Kia's car pulled up outside Rylan's house, excitement practically vibrating through him. He hadn't even been inside in years, and with Max's urgent call, he didn't know what exactly to expect—but adrenaline and curiosity pushed him forward.
He stepped up to the door, hand already reaching for the knob. Before he could knock, the door swung open… and Max stumbled out, panting, face slick with sweat. His body looked tense, like he'd just survived a fight to the death.
"K-Kia!" Max gasped, grabbing him roughly by the arm. "Come—inside!"
Kia's eyes widened, confused. "Max… what—?"
Before he could finish, Max shoved him past the threshold, into the dimly lit living room.
And then he saw it.
Rylan.
The man he had been thinking about, chasing, craving even… was a storm in motion. Fists were flying, bodies striking with surgical precision, every move a mix of lethal skill and barely restrained ferocity. Furniture was upended, the faint haze of powder still lingering in the air.
Kia froze. He had seen skilled fighters. He had seen dangerous men. But he had never seen anything like this.
Rylan's head snapped up, eyes locking onto Kia for a split second. For a moment, he hesitated, almost… human. Kia caught that, a flicker of recognition, of the man he once knew—but it vanished as quickly as it came.
Then Rylan attacked.
The next few minutes were chaos incarnate. Rylan moved like a predator, targeting anything that moved… and yet, something strange happened. Max noticed immediately: he was holding back.
His punches weren't lethal this time. His kicks weren't sending men flying through walls. There was still sheer power and skill, but it was tempered, restrained.
Max rolled her eyes slightly, thinking, oh, so Kia's here… the beast is pretending to be civilized. What a life. She barely had time to brace herself, dodging blows and keeping Rylan from actually harming Kia too badly.
Kia, on the other hand, had no clue what to do. He tried to move, tried to react, but his mouth dropped open more than once as Rylan's raw strength and agility became terrifyingly clear. Every strike, every dodge, every growl that slipped past his lips made Kia realize just how deadly Rylan really was, even when holding back.
Minutes passed. Sweat dripped, breathing grew ragged. Rylan's body heaved, chest rising and falling with exertion. His wolf had calmed slightly, replaced by exhaustion from the relentless combat, but his eyes still burned with intensity.
Finally, Rylan dropped to one knee, panting heavily, muscles trembling but still coiled with dangerous energy. Max leaned against the wall, catching her own breath, eyes flicking to Kia.
"You… you okay?" Max asked, voice dry but tinged with disbelief.
Kia could only nod weakly, still pale, still frozen in shock. "He… he's… he's holding back?" he finally managed.
Max shrugged, smirking faintly. "Barely. You should've seen him before I called you."
kia thought about how a person could change so much, what had he pass through, what kink of training coul a fragile omega do to become this powerful, than even more that alphers. He was sure that kia could kill him if he wants. It pains him that he has to pass through something like that, the pain he must have gone through cannot even be imagined.
Kia swallowed hard, realizing he'd just witnessed a storm of brute force and skill—the kind that made even trained operatives pause. Max, meanwhile, muttered under her breath, welp, at least we're all still alive… barely.
Rylan felt so tired and sleep. Kia wanted to go hug him, but max told him not to do it because Rylan at that moment was dangerous but kia didn't listen and believed that his beloved wouldn't hurt him so he went forward, he was only hitch close to hugging is beloved but he felt danger but even so, he still went forward as if he new that Rylan will never hurt him
Rylan only thought right now was how can someone be this stupid, but hek ows deep down that him and his wolf would never hurt kia of all people so he refrain from doing something stupid and allow kia hug him. It not that he is selfish or anything but he so much miss this touch