The fire alarms were still blaring. Zara appeared in the doorway, assessing the damage to the office.
"Alpha, the sabotage was effective," Zara reported grimly. "They didn't just target the data. They compromised the main environmental controls. The core server room is damaged, and the entire high-security wing is now in permanent lockdown."
Kaelan ran a hand over his soot-stained face. "Meaning what, Beta?"
"Meaning the emergency protocols sealed all blast doors in this sector," Zara explained, eyeing the two of them—Anya still leaning against the wall, Kaelan still rigid with primal tension. "Your office and suite are sealed off from the rest of the Den. No way in or out until the cooling systems are restored. That will take at least 72 hours."
Anya and Kaelan exchanged a look of pure, cold horror. They were trapped.
The 100-meter rule was now absolute. Their entire world was reduced to the confines of the office and the bedroom suite. Three days of inescapable, continuous proximity.
"Bring us enough water and rations for three days," Kaelan commanded, his voice tight with controlled desperation. "And ensure no communication is possible. No one is to know we are sealed in."
As Zara relayed the orders and prepared to leave, Kaelan walked to the window. The exterior blast shields slammed shut with a heavy, final clang. The office was plunged into dim, emergency lighting.
Kaelan turned to Anya, his face a terrifying blend of Alpha control and absolute panic. "Three days, Mate. Alone. No distractions. No external threats. Just the two of us, and the bond." He gestured toward the enclosed suite. "We start with the bed."