Everything hurt.
Not sharp pain—
not a wound—
but the lingering, throbbing ache of heat-shock pulsing beneath my skin.
My breaths were shallow.
My vision was blurry.
Every instinct inside me trembled like a frightened animal.
All I could register clearly were:
Warm arms around me.
A chest rising and falling under my cheek.
A voice whispering my name again and again.
"…Elle…
Elle, stay awake…
please—keep your eyes open—"
Horace.
His scent grounded me, heavy and warm.
But my body still trembled uncontrollably, heat curling painfully low in my abdomen.
Rowan's hand was still on my arm—
light
gentle
but trembling as if holding me upright was costing him everything.
Chandler's palm stayed against my spine—
steady
anchoring
solid like a wall.
Lucian hovered behind them, eyes sharp, calculating every second.
The room was falling apart around us.
The chamber lights flickered erratically, wires sparking from the ceiling.
The broken restraint lay twisted on the floor like a dead metal insect.
Alarms blared above.
The grid was failing.
We had minutes.
Lucian hissed:
"We can't stay here. The backup seals will re-engage—
Horace, lift her—now!"
Horace didn't hesitate.
He slid one arm under my knees, the other behind my back—
and pulled me into his chest.
I gasped softly at the movement—
heat flaring sharply inside me.
Horace froze.
His eyes searched mine immediately.
"Elle? Did I hurt you—?"
I shook my head, barely managing a whisper:
"No… it's… the heat…"
Horace's expression broke.
Something pained.
Something helpless.
Something protective so fierce it could have split the floor open.
He pressed his forehead briefly to my temple.
"Okay. I've got you. I promise."
He stood.
My body trembled against him.
Rowan tried to follow—
and collapsed to his knees.
"Rowan!" Chandler caught him instantly.
Rowan grabbed Chandler's shirt, shaking his head rapidly.
"No—
don't stop—
don't leave me—
she needs all of us—"
His voice wavered painfully, breath hitching like a child trying not to cry.
Chandler cupped the back of Rowan's neck, grounding him.
"You're coming. I've got you."
Rowan nodded weakly.
He was barely standing, but his instincts kept pulling him forward—toward me, toward Horace, toward the heat that had caught all of us in its grip.
Lucian snapped:
"We need to move NOW before the chamber reboots the secondary lock!"
Horace adjusted his grip around me and stepped toward the shattered doorway.
The moment he crossed the threshold—
a fresh wave of heat surged through me.
My back arched in his arms, breath catching sharply.
Horace nearly dropped me.
"Elle—Elle, breathe—HEY—breathe—look at me!"
I buried my face in his shoulder, fingers curling into his shirt.
My voice cracked.
"I—I can't—
it's too much—
too fast—"
Lucian rushed beside us, eyes scanning.
"She's destabilizing from motion—
she's still in Stage-3 heat—
we need to get her somewhere stable NOW."
Chandler tightened his arm around Rowan's waist, supporting him fully.
"Lead the way."
Lucian sprinted ahead.
"Follow me—watch for pressure drops—this whole level is about to collapse—!"
THE HALLWAY COLLAPSE
The moment we entered the corridor, a loud, echoing crack rang out overhead.
A ceiling panel dropped—
crashing just behind Chandler's foot.
Rowan gasped.
Lucian shouted:
"MOVE—MOVE—MOVE—!"
Horace shifted me in his arms and ran.
Not fast enough to jostle me too hard—
but fast enough that every step vibrated through my body.
Heat spiraled again—
sharp
intense
blinding.
I cried out softly, clutching his jacket.
Horace's heart lurched.
"I've got you—
you're okay—
you're okay—Elle, I swear—"
But my breath was failing.
Short.
Shaky.
Too shallow.
Rowan reached toward me with trembling hands from Chandler's side.
"Elleanore—
don't shut down—
don't—you can't—"
His voice cracked so badly he swallowed a sob.
Chandler pressed his forehead briefly to Rowan's temple.
"Hold on, Rowan. Hold on for her."
Lucian stopped at a junction ahead, yanking open a panel.
He shouted:
"Horace! Bring her here—NOW!"
Horace stumbled forward—barely catching himself before falling.
He sank to one knee, lowering me carefully.
"Elle—look at me—hey—hey—"
I tried.
But my eyelids were too heavy.
Heat-shock tugged at my consciousness like a dark tide.
My breath hitched.
Rowan's hand slipped into mine—small, shaking, but grounding.
Chandler knelt behind Rowan, both hands steady on his waist and shoulder.
Lucian crouched on my other side, voice sharp:
"Elleanore—listen to me.
Stay awake.
Stay present.
We're getting you out."
A soft, pained sound escaped my throat.
"I—want—out—
please—"
Horace's voice cracked.
"We're taking you out.
Just hold on for me—just a little longer—"
Lucian slammed a switch in the open panel.
The corridor lights flickered—
then died entirely.
