Eric's heart kicked up the moment Carl suddenly appeared in front of him.
"What were you doing with my sister?"
Wait—his sister? How did he not know this alpha had an omega sister this pretty? If he'd known earlier, he would've flirted with her from the start instead of dealing with this lunatic brother.
Clara, the Omega standing quietly beside Carl, just gave a soft smile. Her gentle laugh slipped out, and Eric glanced at her once. Inside, he thought: She's gorgeous… really something else.
Carl raised a brow, face serious.
"Hey, you realise something? You just said you liked me. Now you're after… my sister?"
"That's none of your business. I can like whoever I want…"
Carl smirked.
"So you think I'm just going to let you go that easily?"
There was something threatening in his tone—subtle, but enough to unsettle anyone.
Clara laughed softly again, smiling in that calm, pretty way that made both men seem ridiculous for a moment. Eric didn't dare look at her too long, but the warmth in his chest remained. Her smile, her presence—everything about her drew him in without trying.
Eric took a long breath. He slowly forced his gaze away, though Carl was still standing uncomfortably close.
Inside, Eric knew this night was only the beginning.
---
Eric moved through the hall with steady steps, eyes scanning the room. The tension from his encounter with Carl lingered, but his focus now was on the mission. His heartbeat stayed fast—but not because of Clara. Tonight was layered with too many mysteries. He'd overheard just enough to start piecing things together about F9, but everything was still blurry.
From scattered whispers among guests, he caught fragments:
"…the new F9 batch just arrived…"
"…that weapon's no joke…"
"…only authorized personnel can handle it…"
"…anyone else touches it, security goes crazy…"
Eric swallowed. Slowly, the image sharpened—F9 wasn't just some tool. It looked like a weapon meant to tip the balance in chaos, precise and dangerous if mishandled. But who made it, who controlled it, still remained a shadow.
He memorised every detail, every hint.
After a few minutes of walking the perimeter, Eric finally spotted his team in the distance. His eyes locked onto the four of them—the chaos squad who made missions insane, but safe for him.
And when he reached them… he nearly laughed out loud.
Jay was drunk out of his mind, still pretending to be an Omega. He sat on a velvet sofa, laughing uncontrollably as he waved his hands around.
"Hey, guys—HAHA—look at me! I'm the king of this whole hall!"
Liam, usually cool, was talking to some rich alpha with a fake classy expression, posture exaggerated like a drama actor. Eric almost cracked up. He'd completely forgotten they were on a mission.
Noah, serious as always, was seated near them, looking defeated.
"Eric… please. I can't control these two anymore. They're both drunk."
Eric inhaled deeply and shook his head. "Why is my team always like this…" he muttered.
Jay kept laughing, Liam stayed in his fake rich persona, and Noah looked ready to walk out. Eric couldn't help it—he laughed. Chaos or not, these were the people who kept him grounded. In a world full of danger and secrets, they were his safest place.
He watched them for a moment—Jay acting possessed, Liam talking nonsense with full confidence, Noah dying inside. Eric let a small smile slip. Tonight was just starting, and his team's madness gave him unexpected comfort.
---
The next morning, the house was quiet. Sunlight spilled through the windows, illuminating clothes, mission files, empty coffee cups—proof of the long night they had survived.
Eric woke up, hair messy, mind still half in mission mode. He stood and stretched, trying to reset himself for another long day. In the living room, Noah leaned on the couch, half awake. Liam was sipping coffee like a gentleman but with sleepy eyes. Jay was sitting on the floor, hungover and swaying, looking like death.
Eric stared at them with a mix of disbelief and affection.
"Why is my team like this…" he sighed.
Noah glanced over. "You just woke up too. Don't start."
Jay giggled weakly. "It's not my fault… I just… slept longer than expected."
Liam lifted his cup with fake elegance. "I was simply practising my rich aura. Do not misunderstand."
Eric shook his head again, suppressing a smile. "You guys are unbelievable."
After washing up, Eric decided to step outside for a bit. He walked slowly, letting the quiet morning clear his thoughts.
At a nearby park, he spotted a girl standing alone. Hair soft, gaze calm. When he approached, she turned and gave a gentle smile.
"Oh… hey. You're here too?" her voice was soft.
Eric nodded. "Yeah, I just needed some air."
She patted the bench next to her. "Sit. Keep me company."
Eric sat down, keeping his voice steady. "I'm Eric." Target no. 2.
"I'm Clara," she said faintly, her voice soothing.
They sat in silence for a few moments. Just wind and falling leaves. Eric took the chance to ask, careful but curious.
"Carl… he's your brother, right?"
Clara nodded. "Yes. Third child."
Eric took mental notes. "The eldest… that's a sister?"
"Mm. Ceryn. Female Alpha."
"And the second… a brother?"
"Yes. Cael. Omega."
Eric stored every piece of information. But something felt odd—she was giving it too easily. Almost like she didn't mind sharing her whole family tree with a stranger.
After finishing the questions, the atmosphere softened. Clara tapped the bench lightly, encouraging him to relax.
Eric stood up for a moment to stretch. Clara rose too, and by accident, their arms brushed. Their eyes met. The air warmed. Her pheromones—faint blossom and sandalwood—wrapped around him gently.
Clara smiled, unbothered. Confident. Soft.
Eric, despite being stoic, couldn't deny the pull he felt.
They stood there for a moment, quiet but connected. The morning breeze carried the moment lightly, making it feel strangely warm.