Jiggs' POV

  I swear, I almost ran out of oxygen when Deux suddenly showed up earlier!

  That was too close.

  My heart is still hammering in my chest, but at least he is gone now.

  And from the eerie silence outside, it seemed like the other Alphas had also dispersed.

  Does that mean...?

  Did Champ manage to suppress his heat in time?

  I exhaled, regaining my composure, then knocked on the bathroom door.

  "Champ, you good? You okay now?" I called out.

  ...

  ...

  ...

  Champ's POV

  That was too close!

  Luckily, I managed to inject the suppressant just in time, and within seconds, the excruciating pain disappeared.

  My body finally felt normal again. My mind was clear.

  So this is what a heat stage feels like... It was horrible. The pain was unbearable, and I couldn't even move properly.

  I never want to experience that again.

  Then, Jiggs' voice broke through my thoughts.

  "Champ, you good? You okay now?"

  I took a deep breath.

  If it weren't for Jiggs, I would've been in serious trouble. I owed him big time.

  But now, I had to be extra careful. My heat was unpredictable—it could hit me anywhere, anytime.

  I need to inform Uncle Henry about this. I'd pay him a visit ter.

  For now, I had to keep up the act.

  Taking one st breath, I pstered on a miserable expression, rubbed my stomach for dramatic effect that I took a shit so bad, and opened the door.

  Jiggs took one look at me and immediately covered his nose.

  "Holy sh—!" He recoiled. "Dude! That smells foul! How long was that rotting inside you?! HAHAHA!"

  "Shut up!" I snapped, pretending to be offended. "Maybe I ate something bad, okay? That's why it hit me all of a sudden!"

  "Oof, gd you survived." Jiggs shook his head before suddenly remembering something. "Oh, by the way, Deux came here earlier."

  I froze for a split second. "...Deux?"

  "Yeah," Jiggs said casually. "Tried to get in, but I sent him away. Told him this was your territory and that you'd probably kill him if he interrupted your sacred bathroom time. That it could've been a tactic to ambush you while you were vulnerable."

  I rolled my eyes. "You idiot, Deux has dignity—even with his tiny brain. He fights fair. He wouldn't stoop that low."

  Jiggs gave me a teasing smirk. "Oh? You sound like you really know him well. You two been having secret conversations? Keeping little secrets from me?"

  "What?!" I gawked. "We have no secrets! Why would we even have secrets?! Have you forgotten? We're rivals!"

  Jiggs hummed. "Hmm... suuuure."

  Then, as if suddenly remembering something important, he frowned. "Wait a second... Where are the four Beta guys?"

  I blinked. "Oh shit!"

  With everything that had happened, I completely forgot about them!

  I quickly pulled out my phone and dialed Marsh's number.

  (RING! RING!)

  "Master Champ!" Marsh's voice answered immediately.

  I put the call on speaker. In the background, I could hear Gem, Martin, and Daryl chattering, clearly searching for me.

  "Where are you guys? Are you all okay?" I asked worriedly.

  "We're at the university clinic," Marsh replied. "We're fine now, just resting. When we woke up, we were already here. The nurses said Deux's Beta guards brought us in."

  Jiggs and I exchanged gnces, both equally dumbfounded.

  "...Wait," I muttered. "Deux ordered his Betas to bring you guys to the clinic?"

  Jiggs scratched his head, his face mirroring my confusion. "Is this real life? Or are we both hallucinating?"

  "Yeah!" Marsh confirmed. "But don't worry about us, Master Champ! We're all good now! What about you? Are you okay?"

  "I'm fine," I assured them. "Just focus on resting. I'll drop by ter with some fruits and medicine."

  There was a dramatic gasp from the other end.

  "Master Champ, you're so kind! We're gonna cry!"

  "Shut up!" I barked, though I couldn't hide my smile. "I'll see you soon."

  After ending the call, I turned to Jiggs—who was grinning at me.

  "What?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

  He took a deep breath, smiled, and shook his head. "Nothing. I just think you're amazing, Champ."

  I frowned. "What?"

  "You're such a great Alpha leader," he continued, his expression genuine. "You really care about your people. I'm lucky to be part of Champ Cn."

  I made a disgusted face. "Ugh. Are you getting sentimental on me?"

  Jiggs ughed, then suddenly perked up. "Anyway! I'll buy the fruits and medicine! My treat!"

  I crossed my arms. "Wait a damn second—where's the food and drinks I asked you to buy earlier?!"

  "Ah... um..." Jiggs blinked. "I might have forgotten where I put them... Haha! But it's fine!"

  "You absolute—!" I groaned but gave up. There was no point.

  With that, we finally left together.

