chapter 1

The town was small, quiet, and tucked away like a secret between rolling hills. Morning air always carried a faint sweetness of jasmine, a scent that seemed to cling to the narrow streets and wooden houses. In the corner of Maple Street stood a little café, its windows always fogged with warmth.

Inside, by the window seat, sat Arin.

An omega with soft brown hair, round glasses that slid down his nose, and eyes that always seemed lost in some world of their own. He came here every afternoon, with a book in one hand and a small notebook in the other — a place where he could read, dream, and escape the stares that often followed omegas in town.

That day, rain tapped gently against the glass. The café was quiet, save for the low hum of the espresso machine. Arin had just tucked a strand of hair behind his ear when the bell over the door rang.

He looked up — and saw him.

Riven.

An alpha who didn’t quite fit the town’s idea of one. He was tall, broad-shouldered, his presence steady like the earth itself. But there was no arrogance in the way he carried himself. His expression was calm, his movements deliberate, almost careful, as though he was afraid to disturb the space he walked into.

Most alphas made Arin nervous. They were loud, sharp, always watching him as if waiting for him to stumble. But Riven’s gaze was different — not possessive, not demanding. Just… curious. Quiet.

The café owner greeted him warmly, and Riven ordered a black coffee. Instead of sitting at an empty table across the room, he chose the one nearest to Arin. Not beside him, but close enough to share the same patch of quiet.

Arin tried to hide behind his book, but the glass betrayed him: his reflection was right there, pink-cheeked and nervous. He could feel Riven glance at him once, maybe twice, before settling in silence.

Minutes passed like that — two strangers sharing a rainy afternoon.

Then, the unexpected happened.

A little girl ran into the café, drenched from the rain, searching for her mother. She slipped on the wet tiles — and before Arin could even move, Riven was already there, steady hands catching her before she hit the ground.

He crouched down, spoke softly to calm her, and guided her back to her worried mother. When he returned to his seat, Arin’s heart was still racing — not from fear, but from the sight of an alpha who could be so… gentle.

Riven noticed his gaze then. Their eyes met, briefly, quietly.

Arin looked away first, biting his lip, but the warmth lingered in his chest.

And so began their ritual.

Day after day, Riven would appear at the café, always taking the same seat near the window. Sometimes they exchanged small words — a comment about the rain, a quiet remark about books. Other times, they simply sat in silence, comfort growing in the spaces between.

Until one evening, when the café was closing and the town outside glowed with paper lanterns for the spring festival, Riven stayed behind. He didn’t leave immediately — instead, he stood by Arin’s table, hesitant but steady.

His voice, low and quiet, broke the silence.

“Arin… I think I’ve been waiting for you my whole life.”

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***