Sofia listened to her mother's speech. It was all very interesting...if it applied to her. But, it didn't. Though feeling somewhat responsible for this mess, Sofia couldn't do much to help Kieran.

She could practically feel Lilith's eyes, the same stare used to condition them into submission. Like how Pavlov discovered in his experiment that dogs could be trained to salivate at the sound of a bell, their mother did the same with her fierce gaze. When Sofia and her siblings saw it, they became obedient dogs, ready to do her bidding or be punished.

Sofia had driven herself to forget those punishments. Her memories purposely erased them, knowing she wouldn't be able to function if she remembered. She sensed her brothers' and sisters' fear. This was when she was thankful to be blind-she can't be affected.

A gust of wind blew through her clothes, making her shiver. Damn, she hated winter. Sofia put her hands in her blazer's pocket...

...and flinched when her fingers were burned. She took out the offending object and studied the silver ring. Abaddon had entrusted it to her for safekeeping. It belonged to Kieran's omega. Seeing the crane design sent her into a prophecy.

The visions were vastly different from before. Abaddon would breed that human to the point of death from bodily exhaustion. He'd use those pups in the program to preserve Ryoma's lineage. Kieran was dead. In that version, the king had won.

Destines switched when Kieran was saved with Teru's blood. Pride lived. Abaddon died.

The future changed.

The visions showed her the end, and not just for Kieran and his mate. If they remained in the city in the next fifteen minutes, they'd all be doomed. Vampires. Humans. Alphas. Betas. Omegas. Every soul. Teru would perish by her hand, torn limb from limb in with Kieran present. Lilith would eventually not feel satisfied with the omegas gone, tasting vengeance again. She wouldn't stop at the sinners, either. Who else could she go after?

The heavens. She'd use her children to destroy them. There were ways; very fucked up ways, to gain access.

Sofia's prophecy ended. While Lilith kept talking, she walked in the direction Kieran could be in. He needed to know. If they didn't go now, they'd be used as pawns in Lilith's mentally ill schemes.

And she, Gluttony, did not want that fate. This wasn't for mankind or the world. It was mainly for her safety.

"Sofia."

Kieran was to her left. She found him. Holding out her hand in his direction, she dropped the ring that had sizzled a silver-burned crane into her palm. Someone caught it mid-air.

"This is my ring." the omega said, stunned.

"Brother, you must leave. This second. Change our destinies. Please-"

Lilith coughed to get their attention. "As I was saying, I spent a good while on what to do. Unlike Tristan's omega, Kieran had already marked his own mate, a pregnant mate that was also his manifested virtue. I used my voyage to my homeland to reflect if my revenge still stood or if I was done with it. Was it past me?"

The locusts' buzzing grew louder. They flew closer, as if they wanted to hear the queen's story, too. The wind picked up, blowing their hair.

Lilith smiled lovingly at Kieran, her eldest and firstborn son. After brushing her fingers on his cheek like a mother tenderly showing her affection, she returned to stand next to a still-kneeling Envy. He was weeping, mourning over Yuka.

"No. Your omega is not an exception. I won't let go. I can't let go."

Sofia smelled a beautiful stench. Her eyes couldn't see, but her nose worked perfectly fine. Gluttony fogged her mind, prophecy forgotten.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Suddenly, Teru gagged when he smelled the most confusing scent he's ever encountered. The pheromones made his sensitive nose sting and stomach churn.

It was disgusting.

Attractive.

Revolting.

Pretty.

Floral.

Sour.

Burned.

Metallic.

Woodsy.

Rotten.

Sweet.

Somehow, Teru experienced every aroma and odor in existence within seconds. He bent over and threw up. This was when Kieran would always rub his back until the sickness passed. Only now, Kieran didn't do that. He didn't comfort him at all.

Teru whiled the spit off his chin and groaned, "Kieran-"

"AHHHH!" multiple roars thundered in unison, scaring the nearby screaming citizens. They scattered into the city or to the gate. Several had made it to the lever on top where the guards should've been, attempting to unlock the large door. Kieran was on his knees, clutching his head in agony. His siblings were the same, in the middle of transforming into their sins involuntarily.

Don't tell me he's also-?!

Teru pushed one of Kieran's hands away with all his might and gasped. It was Pride. His lips curled to show his thick fangs. Tears of blood fell from his glassy eyes. What was happening?! What's making him like this?!

"My children. Come. You haven't done your duties in a long time. There are many sinners who need their souls reaped for Hell."

Teru gritted his teeth, painfully rejecting the authoritative pheromones from the first-ever dominant alpha. This scent was triggering the deadly sins to reveal their true selves. He didn't know exactly how it was possible, but he didn't need to know to understand that his mate was in danger. Kieran ignored Teru and got up, walking to Lilith.

Panicking, Teru yanked on Kieran's shirt. "Wait-!"