  As we walked, I suddenly reached out and patted Jiggs' back.

  "Hey... Thanks, Jiggs. I owe you my life," I said with a rare, genuine smile.

  Jiggs immediately sniffled.

  I stopped. "Wait. Are you crying?!"

  "NO!" Jiggs wiped his eyes aggressively. "NO ONE is crying here!"

  I burst out ughing. "HAHAHA!" Then I calmed down and gave him a sincere look. "For real, though. Thanks."

  I threw an arm around his shoulder.

  I never had a sibling.

  But if I did, it would be Jiggs.

  We weren't reted by blood.

  But by bond?

  He is my brother.

  ...Okay, enough of this sentimental crap!

  Ugh. This must be because of my Omega genes taking over! I swear I was never this dramatic before!

  ...

  ...

  ...

  Deux's POV

  (Knock! Knock!)

  The moment I knocked, the door swung open.

  Standing before me was Dr. Henry.

  "Oh? Alpha Prince, what a surprise. I wasn't expecting a visit from you," he said, visibly caught off guard.

  "I just have a few questions," I replied curtly.

  He stepped aside and gestured for me to enter. "Come in. Have a seat," he said. Then, with a teasing smirk, he added, "And thank you for not kicking my door down this time."

  I didn't dignify his joke with a response. My face remained impassive.

  Sensing my mood, Dr. Henry cleared his throat and dropped the humor. "Alright, kidding aside... What is it you want to ask?" he said, his focus shifting back to the ptop in front of him.

  I took a step closer, my voice firm. "It's about Omegas."

  That got his attention.

  His fingers halted over the keyboard. Slowly, he lifted his gaze to meet mine.

  "What exactly do you want to know about them?"

  "Earlier today, I detected an Omega in heat," I stated.

  Dr. Henry nodded. "I see. Go on, I'm listening."

  "But something about it... was off. It wasn't normal. It was unlike any heat scenario I've encountered before."

  His brows furrowed. "How so?"

  "Typically, when an Omega enters heat, it's natural for Alphas like me to pick up on their scent. We're drawn to it, but we can control ourselves if we're strong-willed enough. I've always been able to keep my mind clear, no matter how strong an Omega's scent is."

  I clenched my jaw.

  "But today... I smelled something different. Something rare. And the moment I did—everything changed."

  Dr. Henry leaned forward, intrigued.

  "My mind shut down. My body moved on its own. It was like I lost all sense of control, like something primal inside me took over." I met his gaze. "That's never happened to me before."

  A moment of silence stretched between us before Dr. Henry exhaled deeply and leaned back in his chair.

  "What you experienced was the effect of a highly potent Omega scent—one that is likely produced by an Omega with exceptionally high estradiol levels," he expined.

  "Estradiol?" I echoed.

  Dr. Henry nodded. "It's a hormone that directly influences an Omega's pheromone secretion. In simpler terms, when this particur Omega entered heat, their body produced a scent far stronger than normal—an irresistible scent. And for Alphas like you, the effect is overwhelming. It hijacks your instincts, rendering you nearly incapable of rational thought."

  His expnation made sense. Too much sense.

  I frowned. "Then that expins why I felt the way I did earlier..."

  Dr. Henry studied me for a moment. "Can you describe the scent?"

  I hesitated. How could I describe something so... indescribable?

  But I tried.

  "It smells like the edge of a storm—something untouchable, something dangerous, something I was never meant to get close to... yet I can't turn away."

  I closed my eyes, the memory of it still fresh in my mind.

  "There's a sweetness to it... but it's not soft. It's not comforting. It's sharp. Laced with something wild. Something primal. It's as if the scent itself is alive—teasing, taunting, leading me toward something I can't resist."

  I exhaled.

  "It's infuriating. It's unbearable. And worse—it's something I never had but it seems familiar."

  Dr. Henry nodded, his expression unreadable. "I see... Thank you for sharing that."

  "But then... the scent vanished."

  That was the part that bothered me most.

  "One second, it had completely taken over my senses. The next—it was gone, as if it had never existed in the first pce."

  Dr. Henry sighed. "That part... I can't expin. I'm sorry."

  I nodded. "I understand. It's not important anymore. As long as I know why it happened, I can at least make sense of my reaction."

  Dr. Henry studied me carefully. "Is there anything else you want to ask?"

  I hesitated.

  Could I trust him?

  He waited patiently, offering me nothing but a neutral smile.

  ...Not yet.

  It wasn't the right time to ask.

  I needed more time to figure out whether or not I could trust this man with the secrets I was starting to uncover.

  "No. That was all I needed," I finally said. "I'll be leaving now."

