The moment the location came through, everything moved at once.
The warehouse rose out of the industrial district like a rot-filled carcass—rusted metal, shattered windows, and the stench of oil and decay clinging to the air. Kael didn't waste time with strategy beyond the bare minimum. Orders were given sharply, efficiently, his voice cutting through the chaos as the Wolf Marks and Crimson Vultures split to secure the perimeter.
Gunfire erupted almost immediately.
Shouts echoed through the cavernous structure as guards poured out from hidden corners. Kael moved through them like a storm—precise, brutal, relentless. He fired without hesitation, advancing deeper while others engaged behind him.
Then—
A scent cut through the smoke and blood.
Kael froze for half a heartbeat.
His breath caught as his instincts flared violently to life. That scent—wild, fraying at the edges, unmistakably familiar—hit him like a blade straight through the chest.
Rin.
Without a word, Kael broke away.
He didn't wait. Didn't signal. Didn't slow. His body moved on instinct alone, following the pull of that scent as it dragged him down a narrow stairwell hidden behind a false wall. The air grew colder, heavier, saturated with something wrong as he descended into the underground basement.
Two guards turned at the sound of his boots.
They never had time to react.
Kael shot them both without breaking stride and surged forward, his focus narrowing to a single steel door at the end of the corridor. The scent was strongest there—too strong. Too frantic.
He kicked the door open.
The sight inside made his blood boil.
Dominic stood far too close to Rin, one hand gripping his chin, forcing his head up. Rin was bound to a chair, his wrists raw and bloodied, his face flushed unnaturally, eyes unfocused and glassy. His pheromones flooded the room unchecked, thick with heat and desperation.
Something inside Kael snapped.
He crossed the room in seconds.
Before Dominic could turn, Kael grabbed him and slammed him into the wall with bone-crushing force. The impact echoed sharply, followed by a sickening crack. Dominic screamed, collapsing against the concrete as his body crumpled, pain ripping through him.
Kael didn't even look back.
His entire world narrowed to Rin.
The moment Kael's pheromones surged outward, the oppressive air shifted. Rin's wild scent faltered, then stuttered, as if recognizing safety even before his mind could. Kael dropped to his knees in front of him, his movements suddenly careful, reverent.
"I'm sorry," Kael said quietly. "I'm late."
His gaze fell to Rin's hands.
The ropes had cut deep, bruises blooming dark against pale skin, dried blood smeared along his wrists where he had struggled. Kael's jaw tightened, fury simmering beneath the surface, but his hands remained gentle as he worked the bindings loose.
Slowly. Carefully. As if Rin might break.
When the ropes finally fell away, Rin sagged forward—and Kael caught him instantly.
Only then did Kael see the tears.
They streamed silently down Rin's face, one after another, leaving wet tracks through dried blood. Kael stilled, shock flickering briefly across his expression. Rin never cried. Not like this.
Kael didn't ask why.
He raised both hands and cupped Rin's face, thumbs brushing softly over tear-streaked skin, wiping them away even as more followed. When they didn't stop, Kael pulled Rin into him, holding him firmly but gently, one arm wrapped around his shoulders.
Rin made no sound.
He just cried.
They stayed like that for a few seconds—seconds Kael would have gladly turned into forever—but the scent in the room was growing stronger by the moment. Rin's pheromones were escalating again, slipping further out of control.
Kael felt it immediately.
Rin shifted weakly in his arms, then whispered, barely audible, "Kael."
It was enough.
Kael didn't hesitate.
He slid one arm beneath Rin's knees and the other around his back, lifting him carefully into his arms. Rin clutched his shoulders instantly, fingers tightening as he buried his face against Kael's neck, breathing him in like it was the only thing keeping him grounded.