Teru shoved the smartphone in his gown pocket and watched the TV. That bastard appeared, still in the same position as when the speech began. He was excited, huffing like a pervert.

"-male omega was sold at an auction house in Nashville, Tennessee. This rare human has swept the world by storm, making headlines in almost every country."

My existence is that shocking?

"Presidents, monarchs, and many influential vampires have sent countless requests to Prince Kieran for a chance to breed him, but to no avail. After months and months, most gave up because of his lack of response to the inquiries. I am happy to announce a change in this omega's availability."

Abaddon held up a paper for the camera to see. It zoned in on the words and lion stamp.

"How did he get a copy of your auction receipt?" Charles asked. Kieran waved to shush him.

"This is Pride's proof that he owns the last omega," the king pinched the center and ripped it in half, tossing the shreds to the floor indifferently, "and now it is not. It's been voided under breach of contract." There was a gasp from the viewers in the room.

Kieran gestured for him to come. Teru didn't need to be told twice. He got off the bed, but his ankle rolled on the slippery tiles. Before he tumbled to the ground, Kieran scooped and cradled him.

Abaddon held a familiar ring with a crane bird design in his right hand. How-?! Where-?! When did Teru lose it?! That was his! He wildly recalled carrying Blaise's small bag containing the ring and his own cellphone. He had it as they were finding Lucas, but what about after he showed up? No, Teru didn't have the purse in the dusty hallway.

I must've dropped it when Lucas surprised me. Someone found it.

"With the aid of my stepdaughter, Princess Sofia, we discovered this piece of jewelry. You see, it had once belonged to my most precious blood slave, the human omega gifted to me by Japan's emperor 25 years ago to maintain close, political relations. As many of you remember, Ryoma Kurokawa was part of the last batches of omegas to be born almost five decades ago. He came from a long line, carefully bred to perfection. Their sole purpose was to be beautiful with flawless genetics, and listen to their owner's every order. Ryoma was Avania's crown jewel, our hope in bringing back a gender on the brink of extinction. You were all devastated when my favorite harem slave ran away while heavily pregnant. We couldn't find him, and we believed he and his unborn pup had perished in the untamed wilderness."

"I remember that," Quinn said.

"We need to go. Now. Right now." Kieran bounded out the door and through the hallway. There were several flat-screen televisions mounted on the walls, put there to broadcast anything announced by the rulers. The vampire's shocking speech mocked at them as Kieran entered the staircase, hurrying down the skyscraper's spiral steps. It was ridiculous that TVs were here, too!

A couple of cries sniffled in the background. Abaddon faked sad tears. "Do not fret. I have the most wonderful news! Prince Kieran found Ryoma's missing baby, who somehow survived living with a feral human pack. A DNA test confirmed that this omega is his heir. Teru had Ryoma's pure silver ring in his possession, a symbol of the Kurokawa's. It was only crafted for deserving individuals in this now-dead family."

In his left hand, he had a stack of old, crinkled papers. "I searched and recovered my contract with Japan's late emperor. Under section two, paragraph three, it is stated that all descendants of Ryoma Kurokawa are owned by me exclusively. No exceptions."

Teru was deadweight in Kieran's grasp, stunned. His mind blanked, not able to process what he just heard. Mom and Dad were adoptive parents? Hina wasn't his real sister? His biological mother was a prestigious blood slave? Who was the father, then? Why didn't anyone in the pack say anything and kept it a secret?

They passed another television.

"Teru, the omega illegally purchased by Prince Kieran, is my property. I have already contacted the best lawyers in Avania to confirm the fact, and they are on standby in case Prince Kieran rejects the truth. Pride, wherever you are, it is time to give him up." Abaddon's offensive smile curled, displaying his fangs. "He's mine."

The speech ended. Teru accidentally let go of the ultrasound picture, extending out his arm to catch it. Kieran sprinted too fast. He saw it flutter and land on the stairs, out of sight. He whimpered at the loss.

Would they make it out? They had to. His breathing wheezed into panic mode. Kieran's hand moved up to push Teru's head into his muscular chest, releasing calming pheromones. The mint was the only thing keeping him sane without breaking down.

"I have you," the alpha assured. "Don't worry."

The destined pair should worry, though. As they reached the first floor, Kieran kicked open an emergency exit door leading to a dirty back alley. The bitter, night wind blew under Teru's hospital gown, giving him goosebumps.

BANG.