"I did not forget you, Teru," Lilith said loudly over the insects' humming. "Abaddon is absent, but his locusts and destruction will move on without him for five months, as it was written by the heavens before the next trumpet is sounded. I do not enjoy hurting pregnant mothers. By the end of Abaddon's wave, you will have given birth or close to it. Five months. I will give you that much time before ending your life."

Teru was at a loss. Five months?! Without Kieran?! He just got him back! They just reunited! He would not be apart again!

Help him, his virtue whispered. Guide him.

Teru's nape tingled. Kieran must have felt his own tickle. He clawed vigorously at the lion symbol on the back of his neck.

Show him mercy and he'll comply.

Teru ran after him again. "OOF!" He tripped over a small crack in the ground, split by the earthquakes. After landing on his side, Teru rolled over and tried to get up, but couldn't. He held in his sobs and let go of his sweet pheromones. The sapphire sparkles rained over the vampire. "My Pride. Please don't go."

Pride heard his name and stopped, tilting his head to listen to his virtue's pleas.

While Teru rubbed away his stupid tears, he sniffled, "Didn't I tell you? Don't let your biggest weakness control you. Tell me why you're like this. Help me understand. Why did you let it take over you so easily? Because of a smell? Am I not worthy enough to help you anymore? I'm worthless, right?"

His Humility questioned itself. His inner omega questioned itself. His wolf questioned itself.

Ah. I feel like my old self when I thought I was nothing. Nolan was right. Maybe it's true and I was too confident.

Gentle hands lifted him from the frosty ground and hugged him with summer warmth. Mint pheromones soothed Teru's self-hatred. "Never," they growled. "Never worthless. My Humility is..."

Teru glanced up. Kieran's irises were round and clear. Pride was subdued.

"I'm what?"

Kieran's extra facial muscles disappeared. "...Everything."

Never looking away from each other, Kieran carried Teru to the car and carefully put him in the backseat. He buckled in Teru's seatbelt and adjusted the strap so it fit comfortably under the small baby bump. Pride's broad fangs receded into his gums.

A distressing, low growl rumbled near them. Lust was multiple paces away from a passed-out Lucas. Though his sin rampaged, the Blaise inside was fighting it, not wanting to leave Lucas there, bleeding and pale. It was tragic to witness an alpha wanting to protect a person they cared about, but the situation was out of their control.

Lust took another step towards Lilith. She was waiting for him. The other siblings were already with their mother, unable to defeat their sins. He pulled out a handful of his pretty, platinum-blonde hair as his two personalities battled within him.

Kieran swiftly got Lucas and put him in the backseat with Teru, also seatbelting him with care to not tear the slash on his throat further.

"Where-?" Teru started to ask.

"Brace yourself."

Brace myself?

Kieran shut the passenger door and opened the backside one. It led to a storage space. What the heck was he doing? They needed to get out of here! Teru watched him approach Lust with silent footsteps, like a predator hunting its prey.

But Lust was no ordinary prey. He had sensed his older brother. Lust turned around and hissed-

SMACK.

Kieran suckerpunched Lust in the temple, caving in his skull. Teru yelped. His mate wasted no time and heaved Lust over his shoulder and ran to the vehicle.

THUD, the body thumped. The door slammed shut. Did Kieran just...toss Blaise into the trunk?!

"Why did you do that?! And the others?! Dr. Charles?!" Teru freaked out. Through the window, he saw Wrath, Envy, Sloth, Greed, and Gluttony beside her, all under the control of her pheromones.

Kieran turned the key, bringing the car to life. He easily navigated the buttons and switches, unlike Lucas who fumbled for minutes. "I don't have the strength to help them. I need to recover. We need Blaise to guide us. I...can't do it without him." For Kieran to admit that he needed his younger brother was another milestone.

"You cannot hide that omega from me forever, my son. Five months," Lilith said. She made no move to ask for the return of Lust. Perhaps she believed this was merely a short delay for Pride and Lust to do their obligations; having five of the deadly sins behind her was enough...for now.

Kieran didn't indicate he heard Lilith, but he knew. Teru felt his alpha's anxiety and worry.

VRROOM.

Teru's back smashed into the seat. He held onto the roof's handle with a death grip when they sped off, smoke billowing behind them from the tires. This was what he meant by 'brace yourself.' They headed towards the gate. The citizens had opened it. Before going through the giant wall, Teru turned to see if Lilith was following.

She had disappeared.

The remaining deadly sins were gone, too.

It was quiet except for Lucas's wheezing breaths. They zoomed over the bridge, weaving past the people trying to flee. Teru studied the high view of New York City and the other side's forested ruins. Soon, they were on the plant-covered streets between the mossy, abandoned buildings. The cement could barely be seen from years of element exposure.

His thumb brushed over his ring. "Where are we going?" Teru said, saying it in a scared whisper. The trees became taller. Their shade made it darker. Outside, there wasn't a soul in sight besides some scavenging locust beasts.

They headed deeper into the untamed wild, void of habitation for the last 150 years.

Into the unknown.

Kieran met his stare in the rearview mirror. "Little one, have you heard of Los Angeles?"