  Dr. Henry nodded. "Thank you for stopping by. Until next time, Alpha Prince. If you have more questions in the future, my door is always open."

  I gave him a curt nod before turning on my heel and walking out of his office.

  ...

  ...

  ...

  Champ's POV

  (Knock! Knock!)

  The door swung open almost immediately.

  "Champ? You're here?" Uncle Henry blinked in surprise. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

  I crossed my arms and gave him a dramatic gre. "Oh, I don't know... maybe I just wanted to surprise you—after you betrayed me by spilling my AEDS secret!"

  His lips twitched, amused. "You idiot." He chuckled and stepped aside. "Come in, have a seat."

  I plopped down into a soft chair across from his desk and, without wasting time, pulled out a bag.

  "Uncle!" I grinned, presenting it to him.

  He eyed the bag suspiciously. "What's this?"

  "I made you dinner! A nice, nutritious meal, cooked with my own hands!" I decred proudly.

  His eyes widened in shock. "Wait... you cooked?"

  I nodded. "Yep! I just recently learned. Not bad, right?"

  Uncle Henry snorted. "Wow. Looks like your Omega instincts are kicking in."

  I clicked my tongue. "Tsk."

  "I'm kidding, I'm kidding," he chuckled. "Can I eat it now? I haven't had dinner yet."

  "Go ahead, dig in."

  He opened the food container, and as soon as the aroma wafted through the air, his expression softened.

  He inhaled deeply, then smiled. But there was something nostalgic in his gaze.

  I frowned when I noticed his eyes turn a little misty.

  "Uncle? Hey!" I waved my hand in front of his face.

  He blinked, then ughed. "Ah! Sorry. I just... remembered something."

  Without another word, he took a bite. His eyes fluttered shut, a pleased hum escaping him.

  "No doubt about it..." he murmured. Then, suddenly, he smirked. "You didn't poison this, did you?"

  "UNCLE!"

  "Joking, joking," he chuckled. Then, his voice softened. "Your cooking... tastes just like your Omega mother's. It's delicious."

  My eyes widened. "Really? My mom was a good cook?"

  Uncle Henry nodded, a bittersweet smile on his face as he continued eating.

  I watched him quietly.

  It had been a while since I'd seen him look this happy.

  Maybe... being an Omega wasn't so bad after all.

  Maybe... I could start accepting this part of me.

  For myself, yes. But for this world?

  I wasn't sure if they were ready to accept me yet.

  —

  "By the way, Champ," Uncle Henry said after a while. "Was dinner the only reason you came here?"

  I shook my head. "No. I came to tell you that I experienced my first heat stage today."

  His hand froze mid-bite.

  Slowly, he put his fork down, his eyes locked onto mine.

  "You... what?"

  "I had my first heat stage," I repeated.

  His entire demeanor changed.

  Immediately, he leaned forward, inspecting my neck. "You're okay? No marks? No Alpha bite?"

  I chuckled dryly. "Rex. No Alpha got near me."

  Uncle Henry exhaled in relief, finally rexing. "Did you use the suppressant?"

  "Yeah. It worked instantly. The pain vanished the moment I injected it. But..." I hesitated. "I didn't expect the first signs of heat to be that intense."

  Uncle Henry nodded. "That's the hardest part for Omegas. The pain is unbearable at first, but after that, your body shifts—you'll experience a euphoric high."

  Before I could respond, he suddenly remembered something.

  "Speaking of which, I'm gd you brought this up. Deux came by earlier."

  My eyes narrowed. "Deux? He came here?"

  "Yeah," Uncle Henry confirmed. "He was asking about Omega heat stages. And interestingly enough, you had yours today. Don't you think it's possible that the Omega he detected... was you?"

  I scoffed. "At this point, I wouldn't be surprised."

  "But why would he come here to ask about it?" I wondered aloud.

  "He was looking for answers," Uncle Henry expined. "He said something felt off—that it wasn't a normal heat stage. The scent he encountered was stronger than a typical Omega's. Overpowering. Almost dangerous."

  I frowned. "What do you mean?"

  Uncle Henry leaned back in his chair.

  "As you know, Alphas—especially those with strong bloodlines like Deux—can recognize an Omega Male's natural scent. Your usual scent is vender, correct?"

  I nodded. "Yeah. What about it?"

  "Well, when you enter heat, your scent evolves. And the scent you produce during that time is far more powerful than your normal one."

  I leaned forward. "How powerful are we talking?"

  Uncle Henry's expression darkened.

  "Strong enough to completely override an Alpha's rationality. To shatter their self-control."

  A cold chill ran down my spine.

