Kaia smiled sweetly. "Don't worry, Champ. When my heat cycle starts, I'll come to you. I've liked you for a long time—even before you awakened as an Alpha."

Jiggs let out a low whistle. "Damn, Champ. You're really pulling them in now. Congrats! You're about to have your pick of Omegas."

I forced a laugh. "Haha... yeah. Of course. I'll, uh... I'll mark you and everything, Kaia!"

"That's my future clan leader!" Jiggs grinned, clapping me on the back.

But inside, my brain was spiraling.

How the hell was I supposed to impregnate an Omega female... when I am in fact an Omega male?!

I really should've asked Uncle Henry about this.

Wait, I am still a male, and that is a fact! Hmm? Can I still impregnate someone?

"I'm heading back to my seat now, Champ! I don't want to disturb you!" Kaia said with a bright smile before skipping back to her desk.

"You lucky bastard!" Jiggs teased, nudging me. "She straight-up said she wants you to get her pregnant! Man, you're living the dream!"

"If only you knew, Jiggs..."

"Knew what?"

"Nothing!"

I couldn't tell anyone my secret. Not even Jiggs. He is my best friend, but if the wrong people found out... he'd be in danger just for knowing.

So I had no choice. I had to keep acting like an Alpha.

As far as the world is concerned, I am Champ, the Alpha male. Nothing more, nothing less.

"Ugh, I'm starving. Let's grab something to eat," I said, shaking off my thoughts.

"Yeah, let's hit the canteen—wait, crap! I forgot! You're an Alpha now. Should I even be suggesting stuff to you?" Jiggs asked, suddenly looking nervous.

"Relax, man. It's fine. Actually, let's split the lunch Kaia gave me. You in?"

Jiggs gave me a weird look. "Okay... but that's new. You never share food. I remember you used to say, 'An Alpha takes what's his and doesn't share with anyone.'"

"Oh, right! Scratch that, then! I will eat, and you will just sit there and watch me eat!" I declared, dramatically holding the lunch box close to my chest.

Jiggs snorted. "Not intimidating enough. You need more practice, Champ."

I groaned. This was going to be harder than I thought.

🧬🧬🧬🧬🧬🧬🧬🧬🧬🧬🧬🧬🧬

At the Canteen...

We settled down at a table, and I carefully unwrapped the lunch box Kaia had given me.

The moment I lifted the lid, I froze.

Kaia had decorated the rice with seaweed flakes to make it look like my face. Everything was neatly arranged—omelet, vegetables, meat, even a side of salad. It was beautiful.

It felt... almost wrong to eat it.

I was about to just admire it when I noticed Jiggs staring at me.

Crap.

Had I been... too delicate when opening it?

Was I already acting too Omega-like again?!

Panic surged through me. I grabbed my spoon and aggressively mixed everything together, ruining the careful arrangement Kaia had made.

Jiggs nodded in approval. "Yup. No doubt about it. Total Alpha move. You don't care about presentation at all."

I sighed in relief. Thank god Jiggs is a little slow sometimes.

"Heh, being an Alpha must be nice," Jiggs suddenly said, his voice quieter than before. "Us Betas? We're stuck where we are. No climbing higher, no leading packs. Just... existing."

I glanced at him. Was he actually upset about being a Beta?

Then, just like that, he snapped back to his usual self, laughing. "But hey, when you become a scary Alpha, remember me, okay? I'm your childhood best friend, man! Don't make me eat dirt off the street!"

I smirked. "Then you better watch how you speak to me, Jiggs. I am your future leader, after all."

He gasped dramatically. "Oh no, my great Alpha lord, please have mercy on this lowly Beta!"

We both burst out laughing.

Jiggs might not be serious most of the time, but damn, having him around made things easier.

"Seriously, though," he said after a moment. "I got your back, Champ. No matter what happens, I'll support you. You're my best friend."

That actually warmed my chest a little. "Thanks, man."

"Ugh! Don't smile at me like that! What if I start liking you?!" Jiggs fake-shuddered. "Wait, can Betas even fall for Alphas? Nah, I don't think so."

"You moron, of course not! And even if you could, I'd never allow it! I am your leader!" I said, puffing out my chest.

"But hey," Jiggs continued, getting curious again. "What's it like? Y'know, smelling Omegas? We Betas can't do that. We just go off looks and personality, but you Alphas go feral when an Omega's around. What did Kaia smell like to you?"

I froze.

Shit.

I had no idea what Kaia smelled like.

Omegas were supposed to have specific scents, but since I wasn't actually an Alpha, I couldn't pick up on them. If I didn't answer fast, Jiggs would get suspicious.

"Uh... um... she smelled like roses," I blurted out.

Jiggs raised an eyebrow. "Like perfume?"

"Yeah! Exactly! She probably wears rose-scented perfume."

Jiggs shrugged. "Makes sense. Though, it's weird... she said you smelled different from any Alpha she's met before. As far as I know, Omega females can smell Alpha males naturally. The more powerful an Alpha male is, the more intoxicating their scent is for the Omega females. That's what I have known from the books I've read."

