Episode 17

The lessons dragged on slowly.

When everything was over, he saw Cheng hurry off quickly to work. He was the last to stay in the room, talking with the professor for a bit, and then, after the professor left, he remained alone cleaning the classroom. Every week, it was someone's turn to clean, and this week it was Eley's turn. He cleaned from the back to the front lethargically because he had no desire to go home. He was tired, but it was a different kind of fatigue. He didn't want to get home and lie down; in truth, he had no clear idea of what he wanted. His thoughts were tangled in a way that wouldn't leave him in peace.

Once he finished, he straightened some chairs and walked down the corridor to dispose of the trash. Then he returned to grab his backpack.

He checked his phone for the time and realized it was still too early. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of something at the door and turned his head to look. He jerked in surprise, not having heard anyone approach, but Lukyan was quietly standing there.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

Eley started to walk and immediately felt on edge. He hugged his backpack to his chest like a makeshift shield from him, but Lukyan showed no signs of stopping.

"I was... just finishing... cleaning."

"I see, you've done quite a clean job," Lukyan commented, surveying the room.

"Thanks."

"Are you okay? You look pale."

"It's just a slight headache, nothing more."

Avoiding eye contact was precisely what Lukyan seemed to crave. He sidestepped, trying to make his escape, but he jerked to a stop when he saw Lukyan place his arm on the wall to block him.

He didn't know what to do and felt a warmth beginning to spread through his body.

"Eley, how about we go grab something to eat? After all, you owe me an outing."

"Uh..."

He didn't know what to say as he felt Lukyan close in on him. He stepped back as Lukyan advanced, and his lower back hit a table. He flinched and found it hard to breathe, feeling his strange bodily reactions to Lukyan, sensing that something bad was about to happen.

Lukyan boxed him in, and leaned in closer. Eley's gaze remained downward, but Lukyan noted his fiercely blushing cheeks.

"Let's go have that meal," he whispered.

"I-I..."

Eley's mistake was significant. As he finally met Lukyan's eyes, they were no longer blue and green but both a gleaming gold, and he felt utterly lost. What he experienced was so intensely abnormal; he was like a deer dazzled by headlights. Lukyan's touch was electric as he caressed Eley's cheek, causing his entire body to shiver.

"I should... go," he whispered, struggling to breathe properly as the Alpha's scent flooded his senses uncontrollably with each inhalation.

"Well, go on then."

Eley tried to move back but only caused the table to clatter and Lukyan to step in closer. His backpack hit the floor from the shock. Eley attempted to push him away, as ineffective as shoving a concrete wall.

Lukyan's face drew in slowly, observing Eley's clenched eyes. He brushed his hair behind his ear, listening to his hurried breaths. He took note of his increasingly odd reactions. Despite not emitting any pheromones, Eley's behavior grew consistently more erratic and Lukyan found himself tempted to provoke even more intense reactions from him.

With Eley's heart pounding and heat rising at the mere thought of Lukyan, the redhead watched as Lukyan inched closer. He clenched his fists, his heart threatening to burst from his chest with the unbearable heat surging through him.

Lukyan savored Eley's fast breathing and the slight tremble, finding it exciting to see his effect. Though most of his thoughts screamed that a Beta wouldn't respond like this, he gave in to the small voice urging:

Kiss him.

Kiss him.

Kiss him.

Kiss him.

He kissed Eley's cheek gently, and Eley tensed, eyes shut tight. Then, Lukyan pulled back slightly, only to bridge the gap once more, their lips brushing.

At that touch, Eley's realization dawned, pushing Lukyan with such force that the Alpha staggered back, taken aback as Eley fled. Lukyan watched, perplexed by his frantic escape. He swallowed, ran a hand desperate through his hair, and picked up Eley's backpack slowly, walking to the door with a glance in either direction.

Eley bolted for the bathroom to hide, recognizing that something dreadful was happening. Worse than dreadful. He yearned to call his brothers on his phone, but then remembered it was in his dropped backpack. He tried to calm himself with no success, realizing his heat cycle had arrived early, symptoms appearing days ago, ignorantly dismissed. He wanted to scream, blaming Lukyan's inadvertent advances for its early onset.

Desiring to leave the stall for a drink of water, he felt suddenly weak, an intense heat encompassing his body. He collapsed to the floor, desperate to cool down, to rid himself of his burning clothes, but his limbs were unresponsive as lead.

Cheng had always been there to help, to alleviate the heat through intimacy, although the relief was never complete. Despite being just friends, Eley craved someone who wanted him, who liked him. He thought of Lukyan, and just the thought of his name intensified the heat alarmingly. Whispering Lukyan's name made Eley shiver, unable to resist releasing a surge of pheromones, filling the bathroom with their call.

Lukyan descended the stairs towards the parking lot, presuming Eley would be at the bus stop, intending to apologize for any discomfort caused. Scratching his neck, he quickened his pace to find him, but halted suddenly, catching a scent so faint he dismissed it. But then it came again. Pivoting, his eyes searched everywhere, finally lingering on the corridor leading to the bathrooms. He blinked, took a tentative step, followed by another.

Taking a deep breath, he detected nothing but his curiosity was piqued.

Then, he sensed it.

A fragrance of flowers.

An overpowering, sweet scent of flowers filled his nostrils. It was alluring; it could become his addiction. Stopping by the bathroom door, his heart pounded at the feeling of being called. Unable to resist, he pushed open the door, the intense fragrance escaping in all directions. He imagined flowers blooming everywhere until his gaze fell upon Eley, huddled on the floor, cheeks flushed, eyes barely open and soft vulnerable. The inescapable scent emanated from him.

In that moment, Eley, although confused, felt a strange happiness seeing Lukyan, his pheromones spiking in response.

And then, for a brief second, Lukyan understood as he uttered:

"You're a damn Omega."

Lukyan's look of disgust as he covered his nose crushed Eley.

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