Riven froze completely, his eyes widening in panic as his thoughts spiraled out of control.
Who is that?
His stomach twisted.
The Union... it has to be them! Maybe they really did have hidden caras. Maybe they’ve been watching this whole ti...
A cold bead of sweat ran down his temple.
What if they already figured it out—that I’m not human anymore? That I’m...
His throat tightened.
"No... no, calm down," he muttered under his breath. "Think positive. They wouldn’t just show up a couple of hours after sending away. They’d need solid proof. They wouldn’t move just because I... mumbled a few things."
He took a slow breath.
Maybe... maybe it’s just a neighbor. Soone coming to say hello.
His gaze swept across the room—the battlefield that was now his kitchen. Milk puddled on the tiles, cereal chunks clung to the counters, and shards of glass glittered on the floor.
"...Crap."
"I have to clean this up. Now."
He moved, scrambling to wipe down the worst of the ss, tossing shattered pieces into the trash and swapping his stained shirt for sothing clean.
Knock. Knock.
The sound ca again, firr this ti.
"Y-Yeah, just a second!" Riven called out, his voice cracking slightly.
He rushed to the door, plastering on a sheepish grin as he opened it.
"Sorry for the wait," he said, lowering his head slightly. "I was... uh... busy for a sec."
Then a soft, feminine voice spoke.
"It’s not a problem," she said gently. "I’m just so glad to finally see you again... Broodmate."
The word slamd into him like a hamr.
Riven’s eyes went wide. His head snapped up.
Standing there was a woman whose presence seed almost unreal. Her skin was a rich shade of deep chocolate brown, her long, silky white hair cascading past her shoulders like spun silver. And those eyes—piercing, molten yellow—glimred with sothing both intelligent and terrifyingly inhuman.
Riven went pale, his throat tightening as his words stumbled out.
"W–What... what did you just say?"
The woman’s golden eyes didn’t just et his—they lingered, roaming slowly over his face and chest, drinking him in as though savoring every inch of him.
Then, almost unconsciously, her tongue brushed across her lips.
Before he could react, she closed the distance in a single step, wrapping her arms around him in a tight embrace.
Riven stiffened.
"W–Wait, what are you—"
She buried her face in the crook of his neck, inhaling deeply near his collarbone.
"Mmm... this scent... yes. It’s you."
His stomach twisted. He tried to pull back, but her grip didn’t budge. She was far stronger than she looked.
"Who... who are you?" he demanded, his voice breaking with unease.
For a mont, she didn’t answer. Instead, she pulled back just enough to look into his eyes. Her smile was soft, almost loving—but there was sothing unsettling in the way it didn’t quite reach her eyes.
"It’s ," she whispered, her voice thick with warmth.
"Your Broodmate. I’ve co to take you ho—back to our nest."
Her fingers brushed against his chest deliberately, possessively, as her gaze locked firmly on his.
"Our children..." Her lips curled into a faint, delighted smile. "They’re so eager to et their father."
She giggled softly, tilting her head just slightly, as if amused by his pale, horrified expression.
Riven’s blood ran cold.
His lips parted, his voice trembling.
"W–Wait... don’t tell ... it’s you..."
Her eyes brightened, a delighted smile spreading across her lips.
"So you do rember ," she said softly, her voice filled with strange warmth. "I’m glad."
Riven’s stomach churned.
This bitch...
He thought bitterly.
She—she sexually assaulted , and now she shows up at my door, acting like nothing happened? Telling she’s here to take to et... our children?
Children I never even agreed to have...
His jaw clenched.
Does she seriously think I’m just going to let her get away with this?
Anger flared in his chest, sharp and raw. His hands twitched—he wanted to shove her away, to scream at her, to demand answers.
But as he tried to push her back... nothing happened.
His arms felt heavy. Weak. Like they weren’t listening to him.
What the hell—?
Before he could process it, his body betrayed him further—his arms moved on their own, hugging her back.
His heart skipped a beat as her warmth pressed into him, her curvaceous body soft against his chest.
He felt the curve of her waist, the surprising plushness of her breasts against him—
Riven’s eyes widened.
What—what the hell am I doing?!
The intrusive thought startled him, and he tried to pull away—but his body still wouldn’t obey.
A soft chi echoed in his head.
❖ [Explanation: The Queen’s pheromones are currently active.]
❖ [Queen Pheromones are a potent biological chanism unique to Hive Queens. They ensure absolute bond reinforcent between Queen and Hive Lord, creating instinctive trust and compliance.]
❖ [Effects include: Calming the Hive Lord’s nervous system, suppressing aggressive or hostile impulses toward the Queen, heightening physical receptiveness to her presence, and encouraging protective/possessive behavior in response to her proximity.]
❖ [Additional Effect: Prolonged exposure enhances physical attraction toward the Queen, ensuring reproductive compatibility and preventing Hive destabilization due to refusal.]
Riven’s face drained of color as the realization hit him.
She’s... controlling .
Suddenly—
A neighbor’s door creaked open, and a grumpy middle-aged man stepped out, scratching the back of his head like soone who’d just been woken from a nap. He blinked at them, his scowl deepening.
"Tch. Damn couples these days," he muttered loud enough for both of them to hear. "No sense of decency—at least take it inside before you start gettin’ all lovey-dovey in the hallway."
Riven’s entire face twitched. He froze, torn between wanting to deny everything and just dying on the spot from embarrassnt.
Beside him, the Queen tilted her head curiously at the man’s words—her golden eyes glimring as if she didn’t quite understand the concept of decency the way humans did.
"Uh..." Riven stamred, averting his gaze as heat crept up his neck.
He glanced at her briefly, noting the faintly smug smile tugging at her lips, as if she liked the implication.
"...Y-Yeah," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "Maybe... we should, uh... step inside."
Her smile widened. "Gladly."
She didn’t wait for him to move. Instead, she brushed past him with the effortless confidence of soone who already belonged there, her hips swaying just enough to make Riven grit his teeth in frustration at himself for noticing.
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