Chapter 6- Collateral

The facility was silent as a tomb.

Concrete walls, no windows, air that tasted like disinfectant an old fear. I had been in places like this before.

They all smelled the same when you stripped away the bleach.

Earlier Kael had come and he took Theo away to another room.

The front doors blew inward with a roar of splintered metal and alarms, security scrambled, weapons raised, deep down I knew it was Lucien.

He moved through them like a storm fast, brutal, precise. An S-class Alpha not on Suppressants was a natural disaster.

I followed in his wake, keeping low, using the chaos to slip past, my mask was gone, my hoodie was too big, I looked like a kid who didn't belong in a firefight.

Good they underestimated me.

"Rian!".

Lucien's voice cut through the noise, he had found me in under sixty seconds, of course you had, my scent was probably a bacon to him now.

"Over here!". I shouted back, grabbing his arms as he passed. "Theo's in holding, level B2 and Kael's here".

Lucien's jaw clenched at the name. "I know", he said.

We took the stairs two at a time, the building shook as another blew, Voss Biotech had sent his private securities, he was not playing defense anymore.

Level B2 was quieter, too quiet.

Holding cell lined the hall, most were empty laced with something metallic and hot.

"Heat, it's starting early". I said, voice tight.

Lucien's expression darkened.

"Stress trigger, they did this on purpose".

I slammed my shoulder into the lock, it did not budge.

"Move" Lucien said.

He did not punch it, he didn't need to, his hand pressed against the panel and the metal groaned, warping under pressure no human should have.

The lock spark died, the door swung open.

Theo was on the floor, curled around yourself, shaking, sweat plastered his hair to his forehead. His scent was overwhelming-sweet, desperate, calling. Kael was in the cell with him.

Kael stood when we entered, blocking Theo with his body, his eyes were wild, not with rut but with something worse. Control fraying at the edges.

"Get out, now", Kael said to Lucien,voice low and dangerous.

Lucien didn't move,"You triggered his heat".

"I didn't have a choice", Kael said. He was going to die in there, I stabilized him".

"By locking him in a cell with you?", I snapped, "You are not helping Kael, you are making it worse".

Kael's eyes flickered to me, Recognition,Guilt, then anger.

"You don't understand", he said "If I leave him his heat we will kill him, if I stay I will _".

He Cut himself off, he didn't need to finish.

An unbonded Alpha in a room with a heat stricken omega was a time bomb.

Lucien stepped forward. "Then leave I will take him".

Kael laughed, short and better. "You?, you would just replace me with yourself".

"At least I won't pretend it's for his own good" Lucien said coldly.

That was true he would not pretend, they were about to fight I could see it in the way their shoulders squared,scent clashing in the air like lightning, one thing was for sure, Kael was jealous but why, what kind of history does these two have.

"Stop", Theo whispered.

Both Alpha froze. Theo pushed himself up on shaky arms, face flushed, ice glassing.

"Don't..... Don't fight over me".

Kael knelt immediately, voice dropping.

"Theo look at me, breathe".

Theo shook his head, tears slipping down his cheeks.

"It hurts, make it stop". Kael looked up at me, desperate cracking his composure.

"You are a Enigma , you can help".

I hesitated, helping meant getting close, getting close meant scenting and scenting meant risking a bond I couldn't control.

But Theo was shaking so hard, I scared he would die.

"Fine, but you both should stay back without fighting". I said, looking at Lucien, he was boiling with anger.

I moved past Kael, kneeling in front of Theo. He flinched when I reached for him, but didn't pull away.

"Hey, it's me Rian, I am here". I said softly.

His eyes focused on me for a second, relief flickered through the pain.

"Cold, I am cold", he whispered.

"It's the heat, I know, I am going to help, okay?, just breathe with me".

I let my own scent bleed out, carefully, controlled, Enigmas pheromones were not like Alpha or Omega, they didn't Force, the calmed and soothed.

Theo's breathing evened out, the tremors eased.

Behind me, Lucien made a low sound in his throat, possessive and unsettled.

Kael watched with a look I couldn't read.

"It's working", Kael said. "Thank you ".

I did not answer, I was focused on Theo, on keeping my own instincts in check.

"Get him out of here, now". I said without looking back.

Lucien moved first, He swept Theo into his arms like he weighed nothing, Theo didn't resist, he was too far gone.

Kael followed, but stopped at the door.

"Rian" he called. I did not turn. "I owe you, both of you". he said

"You can pay me back by staying out of our way". I said.

He didn't argue, the door closed behind him.

I stayed on the floor for a long moment, head in my hands, my own heat was low, persistent, ache now. Being around to heat stricken people wasn't helping.

Footsteps, Lucien was back alone, of course he would come back.

"Where is Theo?", I asked.

"Secure with my medic, he will be fine".

He knelt in front of me, close enough that I could feel the heat radiating off him.

"Are you okay?".

"No, I am not", I said honestly.

His hands came up, hesitating before brushing my cheek,

"Do you want me to stop?".

I looked at him, cold eyes, dark with need and restraint.

"Don't ask me that, you know what I will say", I whispered.

He did not touch him, he did not kiss me, he just stayed there breathing with me, letting his scent wrap around me like a shield.

That was not what I wanted, but I could not say anything.

"Then we wait, together". he said.