The hospital hallway slled like bleach and old coffee. Fluorescent lights buzzed overhead as Nathan paced back and forth in front of the recovery room door, his wet shoes squeaking on the linoleum. Viktor leaned against the opposite wall, arms crossed, jaw still red from Nathan’s punch. Neither had said a word in the last five minutes, but the air between them crackled like a live wire.
"You shouldn’t have hit him so hard with your fucking Pheromones," Viktor muttered, breaking the silence.
Nathan stopped pacing and glared.
"You shouldn’t have been in that room with him for three days."
"Oh! I see... That’s where your problem lies, huh? For your information, buddy, I asked, and he said yes. End of story."
"End of story?" Nathan’s voice rose. "He passed out because of ’us’, Viktor. Because we turned into animals in front of him. That’s on both of us."
Viktor opened his mouth to argue, then closed it. He looked at the closed door, worry creasing his forehead.
"He’s strong. He’ll be fine."
"He better be," Nathan said, kicking the baseboard. "If anything happens to him..."
The door opened.
Dr Patel stepped out, clipboard in hand, looking like he’d aged another five years. Both alphas straightened instantly.
"Is he okay?" they asked at the exact sa ti.
Dr Patel sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "He’s fine. He’s just sleeping for now. There’s nothing serious. He just... used his ability for the first ti. Knowingly."
Viktor’s eyes narrowed. He knew exactly what that ant. Nathan, on the other hand, frowned.
"What ability?" Nathan asked. "What are you talking about?"
Dr Patel glanced around, then lowered his voice. "It’s classified. National secret. You’re not aware of it because you lack interest in the company,"
"I see... just go straight to the point and tell everything,"
"Right! Dominant ogas like Elias... they don’t just have strong pheromones. They are rare and have different abilities which are kept secret from the people. In Elias’s case, he can ’command’ alphas. He’s not perfect with his ability yet, since he’s yet to accept it, but he’s able to use it in monts of extre stress or emotion. One word, and every alpha in the room obeys. It’s like a switch."
Nathan blinked.
"Wait. You’re telling Elias just... mind-controlled us?"
"Not mind control," Dr Patel corrected. "Pheromone dominance or what we’d like to call it... Siren’s Voice. It’s a super rare and important ability. And Elias? He’s been using it without realising. Every ti he made people attracted to him or every ti he made people listen... he was doing it instinctively."
Viktor nodded slowly. "That explains a lot."
Nathan turned to him. "You knew?"
Viktor flinched when he heard that question. Of course, he knew because he forced Luka to steal the information. He can’t let them know, so he shrugged as he made up a lie..
"Of course I do, after all, he told . During his heat, he talked a lot and ntioned it to . It’s not weird, is it?"
Dr Patel raised an eyebrow.
"It’s unusual that he ’told’ you because Elias’ hasn’t accepted that part of him yet."
Nathan crossed his arms, feeling left out.
"Okay, so what now? How do we help him?"
"I’m afraid there’s nothing we can do for now," Dr Patel hesitated. "He needs to sign the contract."
"Hold on a second, what contract are you talking about?" Nathan asked.
Viktor sighed. "You ask too many questions."
Dr Patel ignored the jab.
"The governnt has a program for dominant ogas. Training, protection, resources. In exchange, they get... oversight. And a partner. Soone compatible, vetted, assigned."
Nathan’s eyes widened. "Assigned? Like a forced mating?"
"Not forced," Dr Patel said quickly. "But strongly encouraged. Especially with results like..." He glanced at Viktor. "96.7%."
Nathan went very still. "What did you just say?"
Viktor t his gaze, unflinching. "96.7%. Elias and I matched at 96.7%."
Nathan’s face went slack. "That’s... impossible."
"It’s not. Well, that’s what I thought until I saw the result," Dr Patel said quietly. "It’s the highest on record. The governnt will be notified within the hour. They’ll want Elias in the program. And they’ll want Viktor as his partner."
Nathan laughed, short and bitter.
"That’ll only happen over my dead body. I’ll not stand and watch Elias be matched with Viktor."
Viktor smirked.
"Get in line."
Dr Patel raised both hands.
