The house was quiet that morning, only the hum of the fan and some clattering sounds from the kitchen. Liam was making coffee, Jay was munching on biscuits while scrolling through his phone, and Noah had just emerged from his room, hair in utter chaos.
Eric was the last to wake up that day.
He opened his bedroom door slowly… and that's when Noah noticed something.
Eric's face was pale. His breathing was heavy. He gripped the doorframe as if trying to hold himself together.
Jay raised an eyebrow.
"Oi, bro… you okay?"
Eric didn't answer. He just drew a long breath—but it trembled slightly.
Root had come without warning.
"Whoa… don't—your scent is strong…" Liam pinched his nose.
"What? Fever or something?" Noah asked.
But both Liam and Jay could immediately feel the subtle pressure in the air.
Liam jumped to his feet.
"Eric's hitting Rut… are you stressed or what?" he asked.
Jay grabbed his head.
"Oh no, Rut… what do we do?" Noah panicked.
Eric closed his eyes, trying to steady himself. His voice dropped low, hoarse and warm.
"I… don't want to see anyone. Stay away. Today, I need to rest."
Jay stepped closer.
"Hey… you wanna eat first? I can make—"
Eric opened his eyes and looked at Jay.
It wasn't anger in his gaze—but the pressure of an alpha in Rut. Jay felt like he'd been targeted by a laser.
"Jay."
"Huh?"
"Sit. Don't come closer… please," Eric said softly.
Jay froze and sat down immediately, like a robot—the first time he'd ever faced an alpha in Rut.
Liam rubbed the back of his neck, already feeling a little dizzy from Eric's overpowering pheromones.
"Eric, go into your room first. Lock the door until you stabilize, okay? I'll get you some pheromone medicine."
Eric nodded. He walked slowly, every step seeming like a battle to keep his pheromones contained.
He entered his room. The door closed quietly behind him.
The house fell silent.
Five seconds.
Ten seconds.
Liam groaned.
"We need to go buy the medicine. If he keeps holding it in like this, he could pass out."
Jay stood up.
"Who's going?"
"I'll go!" Noah raised his hand.
Liam nodded.
"Go quickly…"
Noah grabbed his wallet and keys.
"Okay! But… what exactly do I need to buy?"
Liam quickly typed it into his phone: stabilizer medicine, cooling patches, and a special alpha root spray.
"Get these. If the pharmacy doesn't have them, ask another one."
Noah nodded and dashed out.
---
Noah hurried back into the house, still holding the items he'd bought. "Quick! I got everything, you gotta check this."
At the end of the hallway, Eric's bedroom door opened slightly.
"Who's there?" Eric's voice was hoarse, still dizzy, and rough. He pulled back the curtain, stepping to the door, eyes half-open, face grim.
Carl stood outside, holding a bottle of medicine. "I came to give you your medicine. Noah said you're in Rut, right?"
Eric glared at him, body stiff, the alpha aura still intense.
"Don't come closer. Put the medicine there. I'll drink it myself."
Carl stepped a little closer, calm but stubborn. "I just want to make sure you take it."
Eric drew a sharper breath, firmer now. "I said, don't come near! I can handle this myself!"
"Don't worry, I'm a dominant alpha. Nothing will happen."
Carl remained standing, restraining himself. He set the bottle on the nearby table—close enough for Eric to reach, but still respecting the distance.
"Here. Take it. I'll wait until you drink it."
Eric picked up the bottle and drank slowly, eyes still wary of Carl.
After finishing, he shifted his gaze sharply, head still spinning but slightly relieved.
"Okay… you've done your part. Go now."
Carl shrugged, smiling faintly. "I'll go… but if you need me, I'll come back."
Eric exhaled deeply, lowering his head for a moment, still a little dizzy. Carl left the room, leaving a tense yet stable silence.
Eric felt confused by Carl's sudden appearance and the medicine he brought—but after drinking it, he felt more at ease.
---
The darkness of the room made Eric feel isolated for a moment. He jolted awake, body uncomfortable, head spinning. The nightmare lingered—a girl sitting alone on a bench in the dark, a mix of fear and unease settling in. He groaned softly and pushed back the blanket, trying to get up slowly.
After a few minutes, he managed to sit on the edge of the bed, drawing a long breath. His body felt strange, every muscle tense. But he pushed it aside and focused on the smell of food drifting in—the warm, tempting aroma from the kitchen. Herbs, melted cheese from pizza, all enticing and comforting.
He walked slowly toward the kitchen, still dizzy.
"Eric… you okay now? Feeling better?" Noah asked, glancing over, hands still busy arranging items on the table.
"Let's eat the pizza I made…" Carl added, calm and dominant, stirring a pot while keeping an eye on Eric.
Eric smiled faintly, shrugged, trying to appear composed. "I'm… okay. Nothing serious. I'm hungry anyway," he replied, still slightly shaken from the dream.
Noah patted his shoulder cheerfully. "Okay, if you say so, I'll believe you… but don't scare me like before, yeah? You really made me worry… poor Jay, he's traumatized."
Jay shot Noah a glare.
Carl only smiled faintly, continuing to cook. The smell of baked pizza filled the kitchen—melting cheese, fresh tomatoes, herbs blending into a soothing aroma. Eric grabbed a slice, inhaling the scent slowly, feeling some relief.
They sat at the kitchen table, the atmosphere more relaxed. Noah kept making light jokes about the pizza toppings, guessing and grinning. Eric smiled faintly, replying with subtle sarcasm. Carl observed, occasionally smiling quietly, saying nothing. The mood felt lighter, even though the tension from earlier still lingered.
Eric's mind still lingered on the nightmare—the girl, the darkness, the loneliness—but seeing Carl and Noah around him made him feel safer. His body might still feel uneasy, but sitting here, eating warm pizza, and watching his friends work together gave him a sense of comfort.
He sipped water, looking at Carl cooking, admiring how smoothly Carl handled everything. There was a subtle feeling of security, an unspoken trust forming—no words needed. Eric knew that even though the outside world was dangerous, here, he was safe.
The five of them ate, spoke lightly, and laughed occasionally. Noah and Jay's ridiculous jokes made Eric smile, loosening the tension still clinging from the nightmare and earlier incident. Carl, calm and dominant, gave a stabilizing presence Eric hadn't realized he needed.
After some time, Eric felt more at ease. The nightmare was still in his head, but the aroma of food, Noah's presence, and Carl around him gradually brought him back to reality, comfort slowly returning.