The ride to the hospital was quiet. Rihan didn't bother with music, just the low hum of the engine and the rhythm of the city rolling past the window was enough.
When the car stopped in traffic, Rihan's fingers tapped restlessly against the steering wheel, the muscle in his jaw tightening with every moving second.
Taeryn, on the other hand, was content to watch him like a movie he never wanted to end. The clothes he wore were soft and smelled like Rihan… like vanilla. It was just perfume, but he didn't mind; he liked the way the scent settled under his skin.
He wondered what Rihan was thinking. What kind of thoughts sat behind that hard frown and those sharp eyes.
Was he the reason for that discomfort?
Taeryn's fingers twitched before he could stop himself. He lifted his hand, wanting just to brush his thumb against Rihan's cheek, maybe ease the tension out of his face.
Rihan slapped his hand away. Hard. And he didn't even look at him.
"Don't," he said flatly, his eyes focused on the road ahead.
Taeryn's hand hung mid-air for a moment before he pulled it back, a small smile tugging at his lips.
That reaction only made him want to touch him more. But he restrained himself.
"You know," he began, watching the side of Rihan's face, "you said you take blockers because of your job. But you're not going to the station today, right? So why don't you get off them for once?"
Rihan turned his head, squinting at him. "I don't want to."
"Why?" Taeryn leaned closer. "I want to smell you. I already told you I don't care that you're an Alpha."
"Shut up, Grim Reaper," Rihan muttered, turning back to the road as traffic began to loosen up.
It didn't stop Taeryn from staring.
Something was off. His detective was hiding something. But what?
After five years of unhealthy stalking, Taeryn had noticed that Rihan never let his pheromones slip, not once. He was always on blockers. Always restrained. Wasn't that dangerous? Unnatural, even?
Was he defective? Or just suppressing his instincts?
Taeryn understood that feeling too well. He was diagnosed a psychopath at five after he killed his Alpha father's friend with a sledgehammer. The man had tried to touch his Omega father inappropriately.
He never felt remorse. Never felt much of anything.
But with Rihan… he felt everything.
Enough to want to be fucked to oblivion by his detective.
****
When they arrived at the hospital, Taeryn followed Rihan gingerly, watching his detective's back as he walked ahead with that permanent scowl carved across his beautiful face.
Taeryn had a feeling that if he dared to speak now, Rihan would slap him instead of fuck him and though he wanted both, he wisely kept his mouth shut.
As they crossed the parking lot, a female Omega walking past suddenly froze mid-step, her eyes wide with terror.
Taeryn frowned. Even from where he stood, he could smell her arousal cutting through the sterile hospital air. Freaky. His gaze flicked to her and then followed hers.
She was staring at Rihan.
Taeryn's expression darkened, his eyes going cold. The Omega met his glare, startled, before hurrying away as if she'd seen a ghost.
He said nothing as they entered the hospital building.
They walked straight past the receptionist, who blinked in confusion, his mouth opening to call after them. But then his hand went to his head, his words catching in his throat like something unseen pressed down on him.
Rihan didn't even glance his way. He pressed the elevator button, stepped inside, and Taeryn followed.
When the elevator doors opened on the next floor, the waiting area came into view. Patients were sitting quietly, some chatting softly. But the moment Rihan and Taeryn stepped out, everything changed.
The Alphas frowned in confusion, rubbing at their temples.
The Omegas began trembling, instinctively wrapping their arms around themselves.
The Betas pressed their fingers to their temples, grimacing.
"What's going on?" someone muttered.
"Ah, my head..." another groaned.
Taeryn blinked, looking around, his brow furrowing. He didn't understand the sudden chaos. But then again, this was a hospital. Everyone here was already sick, right?
He trailed after Rihan, who seemed completely unbothered by the chaos happening around them. When they reached a quieter hallway and stopped in front of a door, Rihan finally turned to face him.
"Stay out here," He said, his voice hard and low.
Taeryn's smile vanished. "Why?"
Rihan exhaled slowly, his tone heavy with patience he didn't really have. "Because I'm here for personal reasons."
"But I'm your—"
"No," Rihan cut in, each word deliberate, slow, and deep. "You are not my anything."
The words should have stung, but instead, Taeryn's pulse only quickened. His eyes flicked down to Rihan's hands which were clenched tightly into fists. Something inside him twisted.
He stepped closer. Leaned down until his nose brushed the side of Rihan's neck gland. The faint scent of his skin hit him like a drug. Rihan was dangerously magnetic. Taeryn wanted to get addicted. Hell! He was already addicted but it wasn't enough.
Heat rippled through him, curling low in his stomach. Whatever Rihan was, he wasn't an Alpha. He was something else. Something far dangerous.
But what?
Taeryn's breath hitched. He forced himself to pull back, his lips tingling from how close he'd been. His detective hadn't shoved him away, and that made his pulse pound harder.
Rihan's hazel eyes were calm but not the kind of calm that came from peace. It was the calm of a predator waiting to strike.
"I want to come with you," Taeryn said quietly, his eyes locked on Rihan's throat as his Adam's apple bobbed in a slow, restrained swallow. The sight made Taeryn grin, reckless and unashamed.
"I want to be yours, Detective," he murmured, his voice dipping lower, hungrier. "I'm not going anywhere."