Hide and seek with Lucy

Just when she thinks she is done with surprises for the day, Lucy is greeted by another one.

Sitting in the living room is a Beta well over his age. His white hair and wrinkled skin with a healthy glow on his face. Judging by the lack of coat on his body and the straw hat on his lap, Lucy deduces that this man typically works outside. After all, spring is almost over and summer is arriving soon.

He stands when he sees Lucy, a concerned look painting on his old face. She doesn't recognize him but the other party recognizes her.

"Miss," he says, his tone polite, "you work for Damon, right?"

"That's correct," she replies, her tone even more polite. She can't help it, the old man reminds her of her grandfather too much. "I'm President Lin's secretary, Lucy Jones. Are you waiting for him?"

The old man shakes his head. "No. I'm waiting for that child, Kaiden. He promised to have tea with me this afternoon."

It's Kaiden, again?

Although perplexed, she keeps her cool when she asks, "And you haven't seen him today?"

"That's right," the old man sighs like he's confiding a deep burden. "Although that child is young, he's not the type to not keep his promise. I even came inside because I'm so worried that something might have happened to him."

"I see." Despite Lucy's nonchalant reply, a sense of dread is slowly filling her.

First, Rosa, and now, this old man—there's no way this is a mere coincidence.

Lucy doesn't believe in those. She believes that everything happens for a reason, may it be good or bad. A person suddenly going missing in the heavily fortified Lin Manor is definitely not a good sign.

"I'll look for him first." Although she's saying that, Lucy is already preparing herself for the worst-case scenario.

"Thank you, Miss Lucy." The old man offers her a small smile. "Please let him know that his Grandpa Rei is waiting for him."

After Lucy promises that she will, she opens the backdoor connected to the kitchen to let Rosa in.

The radiant smile on Rosa's face visibly fades as Lucy explains about Kaiden's disappearance. Rosa volunteers to stay behind with the old man until they ensure the Omega's safety.

Lucy makes quick but thorough work of checking every room in the Lin Manor. She clears the first floor within thirty minutes, a record even for her. As she starts checking the second floor, it's becoming harder for her to remain calm.

Why didn't Damon install security cameras in such a big house?

She doesn't forget to grab Damon's files when she passes through his home office, but by the time she enters Kaiden's room and she sees his empty bed, the urgency to return to work is fully gone.

There's one room left and it's the only thing keeping her from calling the police.

Come on, she yells inside her head as she pushes the door to Damon's bedroom open, please be here.

It's not quite what she expects; Damon's room is as bare of an Omega as the rest. She scans around in hopes to see that cotton candy pink hair hidden beneath the sheets, but when she doesn't find it, she panics.

He's not here.

Oh, god, he's not here.

What if he was abducted? What is she supposed to do? She's not trained to respond to a kidnapping situation. She's a secretary, goddammit!

Her heart in her throat, she's furiously tapping on her phone to call for security.

What are those big lugs being paid for if they can't even keep an eye on one person? As far as she knows, Kaiden has never stepped outside since arrived, he doesn't need to, and now he's suddenly missing? It'll already be their fortune if Lucy doesn't kill one of them by the time this is over.

Fuming and clearly distressed, it takes a while for her to notice a silver object on the floor. When the sunlight makes it glint, it finally catches her attention.

It's a phone - Kaiden's phone.

Moving closer to pick it up, she realizes that it's off, probably has no battery left. She also notices how old it is. Isn't this a model from ten years ago?

With its screen cracked and body full of scratches, it's no wonder the phone is dead. But why is it here? And where did its owner go?

She looks around again, checking for any signs of struggle or foul play. It's no surprise when she doesn't find anything. Nothing is out of place so she circles back to the spot where she found the phone.

Looking ahead, all she sees is the wall and an antique wardrobe. The wardrobe reminds her of stories about siblings, orphans to war, entering a fantasy world, and eventually becoming kings and queens, but other than that, there's nothing impressive about it other than its size.

Wait a minute.

She blinks once, twice, trying not to crush the phone in her hand.

There's no way. It can't be.

Still, to leave no stones unturned, she curls her fingers on the wardrobe handle. Bracing herself for what she might see, she puts all her strength into pulling on the door.

She doesn't scream. She doesn't yell.

But she does feel her eyes water upon seeing the pitiful sight laid in front of her.

Kaiden has his eyes closed, but nothing about his posture says that his sleep is peaceful. Strands of wet, pink hair are clinging to the sides of his face and neck. His shirt, which should be light gray, is dark in color from how drenched in sweat he is. Swollen knuckles are cut open and still bleeding while his tense arms are holding on to his legs, curled into a fetus position. Even with her blocking the light, Lucy can see how red and inflamed his scent glands are. They look painful even for her, definitely much more so for Kaiden.

How did this happen? Who put him there?

Her maternal instincts stir awake, the need to protect swallowing her whole. She kneels close to him, checking for his breathing and pulse, all the while her heart breaks into a million pieces.

Good, she consoles herself, he's still breathing. His pulse is faint but it's there.

Next, she tugs the inhibitor off. Despite not knowing if it'll make the situation worse, she instinctively knows having it taken off will make the Omega less uncomfortable. His raw and bruising neck is evidence of that.

She's right—because, in the next moment, Kaiden falls to the side, limp body relaxing as if the strings holding him up have been cut. Barely catching him in time, she grunts from bearing an adult man's whole weight. Even then, Kaiden isn't as heavy as he's supposed to be, not enough kilograms for an Omega his age.

At the same time, Kaiden's pheromones /flood/ the area.

A Beta's nose is lauded for its inability to be swayed by strong scents, but even Lucy, a proud Beta herself, feels like she's been hit by a truck from how strong Kaiden's pheromones are. Strong, but also sour and bitter.

He smells of an Omega in heat, in panic, and in the last breath of his life, so even without calling for them, Lucy hears two sets of footsteps clambering their way up.

Rosa arrives faster than Kaiden's grandpa Rei, but they are both as shocked as Lucy was upon seeing Kaiden's unconscious body.

"What happened?" Rosa asks as she jumps forward to take Kaiden's weight off of Lucy's arms.

Grateful for the help but still frightened, Lucy is quick to explain. "I found him locked in the closet. His body is still burning up but I took this"—she gestures to the inhibitor on the floor—"off. I don't know how long he's been out for. He could've been here overnight."

"Call the ambulance!" Rosa's voice is clearly panicked. Anyone in this situation will be. Although Kaiden has been less lively and more exhausted the last few times she's been here, it's her first time seeing him in such a state.

Lucy pulls her phone to follow the command but the old man interrupts from the side with, "It'll take 40 minutes for the ambulance to get here. It'll be faster if we take him to the hospital ourselves."

"You're right," Lucy agrees, remembering how even emergency services need to be granted multiple access before entering the residence. "I'll drive. I know the way."

Rosa nods and without further prompt, she carries Kaiden like he weighs nothing.

With no time to be impressed by the feat of strength, the three head outside, jumping inside Lucy's car as fast as they can.

Rosa stays at the backseat with Kaiden, cradling him like a baby, while Grandpa Rei sits shotgun, muttering a quiet prayer for the Omega.

"Hold tight," Lucy says before abusing the accelerator.

In all the years since she got her driver's license, Lucy swears she has never driven as fast before.