The corridor outside the room was quiet in a way that felt deliberate.
Two guards stood at attention near the door, their posture stiff, eyes fixed straight ahead. When footsteps echoed toward them, both straightened instinctively.
Dominic returned with an unhurried stride, hands tucked into the pockets of his coat as if he were merely strolling through familiar territory. His gaze flicked to the guards, sharp and assessing.
"Did he say anything while I was gone?" he asked casually.
One of the guards shook his head. "No, sir. Not a word."
Dominic's lips curved faintly—not quite a smile, not quite a frown. "Figures."
He reached for the door.
The moment it opened, the dim light inside revealed the figure slumped in the chair.
Rin's head hung forward, dark hair falling messily across his face. His wrists were bound tightly to the armrests, ropes cutting into skin already marked red and raw. His breathing was shallow, uneven—barely controlled.
Dominic stepped inside and closed the door behind him.
The sound echoed far too loudly.
He moved closer, boots scraping softly against the floor, until he stood directly in front of Rin. For a moment, he simply watched him, eyes tracing the lines of his body, the tension in his shoulders, the faint tremor that ran through him.
Then Dominic reached out.
Two fingers caught Rin's chin, lifting his face upward.
Rin reacted instantly, a sharp intake of breath tearing from his chest as pain flared through his jaw. His lashes fluttered open, revealing eyes clouded with heat and strain, glassy and unfocused.
Dominic froze.
Rin had always been striking—sharp features, controlled presence, an elegance that demanded attention. But this… this was different.
His cheeks were flushed deep crimson, the color spreading down his neck. His lips were parted slightly as he struggled to breathe evenly, and his eyes—misty, dazed, burning with something desperate—made Dominic's grip tighten unconsciously.
For a split second, Dominic cursed under his breath.
Kane, he thought darkly. You idiot.
If Kane hadn't been so insistent on keeping his hands clean, Dominic wouldn't be standing here fighting his own restraint.
Then he smelled it.
He had noticed the scent earlier, faint enough to dismiss—a trace in the air, barely there. But now, standing this close, it wrapped around him unmistakably.
Dominic's brow furrowed.
He leaned closer, nostrils flaring slightly as he inhaled again. The scent was still subtle, but undeniable now—fresh, clean, impossibly calming.
Like rain falling on stone after a long drought.
Dominic's fingers tightened around Rin's chin, forcing his face to tilt to the side. His other hand came up, pushing Rin's head aside to expose the line of his neck.
Rin panicked.
He knew what was happening.
No—
He struggled instinctively, body jerking against the restraints, but the ropes only bit deeper into his skin. Pain shot through his arms and legs as the bindings cut in, drawing blood.
Dominic barely noticed.
He leaned down, closer to Rin's exposed nape, inhaling deeply.
The scent hit him fully this time.
Sweet. Steady. Calling.
Dominic's breath hitched.
He straightened abruptly, eyes widening as realization slammed into him.
"That's not possible," he muttered. His gaze snapped back to Rin's face. "You're a beta."
Rin's chest heaved, breath uneven, eyes burning with fury and fear as he glared back.
Dominic stared at him for a long moment—then laughed.
The sound was sharp and ugly, echoing through the room.
"Well," he said slowly, stepping back, "this is interesting."
Understanding dawned fully now, and with it came something far darker. Dominic straightened, shaking his head as if amused by some private joke.
"So you were never a beta," he said. "An omega hiding in plain sight."
Rin clenched his jaw, rage flaring through the haze clouding his mind.
Dominic's smile widened, cruel and knowing. "Do you know what would happen if the others found out?" he continued lightly. "Their leader. An omega. Can you imagine the chaos?"
He leaned closer again, eyes gleaming. "No wonder the Wolf Mark leader protects you so fiercely. He must have known. Or maybe you made sure he did."
Rin's teeth ground together, his entire body shaking now—not with submission, but with restrained fury.
Dominic's gaze dropped briefly, taking in Rin's trembling form before lifting again. "And now," he added quietly, "you're in heat."
The words were spoken with certainty.
"Kane gave you something to speed things along," Dominic said. "Didn't he?"
Rin tried to pull away again, but the ropes held firm, blood trailing down his wrists where the skin had split.
Dominic caught his chin once more, grip firm but deliberate. "Don't fight it," he said softly. "You're only hurting yourself."
A pulse of pheromones flooded the air—Dominic's.
Rin gagged instantly.
The scent was overwhelming, invasive, crushing down on his senses and turning his stomach violently. Nausea rolled through him as his vision blurred, his head spinning from the pressure.
Dominic leaned in closer, satisfaction flickering briefly across his face as Rin struggled to stay conscious.
"I can make this easier," Dominic murmured.
Rin's breath hitched, panic spiking sharply—
And then—
The door exploded open.
The bang was sudden and deafening, slamming into the room like a gunshot.
Everything froze.