staying close enough that their shoulders nearly brushed.
A fist came toward Elio from his blind side.
He ducked just in time. His hand closed around the attacker's wrist, using the man's momentum to shove him away, but another Alpha was already coming from the opposite side.
Vyn intercepted him.
The impact drove the man backward, but Vyn staggered too. A sharp flash of pain crossed his face before his hand pressed briefly against his ribs.
"Elio."
"I'm fine."
Vyn looked at him.
He wasn't.
The color had drained from Elio's face. His breathing had grown too quick, and a faint tremor ran through his fingers before he curled them into fists.
Vyn opened his mouth to answer, but another Alpha came at them.
He stepped in front of Elio and took the first blow across his shoulder. The force sent him sideways.
Elio caught the attacker before he could follow up.
He twisted the man's arm, shoved him off balance, and sent him crashing into the wall.
"Don't—"
Vyn turned toward him. "Don't what?"
"Take every hit for me."
For a moment, Vyn simply stared at him.
Then another body came through the wreckage, and there was no time to say anything else.
The fight swallowed them again.
Furniture scraped against the floor. Glass broke beneath their feet. The air grew thick with overlapping pheromones as the remaining Alphas pressed closer, forcing them deeper into the ruined unit.
Yet somehow, they kept finding each other.
When someone moved toward Vyn, Elio was there.
When an attack slipped toward Elio, Vyn was already between them.
They didn't have to call for each other anymore.
They just knew.
"Left."
Elio turned at Vyn's voice and caught the Alpha rushing toward him. Before the man could recover, Vyn struck him from the side.
Then Vyn stumbled.
Elio caught him around the waist before he could hit the edge of the table.
"I've got you."
Vyn tried to straighten, but Elio could feel the weight of him against his body.
Then his own legs weakened.
He tightened his grip and forced himself upright.
The surge was burning through Elio now. His pheromones still answered whenever he reached for them, but each release took more from him than the last. His body was running out of strength faster than he could replenish it.
Vyn felt him falter.
His arm tightened around Elio's waist, keeping him upright.
Elio tried to pull away.
"I'm fine."
Vyn didn't argue. He simply kept his hold on him, his eyes staying on Elio for a moment longer than necessary.
Before either of them could say more, another Alpha broke through the wreckage.
"Dammit..." Elio hissed.
Vyn pushed him behind him and met the attack head-on.
Meanwhile, the Chief stepped into the hallway and pulled out his phone.
"Yes, Chairman."
His gaze remained on the wreckage inside the unit.
"The subject was already gone when we arrived. Young Master is still here. He's with a high-tier Alpha."
There was a short silence.
"Bring Vyn back."
"Yes, Chairman."
The call ended.
The Chief slipped the phone away and returned to the unit.
"The Chairman wants the Young Master back."
Only then did Elio notice how much the fight had taken out of him.
Vyn was still standing, but his breathing had become rough and uneven. Sweat clung to his temples, blood darkened the corner of his mouth, and one hand briefly pressed against his ribs before falling away again.
Even exhausted, he moved in front of Elio.
Their eyes met across the ruined living room.
"Go."
Elio stared at him.
"No. I'm not leaving you here."
"They're here for me."
"Then I'm staying with you."
Vyn swallowed, fighting through the pain in his ribs.
"You're barely standing."
"So are you."
A tired smile touched Vyn's mouth.
"Yeah. But I need you to listen to me."
Elio shook his head.
"I'm not walking away while they're taking you."
The Alphas continued to close in.
Elio could feel the weakness spreading through his arms and legs now. His pheromones still answered when he called for them, but each surge came with a heavier price.
Vyn reached for him and rested his bruised hand against the back of Elio's neck. His touch was unsteady, but gentle.
"Please."
Elio went still.
"I need you out of here before they get their hands on you."
"Vyn..."
"I'm going to give you an opening. When I do, you run," Vyn said, almost in a whisper.
Elio searched his face.
"I don't like this."
"I know."
"You'd better not make me regret listening to you."
Vyn gave him the smallest smile.
