Kieran took off his expensive suit and tossed the ruined clothes into the trash can. The walk while returning to their private quarters had calmed his deadly sin. Pride faded away, leaving behind a tired alpha post-challenge. The deep scratches made by Tristan's claws were upsetting for Teru to see.

Which reminded him...

He approached the vampire with irate purpose and pointed in his face, like a parent scolding their misbehaving pup. "You know what? Sometimes I don't know what in the world you're doing. Why did you accept that challenge?"

Kieran wore only briefs, preparing to go shower. Blood that had seeped through his clothes smeared over his chiseled abs and defined arms. "Little one," he sighed. "It was for your safety. Tristan went too far and needed a lesson. But I won like I said I would. He won't come around anymore. As the highest ranking again, I'm now the one in control of my siblings. I can't imagine any of them challenging me in the mere future, so they won't dare touch you."

Okay, so the logic made sense. Teru crossed his arms regardless, still mad at Kieran's decision to accept the challenge. "Why are all alphas so...so...daft? You only think with your muscles, not your head."

Kieran laughed, making Teru growl. How dare he laugh at him!

"Let's eat after I'm done. Choose a movie. I'm in the mood for a comedy. I had enough action and drama today." He kissed the omega's forehead. Darn him! That kiss was meant to butter him up, knowing it would work every time. Teru was a softy for such affections. The pleased purr in his chest betrayed him.

He studied Kieran's injuries as he walked away to the bathroom, blood oozing down his back. The wounds' edges were barely scabbing over. Shouldn't the bleeding have stopped by now?

Help him, an unknown voice whispered. This was not his human side, nor his inner omega. It was a new one. That hidden string tugged at him, wanting him to go to the prince.

"Wait," Teru called out. He went over and held up his arm in Kieran's face. It would be okay to drink from there, right?

Kieran didn't get his intentions. "Where does it hurt? I can get the first aid kit."

He moved his wrist closer to his fangs. "You need this."

Understanding flashed across Kieran's face. He gave a kind smile and grasped the limb being offered to him. His broken fingers from the fight grazed over Teru's skin, sending shivers up his spine. He closed his eyes, waiting for the acute discomfort of a vamp's bite to pierce into him. It never came.

Instead, Kieran lightly kissed the center of Teru's palm. "I'm happy you're doing this, rather than me forcing you. Unfortunately, I can't. Not when I'm so weak."

Teru was upset that his offer was declined. For a human who hated vampires except for the one standing in front of him, it took a lot of courage.

"Don't feel like that. I need time to compose Pride. If I drink from you now, it'll control me again. I could kill you." His words were regretful, so at least he wasn't saying no because he didn't want to-it was not to risk hurting more people and destroying things.

"So, a comedy?" Teru retracted his arm, feeling slightly disappointed not to experience the pheromone venom again. Gosh, his family would pummel him if they knew about his taboo desires.

"Either that or we can rest. It's been a long day, but up to you. I want to heal your bruises, too," referring to the blue spots forming on Teru's neck from where Envy yanked hard at the collar. Kieran disappeared up the stairs.

Help him, it said again.

Ignoring the command, he chose a film they haven't seen yet from the entertainment closet. Though Kieran said he wanted to watch a funny movie, Teru didn't. The itching in his nape was bothering him too much, as if fire ants were crawling under there. He had the urge to claw out those pesky bugs, scraping his nails over his birthmark.

Once he temporarily satiated the irritation, Teru stared at his hand. There was dead skin under his fingernails from the heavy scratching. Any more and he'd draw blood.

Is this what Tristan feels?

Teru had an idea. At the top of the DVD stack was the omega instructional video, the same one he watched all those months ago. That was when he met Tristan, as well, making him dislike anything with lemon immensely. He hurriedly put in the CD and played around with the Home Screen options. Unlike before, he could read the words, slowly but surely.

Let's see. Click on 'chapters.' ABO, nesting, courting, where's the-oh, there.

