Chapter 254

"I don’t trust the warden. You really think he’ll cave to our demands over some decrepit old mutt?"

Baekgyeong’s sneer made the decrepit old mutt, the Chihuahua, bare its teeth and growl.

"Shut up. Every time you open your mouth, Bambi starts barking."

At Siron’s sharp scolding, Baekgyeong scoffed as though deeply offended.

"What? Want me to stop breathing, too?"

The moment Baekgyeong shifted from his slanted recline to raise his torso, the Chihuahua—trembling in Siron’s arms—transformed like a demon, unleashing a full-bodied volley of barks.

"Shh! Shhh! No. No, Bambi!"

Clamping his hand over Bambi’s snout, Siron hissed in a whisper. The dog squirmed frantically, trying to break free of his grip. Torn from its master and locked inside a car full of strangers, isolated on a ship, the animal was jittery and on edge.

They were aboard the car ferry crossing from the mainland to Gamti Island. It wasn’t legal passage. The ports to Gamti Island had reinforced security, and all passengers were required to show identification. Without any papers, Baekgyeong and Siron had chosen to hide inside Warden Malcolm’s car. The second and third row of seats were folded flat, their bodies stretched across the space, luggage piled on top to disguise them so it appeared from outside as if the backseat was simply loaded with bags.

Bambi was a kind of collateral. If Warden Malcolm decided to betray them after boarding, the Chihuahua’s life was the only guarantee keeping him in check. Whether a prison warden, who had seen every manner of depravity, would obey a pair of petty criminals over the life of an old dog was doubtful. But no better plan had come to them, despite racking their brains.

As they held their breath, fearing a dockhand might investigate the barking, the huge vessel rumbled into port. A moment later, Malcolm climbed back into the driver’s seat. Instead of returning with reinforcements, he calmly ferried Baekgyeong and Siron hidden in the backseat into Gamti Island.

Midnight on Gamti {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} Island was as black as the ocean itself. The resort complex lights glittered on the far shore, golden beacons that looked like the lanterns of fishing boats on the dark sea.

Gamti Island was flat, like a severed plain, except for Mount Belkira on the eastern edge, just under 200 meters high. Resorts clustered near Belkira, the southern section housed the research district, and farthest to the west, remote from the docks, loomed Somora Prison.

As they passed the resort outskirts, the warden spoke.

"You didn’t harm Bambi, did you?"

Baekgyeong gave an incredulous snort.

"Harm that fistful of fur? Please."

"He’s old. Stress could kill him."

"Then cooperate quickly."

"You don’t exactly have the attitude of a man asking for help."

"As you’re well aware, I’m not here begging for Halloween candy."

"Even if you were, I’d never open the door for you."

Baekgyeong’s eyes drilled into the warden’s profile, patience gone. He thumbed off the pistol’s safety and pressed the barrel against Malcolm’s temple. His movements carried no hesitation—like he could pull the trigger any second.

"Stop wasting time and answer me straight. Are you going to let me meet Gezar or not?"

"To get through this moment, what’s to stop me from lying? How do you know I won’t hand you over to Hybris?"

"I told you. I’m the only one who knows how to manufacture rut suppressants. Isn’t it better for that knowledge to reach the public than to fall into Hybris’s hands? This is a world ruled by rapists. A sick, aging man like you has no reason to feel safe."

"And you think I care about any of that?"

The warden snorted, then fell silent, sinking into thought. At last he said something unexpected.

"Why should Gezar’s final meeting be with the likes of you?"

"What?"

"His life has been hard enough. Do you really want his last moments poisoned by the sight of some insolent brat?"

The idea of considering Gezar Bazelli’s feelings had never once crossed Baekgyeong’s mind. It wasn’t something he ever intended to consider.

"That’s not your concern."

Baekgyeong’s blunt reply hardened the warden’s expression. Until now, Malcolm had met Baekgyeong’s aggression with wry humor, but stripped of that, he looked like a different man entirely.

Watching the change, Siron stroked the Chihuahua’s thin back where it slept against his chest and thought: the warden wasn’t bought by Hybris. His hesitation wasn’t for them, but for Gezar Bazelli’s end. If that was the case, maybe things would prove easier than expected.

How much did the warden know about Gezar, about alphas and omegas? Siron realized that was the first thing he needed to test.

"Gezar will want to see me."

Malcolm turned toward Siron’s steady voice, then looked away again.

"And why do you think that?"

"Because when he looks at me, he’ll be reminded of Yuri Berec."

"Yuri Berec? Gezar’s partner?"

"Yes."

"You? ...In what way?"

The warden reacted as though he’d just heard nonsense. He didn’t seem to know Yuri Berec was an omega—or what an omega even was.

"I’m the same kind of person as Yuri Berec."

Siron’s face was taut with nerves.

"...You mean you’re gay?"

Clearly Malcolm didn’t understand. Siron shook his head.

"I have the opposite traits of an alpha."

"Yoon Siron, that’s enough."

Baekgyeong cut him off sharply, clamping a hand over his mouth. His low, warning tone made the Chihuahua in Siron’s arms growl at him in protest.

"Opposite traits of an alpha? And what would that be?"

"Something you’re better off not knowing."

Baekgyeong’s firm dismissal shut down the conversation, forbidding further curiosity. Seeing suspicion deepen on Malcolm’s face, Siron hurried to add:

"Just deliver my words. Let Gezar decide for himself."

They continued hidden in the backseat all the way to Somora Prison. During the drive across the island, Malcolm spent a long time on the phone with someone.

According to his plan, they would first enter the prison grounds. Once Malcolm spoke with Gezar, if the prisoner agreed to see them, the visitation would be prepared immediately. That would take at least a day, since Gezar’s block strictly forbade external visits and the clearance process had to be bypassed. Until then, Baekgyeong and Siron would remain concealed in the warden’s car.

Malcolm drove straight into the prison complex. Normally, every vehicle entering was subject to strict inspection, and not even the warden was exempt. But thanks to the man he had just phoned, the car slipped past X-rays, thermal scans, and biometric sensors without trouble.

Silence pressed thick inside the car as they rolled along the spotless road. Neither Baekgyeong nor Siron dared loosen their nerves, ready for armed guards to appear at any moment. Yet, instead of a cellblock, they arrived at an ordinary two-story house. The warden’s residence.

Siron hadn’t seen anything like it on Google Maps. Because this was a federal prison, the housing must have been replaced with dummy imagery online.

It was well past midnight, but the house glowed with light. Malcolm’s wife had stayed up waiting. Parking in the garage, Malcolm turned to Siron and held out his hand.

"I’d like Bambi back now. My wife will be suspicious."

"Tell her you put him in the hospital."

Baekgyeong sat up and leveled the gun at the warden’s head, making it clear there was no chance.

"Don’t forget—we’re in the same boat now. You smuggled us into a federal prison over a mutt’s life."

The scene felt like something out of a movie to Siron. In films, the villain who tormented the dog was always punished by the hero, while the one who spared it earned an unlikely reprieve. Deep down, he wanted to be the latter. But reality didn’t allow such choices.

"I’ll take care of Bambi."

"No. If you want my help, give him back."

The warden pressed insistently.

The standoff seemed endless—until Bambi squirmed up from Siron’s arms and started barking furiously out the window. A knock came on the glass, followed by a woman’s voice.

"What are you doing out here?"

It was the warden’s wife. All three froze, their eyes darting across one another.