Noah ran with his heart pounding hard toward his father and younger brother, emotion marking every one of his steps. His eyes, wet with tears, shone with relief and love.
Black and Daiki didn't hesitate for a second. They also ran toward him, their arms entwining in a fierce hug, full of restrained desperation and raw joy. The three bodies trembled from the intensity of the reunion. Their pheromones, stirred by the emotion, mixed in the air, creating a dense wave of familiar and comforting scents. Crying was the only thing breaking the reverent silence of the forest, an echo of living emotions.
A few steps behind, Theo watched them. He walked slowly, unhurriedly, allowing himself to absorb the scene. His face showed a slight smile, an expression carefully shaped to convey compassion and vulnerability. He began to furrow his brow a little, gently, as if the weight of exhaustion and pain was suddenly pressing down on him. He knew that in the human world, appearing defenseless at the right moment could earn him protection—and sympathy.
Theo had lived entire centuries, observing the world of humans. He had witnessed wars, technological advances, changes in thought and social systems. He knew how money moved, how human hierarchies operated, and how to build an empire… Theo knew absolutely everything.
Black, still overwhelmed by emotion, loosened the hug but didn't let go completely. He kept a firm hand on Noah's shoulder, instinctively protecting him. His nose caught the faint scent of unfamiliar pheromones, a fragrance that didn't belong to any member of his family.
—Who is he? —he asked in a deep voice, brow furrowed and body slightly tensed. His protective alpha instinct awakened immediately at the approaching stranger.
—That's Theo, Dad… —Noah said softly but firmly—. He's the one who saved me in the forest.
Noah grabbed Theo's hand naturally, intertwining their fingers as if that simple gesture were enough to seal the trust between them. Physical contact between an omega and a strange alpha in a situation like this wasn't common. Black noticed it, and it only increased his suspicions.
The father narrowed his eyes, evaluating every little detail. There were no rumors of any recent disappearances. If that man wasn't from the town, what was he doing in that forest? And how had he survived there, where even the best-trained explorers got lost?
Theo, noticing the growing doubt on Black's face, acted quickly. He lowered his eyelids slowly, took a deep breath, and feigned a sudden fainting spell. His limp body fell to the ground with perfect timing, as if gravity had betrayed him.
—Theo! —Noah shouted, dropping to his knees beside him with a look of pure panic.
Daiki hurried to support the fallen young man. Black stepped back slightly, allowing passage without stopping his watchful gaze.
—Dad! Save Theo, please! He saved me! —Noah pleaded, tears streaming down his face. His pheromones shot into the air like a silent plea that none of the present could ignore.
That sentence was enough to seal Theo's fate.
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The news that Noah had been found spread quickly throughout the region. Caleb, Michael, and his closest friends wanted to visit him, but Black refused for the moment. He needed time to make sure his son was truly out of danger—physically and emotionally.
Meanwhile, Theo was taken to the main Everhart house and immediately given medical attention. He was placed on a large bed in one of the guest rooms, with an IV connected to his hand. Although his body seemed exhausted, the truth was that he had deliberately drained his own energy. He had learned to alter his vital signs, deceiving even modern medical equipment.
And while he lay in that bed, Noah remained safe… for now.
The sacred gem that Theo had implanted in the young omega's body provided powerful protection. As long as the gem remained inside him, his body would experience no pain or fatigue. It was as if an invisible barrier wrapped around him, keeping him in a state of perfect balance.
But that calm had a clear limit: one hundred days.
Exactly one hundred days after the insertion, Theo would have to remove the gem from Noah's body. And only then would the young omega learn the true price of carrying it. The pain that would emerge upon separation from the gem wasn't mere physical discomfort—it was deep, soul-shattering agony, as if every cell in his body rebelled at once.
That pain was so extreme it could break the mind, collapse the heart, and snatch life away in a brutal instant. Even alphas with high pain resistance might not survive it.
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Theo's departure from the Lunar Forest didn't go unnoticed. High in the sky, where the divine spirits resided, the news traveled swiftly. The Great God, guardian of the balance between the spiritual and human worlds, became enraged upon hearing it.
Theo was never meant to become human. As a kitsune, his destiny was different. If he acquired a permanent human form, his abilities would make him too dangerous… The alpha was a direct threat to the world's fragile balance.
And since Theo had already broken the rules by implanting the sacred gem into a human, the only solution was to eliminate him before the 100 days were up. Only then would Noah's life be saved and order restored.
—HERA! —the Great God roared, his voice rumbling across the layers of heaven like divine thunder.
In an instant, a female figure materialized before him. It was Hera, goddess of spiritual justice and divine punishment. Her gaze was sharp as a spear, her presence imposing. She bowed before the Great God, who watched her from his throne in the First Celestial Layer.
—Descend to earth and eliminate the fox spirit. That kitsune has crossed the line —he ordered, his tone dry and gaze unwavering.
—As you wish, Great God. I will carry out this mission gladly —Hera replied, with a sharp smile that promised no mercy.
And then she descended like a meteor, her body wrapped in celestial flames.
The impact of her feet against the earth created a deep crack, like an open wound in the world.
Hera looked up, her smile tinged with disdain. The time for the hunt had come.
Without wasting a moment, she took the first step, advancing mercilessly toward the main house of the Everhart family.
....