"Wouldn't dream of it."
The Chief watched them for another moment before raising his hand.
"Take the Young Master."
The Alphas moved.
Before they could reach him, another wave of pheromones swept through the room, carrying the deep, smoky scent of dark oud beneath the familiar warmth of smoked cardamom and sun-warmed amber. But this time, there was something different in it—something heavier, darker, almost impossible to breathe through.
The pressure hit harder than the first wave.
Across the room, the other Alphas who had been struggling to recover were hit almost at once. Bodies that had only just begun to move collapsed again, some dropping to their hands, others slumping against broken furniture or the walls.
For the first time, all ten men were on their knees or down on the floor.
The Chief's breathing deepened as his pheromones pushed into the room, heavy and commanding, pressing against Elio's surge.
But Elio's pheromones refused to give way.
The Chief's jaw tightened as he fought to stay upright, every instinct in his body screaming at him to submit.
He refused.
Vyn felt the pressure too.
His own pheromones strengthened in response, the familiar scent of charred sandalwood and rain-drenched earth turning darker as he forced more of his Alpha presence into the room.
For a moment, their pheromones pushed against the Chief's presence.
Vyn understood what Elio's second surge meant.
They had an opening.
Elio was running out of strength.
He caught Elio's hand.
"Now."
Vyn pulled him toward the shattered doorway, keeping himself between Elio and the men behind them. Elio stumbled once, but Vyn caught him and kept going.
They were almost through.
Then Vyn felt a hand clamp around his arm. He was yanked backward so hard that his grip on Elio broke.
The Chief caught Vyn before he could reach him.
"Vyn—"
"Go!"
Elio hesitated, but the Chief tightened his grip, dragging Vyn farther from the doorway.
"Go, damn it!"
Elio swallowed hard. His eyes stayed on Vyn for another second before he finally turned and ran through the shattered doorway.
The moment he disappeared from sight, Vyn's pheromones weakened.
The Chief reached him before he could recover.
His fist drove into Vyn's ribs. Pain tore through his side and stole the air from his lungs, leaving him doubled over for half a second before the next blow sent him crashing against the wall.
Vyn tried to push himself upright, but the Chief was already there. He caught both wrists and forced them behind Vyn's back.
The restraints snapped shut.
Vyn's head dropped as he fought to catch his breath. His ribs throbbed with every shallow inhale, and for several seconds, all he could hear was the pounding of his own heart.
He looked once more toward the doorway Elio had disappeared through. The pain in his ribs barely registered anymore.
At least Elio was out.
That was enough.
——
The Central Systems Control Room was already locked for the night.
Ada stopped in front of the biometric scanner and glanced down the empty hallway.
She pulled out her phone and opened the authentication tool she had prepared months ago. She connected to the scanner's local verification channel and fed it a forged authorization response.
The screen flickered.
VERIFYING...
Ada held her breath.
The light turned green.
IDENTITY VERIFIED.
A small smile touched her lips.
She slipped inside and locked the door behind her.
Pete had already gone home after finishing the surveillance rebuild. His workstation was exactly as he had left it, but Ada ignored it and went straight to the restricted terminal tucked beside the server racks.
She logged in and opened the secured partition.
ACCESS DENIED.
Ada frowned and tried again.
Still denied.
"Seriously?"
She dug through hidden directories and archived system indexes until the protected partition appeared again.
She tried another access route.
Nothing.
"Oh, holy crap."
Ada leaned closer to the screen, completely focused on the system. She never heard the door unlock behind her.
A cloth suddenly covered her mouth and nose.
Her eyes flew open.
She twisted around and threw an elbow backward, but the strength drained from her arm almost immediately when the chemical smell reached her.
No.
Her vision blurred.
She reached for the smartwatch on her wrist with shaking fingers and managed to press the emergency button once.
The watch vibrated.
Emergency signal sent.
Recipients: Aris, Elio
Message: SOS
Live location shared.
Ada tried to pull away, but her knees gave out. The room tilted beneath her, her vision fading as the monitor continued to glow.
Then everything went black.