Kieran? I'm so scared! Teru thought, hoping that he would hear his desperate cries. Despite Kieran suddenly coming back to life, their invisible path of stars didn't return to its prior state, still void of light and hope. But he was alive, so why couldn't Teru connect with him properly?

The voice was insistent, repeating in his head, Help him. Help him-

I know! I get it!

It had to be related to Pride. He could tell Kieran wasn't Kieran-his alpha was suffering and in inner turmoil.

Teru almost collapsed with fear when Abaddon stood next to the bed, muzzle and whip in hand. The vampire stared at him for a few seconds before turning away. He walked to Tae-soo's room, opening the glass door. Tae-soo was taken aback, not knowing the purpose of his release. Abaddon shoved the white muzzle against Tae-soo's chest, forcing him to take it.

"You're the pack alpha. I'm upset that it's come to this, but you need to put him in his place. You couldn't do it with Ryoma. Prove your worth to me, right here, right now."

Tae-soo held the accessory in his clammy hands, gripping it so tightly that his knuckles were white.

"As a reward, we'll go on a trip outside of the city once a week."

He looked at Abaddon. "Outside?"

"Mhm, outside. When was the last time you saw the sky?"

"I-I think fifty years ago, at least." Tae-soo studied the harness. "Everyone would go?"

Abaddon knew he had him convinced, smirking. After all, what sort of leader would pass up such an opportunity for his people? "You have my word. I just finished constructing an enclosed reservation area in New Jersey's abandoned outskirts, all for you to run and do as you please."

He took out his phone and showed Tae-soo, who peered closely at the pictures. Abaddon put it away. "But only if you can make that omega wear his muzzle. If you can't do this simple task, then you'll be punished, and the deal is off. Do you understand?"

Tae-soo stared at the offensive leather strap hesitantly. His wolf ears laid flat against his head.

SNAP.

The loud sound made them all jump.

"UGH!" Tae-soo howled. Abaddon had whipped him hard across his right bicep. The white shirt made it easy to see the red blood seeping through the shredded material where the skin broke.

"Not fast enough. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Master!" It was a stark difference between this frightened man and the strong person who treated Teru coldly when he arrived weeks ago. There was no way they could be the same werewolf!

Tae-soo went to Teru until they were an arm's length apart. This was their first time seeing each other without walls between them. His grey tail wagged in greeting as he smelled Teru's pheromones.

"It's sweet," Tae-soo said, referring to the pregnancy hormones in the brown sugar scent.

Teru thought Tae-soo's scent suited him well. It was like the dried animal skins Lucas would hang outside on the tree branches for weeks. "You smell like leather."

"Ryoma said the same thing."

The light clang of the muzzle's metal lock brought them back to reality. The softness in their eyes left when the wholesome moment was ruined. Tae-soo held it up. The gesture prompted Teru to take many steps backward until his spine touched the wall. He imagined his newfound inner wolf waking up from its peaceful slumber, piqued by the situation unfolding.

Tae-soo was desperate. "The pack...this opportunity-"

Teru shook his head, 'no.' He would not wear it for anyone.

"I'm waiting," Abaddon barked.

"Please." The muzzle came closer to his face. "Please shift for me so I can put this on. I don't want to use my pheromones to force you."

The wolf in Teru growled, purring deeply. Never. An intense, icky emotion overcame him. He self-respected himself enough to not even consider it; a selfish decision. Others would be affected by it. There'd be no weekly trips to the werewolf reservation for anyone. Was this...pride? Kieran would freak out.

He showed his canines to Tae-soo. "I'm not wearing it. My mother wouldn't want me to."

Tae-soo rumbled back at the snarky response, ears forward and tail straight out. "And how would you know what Ryoma would want?"

"I don't. Tell me then, since you knew him so well? I never met my mother, but we both know the answer."

Teru witnessed a series of conflicting emotions on Tae-soo's face: anger, irritation, sadness, and finally, defeat. He studied the harness regretfully, brushing his thumb over a tuft of black fur stuck between the diamonds. Next, he observed Zander, Lila, and Jacky. Tae-soo rolled his eyes and sighed, letting go of the cursed thing. It thudded to the floor.

The air zapped with an angry aura, scaring the omega.

Teru squealed when Tae-soo suddenly lunged at him, hugging him close.

SNAP.

Tae-soo was whipped over, and over, and over again. He had failed his job to put the muzzle on him. Teru felt Tae-soo's pained breath, groaning and gasping into his black hair with every strike. The smell of blood was nose-curling. He shielded Teru with his body, using it as an opportunity to redeem himself for failing Ryoma long ago.

Teardrops fell on Teru's cheek.

These aren't mine? He tried to peer up, but Tae-soo pushed Teru's head into his broad chest. Does he not want me to see him cry since he's an alpha?

"I'm sorry, Ryoma."

SNAP. SNAP. SNAP.

"I'm so sorry for not protecting you."

SNAP. SNAP. SNAP.

"Can you forgive me?"

Teru let Tae-soo believe he was Ryoma. If it was the only way to get him through this barbaric punishment, then it was fine. Teru nuzzled his face into Tae-soo's sweat-soaked shirt, whispering, "It's okay. I forgive you."

The alpha cried, thankful for the permission to finally let go of his demons. After fifty hits, Abaddon stopped. Tae-soo almost collapsed, causing Teru to support some of his weight.

"Come here."

Tae-soo released him and limped to Abaddon with his head held high. Teru wanted to whimper for him when seeing the red mess staining his slashed clothes. Skin hung to his waist. White peeked through the mashed muscles when he'd walk. Fuck, was that his spine?! Drops of blood trailed behind like a cookie-crumb trail.

Abaddon roughly grabbed a fistful of Tae-soo's hair, pulling multiple strands out. "I hated doing that. You know that, right? Especially on you, because it's silver."

