But there was no time to linger. Muscular bellowed in rage, and, running on pure instinct, I hurled myself over him, vaulting past those grasping arms and monstrous chest toward the main room entrance. I could taste blood in my mouth, my lungs burned, every step was agony, but I barely noticed. Survival was all I had left, and I ran, praying for even a moment's head start.
—
It felt harder and harder to breathe, my lungs burning with each inhale. The rush of adrenaline that had fueled my limbs was draining away, leaving me trembling and heavy. I nearly collapsed right there, my legs buckling with exhaustion, but I forced myself to keep moving, shaking off the fatigue with pure will. Rolling into the main room, I sucked in a ragged breath, senses straining.
Toga was already here, her eyes wide with anticipation, a twisted smile playing at her lips. Dabi leaned silently against the wall, arms folded, those cold blue flames dancing at his fingertips. They both barricaded the entryway; they were the final line of defense, but the tension in the room was palpable, like static before a storm. Suddenly, Toga darted forward, her knife gleaming in the dim light. I lashed out with a desperate kick, managing to send her stumbling back, but not before her blade nicked the tender skin near my wound, slicing it deeper.
Agony shot through me. I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to stand straighter even as my knees threatened to buckle. Blood oozed down my side, sticky and hot. I swayed, about to crumple, but I caught myself on the back of a broken chair. Then, Muscular swaggered into the room, his hulking form filling the doorway. Now I was trapped, surrounded on three sides by Toga's manic energy, Dabi's predatory calm, Muscular's brute force.
My breathing grew shallow, heart stuttering. My hands trembled uncontrollably.
"Nice, I'll finish him off," Muscular said.
"No I will!" Toga yelled, preparing her attack.
Both Toga and Muscular lunged at me, moving as one. I hurled myself onto the nearest table, the legs creaking under my weight. Toga's knife whistled past, slashing the air where my leg had just been.
As I prepared to land, a column of blue fire cut through the shadows of Dabi's flames. At the last second, I twisted, using the blast's momentum to propel myself past Toga. I landed hard near Dabi, the force jarring my injured side. He swung his arm, a searing fireball spinning toward my head. I ducked just in time, the heat singeing the hairs at the back of my neck.
The door to freedom was still so far away, an impossible distance to cross under their watchful eyes.
Then, a new scent filled the air, a brooding floral scent. Tomura. He was here too, emerging from the shadows. I let out a low, involuntary growl. Why now? Why did he have to show up at my weakest?
I glanced back; our eyes met in a collision in the storm. Tomura stepped forward, his presence sending ripples through the tension. He calmly raised his hand, his authority cutting through the chaos.
"Make way," he commanded, his voice cold and absolute.
Instantly, the others parted, each giving him a wide path.
In that heart-stopping moment, I saw my chance. With every ounce of strength left, I bolted for the door, each stride an agony, every heartbeat pounding behind my eyes. I was so close, mere steps from freedom!
. . . . .
Third POV
Izuku didn't get far. Just in sight of escape, his legs betrayed him. With a sound between a sob and a sigh, he crashed to the cold, filthy floor, face pressed against the boards. All the trembling, breakneck effort of evading his hunters like a terror-stricken rabbit outpacing the wolf was over. Tomura watched from a distance, his gaze calculating. Unlike the others, he'd expected Izuku to run to fight the trap until his body could give no more. Toga and Muscular only saw an omega prey born to cower and submit, to curl defenseless and reveal his underbelly.
Oh, but Shigiraki saw more.
As the chaos faded, a new wave of pheromones swept through the room. Tomura had been releasing suppressive pheromones for some time now, their compelling pressure gnawing at already bruised nerves. Even his subordinates had grown sluggish, struggling to fight Izuku, his omega. It was almost pathetic; Izuku had resisted the pheromones for so long that Tomura found it infuriating to watch his own subordinates falter.
Yet despite this, Izuku's sudden, severe reaction caught Tomura off guard and, for a moment, almost unsettled him.
He approached, slow and predatory. Izuku was not quite unconscious.
His chest heaved, sweat poured down his face, and his scent spiraled out sweet and overwhelming, warning and invitation mixed. His pale skin was flushed, his lips parted as his head lolled. Any alpha could interpret the cues, but only Tomura drew close until he knelt beside him.
He scooped Izuku up without struggle, arms as steady as steel. He carried his prize from the main room, voice slicing through the League members that lingered with threat.
"Shig—"
"Leave. Clear the halls."