After choosing 'destined partners,' it started with an animated scene of two humans connected to a red string by their pinkies. "There are several names for this rare phenomenon-destined partners, destined mates, fated pairs, soul mates..." the narrator listed.

Teru sat cross-legged on the floor in front of the television, paying close attention to every detail because he skipped this part last time. Back then, it didn't pertain to him. The glowing screen reflected in his eyes as they described couples who were born to exist for that person. Most recognized their fated mate immediately, but some do not realize it right away depending on their emotional state. Until the bond is complete, both will experience signs similar to separation symptoms, which occur when the pair are apart for too long. It explained the pre-symptoms before the marking and the main symptoms after the bonding bite.

The chapter ended. It moved on to the next one about mock marking. Teru turned it off. He stood up and paced around in the living room, touching his nape to ease the phantom tickling arising again.

Okay, okay. Let's go over what I know.

These physical and mental problems were becoming stronger day by day-the tingly neck, the magnetized pull toward Kieran, and their unstable bodily reactions. It didn't explain the newcomer's voice telling him to help the vampire, though.

Kieran had said he was immediately drawn to him at the auction house when he wouldn't have looked twice otherwise. Perhaps he unknowingly felt the attraction this whole time if this theory was true?

That would mean Teru was the reason-the reason the instant sparks didn't fly when they met. This whole time, he was hesitant to accept a vamp as a mate, afraid to betray humanity. Was it understandable, given the way he grew up and saw Valley Pack members taken or killed one by one? Like his father? Like Josy and Lucas? But things aren't the same. New York City changed him.

According to Tristan's story, that human omega wanted to be marked by a bloodsucker. Did that mean...this was okay? Can Teru admit what he's been blatantly suppressing? Dr. Charles was right. He was cruel for prolonging the inevitable.

The long war battling within him settled. The doubt dissipated in his heart, ready to accept what he was about to say.

"I...think a vampire is my soulmate," Teru said aloud. "My destined partner is Kieran."

Fireworks exploded in his body as soon as the words left his lips, starting with the nape. Teru gasped, practically yelping. The electricity zapped and crackled through his veins as visions played in his head like a movie.

Kieran cradled him on his lap, leaning against a maple tree in the forest. He was waiting for Teru to finish picking raspberries off the bush beside them. He opened his mouth like a baby bird waiting for its mother to feed it. Teru scoffed playfully and put one of the red fruits between his lips. He kissed him, pushing it into Kieran's mouth with his tongue.

They were cuddling together on a queen-sized bed. Kieran had his head on Teru's stomach, drawing light circles around his belly button with a pointer finger. The omega was reading Black Beauty.

Teru sprinted through a snowy forest. The chilly wind felt wonderful as it breezed through his hair. He ran past the tree line, heading toward the edge of a cliff overlooking the sea of mountains. Someone was waiting for him there, wrapped in layers of thick blankets. It was Kieran. He beamed with adoration as Teru came closer to join him around the fire.

The visions stopped. He was back in the penthouse, somehow still standing while sweating profusely. Were these memories? None of that happened, though.

Then, an undeniable pull in his core yanked on his entireness, making him take a few steps to the bathroom automatically. Whatever pre-symptoms he felt before were nothing compared to this. Scorpion stings stabbed at his nape. His body temperature sky-rocketed into a heat cycle. It came back down, then up until he was hot with fever, and down again into a normal state.

And the emotions, oh heavens, the emotions. Confusion, shock, realization, wonderment, possessiveness, desire. Teru didn't believe these were his.

Amid all this, there was a loud crash of stuff falling upstairs. Rushing footsteps marched out of the bedroom and down the stairs, sliding over the last few steps from tripping. Kieran was panting heavily as he stood at the bottom of the staircase, haphazardly holding a towel around his naked waist to cover himself. Water drops trickled down his almost-healed body, making the floor wet. He must've left in the middle of his shower session.

His eyes were the widest Teru had ever seen them. Dumbstruck. Astounded. "It's you."

