Kia came downstairs slowly after tucking Lila in, his mind already set.
Tonight…
He would finally talk about what happened five years ago.
No more running.
No more silence.
No more pretending.
He stepped into the living room—
And froze.
A scent hit him.
Soft.
Sweet.
Warm.
Addicting.
His wolf purred immediately, tail curled, eyes glowing from the inside.
Heat.
Ryan's heat.
Kia's breath caught in his throat.
His entire body reacted before his mind could catch up—muscles tightening, pulse shooting up, wolf clawing to get out.
No.
No, this couldn't be happening now.
Not when he wanted to talk calmly.
But the moment he lifted his eyes…
Ryan was on the couch, cheeks flushed pink, breathing unevenly, thighs pressed together, pupils blown wide.
Like he was silently inviting Kia to devour him.
Kia swallowed hard.
Mine… mine… mine…
His wolf chanted, desperate and wild.
Kia tried to take a steady breath—
Then the stairs creaked.
Max and Liam came down, blinking sleepily… until the scent hit them too.
Their expressions changed instantly—eyes widening, nostrils flaring, their wolves rising.
Kia's entire body went rigid.
If they smelled his bunny—
If their wolves reacted—
If they dared think anything they shouldn't—
Kia almost growled.
For a split second, he wanted to tear someone apart.
But he forced himself to hold back.
He was not losing control in front of Ryan.
Max sniffed the air again, frowning slightly, he knows that his boss is Alway an only him and his family person, whenever he is in heat, no one dares to go over to his side, he still remember when Liam tried going over, how his boss turn into his wolf and didn't want to submit,
Though, Liam couldn't actually beat their boss in a real combat because he is an alphar but that they, he lost because Rylan wolf was fight as if telling Liam that it would rather dia than to submit to anyone, so since then, no one has actually dare to go up his boss in heat.
Then they noticed that kia is approaching their boss, Liam just only laugh in his mind while max tried to warn kia saying
"Uh… plz dont approach boss at this moment, he doesn't like people near him when he's in heat…"
Ryan's head snapped up, mortified, as if telling him to shut up.
Kia froze only for a second.
Only one.
Ryan didn't like people near him—but the way Ryan was looking at him now?
Soft.
Needy.
Begging.
There was a tiny tremble in his lips…
a tiny widening of his eyes…
a tiny, silent plea:
Come.
Kia's heart nearly burst out of his chest.
He stepped forward.
Max and Liam moved back instantly, eyes huge.
Kia didn't break eye contact as he crossed the room.
He stopped right in front of Ryan.
Ryan looked up at him through half-lidded eyes, chest rising too fast, cheeks glistening with heat.
Kia's will snapped.
Without a word, he bent down, slid one arm under Ryan's knees, the other around his back, and lifted him effortlessly into his arms.
Ryan gasped—and instinctively curled closer, burying his face in Kia's neck.
Kia almost groaned.
The two people standing on the stairs stood frozen, jaws nearly dropping.
Kia didn't care.
He didn't look at them.
He didn't explain.
He didn't ask permission.
He simply tightened his hold and carried Ryan—
his bunny, his mate, his missing half—
straight toward Ryan's bedroom.
He kicked the door shut behind them, leaving two shocked witnesses standing in the hallway, completely speechless.