Dax carried Christopher out of the containment level without looking back. The sound of his footsteps echoed through the hall, steady and unhurried, each carrying the weight of control that was barely held.
As the elevator doors closed behind them, the air warmed fully again. The tension broke. Christopher's eyelids fluttered, exhaustion finally overwhelming the remnants of adrenaline.
By the time they reached the royal wing, he had gone quiet, the trembling subdued but not gone. His head rested against Dax's shoulder, his hand still clutching at his shirt.
Even after the door closed behind them, even after the soft hum of the elevator swallowed the sounds of the detention floor, he kept Christopher in his arms. The omega's weight wasn't heavy; if anything, it felt too light.
