Faith

part nine

Soulmates.

The word rang through Alex’s mind, deafening, as they stood frozen in time. Their fates had just changed, irrevocably, and neither had any idea what that would mean for the night to come.

Alex’s pulse pounded in his ears as panic surged through him. His mind raced with a frantic, singular thought—my soulmate… here… now? The absurdity of it all struck him like a cruel joke. His omega, standing so vulnerably amidst the chaos he was about to unleash. His breath caught in his throat. There was a rifle trained on her, waiting for his signal to end her life.

He could barely process it. The mission—their meticulous plan—everything shattered the moment their eyes met. Eian blinked slowly, unaware of the doom looming over her. To her, this was a dream come true, something pure and magical she had longed for her entire life. There was no malice in her eyes, only wonder and recognition. But Alex had no time to bask in that ethereal moment.

He had to act. Fast.

His mind went blank, overwhelmed by the magnitude of it all. His heart raced as if trying to outpace the impending disaster. Chris, watching from afar, furrowed his brow, confused by the sudden change in Alex’s expression. The man known as Blue Blood—the cold, unshakable leader—now stood there, his face raw with emotion. Alex's usual icy demeanor was gone, replaced with fear and desperation.

Think, damn it!

An idea sparked through his haze of panic. Pheromones. Omegas like Eian were incredibly sensitive to them, and if he could push his pheromones to their limit, it might disorient her. He just needed to overwhelm her long enough to cause a distraction—something to derail the mission without alerting the others.

His eyes locked onto Eian’s as he focused every ounce of his will on releasing his scent. He could feel the sharp flood of alpha pheromones rushing through him, filling the air with a potent wave that reached across the room. Eian’s reaction was immediate. Her eyes widened, cheeks flushing as her body instinctively responded. Her knees buckled slightly, her breath shallow and shaky as the unfamiliar, overpowering scent washed over her.

Her omega nature stirred, unable to resist the primal call of her alpha’s scent. She trembled, visibly struggling to maintain her composure. Alex didn’t relent. He pushed harder, flooding the space between them with even more pheromones. A few guests around them began to wrinkle their noses, confused and slightly uncomfortable. It was considered rude—practically taboo—to emit pheromones so openly in public. But Alex didn’t care. He couldn’t stop now. His eyes never left Eian’s, every fiber of him focused on one thing: saving her.

Eian's balance wavered. She trembled, her gaze growing clouded, dazed by the intensity of the pheromones that overwhelmed her senses. She was faltering, her body betraying her attempts to remain strong. A woman nearby noticed, concern etching her face. “Miss Louinsky, are you alright?”

Eian’s lips parted as if to speak, but no words came. She was losing the battle, her sensitive body unable to resist the overwhelming pull. Around her, murmurs of confusion started to ripple through the guests. Alex’s pulse quickened—he was running out of time. Leo, noticing Eian’s distress, began moving toward her, his steps quickening in alarm.

Not yet... just a little more.

Alex released another wave of pheromones, stepping back slowly, ensuring his scent reached her sharp and clear. Eian’s resolve finally broke. She stumbled, her body betraying her, and with one last shudder, she collapsed.

The room stirred into chaos as gasps filled the air. Guests rushed toward Eian, their attention fixated on the fallen omega. Leo darted forward, his face pale with shock as he knelt beside her, calling her name. The mission was derailed—just as Alex had hoped.