He didn't know why it happened. Everything was normal, and then all at once, the world burst with new sensations. It was enough to make him mad—send his stomach churning, and his head pounding. It didn't make any sense. His parents were betas, their parents were betas, their parents' parents were betas. 

So, why did Adrian manifest? Why was he different? 

There was nothing particularly remarkable about him. He was an average height and build. He had unremarkable brown hair and hazel eyes. If it weren't for his more flamboyant mode of dress, he'd blend into any background. It wasn't that he didn't want to be an Alpha—he just didn't really care. About any of it. Alpha, Beta, Omega—whatever. There was too much pressure on it all, too many boring expectations. 

He didn't care, so he just left it alone, and he didn't bother to get close enough to anyone for it to matter.

***

"You're staring." 

Usually, Winter and Adrian had an unspoken rule to stay silent during the rush. It helped them both focus, and they communicated better without words, when they weren't thinking about it. They'd been working together ever since they were both high schoolers, and Adrian's father hired Winter as a part-timer for a summer gig. They knew each other's workflow like they knew their own souls. 

And the only thing that could make Winter break that sacred pact was their favorite customer, who was currently lounging in the back of the cafe portion of the store with his two cronies like they owned the place. 

Adrian huffed. "Well, they're being annoying." He slapped the bread onto a sandwich with a little too much force, and Winter watched with barely disguised amusement. 

"By... sitting peacefully at a table in the back for their meeting?" 

Adrian could hear the smugness in Winter's voice, and it was equally as unappreciated as the topic of conversation. He shot Winter a little glare, and Winter held up his hands. 

"I'm just saying, I don't understand why you hate that guy so much." 

Adrian rolled his eyes. Winter wouldn't get it. He was Omega and proud—he didn't care what people thought about him or how they spoke to him or anything else. He didn't even care that Beckham Caddel—one of the Alphas of Bruin Enterprises—came in every other day just to stare at him, but never made a move. He was confident, hot, single, and a little smug. 

Meanwhile, the people who did know that Adrian was really an Alpha usually needed a lot of convincing. Because Adrian didn't fit the mold, and he didn't want to, but that wasn't the problem. 

Callum Bruin was the mold. He represented absolutely everything Adrian hated about Alpha society. Even when they were in school, he was seen as the ideal. Perfect looks, perfect grades, perfect record. It drove Adrian insane. Not to mention the silver spoon Callum was born with, the fact that things just got handed to him, the way he never seemed to crack under the pressure or slip up and make a mistake. 

And there was also the way Callum interacted with Adrian, like every moment absolutely pained him.

Adrian never asked to be an Alpha. Callum, on the other hand, was practically made for the role. They were from different worlds. Different leagues. Adrian couldn't even begin to fathom the life Callum got just for being born a Bruin. Not that Adrian wanted that life for himself—he was happy with what he got. It was just that the world expected more from Adrian, all because of a symbol on his medical papers. Because of people like Callum. 

"Adrian. You're getting worked up." 

Adrian jumped and turned to face Winter, whose nose was a little crinkled. Adrian was moving so quickly around the cafe that he hadn't even noticed he started to slip. But Winter, who was quite sensitive to pheromones—as Omegas tended to be—was always there to catch Adrian when he started to fall. 

Adrian took a deep breath to steady himself and started rebuilding his walls. "Sorry." 

Winter shrugged. "Don't apologize. We can't help these things, sometimes." He went back to work, unbothered—but Adrian wasn't completely convinced. 

He noticed a cluster of people in the corner, ogling the Alphas of Bruin Enterprises—giggling and whispering and fawning. He noticed the smells that had slowly started to dominate the shop. His shop. 

For the most part, people kept their pheromones under wraps. Suppressants had that effect, and most were on them to control their heats or their ruts. There was a time and a place for such things, after all. But it seemed the Alphas of Bruin Enterprises did not share that same opinion. Courtney Hart—heiress to the Hart Foundation, eldest daughter, and Alpha set to take over as CFO (and, many suspected, Callum Bruin's future bride). Her pheromones were kind of like thick, fresh honey. Sweet, but they overtook every room she walked into. Then, there was Beckham Caddel, second son to the Caddel empire—but the first to manifest as an Alpha. His were more like crackling, sparking electricity, jolting through a room like bolts. One glance from him was like taking an arrow to the heart. 

And then, there was Callum. Only child of Raphael Bruin and Honey Newson (now divorced). He smelled more like—faux leather. Stiff and uninviting and fake. But sometimes—if very rarely—Adrian could smell something else on Callum. An underlying scent that was undeniably and almost unbearably sweet. Like cotton candy or rich chocolate. The few times Adrian had caught wind of it, it was almost intoxicating. Whatever it was, though, it was out of place with Callum Bruin. And it was so subtle, overpowered by the smell of stuffy suits and squeaking shoes, that Adrian wasn't even 100% positive the scent even belonged to the Bruin Heir to begin with. 

Adrian's eyebrow twitched, watching more and more customers becoming entranced by the three nuisances in the back of his shop. He caught sight of Winter diligently working through all the coffee orders, despite the fact that he was clearly bothered by all the smells. A vein popped in Adrian's forehead, and he couldn't take it anymore. "I'm going to go say something to them."

Winter jolted to a halt. "What? To who?" 

Adrian threw down the rag he had been carrying on his shoulder. "Who do you think?" He gestured to the back of the room. 

Winter hesitated. "Adrian, I know you're an Alpha yourself, but—you don't know how powerful those guys are. I wouldn't offend them, if I were you." 