"Gentlen, please. This isn’t up to . Elias has to decide. And right now, he’s unconscious. So cool it."
He turned to leave, then paused.
"Oh, and the blood test ca back. He’s not pregnant. The injection worked. Please, let him know if he wakes up and no fighting with Pheromones. Please..."
Viktor’s shoulders sagged in relief. Nathan exhaled like he’d been holding his breath for days.
Dr Patel walked away before Nathan could ask anything else. He was tired of Nathan’s question but he couldn’t say anything or complain since Nathan was the son of the president.
’I feel like I’ve lost a few years of my lifespan. This is the most critical case I’ve ever dealt with. I wonder how the governnt will deal with this,’
.
.
Nathan turned back to Viktor.
"Aren’t you going to talk to him? Convince him and give him one million and one reason why he should be with you,."
"Hah! Do I have to do that?" Viktor said. "He’ll choose without all that trash. And once he chooses , you’ll back off."
"And if he chooses ?"
Viktor’s smile was sharp.
"Then I’ll back off. But good luck beating 96.7%."
Nathan clenched his fists. "This isn’t a competition."
"Then stop acting like it is."
They stared at each other for a long mont. Then Viktor pushed off the wall and walked into Elias’s room without another word.
.
.
Inside, the room was dim, curtains drawn. Elias lay on the narrow hospital bed, IV dripping slowly into his arm. His face was pale, but his breathing was steady. Viktor pulled the chair closer and sat, taking Elias’s hand gently.
He brought it to his lips, kissing the knuckles once, twice, three tis.
"I won’t force you, my darling Elias" he whispered. "I swear. But I need you to know... I’m not giving up. Not yet. I need you to be with before that period. There’s... sothing coming. It’s almost that ti of year. I can’t explain it here, but when it cos, I have to protect you. I have to."
Elias’s fingers twitched.
Viktor froze.
Elias’s eyes fluttered open, just a crack. He’d been awake for the last minute, pretending to sleep, heart pounding as he listened.
’What did he an by ’that ti of the year’?’
"Elias?" Viktor whispered, leaning closer. "You awake?"
Elias sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes. "Yeah. My head hurts."
Viktor’s face broke into a relieved grin.
"You scared the hell out of us."
"I’m fine," Elias said, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. "Did the test result co out? Did Dr Patel say I’m not pregnant?"
Viktor nodded.
"The injection worked. You’re clear."
Elias let out a shaky breath.
"That’s good. I’m going ho."
Viktor frowned. "Ho? The Voss house?"
"Yeah."
"Co back to the estate," Viktor said. "It’s safer. I know Clara’s there, but I’ll handle her. You and Lila can have your own wing."
Elias shook his head. "I can’t just leave them. They took in when I had nothing. I owe them."
"I’ll pay them ten tis what they spent," Viktor said. "Twenty tis."
Elias smiled... actually smiled... for the first ti in days. It was small, tired, but real. Viktor’s heart stuttered.
"Like I said before... not everything’s about money," Elias said. "I’m leaving the Voss house soon. But it’s not for you. And not to the Drago estate. I can always visit but it’ll be just for the twins. That’s it."
Viktor swallowed. "Visits. Okay. I can work with visits."
"But I’m a guest," Elias said firmly. "Treat like one. And if Clara tries anything..."
"I’ll throw her out myself," Viktor promised. "You have my word."
Elias stood, stretching his arms over his head. "Good. Now handle Dr Patel for . I’m out."
He walked to the door, then paused. "And Viktor?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks. For... everything."
Viktor watched him go, then sank back into the chair. He grabbed the bedsheet Elias had been lying on, brought it to his face, and inhaled deeply. A low, involuntary moan escaped his lips.
"No matter what," he murmured into the fabric, "I’m not giving you up. Never."
Outside the door, Nathan leaned against the wall, arms crossed, listening to every word.
His jaw was tight. His eyes were dark.
He pulled out his phone and typed a single ssage:
N: Saviour. When you finally find your phone, call . We need to talk. About the contracts and your choice. In fact, about everything. Don’t forget.
He hit send, then looked back at the closed door.
’I never thought I would act like this because of a man. But Viktor’s, the ga isn’t over. Not even close,’
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