'You.' The one. His fated mate.

Something wet tickled Teru's cheeks. He wiped it away. Why was he crying? And why was he so fucking happy? Did he deserve to be happy after making Kieran wait months and months?

Kieran, still holding onto his towel, carefully went over to Teru. He didn't want to startle him. These feelings were so fresh and new that perhaps he thought he would flee, unable to process them. The alpha's big hand caressed Teru's jawline. He leaned into it, purring loudly. Kieran's lion purr rumbled back to create a harmonious arrangement.

"You," Kieran began, "deserve to be happy. Don't ever think otherwise."

They both winced. There was a painful pinching of the nerves in their napes, demanding them to complete the bond. Now. Teru opened his eyes when the discomfort passed and was stunned as he saw the tips of Kieran's fangs disappear.

"Can you open your mouth?"

Kieran did. He watched his fangs become the size of human canines. It was strange! Teru touched Kieran's teeth. Were these real?

"Wha- are you -oing?" he mumbled with fingers invading his mouth.

"Your fangs are gone!"

The prince turned his head in disbelief, feeling his shrunken teeth with his tongue. "Well, this is weird."

"Will they come back?"

"I believe so. I'm still immortal. Something tells me it's for-," he paused.

For? For what?

Kieran let go of his towel. He hoisted Teru over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and walked to the couch. It had a perfect view in front of the balcony doors, showing the heavy snowfall outside. Fat snowflakes slowly blew through the silent air, sticking to build piles of white fluff on the metal furniture. Long, sharp icicles hung around the doorframe as if the frozen water wanted to protect the couple inside.

Kieran sat down first, positioning Teru to straddle his thighs. The natural downcast light made his red eyes have a garnet shade. His hands slipped underneath Teru's sweater, brushing over his stomach until they reached his nipples. They hardened under his touch. Teru let out a small whimper. His groin ached like hell.

"Can I take this off?" Kieran asked softly. Instead of letting him do it, Teru yanked off his own top with haste, getting his head stuck in the neck hole for a moment. The alpha chuckled and put a finger through his pants belt loop. "What about these?"

Teru didn't waste a second longer and clumsily wiggled out of his pants and underwear. Lastly, he removed his crest ring and placed it on the pile of discarded clothes. The situation settled in. With them now naked, he was self-conscious and covered his chest with his arms.

Kieran grabbed his wrists and placed them around his neck, allowing Teru to feel the scarred nape. There was no hesitation to let him touch the place Pride was ashamed of the most, besides being unable to drink blood. Kieran habitually flinched but eventually relaxed. The skin was smooth from years of torture. He felt a hint of immense scalding pain he's never experienced before, as if the past was transferring into him so he could understand what this broken person experienced. Teru rubbed away tears, annoyed by them.

Stop crying!

"You were so pressured by your pack," Kieran commented. "Always sad." He must've felt the omega's past, too.

The vampire's fingertips traveled up Teru's backside, skimming his backbone to remember the shape of every vertebra. Kieran leaned forward and pulled him closer, belly to belly, chest to chest. An arm wrapped around Teru's waist. Up and up his other hand went until it grasped the black collar. His thumb pressed on the fingerprint scanner. It beeped and unlocked. Kieran unstrapped it and held the cursed thing in the air.

Teru's big, pleading eyes read, Please.

The dominant alpha growled and threw it perfectly into the fireplace across the living room. The collar landed in the fire, providing fuel for the flames. Good riddance.

That wasn't the only thing they abandoned.

As they stared into each other's eyes, knowing what was going to happen next, the pair took off their inner masks-their damaged, cracked, and chipped masks that hid their true selves from others and guarded their emotions. If the disguising covers were real, they'd be lying on the floor together in shattered pieces, unable to be worn again.

They were completely exposed to one another, about to explore their deepest, darkest sins and secrets. Everything, everybody, was forgotten. The last omega and his alpha were consumed by fate.