"I'm just going to nicely tell them to keep a lid on it. It's only polite." Adrian knew that Winter had a point. Despite being an Alpha, Adrian had always had a rather slight frame. He wasn't muscular like Beckham Caddel or breathtakingly beautiful like Courtney Hart or even tall and lean like Callum Bruin. But that didn't mean he couldn't stand up for himself in his own shop.

So, he stomped his way over to them, careful to keep his perfect customer service smile—the one his dad taught him. 

Callum, in that annoying way of his, almost seemed to sense Adrian before he could see Adrian. Adrian noticed how his body tensed the moment he realized Adrian was there. For a second, his resolve faltered, and he considered turning tail and running. But something about Callum just got him too worked up to think. "Um, excuse me." 

Beck was the first to acknowledge Adrian's existence with words. "Something we can help you with, Barista Man?" As usual, Beck was loud, boisterous, and had no filter. That overly-familiar act was just how he was with everyone. He wasn't a bad guy, though he did have a bit of a reputation for being pheromone-driven. Adrian didn't mind him so much—even if his way of speaking did get under Adrian's skin. 

Callum didn't even bother to look back. 

Adrian felt his anger swell again, and he kept going. "Actually, yes. We've just had a few complaints."  Adrian turned his attention to Callum. Even in high school, after they manifested, Callum never bothered to hide his scent. It was like everywhere he went, he needed people to know that he was an Alpha. That he was better than everyone else. It drove Adrian absolutely mad. "It's just that—the three of you together put off an awfully strong scent." 

Adrian was met with a moment of silence, and then Beck and Courtney erupted with laughter. Callum only sighed, touching his fingers to his forehead like the whole conversation was beneath him. 

"Three Alphas in a room will do that, Beta Boy. Not that you would understand." Courtney waved her hand at Adrian like she was waving away a servant. 

Adrian didn't bother to correct her. Unlike her and the other Alphas of Bruin Enterprises, Adrian didn't feel the need to flaunt his status or his second gender. Most people he went to school with didn't even know, because they never bothered to pay attention to him. 

Adrian turned his attention to her, a chill filling the air around him. "Well, out of kindness to the other customers, I would really prefer it if you three could keep a lid on it? Especially your friend, here." Adrian locked eyes with Callum, the first glimpse of that striking blue he had gotten the entire time he'd been over at the table. 

And there it was, again. It was only for a moment—and barely a whiff—but Adrian smelled sweet, fluffy frosting on freshly baked cupcakes. Even just one taste was enough to make Adrian want to pounce. And it finally hit him—the reason that smell that sometimes lingered on Callum Bruin felt so out of place. 

It was not an Alpha's scent. 

Not only was Callum parading around his own pheromones like he was the world's personal perfumery—he wasn't even bothering to rid himself of the scent of whatever Omega he was playing around with. It was like he wanted the world to know that he outclassed them—that he could get anything he wanted, just by opening his mouth. It made Adrian want to drag Callum out back and show him the harsh realities of the city they lived in. But he couldn't do anything, because if he did, he would have the full force of Bruin Enterprises after him—and both Callum and Adrian knew that.

Adrian clicked his tongue, feeling that rage boiling in his stomach. It was so white-hot and blinding that he almost didn't catch that Courtney had started to speak again. Every instinct in him made him want to fight. He didn't even know who Callum was playing around with, but the blatant disregard for their feelings by allowing their scent to linger on him just for show was enough to make Adrian seethe with protective rage. And even worse, Callum ignored him. Blatantly and openly. He just turned his back on Adrian like the request to keep it under control was so beneath him that it wasn't even worth an answer. 

Adrian only caught the end of what Courtney was saying. Something about Callum being an "eligible bachelor" and being good for business. Callum responded for Adrian by shooting her a warning, which she quickly listened to. Even though they were all Alphas, it was clear who the king among them was. 

Which only made Adrian angrier. 

"What? I'm just saying, we bring good business." Even though she was clearly backing down because Callum told her to (in not as many words), she acted like it was her choice, and she was doing it out of the goodness of her heart. 

In a surprising turn of events, Beck was the first to come to his senses. Usually, Adrian was the level-headed one. But Callum just made him so angry. "Come on, guys, no need to get up in arms. We could all stand to keep a lower profile," Beck reasoned. 

"Speak for yourself, Caddel." Courtney didn't even look up for her manicure. 

As much as Adrian hated to admit it, Beck was right. The confrontation was quickly escalating, and he didn't actually want a brawl to break out. Not in his shop. "Just—don't bother the other customers." Adrian forced himself to speak through clenched teeth. "I am trying to run a business here. Can't have all my customers scared away." 

In a single, swift movement, Callum stood from his chair, pulled some cash from his wallet, and slapped it on the table. "Let's go." 

"What? Callum! We still have half our lunch break left!" Courtney looked at Adrian like she was dying to show him just how beneath her he really was.

"Well, I'm finished here. You two knock yourself out." Callum turned and made his way to the door, which Adrian was standing in front of. He pinned Adrian to the spot with his disarming blue gaze, his expression hard and unreadable. Adrian could almost understand why Callum had so many people chasing after him—between his looks, status, and fortune, he was a catch. If you were into that sort of thing. "Adrian." He nodded his head at Adrian, both a greeting and a goodbye. 

Adrian didn't know how to respond, so he forced a smile onto his face. "Always a pleasure, Mr. Bruin." 

With that, the Alphas of Bruin Enterprises departed back to their thrones at the top of their castle. Adrian had never really been inside the building himself, but he imagined the inside was just as extravagant and outlandish as the outside. 

It wasn't a life he dreamed of. He was happy where he was. He was happy in his little shop, nestled under rows and rows of apartments. He was happy in his little one-bedroom, living just above where he worked. 

He was happy, and he didn't dream of bigger and better things. 

He only wished he understood what it was about Callum Bruin that made him so damn crazy.