The cold concrete presses against my back as I sit huddled in the corner of the basement, my heart racing with a恐惧 (fear) I can't quite hide. The suppressants have been gone for days now, and my body betrays me with every passing hour. That familiar warmth is spreading through my lower abdomen despite my best efforts to ignore it.

"You feeling okay, Ziyu?" Li Xunran's voice is strained, his own captivity evident in the嘶哑 quality of his tone. His eyes fix on me with concern, but there's something else there too—recognition.

He can smell it. The sweet, milky scent I've spent years hiding beneath layers of suppressant and masking perfume is escaping despite my desperate attempts to control it. My face burns with羞耻 as I nod weakly, unable to meet his gaze.

Before I can respond, the heavy metal door creaks open at the top of the stairs. Xie Han stands silhouetted against the dim light, his expensive shoes clicking loudly on the concrete steps as he descends. His cold eyes sweep between us, lingering on me with a newfound intensity that sends a chill down my spine.

The air shifts as he approaches, his Alpha pheromones—rich coffee with a hint of alcohol—wrapping around me like a physical force. My body responds against my will, a soft whimper escaping before I can stop it. His lips curve into a predatory smile as he realizes what I've tried so hard to conceal.

"Well, well... what do we have here?" He reaches out, his fingers brushing the back of my neck where my hair has fallen away, exposing the vulnerable gland that marks me as Omega. "It seems my little captive has been keeping secrets."

Li Xunran struggles against his restraints, chains rattling loudly in the small space. "Leave him alone, Xie Han!"

Xie Han ignores him, his focus entirely on me as he leans closer, breathing me in deeply. His thumb brushes gently over my gland, and I shiver—half terror, half traitorous arousal. "Such a sweet scent..." he murmurs, his voice low and dangerous. "I think we're going to have very interesting days ahead."

He steps back suddenly, leaving me gasping for air, my body screaming with conflicting signals. "I'll give you some time to... adjust to the situation," he says with a smirk, glancing meaningfully at Li Xunran. "Tomorrow, we'll have a little talk about your future here."

The door slams shut, plunging us back into semi-darkness. I collapse against the wall, my face in my hands as the truth sinks in—my worst fear has come true. Trapped in heat with a dangerous Alpha who now knows exactly what I am, my fate hangs in the balance.

Li Xunran's worried gaze meets mine across the small space. "I'm sorry, Ziyu..." he says quietly. "I should have noticed sooner."

I shake my head, too overwhelmed to speak. The basement suddenly feels smaller, the air thicker with the scent of my own arousal and fear. Tomorrow can't come soon enough—and yet I dread it more than anything.