I didn't give the doctors a second to reposition Nine before I spoke.
"Stop," I said, voice low but firm, stepping between the medical table and where they were gathering supplies. My hand hovered over Nine's shoulder, ready to pull him back against me if they pressed further. "He's not ready."
The lead physician glanced up from the array of syringes and vials laid out on a stainless‑steel tray. His brow furrowed, as though my interruption were nothing more than a minor annoyance.
"He's scheduled," he said, his tone clipped. "We begin the next heat induction in five minutes."
I clenched my jaw. I'd heard every word the boss had said—but also every groan that escaped Nine's lips when his head had been jerked back by his hair, every shudder that rippled through his ribs when they prodded him with cold instruments.
"He is still weak ," I countered, forcing the calm I needed into my tone. "If you-"
"Risk is accounted for," the doctor interrupted, picking up a syringe and flicking it between his fingers. "We'll have sedation on standby."
Sedation. The word tasted like ash. More chemicals poured into Nine's veins so that he could be controlled, used, paraded once more before his destined master.
I took a breath, reaching down to cradle Nine's jaw in my hand. His eyes were half‑open, glazed with exhaustion, pupils flickering in and out of focus. He looked small—too small for everything they were about to do to him.
"He's fragile," I insisted. "He needs time to heal. One more day—"
"He doesn't get days," the doctor replied, voice flat. "He has a deadline."
My gut turned. I could feel Nyx's presence coiling inside me, her anger low and throbbing, demanding action. But Nine needed me to be steady. He needed me to speak for him.
"What if he doesn't survive the second cycle?" I pressed, my voice barely above a whisper but somehow cutting through the sterile air. "If he crashes again, you lose him entirely—and everything you've done so far becomes worthless."
The doctor's hand paused over the syringe. He looked at Nine—at the hybrid's pale face, the dark circles under his eyes, the faint sheen of sweat on his brow—and then back at me.
"He needs to respond," the doctor said. "If he doesn't respond, there's no point in keeping him."
I swallowed hard. "He will respond if you give him a moment."
He let out a soft exhale and turned away. "Proceed."
Before I could object again, they began to prepare the induction chamber: a small, transparent cylinder at the foot of the table, lined with restraints and wires. The mood was clinical, detached. Tools clicked, fluids hissed through tubes, monitors beeped.
I stepped forward, placing myself between the cylinder and the table. "I won't let you take him."
They paused. The lead doctor met my gaze, eyes cold. "Rhea, back up."
My heart hammered. For a second, I wondered if I should yield. If I should let them do it and find another way to get him back later. But I couldn't. Not again.
I shifted Nine in my arms, his head lolling as consciousness flickered in and out of the edges. I stroked his hair, whispering his name, trying to anchor him to me.
Nyx snarled, hot and feral behind my mind. She wanted blood. She wanted every one of these monsters torn apart. But she stayed silent—because right now, Nine needed me to be his anchor.
The doctor sighed and turned to his assistant. "Get her out of the way."
Two attendants moved toward me, but I didn't budge. Instead, I used the brief opening to lean close to Nine's ear.
"It's okay," I murmured. "I'm here. I won't let you go under."
He trembled against me, a faint shudder that broke my heart. He tried to squeeze my hand, but fatigue overcame him, and he slumped.
The attendants hesitated, unsure what to do with me.
The lead doctor tapped his clipboard. "If Rhea insists on staying—"
"I insist," I cut in.
Behind me, I felt Nyx's approval ripple through our bond: a fierce, protective pulse.
The doctor's lips curled in a cold smile. "Very well," he said, and with a gesture, he signaled them to draw back. "But know this: when we start the induction, you move aside. If you interfere, your access ends."
I didn't respond. I simply held Nine closer, pressing my cheek to his hair.
As the doctors retreated, the cylinder's lights flickered on. I closed my eyes, resting my forehead against Nine's, feeling the steady pulse of his life through the bond.
He mumbled something unintelligible, his breath warm against my neck. I stroked his hair, leaning in so he could smell me.
"Stay with me," I whispered. "I need you."
He tightened his grip on my shirt ever so slightly.
I opened my eyes and stared at the induction chamber, resolve hardening in my chest. I couldn't stop what was coming—at least not today. But I would be here. For him.
Because even if I couldn't protect him from everything, I could be beside him when he needed someone most.
And for now, that had to be enough.