"I can't feel anything."
Kane's voice sounded hollow in his ears. His words echoed inside the white, sterile chamber like he'd said them a thousand times before—but this time, he meant it literally.
He stood in a minimal white jumpsuit, staring at the blank wall of his Sky Vault cell. No windows. No time. No sense of touch beyond the cold floor and his own shivering breath.
His chest ached—but not in a way he could feel. More like his soul was slamming its fists on a locked door.
[Emotion Lock: ACTIVE]
[Override Threshold: 89%]
[Countermeasure Detected… Source: External Bonded Entity]
Kane blinked. "External…?"
Suddenly, the door hissed open.
And Mira was there.
Wild red hair. Animal print bikini. Zero hesitation.
And holding a spear.
🐾 Mira's Entrance
"You don't override my male," she snarled, fangs bared. "That's not instinct. That's a cage."
Behind her, two unconscious guards were sprawled across the corridor. One was still twitching.
Kane just stared. Blank. Controlled.
"Mira…"
"You don't look at me like that," she whispered. "That's not your face."
He tried to smile. It didn't reach his eyes.
"Please don't do something stupid."
She strode across the room and grabbed him by the collar.
"I'm already doing something stupid. I'm in a floating brain prison for a guy I've only kissed once and argued with four times. But instinct says you're mine. So I'm trusting it."
She pressed her forehead to his.
"Trust me back. Please."
[Soul-Bond Reaction Detected]
[Override Resistance Triggered]
Kane's breath hitched.
Then his system exploded with red error codes.
💥 The Bond Breaker
Luna's voice echoed across the room like God on an intercom.
"External override in progress. This is a violation of collective order."
Mira growled. "Yeah? Come stop me, you chrome witch."
"Releasing Kane will destabilize his emotional state."
"Good."
And then she kissed him.
It wasn't soft. It wasn't sweet.
It was wild, primal, hers.
And it broke everything.
🔓 Unlocking the Heart
[Emotion Lock—DISENGAGED]
[Instinct Sync: 100%]
[Warning: Multiple Bonds in Conflict]
Kane gasped and stumbled backward, clutching his chest.
Suddenly, he felt everything.
Fear. Confusion. Desire. Rage. Need.
And heat.
So much heat.
He looked at Mira—panting, trembling slightly, her eyes wild with joy and fury—and pulled her into a tight hug.
"I'm sorry I didn't choose sooner."
She grinned against his ear. "You just did."
🛁 The Bath Trap
Before they could escape, the floor dropped beneath them.
Literally.
A containment fail-safe—classic Sky Vault.
They slid down a smooth chute, tangled together, and splashed into…
A massive, glowing, spa-like chamber.
Steam rose from crystal-blue water.
Dozens of other Sky Vault concubines turned to stare, their robes clinging to skin like mist.
Mira grabbed Kane's arm possessively. "Nope. Mine. Back off."
Luna's hologram shimmered above the water, expression unreadable.
"You've broken protocol. He now belongs to no one."
Kane coughed. "Great. So what am I? Freelance boyfriend?"
"You are unstable. One more emotional spike could initiate Bond Collapse."
"Meaning?"
"You die. They go mad."
Mira looked at him. "So… don't die."
"Great plan."
💞 The Moment Between
As the others cleared out, Kane and Mira remained in the glowing water—close, warm, breathing hard.
His head rested on her shoulder, her arms wrapped around him.
"You know," Kane murmured, "for a post-apocalyptic future full of superwomen, I expected more kissing and fewer system errors."
Mira chuckled. "You get used to it."
"You really believe we're fated?"
"I believe I'd burn down the world to keep you. That close enough?"
He turned to look at her. "That's… terrifying. And kind of hot."
She smirked. "Good."
[Bond Stability: Increasing]
[Conflict: Unresolved]
But before Kane could relax—
The spa's walls exploded.
Again.
And standing in the rubble…
Was Zara.
Sword drawn. Hair dripping. Eyes murderously calm.
"Room for one more?"
📢 END OF CHAPTER CTA:
🔥 Kane's emotions are unlocked—but now the Bond Triangle is truly unstable. Can he survive his next choice? Or will the system collapse entirely?
💬 Drop your thoughts below: Should Kane try to unite the three factions—or make a FINAL decision?
💥 Next chapter: A surprise Bond-Battle ceremony… with Kane as the prize.
✅ Up Next:
Chapter 6: "The Harem War Games Begin"
➡️ The factions make it official. Winner gets Kane. Losers? Maybe each other…