I stiffened.

Does it mean I can smell an Alpha male when they are nearby? Seems to me that it's a good thing for me to be more cautious.

"What... do you mean?" I asked carefully.

Jiggs scratched his head. "I dunno. I wasn't really paying attention when she was sniffing her fingers after touching you. She just said something about your scent being unique."

I clenched my fists.

Kaia was not supposed to notice anything. How come I couldn't smell her scent but she were able to detect mine? 

Funny.

If an Omega like her could smell something off about me, what about an Alpha? Would they be able to tell I wasn't really one of them?

Jiggs smirked. "Man, I've got so many questions for you. Like, once we start our clan, what should we call you? Leader? Boss? King?"

I groaned, shoving a spoonful of rice into my mouth.

"Arrrgghhh! Just shut up and eat!"

🧬🧬🧬🧬🧬🧬🧬🧬🧬🧬🧬🧬🧬🧬🧬

After Jiggs and I finished eating, I instinctively started cleaning up. I carefully packed up the lunch box Kaia had given me and wiped down the table.

"Give me your tray, Jiggs. I'll throw it away for you," I said, already reaching for his mess.

"Huh?" Jiggs blinked at me.

"Oh, and here—use this hand sanitizer." I offered him a bottle from my bag.

"Champ... are you feeling okay?"

"What? Of course!"

"Dude... are you my mom?" Jiggs snorted. "This is exactly what my Omega mom does after we eat."

I stiffened.

Crap.

Not again!

I needed to cover this up—fast.

"This is a one-time thing!" I announced dramatically. "Starting tomorrow, I'll order you around like a true Alpha! And instead of sorting our trash properly, I'll intentionally throw biodegradable waste into the non-biodegradable bin. What an evil thing to do, right?!"

Jiggs laughed. "Man, your head must still be all over the place. Probably 'cause you're still adjusting to your Alpha instincts."

I nodded along, pretending that was totally the case.

"Anyway, I'll wait here while you throw the trash away," Jiggs continued. "I'll keep working on organizing your future clan."

"Good! Make sure to recruit only the strongest Betas!" I declared.

"That's why I chose you as my Alpha leader!" Jiggs grinned.

With that, I hurried over to the trash bins before my Omega instincts betrayed me again.

But no matter how hard I tried to fight them, they were starting to slip through.

🧬🧬🧬🧬🧬🧬🧬🧬🧬🧬🧬🧬🧬🧬

When I reached the trash bins, I found myself sorting through the waste more carefully than usual.

Jiggs had left some leftover rice in his tray.

While no one is looking on what I am doing...

"This should go in the biodegradable bin," I muttered to myself. "That way, the waste workers won't have a hard time sorting through it. And if we throw food waste into the non-recyclable bin, it might cause mold—"

I froze.

Did I just say that out loud?

I clenched my jaw. Focus, Champ! Act like an Alpha!

But before I could finish, something unexpected happened.

A powerful scent hit me—one so strong and intoxicating that it made my mouth water.

Vanilla.

Sweet, rich, addictive vanilla.

It was so strong, so overwhelming, that I instinctively turned my head, trying to locate the source.

Was there an ice cream shop nearby? Because now, I am craving vanilla ice cream.

But before I could investigate further, someone grabbed my wrist.

A firm, unrelenting grip.

I whipped around—only to be met with an intense gaze.

"You're an Alpha, aren't you?" the man in front of me asked. His grip tightened. "So why are you throwing away food instead of ordering your Beta to do it?"

I stared up at him.

Tall. Powerful. Broad-shouldered.

Behind him stood five Betas, all standing stiffly in formation.

This guy isn't just an Alpha. He is a leader.

And the scent of vanilla?

It was coming from him.

Wait... is this the scent of a true Alpha?!

My breath hitched. My pulse pounded.

I had no time to respond before my phone vibrated.

I quickly glanced at the screen. A message from Jiggs.

"Bro! That's DEUX standing in front of you! Don't mess with him! He's one of the strongest Alpha leaders—and the son of the ALPHA KING! - Jiggs"

I stiffened.

The son of the Alpha King himself?

If he finds out I am an Omega, it would be game over.

I had to get away. Now!

But Deux isn't letting go.

"I smell something... strange on you," Deux murmured. His eyes narrowed. "There's a lingering scent of lavender beneath your cologne. It's subtle, but... enticing."

My breath caught in my throat.

Oh, shit.

I fought the urge to step back as Deux leaned in slightly, studying me.

"You don't smell like an Alpha," he whispered, his piercing gaze locking onto mine.

I swallowed hard.

His eyes... they were striking. A mix of deep blue and vibrant green, like the endless ocean crashing against a lush forest. Hypnotic. Dangerous.

Damn it, Champ! Focus!

This is not the time to admire the enemy!

I have to think of something—fast.

I have to escape before he digs any deeper.

End of Chapter 2