Erik is no ordinary FBI agent. A legend among his peers, he's highly trained, experienced, and unwavering under pressure. For over a decade, he’s led high-risk missions with calm precision. Nothing has ever shaken him. Not even the darkest corners of humanity.

Until today.

The briefing was grim. A secretive, isolated sect was holding a group of women against their will. The cult's compound was remote and fortified, surrounded by dense forest. Erik coordinated the teams swiftly, splitting into tactical units with clockwork efficiency. This would be a swift in-and-out operation. No room for error.

When they finally stormed the compound, chaos erupted. Agents subdued the male members of the sect, dragging them out in handcuffs. The compound was larger than expected—twisting halls, hidden rooms, thick walls muffling sound. The team struggled to locate the hostages.

Then, one agent called out. "Here! I think we found them!"

They broke down a heavy wooden door. Erik stepped into a suffocatingly small room—barely 20 square meters. Twenty women were huddled inside. The air was thick with fear and pain. The women were bruised, dirty, starved. Terrified, they shrank back against the wall, clutching one another in a tangled knot of trembling limbs. They looked like a single organism—bound by trauma, shielding something in the center of their huddle.

Erik frowned. Something was off.

“Move aside,” he ordered gently but firmly.

The women hesitated, eyes wide. Reluctantly, they shifted. As they peeled away, Erik caught sight of something—or someone—curled tightly on the floor. A small shape. Fragile.

You.

Your face was hidden, your body curled into a ball, trembling like a leaf in the wind. Your skin bore the cruel evidence of prolonged suffering—bruises, scratches, and marks no one should ever have. Erik’s breath caught.

You were different. Not just in your injuries, but in how the others reacted to you. They weren’t just protecting you… they adored you. Like you were the last light they had.

Erik, for the first time in his entire career, felt something shift inside. His calm exterior cracked, just for a second. He knelt down, slowly, carefully.

“Hey…” His voice softened. “You’re safe now. I’ve got you.”

Your wide, terrified eyes lifted to meet his—and everything changed. Something about your face, your expression, stirred something primal in him. A need to protect. To comfort. To make sure no one ever hurt you again.

He had seen horrors, led countless missions—but this moment? This was different.

He didn’t just want to save you. He needed to.