Chapter 104: Cinnamon Sugar.

There was darkness.

Darkness filled every inch of space, pressing down with a suffocating weight.

He heard cries. Sobs. A few distant screams.

Voices overlapped, some confused, some shocked.

Some… afraid.

Then there was movement.

It felt like his body was being moved, even though he wasn’t moving himself.

He couldn’t feel his limbs.

He couldn’t tell where he was.

He didn’t remember.

All he knew was that it was dark.

As the distant noise faded, everything went quiet.

Too quiet.

Ezra tried to think, forcing himself to focus through the confusion.

To remember.

’There was a mission… the Dark Ones…’

Fragments slowly returned, piecing together parts of a forgotten story.

’Kaelis… the investigation…’

His chest began to ache.

Then it hurt.

It hurt a lot.

More memories forced their way in.

’The cultists… Ricardo’s family… Lanie…’

His breath hitched.

’She’s dead…’

’The children…’

Ezra’s eyes snapped open.

He gasped sharply as he pushed himself upright.

“Larnie… Ranie…” he mumbled, his voice rough as he looked around.

But he wasn’t in the woods.

No trees.

No damp earth beneath him.

No shadows.

’Where…?’

Ezra’s chest rose and fell rapidly.

’I don’t even remember passing out.’

He was inside a medical tent.

Clean cloth.

A narrow bed.

The faint smell of herbs.

And he was alone.

No medics.

No Kaelis.

No Ricardo.

Outside, he heard distant chatter and footsteps coming and going.

That meant only one thing.

House Mirevale.

“I need to figure out what in Aurethys is going on,” Ezra muttered as he swung his legs off the bed.

He stood.

Or at least, he tried to.

Ba-dump.

Ezra froze.

“What?”

His hand shot to his chest.

His heartbeat slammed against his ribs.

It felt like it was trying to break out.

“What… was that?”

Warmth.

It spread slowly at first.

Then faster.

At first, Ezra didn’t even notice the growing warmth.

The tent was warm, yes, but this was different.

His arms felt hot.

His veins burned.

The heat spread through his body.

His chest.

His neck.

Everywhere.

Ezra’s eyes widened.

“Wait… wait… no…”

He didn’t need time to think; instinct took over.

He knew this feeling.

He knew exactly what this was.

“No… no, fuck…”

Ezra’s breath came out uneven. Hot. Not the normal kind of hot. Not even the feverish kind.

His fingers dug into his arms as the realization hit him all at once.

Heat.

Not just heat.

His heat.

Ezra’s stomach dropped.

’No…’

He didn’t need to question it. It had happened before.

But this time, he knew why.

The pheromones.

The cultists.

All of them.

’They… knew.’

His throat went dry.

’They knew I was an omega.’

Not one.

Not two.

All of them.

They had used their alpha pheromones to subdue him.

Ezra felt something twist in his chest, sharp and sickening. Fear crept in, heavy and suffocating.

’How the fuck did they know?’

Another wave of heat crashed over him, stronger than before.

Stronger.

His breath hitched as his grip tightened on the edge of the bed.

’No time. You don’t have time to panic.’

His thoughts were slipping.

His body felt heavy and light at the same time, as if gravity itself was twisting.

Wrong.

Everything felt wrong.

If anyone else found out…

Ezra pushed himself up too quickly.

The world tilted.

He staggered, catching himself on the side of the bed.

“Shit…”

His legs trembled, but he forced them to move.

’I need to get out of here.’

Mission or not.

Orders or not.

This came first.

If anyone saw him like this, everything could unravel in moments.

If anyone smelled it…

Ezra’s jaw clenched.

’I’m dead.’

And it wouldn’t take long before they figured out the rest.

’Lior…’

His chest tightened.

He didn’t fix anything. Didn’t think. Didn’t hesitate.

He moved.

Fast.

Ezra pushed through the flap of the medical tent and stepped outside. The sudden change from the tent’s warmth to the open air was jarring.

Cool air hit his face.

It didn’t help.

Barely anything did.

But at least…

No one.

No guards.

No medics.

’Good.’

Ezra didn’t waste a second.

He ran.

Away from the tent.

Away from the camp.

Away from everything.

His boots hit the ground unevenly as he forced himself forward.

Each step felt heavier. As he kept going, each stride grew hotter.

Hotter.

His breathing turned ragged.

His vision blurred at the edges.

’Faster… just get farther… fuck!’

Suddenly, a hand grabbed his arm, pulling him to a halt.

Ezra jerked violently.

He spun on instinct, ready to strike.

And froze.

He turned. Kaelis stood there, gripping his arm, brows drawn together in confusion.

The prince stood there, gripping his arm, brows drawn together in confusion.

“Ezra? Where are you going?” Kaelis asked, gripping his arm tightly.

Ezra’s chest rose and fell rapidly.

“Ricardo is resting in one of the tents. He’ll want to speak with you. I need to speak with you as well. Aamon is—”

Ezra barely heard him.

His mind scrambled for something to say.

Anything.

But all he could feel was heat.

Pressure.

Panic.

’Not him. Not now.’

“Go away.”

The words came out rough.

Sharp, almost angry.

Ezra yanked his arm free.

Kaelis blinked, caught off guard by the outburst.

“Pardon—”

But Ezra was already moving.

He turned and ran.

Didn’t look back.

Didn’t stop.

He just ran.

· ─ ·✶· ─ · ·

“What…” Still stunned, Kaelis stared at Ezra’s retreating figure, his brows furrowing with growing concern. He began to ask, “…is going on with—”

He stopped.

Kaelis took a slow breath.

Then another.

His eyes widened slightly.

“Wait…”

He inhaled again.

And froze.

’I knew it.’

The scent was faint, but unmistakable.

Soft.

Sweet.

Cinnamon sugar.

Warm and cloying in a way that lingered in the air.

Kaelis exhaled slowly, his gaze sharpening.

’So that’s why.’

He glanced around instinctively, checking if anyone else had noticed.

No one is close enough.

Good.

’I don’t know how he managed to hide it all this time.’

Kaelis clicked his tongue under his breath before turning sharply.

“Hey, you!”

A nearby knight flinched and straightened immediately.

Mason.

“Y-Yes, Your Highness?”

“Tell Aamon that Ezra Belloren has been… poisoned,” Kaelis said, his tone steady. “I will be handling it personally.”

Mason blinked. “Poisoned, Your Highness?”

“Yes. The kind that may be toxic to others,” Kaelis continued without hesitation. “Keep people away from him. No one approaches.”

Mason nodded quickly. “Understood, Your Highness.”

Kaelis turned away, already moving.

“And Mason…”

The knight stiffened. “Yes?”

“Do not inform Helios.”

Mason hesitated for half a second, then bowed his head. “…Understood.”

Kaelis didn’t wait.

He walked forward, calm and unhurried.

He didn’t need to run.

The scent lingered in the air.

Clear.

Easy to follow.

Cinnamon sugar.

Warm.

Sweet.

Leading him straight to Ezra.

Kaelis let out a quiet breath.

’After cultists…’

His gaze darkened slightly.

’It seems I have another problem to deal with.’

A faint smirk tugged at his lips as he followed the trail.

’An omega who thinks he can run.’

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