The air had cooled.
Cars waited in the parking lot under rows of dim streetlights, casting long shadows across the pavement.
Rin stood beside his black car, arms crossed, his long coat flaring lightly in the breeze.
Kael approached him, hands in his pockets, boots silent on the concrete. His voice was low, steady—no longer the commanding tone of a leader before his men, but something sharper, more deliberate.
"I knew this was exactly how they'd react if Ash Fang made a move," Kael said. His eyes narrowed on the fading tension of the night. "That's why I chose to form this alliance with you, Rin."
Rin let out a dry laugh, finally glancing at him. "They are real coward. They'll kneel the moment fear breathes down their necks." His tone was calm, but a flicker of disdain crossed his expression.
Rin reached into his coat pocket, pulling out a slim silver case. With a flick of his wrist, a cigarette was caught between his fingers. He slid another free and offered it out to Kael without a word.
Kael took it. He drew his lighter, the flame sparking in the dark, and leaned in first to light Rin's cigarette, then his own.
Smoke curled between them, drifting upward into the chill night air. For a moment, there was silence—just the faint crackle of burning tobacco and the hum of the city beyond.
They both stood in silence when Kael felt something flicker in the air.
A scent.
Faint. So faint it could've been a trick of the night breeze.
Like fallen rain— Calm and soothing.
He blinked, and it was gone.
Kael's gaze narrowed slightly as he looked at Rin, who appeared almost ethereal under the moonlight despite the blood streaking his face and the deep cut across his forehead, earned during the earlier commotion. For a moment, Kael forgot all about the strange scent—because all he could see was Rin.
Rin was the one who broke the silence first."We're keeping a close eye on Ash Fang these days. There's some suspicious movement, but we're still not sure. I'll contact you when we get more information."
"My man's also keeping a close eye on their warehouses and the key members; they are too cautious, we didn't find anything useful."Kael dropped the finished cigarette to the ground and crushed it beneath his boot.
" They will show some clues if we keep watch. Now that it's just the two of us, we have to be more cautious. Let your man keep close watch on them. If you find anything, let me know." With that, Rin turned and slid into the back seat of his car.
Kael stood there a second longer as the car pulled away.
The moment Rin stepped through the heavy double doors of the Crimson Vultures' headquarters, his heels echoed down the sleek corridor. He has everyone gather in the meeting room.
In the meeting room, Rin stood at the head of the dark marble table, hands resting on its edge. Lucas had already briefed everyone on what had happened earlier.
Rin's voice was cold, each word sharp." Ash Fang made it clear tonight—no one dares to stand against them. That leaves us with only the Wolf Marks, though they will be enough. But we still need to be more cautious."
"I want you all to keep a close eye on them," Rin said. "Every move. Every transaction. Every contact. I want to track their recent activity—movement of people, weapons, and shifts in territory. All of it."
Tobi said. "We're already keeping a watch, but we didn't get anything till now."
" Don't worry, you just keep watching, we will find something if we look closely."
" Alright."
Rin gave a short nod. "Good. Dismissed."
Rin enters his room and goes to take a shower. The water rained down on him like warmth after a long war.
And then—it hit him.
His scent.
Faint at first, then thicker. Warmer. Sweeter.
He paused.
It wasn't like usual. It was heavier. Richer. The scent clung to the steam like silk, wrapping around him.
His hand moved slowly across his abdomen.
"…Already?" he murmured to himself.
Of course. It had been nearing time.
His heat was approaching.
Rin leaned against the cool tile and exhaled slowly.
This wasn't good.
On the other hand, Kael, when he reaches his HQ, directly goes to his room, leaving Rowan to tell others everything.
The bedroom was vast. A low bed framed with black iron. Dark gray bedding. The far wall was a window with a view of the city skyline. Lights sparkled like fireflies beyond the glass.
He stepped into the shower, letting the water scald his skin.
And then—
His scent began to float in the bathroom.
Tobacco with a hint of leather.
Musky. Sharp.
He lifted his head slowly as his hand pushed wet strands of hair back from his forehead.
And then Rin's face surfaced in his mind—blood streaked down his temple, a deep cut marring his forehead, yet his eyes had burned with defiance under the moonlight.
The image tightened something inside Kael, a mix of unknown emotions that he was not sure of.