They were in the nest with comfy items blanketing them. Kieran was stroking his fingers through Teru's recently washed hair, half asleep with his perfect head resting on his lap. While petting him, he felt every black strand against the pads of his fingers. Was he a little irrational to think how he'd rip someone's heart out if they dared to take just one? Having a mate went against his selfish instincts-he now had someone else to take care of and it made his inner alpha switch to protective mode. Such sentiments were new for Kieran, all alien because he went his entire life without experiencing them.

His Pride was fretting, howling at him to ‌help. Since yesterday, agitation slowly increased by the hour. It was a matter of time before the top half of the hourglass emptied, and who knows what would happen once his sin was done waiting after the last grain of sand was gone. He wanted to sigh with frustration. This resembled the forgotten days when he was wilder with his siblings, eliminating humans who reeked of pride, envy, greed, etc. Whenever they felt the same build-up that would begin their descent into their monstrous sides, it was so easy to subdue it back then by doing what they were born to do.

Current times didn't work like that anymore. Kieran was done with the purpose he was given. Those duties can go to hell.

Kieran mentally ordered it to be quiet. In reality, there wasn't anything he could ‌do except be there for his partner. Whatever Teru was going through was a mental bump in the road, perhaps a little physical as well. This morning at the crack of dawn, Kieran watched Teru pace in front of the window on the verge of nesting. He noticed a slight bloatedness around his hips. Charles said completing the bond as a destined pair was supposed to fix the hormonal instability, originally caused by coming in contact with one another. While it worked for Kieran, it did not for Teru. In fact, it became worse. It had to be stress-related. Or...maybe the heavens were playing with Kieran by cursing their union.

There was no question in the prince's mind-Teru required more space, free from the pressures of this hectic environment. Leaving needed to happen during the event in less than two weeks. Thankfully, Teru did not bring up the subject again after Nurse Karen left. The shame of biting Kieran and the difference of his canines distracted him enough to forget about it, though his teeth eventually withdrew while he slept last night.

Kieran checked the time on his gold and mint green pocket watch. The drugstore would open soon. It was inconvenient to go on this tedious errand. It was faster to get there by walking than by car, thanks to traffic. Not only that, but he had to go himself instead of sending a servant because the pharmacy required to see the patient's identification. In this case, Charles pushed Kieran's name since Teru did not have the proper ID.

"Are you sure you don't want to go?"

"Mmm," Teru groaned. That was a no.

"I'm leaving now to get your medicine."

"Mmm."

Kieran grabbed the chiffon pillow next to him and delicately placed it under Teru's head. The human didn't notice him slip away, light snores laced with pleasant dreams. Despite sleeping most of the night, it was concerning to see him still tired. Dozing through the late morning was unusual.

And that's why Pride was pissed off. It couldn't solve medical issues like this, at least not so fast and simple.

Wanting to return as quickly as possible, Kieran hurriedly put on his winter trench coat. Once reaching the first floor, the working vampires and servants moved out of his way like the Red Sea splitting in half. He stopped in front of the revolving glass doors leading to the unpredicted snowstorm. Shit. This wasn't on the forecast. The heavy snow piled on the sidewalk faster than it could be cleared, now up to his knees. Teru wouldn't have been able to go, regardless. Just because Kieran was a vampire, didn't mean cold, wet feet weren't uncomfortable. There wasn't a single car on the street. Who would be crazy enough to go out in this record-breaking weather?

Kieran was.

The whole time while trudging through the white fluff seeping through his shoes and pants, the only thought he had was Teru soundly asleep in his nest and hoped there wouldn't be more blood upon his return. Seeing what he saw the previous evening, not knowing the reason, almost made him go ballistic. He was calm at the time, but his insides were in a frenzy.

This annoying trip went on for a lifetime. Snowflakes dampened his hair, turning it into a dark red that was almost black. His feet were numb by the time he arrived at the pharmacy. It left him in a foul mood. His vexing aura spread throughout the empty building as he walked in. The one perk about being royalty was how lower-ranked plebeians were fast on their feet whenever they saw him approach. The employee scrambled to find his white envelope containing the prescription.