  "Normally, when an Omega female goes into heat, an Alpha can still fight their instincts to a certain degree. But with you—a male Omega—it's different. More intense. Uncontrolble."

  I swallowed. "You're saying it's worse?"

  He nodded. "In my studies, I've observed that your scent when you are in heat doesn't just evolve—it transforms. It's no longer just vender. It becomes something wilder. More untamed." He paused before revealing, "It takes on the qualities of moonflower."

  I blinked. "Moonflower?"

  "A rare flower," he expined. "It only blooms under specific conditions, and when it does, its scent is seductive. Hypnotic. Irresistible."

  My heart pounded.

  "So... when an Alpha smells my moonflower scent...?"

  "They lose themselves," Uncle Henry said grimly. "Their instincts take over completely. Their bodies react before their minds can stop them. They feel a desperate urge to dominate, to cim, to mark."

  I exhaled sharply. "That's what happened to Deux."

  "Exactly."

  I fell silent.

  The image of Deux—his sharp eyes clouded with something feral, his movements rigid as if he were fighting himself—fshed in my mind.

  That scent had affected him.

  And I was the source of it.

  "Now that you know this," Uncle Henry said, "you need to be even more careful during your heat stages, Champ."

  I clenched my fists. "I know."

  "But this is only the beginning," he added, his tone heavy with warning. "Your scent is already far more potent than a normal Omega's. But if you ever reach climax in your heat stage..."

  I stiffened.

  "What happens then?" I asked.

  Uncle Henry's expression turned grave.

  "We don't know."

  A shiver crawled down my spine.

  "If your scent is already strong enough to send Alphas into a frenzy now," he continued, "then at its peak..."

  He shook his head.

  "It could be catastrophic."

  ...

  ...

  ...

  Silver's POV

  I sat in my dimly lit room, comfortably sunk into the plush embrace of my chair, a crystal gss of expensive wine resting elegantly between my fingers.

  Bringing the gss to my lips, I took a slow sip, savoring the rich taste, before letting a sly smirk curl on my lips.

  The memory was still fresh—so fresh that it sent a delightful shiver down my spine.

  "How... interesting."

  I exhaled deeply, closing my eyes.

  Even though the scent was no longer in the air, its intoxicating presence still lingered in my mind.

  Thick. Addictive. Absolutely irresistible.

  It was the first time I had ever encountered an Omega's heat scent that made my pulse quicken, my instincts coil, my body react in ways I never thought possible.

  This wasn't just any Omega.

  This one... was different.

  My smirk widened as I repyed the events from earlier, every detail etched into my memory like a beautifully tragic painting.

  The moment I caught that scent—moonflower, rare and untamed—my mind had snapped.

  Every Alpha in the area had lost it.

  We were ravenous, desperate, running like mad beasts, chasing after the source like our lives depended on it.

  And yet—by some stroke of divine luck—I had seen everything.

  Everything I wasn't supposed to know.

  I opened my eyes, swirling the wine in my gss before taking another sip.

  "Who would've thought... that the Omega every Alpha was desperately hunting was you... Champ?"

  I let out a soft chuckle, tilting my head as I watched the deep red liquid swirl like liquid temptation.

  "If only you knew how beautiful you looked, writhing in pain, struggling to endure it... Ahh." I sighed, voice ced with amusement. "Delicious. The way you suffered... it only makes me burn hotter every time I remember it."

  I leaned back, crossing my legs, one hand zily tracing patterns against the armrest of my chair.

  Poor Deux. Poor, foolish Alphas.

  They were running in circles, chasing a ghost while I... I stood there, unseen, watching.

  No one realized the Omega they were looking for was already right in front of me.

  All because of one small, overlooked detail.

  The window.

  The bathroom where Champ had hidden himself had a small, open window.

  And through it, I saw everything.

  His trembling hands.

  His desperate gasps.

  The way his body quivered as he injected the suppressant, forcing himself to suppress what he truly was.

  I exhaled sharply, dragging my fingers through my hair before chuckling to myself.

  "You're quite the performer, Champ... An Omega masquerading as an Alpha? No wonder you're so... unique."

  Tapping my fingers rhythmically against the table, my mind danced with amusement.

  What else are you hiding, Champ?

  How long can you keep up this fragile little act?

  I leaned forward, resting my chin against my interlocked fingers, my smile sharpening into something more sinister.

  "But don't worry," I mused darkly, "I'll py along with your little game."

  For now, I'll let you believe your secret is safe.

  I won't expose you.

  Not yet.

  After all...

  Where's the fun in ruining a secret too soon?

  No, Champ.

  I won't let you slip away.

  You will be mine.

  End of Chapter 12