Silver? Where-? Teru squinted and saw the metal-spiked barbs at the end of the whip. That's silver? Tae-soo is a vampire, though! He can't heal!

"I know, Master."

"Whose fault is it?"

"Mine. It's my fault."

"Why is it your fault?"

"I didn't listen to you."

The king slapped Tae-soo across the face, fracturing his nose. Blood waterfalled from a nostril. "Go get the others."

"Yes, Master."

One by one, Tae-soo opened the other glass doors. They, including a rutting Zander, examined their leader's wounds. Lila's wolf sniffed and sneezed at the silver scent infecting the deep lacerations.

"And you," Abaddon was in front of Teru in milliseconds, "your little games are over. Kneel."

That weird pressure pushed on his body. It tried to force him to land on his knees and bow, but Teru had been expecting this. The pheromones didn't take him by surprise, nor painful to go against. It didn't feel real.

He remembered what Tae-soo told him about his mother:

"He wouldn't take crap from Abaddon, probably because he grew up being told never to bow to others he thought were lesser than him. It was funny to know that Abaddon was technically way above Ryoma status-wise, but Ryoma believed there was something not quite right with him; something that was fraudulent. He couldn't exactly put a finger on it and would say, 'Not a true alpha.'"

"Go to hell, fake alpha," Teru spat into his disgusting face.

The ball of goop oozing down Abaddon's forehead didn't faze him. He casually wiped it away and grabbed Teru's throat, squeezing hard enough that his airway was mostly blocked. There was just barely enough air to let him breathe.

"Say that last part once more, little slut."

Teru felt Abaddon's weak controlling pheromones. It demanded him to repeat. His inner omega was in a frenzy, trying to figure this out and how to respond. Scentless. Faded. Actually, Abaddon's alpha aura was less prominent than earlier, slowly dwindling. Why did it feel so neutral now? Like a-? Like a-?

Like a beta.

It made sense. Abaddon had mentioned that he smelled of cinnamon when he clearly wasn't in heat. Betas couldn't smell pheromones. Teru wasn't sure where he got the information from about the cinnamon, but one thing was for sure.

"Fake alpha," Teru wheezed.

By this time, the others had turned into their werewolf forms since their collars were unlocked earlier through the app. They watched warily with their heads hanging low, noses almost touching the floor. Teru could tell they were anxious. They were trained not to go against their Master, yet their pregnant omega was in danger. Which was more important? Ultimately, the werewolves had to decide.

Abaddon snarled and brought their faces closer, eyes inches apart. The stare-down went unwavered for who knew how long.

"I truly don't want to hurt you, though I'd love to shove my cock down your pretty throat."

This caused Teru to glance quickly at Abaddon's crotch. It was flaccid as hell, with no outline of his girth in sight. Flat as a pancake. He wasn't hard, yet threatening to assault his mouth?! Was he being serious? It was laughable. A joke. This king was a shame. It was clear as day. What was scary about him, anyway? What made the others so frightened of him?

Abaddon let go of his throat. Teru coughed. His esophagus was sore from being choked.

"What do you think I am?" Abaddon asked, half-amused, half-irritated.

Teru stood up straight and met his eyes, fully confident about his true gender. "You're a beta."

"Oh? What makes you think so?"

"You don't have a scent. Your pheromones are weak for an alpha."

Abaddon cackled as if that was the funniest thing he's ever heard. He walked to his pets and stroked Jacky's fur. Despite his evil laughter, his eyes were beyond mad, borderline insane.

"That is where you're wrong, omega. I am actually a dominant alpha. I became one when I fell from grace after I turned into a vampire."

What? So he's not a beta? I was wrong?

"But, I was cursed for losing heaven's favor, for betraying my Creator. An alpha, yes, but with only half of the perks. No, I don't have a scent. Most of the time, my pheromones don't work. I can occasionally use it in random bursts when I'm in public to save face and not raise suspicion. So what do you think, hmm? Now that you know my secret?" He brought his finger to his lips. "Shhh. It stays between us since you'll be here for the rest of your days, procreating and expanding my collection."

Abaddon faced away from Teru to inspect Tae-soo's injury. He scoffed at his own bloody handiwork and mumbled, "I went overboard, but he needed me to do this. His behavior was unacceptable."

The revelation stunned Teru. What he said made little sense. If he rarely had pheromones...

"Then, you are a half beta? Not a true alpha." Teru pondered more, thinking of the breeding program. "Is...that why you're so fixated on alphas and omegas? Because we have something you don't really have?"

Abaddon froze. Something squirmed between his shoulder blades, wiggling under his suit blazer. What in the world-?

"Half beta...not a true alpha...," he growled and slowly turned around to glare at Teru with murderous, glowing eyes. The room's energy darkened, giving him goosebumps. "That's an insult I haven't heard since I slaughtered your mother's precious acquaintances right in front of him. I am a full alpha. A dominant breed. I have pheromones. I'm the strongest."

Teru's birthmark tingled, sensing this crazy bastard's pride. There wasn't an speckle of humility. Abaddon never had any to begin with.

How do I know that? Because I'm Pride's virtue? I feel like I'm supposed to notify Kieran about Abaddon's sin.

The king closed his eyes and breathed in, trying to compose himself. The creepy movement on his backside stopped. When Abaddon opened them, eyes still glowing, he snapped his fingers. The werewolves responded to the sound. They eagerly looked up at their Master, waiting for a command.

"Make our omega understand his true place within the hierarchy. He's nothing more than a hole whose only purpose is to spread his legs." Abaddon barred his vampire fangs at Tae-soo's wolf. "Do it."

Do it? Do what?

Teru gulped when the four wolves all stared him down like a piece of meat. Tae-soo led the pack towards the trembling human omega.