By the time he was at the counter, she stuttered, "I-I need to see identification, My Lord. It's policy, I swear! I can call my manager." Her amber eyes were petrified at the request. Clearly, she received flack often from aristocrats who opposed the rule; everyone knew who they were, so photo ID shouldn't be necessary.

Kieran was more reasonable and didn't have time to argue, anyway. He showed her a driver's license along with his lion seal to get the point across.

"Thank y-you, Prince Kieran." The beta placed the bag in front of him. "Do you h-have any questions about the ointment and suppositories?"

The vampire glanced away, looking out the drugstore doors to study the worsening blizzard. He sensed hesitation, followed by surprise and a hint of anxiety. What was making Teru react this way?

She uncomfortably waited for his answer.

"I don't." With that, he put his identification away and left, making the same damned trek back to the capitol building. Kieran moved onward through the snow that accumulated mid-thigh. The consistency was like swimming in tar. Not a soul was with him outside to fight through this. There were no city sounds like car honks, tire screeches, cooing pigeons, catcalls, crying from the blood slaves, and angry patrons. There was only the quiet snowfall, the crunch under his shoes, and roaring thoughts as to why Teru was feeling these emotions. Currently, the omega was hesitant and worried.

Hundreds of hiding vampires stared at him, peeking through the closed blinds from the surrounding structures' windows. Their pride wafted over to him, smelling of decaying flesh. A low growl rumbled from his lungs. It took effort to keep his sin from overtaking him.

The disdainful paranoia whispered, They're laughing at your struggle, at your predicament. No one gives a damn that your mate is potentially in trouble. This is a dog-eat-dog world.

You're right, Kieran agreed. They pretended to respect him while in his presence. Really, these vermin wouldn't hesitate to drain his blood in the city gutters if they saw imperfection, just like the stoning punishment. The crazy ones would use the red fluid to graffiti the road with their names. Everyone would know in time his new weak spot-his destined partner. They'd steal him from the safety of his nest. Force Teru to watch them dismember his lifeless alpha. The maggots would have their way with him. All would take their turns holding him down in the same place where they killed Kieran, circling like hyenas to the slaughter. Teru's screams would be ignored. Those sadistic alphas would have an orgasmic thrill seeing a human omega drenched in his fated mate's blood. Their fangs would leave countless new marks. It was common knowledge that an imprinted omega couldn't handle another alpha's fluids, but they wouldn't care about his terrible pain. His used-up body wouldn't matter. Once the momentary fun was finished, they'd challenge each other over who can take Teru home as a prize. Then, their blood would saturate the black cement, flooding into the nearby river.

Kieran had seen similar tragedies occur long, long ago when vampires moved within the shadows during more primitive, lawless eras. The current regulations stopped such public acts to maintain a good image to other countries and tourists, forcing them to do those things behind closed doors.

This was the real nature of vampires. Humans weren't that far below the scale, either.

Kieran's drowning sanity sank further and further into the dangerous scenario playing out in his mind. Phantom pain burned where the symbol used to be. It was freezing, yet he was sweating with delirium. Though marking Teru helped his rut, it did not ease his maddening Pride.

Everyone, look at me and me only. His fangs wanted to grow until they revealed the true form of a deadly sin. Show them what Kieran could really do. Feel his overdue animosity towards their immorality. Have them bow down to their knees. Kieran was about to roar into the sky with his testimony. He demanded the heavens to witness the beautiful calamity they made of him.

The disturbing thoughts ceased when the tallest building in New York City was in sight. His hand squeezed the bag, trying to get a grip. Kieran knew he looked like a mess with the snowballs clinging to his clothes. He ignored the toxic gossiping as they saw the drips of cold water trailing behind him on the marble floor. The heaviness of watching the glowing numbers in the elevator slowly go up to his floor weighed on him.

PING.

The doors opened. That's when Kieran understood. This thick scent of mint in the lobby hallway was his, yet it wasn't at the same time. It was a carbon copy. Anyone would mistake it for him. There was one person who could create the perfect concoction of every pheromone smell in existence.

His mother. The queen. A dominant alpha.

The first vampire to exist was in his penthouse, in his territory, with his omega.