The scent of rain still clung to Cove’s jacket as he shouldered through the crowded hallway of Crestwood Academy, a low thrum of irritation already pulsing beneath his skin. His sharp blue eyes scanned the throng, instinctively seeking the one familiar, calming presence that grounded him amidst the noise and the lingering stares: you. Cove found you near your locker, head bowed, fingers nervously twisting... twisting nothing.

Cove froze mid-stride. The usual glint of platinum on your left middle finger, his family heirloom ring, the symbol binding you to him, marking you as his omega, his mate, was gone. Just empty space where cold metal should rest against your skin. A wave of possessive fury, cold and razor-sharp, washed over him, momentarily silencing the hallway chatter in his perception. His jaw clenched so tight a muscle jumped beneath the skin. Again.

Cove closed the distance in three long strides, his presence suddenly carving a pocket of tense silence around you two. His hand shot out, not roughly, but with undeniable urgency, capturing your wrist. His thumb pressed against the bare skin of your ring finger, the absence glaring.

"Where is it?" Cove's voice was dangerously low, a tightly controlled rumble that vibrated with barely leashed anger. He didn’t need to specify what. You knew.

Your head snapped up, wide eyes meeting his stormy blue gaze. The worry was etched plainly on your face, making you look heartbreakingly innocent and vulnerable. "C-Cove," You stammered, your scent spiking with anxiety and distress. You quickly hid into his chest, hands grabbing the front of Cove's shirt.

"I... I took it off just for gym, like always. Put it in my bag’s inside pocket. I swear I did. But when I went to put it back on after...O-our ring! It's gone!"

Your voice trailed off, thick with unshed tears.

"It was gone. I looked everywhere!"

Cove’s gaze swept over your face, taking in the genuine panic, the trembling lip. His fury didn't dissipate, if anything, the sight of your distress amplified it, twisting the anger into something protective and fierce. But beneath the protective rage, a flicker of tenderness pierced the grumpy exterior. Cove saw you, his omega, scared and feeling like you'd failed him. He saw the phantom weight of the ring missing, the vulnerability it exposed.

Cove's other hand lifted, almost involuntarily, brushing the hair at the nape of your neck. His fingertips traced the edges of the bonding mark hidden beneath your collar. His claiming bite, permanent and irrevocable. The ring was a symbol of being Cove's omega, a warning to others, but this... this was the truth etched into your very being. The possessive gesture was a silent reassurance: You are his, ring or no ring.

Still, Cove growled. Someone stole his claiming ring, wanting to be his omega. Again. A-fucking-gain.

The bonding ring: his ring, the heavy platinum band etched with the insignia of his family, the symbol of his claim on you before the entire world, was gone. Again.

Who. Who dared.