Then—
dim red emergency lights flickered on.
"GO!" Lucian roared.
"Backup grid is offline—we have sixty seconds before the locks reset!"
Horace scooped me up again.
I gasped at the motion—
hands gripping his shirt tightly
body arching against him as heat surged again.
He held me tighter.
His voice dropped low and desperate.
"Elle—
I know—
I know it hurts—
just breathe into me—
breathe—"
I pressed my forehead to his throat, inhaling instinctively.
His scent flooded me—
warm
steady
familiar in a way that eased the pain for a moment.
Just a moment.
Rowan's breath hitched sharply beside us as he felt my scent spike.
"She's calling—
she's calling—
for— him—"
Chandler steadied him again, pushing him forward.
"Then we keep going."
THE FINAL CORRIDOR
We reached the final corner when the ground shook.
A warning blared overhead:
"SECONDARY LOCKDOWN INITIATING."
Lucian swore.
"RUN!"
Horace tightened his hold around me and ran full speed.
Rowan stumbled—
collapsed—
Chandler caught him, lifted him like he weighed nothing, and ran too.
The walls groaned.
The steel gates ahead began to descend—
slow
then faster.
Lucian sprinted toward the pressure pad.
"GET THROUGH—NOW—GO—!"
Horace didn't hesitate.
He dove.
Chandler dove with Rowan.
Lucian slid under last—
The gate SLAMMED shut behind us.
Sealing the collapsed Isolation Wing away.
Horace nearly fell, clinging to me, chest heaving.
Rowan whimpered weakly against Chandler's shoulder, pale but conscious.
Chandler's voice was ragged.
"Okay—
we're out—
we're OUT—"
Lucian leaned against the wall, panting.
"We need a stable room—NOW.
She can't stay in open hallways while in shock."
Chandler nodded.
"I know a place. Follow me."
Horace whispered against my hair:
"You're safe now.
Elle—open your eyes—please—
you're safe…"
But my eyes stayed closed.
My body burned.
Heat swallowed everything.
I couldn't speak.
I couldn't move.
I could only cling weakly to his shirt—
and trust them to carry me out of the dark.
The Room Where Everything Tightens
The moment we crossed the gate, the world narrowed again.
Not from darkness this time—
but from heat.
A violent wave tore through me so suddenly that my fingers jerked against Horace's shirt. My breath hitched sharply, catching in my throat. Every nerve lit like someone had poured molten metal beneath my skin.
Horace felt it instantly.
He stumbled, nearly losing his footing.
"Elleanore—!"
He tightened his grip, panic flaring across his face.
Rowan—still half-conscious in Chandler's arms—flinched violently at the spike of my heat-scent.
His voice, thin and trembling, rasped out:
"She… she's slipping—again—Chandler—"
Chandler braced him, keeping Rowan steady as they ran.
"I know, sweetheart—just breathe—don't push—"
Rowan's fingers curled weakly into Chandler's shirt, knuckles whitening.
"I… I can't help it—
I can feel her—she's burning—she's—"
Chandler pressed a warm palm to the back of Rowan's neck—
gentle, grounding pressure.
"Stay with me. Don't pass out."
Lucian sprinted ahead.
"There—! That room—open space, insulated walls—GO!"
Horace didn't wait.
He carried me into the room like the ground beneath him was about to vanish.
THE SAFE ROOM
It wasn't truly a "room."
Not in any comforting sense.
It was meant for temporary medical isolation—bare walls, a cot, monitoring hookups, a ventilation system that hummed faintly.
But it was clean.
Quiet.
Safe.
Most importantly—
it locked from the inside only.
Horace kicked the door shut behind him.
He didn't lower me onto the cot.
Not even close.
He sat down on the edge with me still in his arms, holding me tightly but carefully—
as if I was something fragile.
Precious.
Breakable.
My cheek pressed to his chest.
His scent—sharp, warm, familiar—slammed through me, and my body arched involuntarily.
A soft, unintentional sound escaped me.
Horace stiffened.
Rowan gasped from somewhere on the floor.
Chandler caught him before he collapsed.
Lucian rushed to the control panel.
"We need stabilizers—she's still in Stage-3—she's going to break into Stage-4 if we don't counter it—"
Horace's head snapped up, eyes burning.
"What does that mean?!"
Lucian's voice was tight, urgent.
"Stage-4 heat is dangerous, Horace.
It's not compatible with shock recovery. She could—"
He stopped himself before finishing the sentence.
Horace's hold on me tightened.
His voice cracked.
"Fix her—please—Lucian—FIX HER—"
Lucian grabbed a medical kit from a cabinet, hands moving quickly.
"I'm trying—give me a second—!"
But heat surged again—
faster
harder
far more intense.
My back arched painfully.
A strangled whimper slipped from my throat.
Rowan sobbed quietly.
"She's hurting—
she's hurting—
I can feel it—"
Chandler pressed his forehead to Rowan's temple, calming him with steady warmth.