Kieran stumbled, landing on a knee but never dropping Teru. He growled in pain. Blood spread on the front of his formal suit. The vampire ignored it and rushed away to escape-

BANG.

The next bullet hit Kieran's ankle, shattering the bone. Were they being shot at?!

BANG.

Another in the scent gland. Splatters of blood pelted Teru's face.

BANG.

A bullet struck Kieran in the stomach. He lost strength in his arms and gently placed Teru on the ice-covered ground next to the dumpster. The shivering human watched him turn around and make a defensive stance, growling low at the countless guards approaching them with large guns. It was eerily quiet except the crunching of everyone's shoes on the fresh snowflakes. Breaths visible in the winter temperature. Kieran's nails sharpened. The air was heavy with his musky scent, but the smell was off because of his damaged gland. Can a dominant alpha still use controlling pheromones to force them to back off?

Apparently not. Kieran said nothing, only crouching lower. If he could use pheromones, he would've done so by now. This was an alpha ready to protect his scared, pregnant mate.

"Hand over the omega, Prince Kieran. It's King Abaddon's orders," a guard said. "We will not hesitate to shoot you with silver if you resist."

Silver? That's deadly for him!

Pride didn't follow their command. He dashed at them with full force, killing three guards instantly by ripping out their hearts. Thick blood spilled everywhere, staining the white snow.

BANG.

BANG.

BANG.

BANG.

The rain of bullets didn't stop, each bang thundering in Teru's ears. Every piece of silver entered Kieran's weakening figure. They weren't trying to kill him, only to make him submit. Kieran snarled. Beating hearts scattered like trash in the narrow alley. Security kept arriving, armed and ready. Teru placed his arms over his belly. The places where Kieran was shot pinched the same areas on Teru's skin, thanks to their soul connection.

"Stop, stop," he tried to yell at them, but it came out as a soft murmur.

BANG.

BANG.

BANG.

BANG.

BANG.

After sixty or more shots with the fatal element, Kieran's movements finally slowed, soaked in red, body shaking, and blood streaming from his mouth. His eyes were a deep crimson, almost black. He needed to rest. He needed to drink blood. He needed his omega.

"AKK!" Teru yelped when a cloth suddenly covered his nose. It smelled sweet and immediately made him tired. A bloodsucker picked him up as his surroundings blurred.

I know him. He's the doctor who wanted to pair me with other alphas.

Kieran heard the cry and miraculously ran at them despite his serious injuries.

BANG.

The last bullet embedded in Kieran's nape. Teru's virtue symbol ached.

Abaddon passed the machine gun to a guard, smoke wafting from the barrel. "Well, well, what a spectacle. I didn't expect you to kill 40 of my trained men in your deplorable, blood-deprived state."

The ex-angel grabbed a fistful of Kieran's burgundy hair and pushed him downward, forcing him to be on his knees. Kieran barred his fangs up at Abaddon, absolutely furious.

"How the mighty have fallen. You're just a maggot eating rotten carcasses. This is barely a sliver of what you used to be. You've won wars single-handedly and destroyed countries from the inside out. You littered the earth with the prideful bodies of humans. Look at you, a slave to a whore's offspring. Lazy. Weak. All of you deadly sins became negligent in your jobs. Did you know your lack of responsibility to rid the world of evil was the reason the heavens initiated the apocalypse? I'm here because of you, Pride. They sent me and the other archangels because of you. Once you stopped sending souls of your sin to Hell, your siblings followed your shit example, avoiding their duties. But, thanks to you, I found my valuable asset. You have my gratitude, so I'll let you live."

Abaddon whipped out a small handgun from his coat pocket and shot Kieran between the eyes. Kill shot. His head snapped back from the impact. Chunks of pink brain matter flew in all directions. A piece of skull landed next to Teru's foot. His lifeless body crumpled, unmoving.

Teru wailed, squirming while opposing drug-induced sleep. He recoiled when Abaddon caressed his nasty fingers on Teru's cheek, smearing Blaise's glitter.

"Pride's not dead. My wife, wherever that bitch is at, would be upset with me. His heart is fine. Kieran will sleep for a long time. It's too bad he'll miss out on the fun we're about to have. There's so much planned for you, Ryoma's son. My omega."

Teru's vision became black. The last thing he saw was his alpha bleeding out in the streets of New York, riddled with holes.

12:30. It was officially past midnight. The fairytale spell conjured by Lust was broken...

...and Pride's knight piece on the chessboard fell.