"I'm not going anywhere."
This is a bad idea, Rihan thought, staring at Taeryn, who looked painfully serious and sounded even more so.
He let out a defeated sigh. It wouldn't hurt, right? Having a stalker-slash-killer at my side…
He quickly shook the thought off and knocked on the door. It opened slightly, revealing a doctor wearing a transparent face shield.
"Rihan!" The man's eyes lit up.
Rihan frowned. "Did you know I was coming? What's with the shield?"
The doctor laughed and glanced at Taeryn, who was still staring at the shield curiously. Then he stepped aside to let them in. Rihan entered first, with Taeryn following close behind.
The doctor, a beta named Ji Hwan, tightened the strap of his mask as he sat down. Rihan took the seat across from him, while Taeryn stood right behind the chair, gripping its sides like he was staking his claim.
"Well," Ji Hwan began, clearing his throat, his smile nervous under Rihan's sharp stare. "I've been getting reports of the usual since you got into the building. Headaches, aggressiveness, arousal, fear, you know…"
He gave Rihan a knowing look.
Rihan's frown deepened, clearly on the verge of snapping at him or throwing Taeryn out. But the alpha behind him only leaned closer, clearly refusing to move.
"Your rut, Rihan," Ji Hwan said finally, lowering his voice. "You know how powerful it can be. You have to stay inside. Contained. Because it hasn't even fully started yet."
Rihan shook his head, though he'd half expected it. His rut. As an Enigma, it was stronger, more dangerous than anything an Alpha could experience. Still, he didn't want to believe it. This would be the second time in three months, and that was completely unnatural. So, he pushed the thought aside.
Taeryn, on the other hand, looked way too excited. "His rut?"
Ji Hwan nodded. "Yes, Rihan's rut is quite different from that of Alphas and—"
"Shut it," Rihan growled, his jaw tight.
Ji Hwan's mouth snapped shut immediately, his face flushing red. Taeryn frowned at the reaction, tightening his grip on Rihan's chair.
Rihan sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "What do you think triggered it? This is the second time in three months. Is that even possible?"
"Well, it's possible now," Ji Hwan said carefully, glancing at Taeryn, who was casually twirling a strand of Rihan's hair between his fingers. He quickly looked away. "Have you been somewhere with concentrated pheromones lately? A club, maybe?"
Rihan raised a brow. "Yes. A brothel. But I'd been feeling the signs before then. I even lashed out at one of my informants during an interview."
Ji Hwan hummed thoughtfully. "Then it's likely your rut was triggered by pheromones meant specifically for you. Someone whose scent aligns with your instincts. Someone insane enough to be drawn to you."
"He is insane," Rihan said flatly, not even looking back. "But he's not in love with me."
Taeryn chuckled softly behind him. "You're so sure about that, Detective?"
Rihan shifted in his seat, exhaling deeply. "Anyway, are you saying this Alpha triggered my rut? He's not the only one who's ever been interested in me, yet this—" he gestured vaguely "—is happening."
Ji Hwan looked between the Enigma and the Alpha, his brows lifting. "Does he know what you are?" he asked Rihan quietly.
"No." Rihan stood, his expression unreadable. "And I don't think there's a need for that. He needs to stay away from me during my rut. I'm twenty-eight, Ji Hwan. I've been handling this alone for eleven years."
Taeryn's curiosity sharpened, his eyes narrowing slightly. Rihan caught the look and hated it. "I'll call you an Uber," he said flatly.
"No." Taeryn shook his head, his tone soft but wounded like Rihan had just shot him.
Rihan clenched his fists, his patience fraying. "Thank you for your time, Ji Hwan." And with that, he turned and strode out of the office.
Taeryn lingered, still staring at the closed door with that same pained expression… until Ji Hwan spoke.
"You're insane to be drawn to him."
Every trace of emotion vanished from Taeryn's face, wiped clean like chalk off a board. His eyes went flat, dead.
"I'm a killer, doc," he said quietly.
Ji Hwan's face was drained of color. "What?" He stumbled back, suddenly believing him because even without emotion, Taeryn radiated rage.
"You're going to tell me what Rihan is," Taeryn said, stepping closer, his voice calm and measured, "so I can help him."
Ji Hwan backed into his chair, dwarfed by Taeryn's 6 '5 frame. Just as Taeryn reached out to grab him, the door flew open.
"Come here."
Rihan's voice was sharp, controlled but tingled with irritation. He grabbed Taeryn by the collar of his sweater, yanking him back away from Ji Hwan.
Like a dog on a leash, Taeryn grinned and followed as Rihan dragged him out of the office.
Ji Hwan sat frozen, staring at the closed door, his face pale as paper. "Oh fuck!"
Rihan shoved Taeryn up against the wall as soon as they stepped out of the office. His strength, his presence... Everything was raw and unfiltered. He no longer bothered to hide it.
He was breathing hard, hand pressed flat over Taeryn's chest.
"I thought you were going to leave me there," Taeryn said, lips pouting, fascinated by the sight of Rihan unraveling.
Rihan's long black hair had come loose; his face was flushed, his hazel eyes glassy and narrowed. His fingers dug into the fabric of his sweater on Taeryn's chest, feeling the frantic heartbeat beneath.
"Look," Rihan said, exhaling heavily, "I can't drive like this. You'll drive me back to my condo, and then you're leaving. Immediately."
"But I don't want to leave, Detective." Taeryn's voice softened as he reached up to touch Rihan's face.
Rihan slapped the hand away. "I'm going to hurt you," he growled.
Taeryn only smiled. "I'm starting to think you're actually deaf, Detective."
Rihan swallowed. He was lying to himself. He didn't want Taeryn to leave. He wanted the opposite: closeness, possession, a way to channel the heat thrumming through him. Taeryn, impossibly, seemed unfazed by the danger in Rihan's tone.
"You want me… to hurt you?" Rihan asked, quieter, as if testing the truth of it.
Taeryn's grin turned a little wild. "As long as you breed me, Detective… do what you want."
Rihan stared at him, his tongue darting out to wet his lips that had suddenly gone dry. "Okay."
The word came out low, heavy and final.
He released Taeryn and turned on his heel, walking away. The Alpha followed immediately, silent and obedient, like a puppy that refused to be abandoned by it's owner.