The sting was sharp, but it was nothing compared to the flood that followed.
It hit him all at once, Victor's scent surging through his head like a struck match in a closed room, the heavy burn of it catching on every nerve. His pulse kicked hard against the bite, each beat seeming to drive the bond deeper, stitching it into flesh and bone until it felt permanent in a way that made his chest tighten.
Elias had never been built for this, recessive omegas weren't supposed to burn so hot, to feel their bodies answer so violently, but his control shattered the moment Victor's pheromones hit full force. He barely had heats, maybe twice a year at most, his body quiet more often than not. But this… this was nothing like the muted cycles he'd known.