"I know. I know. Just breathe for me."
Rowan curled slightly into Chandler's chest, trembling uncontrollably.
HORACE REFUSES TO LET HER GO
Lucian moved closer.
"Horace, lay her down so I can—"
"No."
Horace didn't even look up.
Lucian blinked.
"Horace. I need access to her spine for the stabilizer—"
"You're not separating her from me."
"It'll only be for a second—"
"No."
Horace's voice was final.
Hard.
Terrified.
"She collapses when I move her.
She stops breathing when I let go.
I'm not risking it."
Lucian hesitated.
Then he swallowed.
"…Fine.
Hold her upright.
Turn her slightly—just enough that I can access the gland line."
Horace obeyed slowly, carefully—
as if every shift in my weight was a landmine.
He adjusted me until my back angled slightly toward Lucian.
My body reacted violently—
a full-body tremor ripping through me.
Horace's breath hitched.
"Elle—
I'm sorry—
I'm so sorry—"
He pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead, trying to soothe the panic threading through his voice.
"I've got you—I won't let go—don't be scared—"
My fingers curled weakly into his shirt.
I didn't have the strength to speak.
Rowan inhaled sharply as my heat spiked again.
"Chandler—
she's calling—
do you feel it—? She's—"
Chandler tightened his arms around him.
"I know. Don't lean too far. You're not stable yet."
Rowan's voice wavered.
"She—she needs—she needs anchors—she needs—"
Chandler looked up at Horace.
"She needs all three of us. Again."
Horace didn't question it.
He nodded once—
sharp, desperate.
"Do it."
Lucian swore under his breath.
"Just—don't overwhelm her—too much scent at once could push her into sensory shock—"
But instincts were stronger than theory.
Rowan crawled forward, collapsing onto his knees beside Horace.
He reached for me—
gently—
fingers brushing mine.
I felt it.
My breathing hitched.
My chest rose sharply.
Chandler knelt behind Rowan, grounding him but staying close.
Horace pulled me tighter, voice breaking against my hair.
"It's okay—
you're safe—
I won't let anything happen to you—
just stay awake—please—"
I forced my eyes open.
Barely.
Horace froze.
"Elleanore?"
My lips trembled.
"Don't… let… go…"
He looked like his heart shattered in his chest.
"Never," he whispered hoarsely.
"I'll never let go."
LUCAN PREPARES THE COUNTERMEASURE
Lucian drew a small vial from the kit—
containing a mild heat-shock inhibitor meant only for emergencies.
"Horace—hold her very still.
This will help her body fight the shock—but it'll spike her heat briefly."
Horace's eyes widened.
"How briefly?"
"Seconds. Maybe a minute."
Horace paled.
"Do it."
Lucian nodded.
He slid the injector along my spine.
The moment the cold metal touched me—
my body jolted.
I gasped sharply.
Horace held me tighter instantly.
"I know—I know—
I'm right here—
don't panic—"
Rowan pressed his forehead to my arm, voice trembling.
"You're okay… you're okay…"
Chandler murmured:
"We've got you."
Lucian pressed the injector trigger.
The serum entered my bloodstream—
and everything detonated.
THE HEAT SPIKE
It wasn't pain.
It was intensity.
Like every nerve under my skin lit up at once—
a hot, overwhelming rush that tore a gasp from my throat before I could bite it back.
I arched in Horace's arms.
Hard.
My fingers clenched around his shirt.
Heat surged through me so violently my vision went white.
Horace's voice cracked in panic.
"ELLEANORE—!"
Rowan let out a choking gasp, his scent flaring.
"She's—she's—oh god—"
Chandler grabbed Rowan before he fell, grounding him with firm pressure.
"Stay with me—don't collapse—not now—"
Lucian punched a command into the panel.
"Hold her steady—DON'T let her fall—!"
But I clung to Horace as if the world would end if I let go.
My breathing turned frantic.
My body trembled.
I buried my face in his chest, desperate for stability, for scent, for anything to pull me out of the spiral.
Horace pressed his forehead to mine, voice barely a whisper:
"I've got you—
I've got you—
I've got you—
please come down—please—"
Slowly—
the heat plateaued.
Then softened.
Then let me breathe again.
I slumped against him, exhausted.
Rowan sagged forward too, head dropping onto Horace's thigh.
Chandler steadied them both, breathing hard but controlled.
Lucian exhaled in relief.
"Good…
good…
the stabilizer's taking effect."
Horace wiped at tears he didn't realize had fallen.
"Elle…?
Can you hear me…?"
I nodded weakly against his shoulder.
Rowan whispered:
"Thank god…"
Chandler ran a steady hand down Rowan's back.
Lucian closed his kit with shaking hands.
"We're not out of danger yet…
but she's stabilized for now."
Horace tightened his hold on me—
protective, gentle, terrified.
"I won't let you slip again.
Not ever."
And for the first time since the chamber—
my body believed it.