It doesn’t take long for Kaiden to finish packing. It’s only when he sees the suitcase and the cardboard box side by side does he realize how modest his belongings are, but that’s to be expected. How can he afford anything other than the bare necessities?

He informed his landlord about terminating his lease a week ago and his nest was only disassembled yesterday, packing his favorite blankets last out of everything in his small apartment.

He’s sure Damon’s house has everything he might need, but blankets are as personal to omegas as their underwear. His nest isn’t as lavish as the others, it isn’t full of different scents from close friends and family to keep him safe and content or full of small gifts from an alpha courting to be his mate. He only has one other scent aside from his own mixed in his nest: his aunt’s—Jean.

Speak (or in this instance, think) of the devil and she shall arrive, Jean’s call comes ringing just when Kaiden double checks everything he has already triple-checked the night before.

“My dear,” her sweet voice instantly relaxes his taut shoulders. “How’s the move going?”

“I’m almost done, Auntie. I just need to fold a few clothes then I’ll head to my new place.” A white lie to hide how nervous he is. He has been done 15 minutes ago, but he doesn’t need to tell her that.

"That's great!" There's no background noise from where she is, as always, and for the nth time, Kaiden wonders where his aunt is or what she does. "I'm so happy you found a new job. I just don’t understand why they need you to move in their boarding area while you’re training.”

His heartbeat starts accelerating; he tries to laugh it off. “I know, right?”

“I can’t even visit you.” The pounding in his ears can’t be any louder than right now. "How will I live without seeing my cute nephew's face?"

He says the excuse he rehearsed a thousand times until the words rolled off his tongue like marble on a smooth surface. “I guess competition is fierce. I heard some even quit during training.”

Jean scoffs but doesn’t press further, “What kind of company is that when people quit before they officially start? So what if the pay is good? If they bully you, come running to me. You’re too smart for them anyway.”

“Don’t worry, they won’t.” He lies in a cheerful tone as he continues the rest of the conversation. Jean ends on a note reminding him to take care of his health and to call her as much as possible. Kaiden assures her for the hundredth time that everything will be fine before he hangs up.

He doesn’t want to lie to his only family, but he doesn’t have a choice since he already signed the contract and the non-disclosure agreement. The pay is good, Jean got that right, but the contract also stipulates that he can’t find another job, can’t have unhealthy habits, and can’t tell anyone anything that happens in the Lin Manor.

Kaiden can’t believe he signed off a year of his life just like that. Writing down his signature was easy—too easy, even he feels like there should’ve been more to the process than his squiggly handwriting and a notary.

If he’s being honest, he has nothing to complain about, the terms of the contract are beneficial to him. Aside from sharing his pheromones daily (or as needed) with the Alpha, he’s basically free to laze around all day. It's not as demanding as other jobs, and he doesn't have to come in at ungodly hours. If anything, he'll be taken care of since his meals and lodging are given to him for free.

He wants to ask how exactly are they going to share pheromones, but he figures that question is better asked face-to-face. The opportunity to do so arrives sooner rather than later when his phone dings with a notification telling him his ride arrived.

--

The road from his old apartment to Damon’s place is shorter than he remembered. Is it because he’s nervous? It’s definitely because he’s nervous.

His palms are sweaty and his knee has been shaking nonstop. Yup, he’s nervous. No doubt. How can he not be?

Staring up at the manor with its luxury log cabin architectural design, Kaiden wonders if he came to a hotel instead. He is sure that the grand and imposing house would have a lot of curious intruders if it isn’t for the thick trees camouflaging the house out of sight. That is, of course, if they can make it past security.

Uriel greets him in a respectful but kind manner, assisting him in bringing his stuff to his room on the second floor. Kaiden insists on unpacking alone, reluctant to let the older man see his cheap and tattered items, and the butler merely nods in (mis)understanding, thinking that the Omega is being territorial over his belongings. Uriel may be a beta but even he knows there are some things you just don't mess with.

Kaiden spends the rest of his morning unpacking, so preoccupied with building and rearranging his nest that he doesn't notice when another person arrives at his new home.

--

When Kaiden makes his way down the mahogany stairs, he is greeted by the sight of two bodies cuddling together on the sofa, arms around one another with their backs to him. His light footsteps don't alert them of his presence, leaving the Alpha and the Beta in their own world as they whisper sweet nothings to each other’s ear.

From where he’s standing, Kaiden can’t see their faces, but there’s no doubt about their identities. The Alpha is Damon, and the Beta is the recipient of that doting expression the Omega glimpsed last week—his lover, a man who is not Kaiden.

Kaiden doesn’t know whether he should leave or stay, feeling like an outsider on his first day, but when he sees Damon press a gentle kiss on the Beta’s caramel brown hair, Kaiden slowly makes his way back up. He doesn’t want to see this.

He hasn’t reached halfway up the winding staircase when he hears a sniffle, followed by a soft shushing from below, and he can’t help but look.

In a gentle tone that seems almost impossible to come from Damon, the Alpha comforts his lover. “It will only be for a year,” he says while brushing the hair out of the Beta’s face

“I know,” the Beta nuzzles his face closer to that hand. “It’s okay, I know you love only me.”

The Beta turns his head back ever so slightly, and as if to prove a point, his teal eyes meet Kaiden’s carmine ones.

Those eyes hold a trace of smugness, built from years of pampering and words of assurance, and only then does Kaiden truly realize how big of a fool he is for even harboring the tiniest bit of romantic hope.

How many reminders does he need before he learns his place in the world?