The rare dominant alpha trait was always coveted by many. It was no surprise that people sought to unite a dominant alpha and a dominant omega in hopes that the genes would be passed down. But the way Sora worded the answer left Mihoshi stunned. As though he was talking about a breeding animal, a wild stallion trapped in an enclosed stable.

“I rejected all the dominant omega they forced me to meet and I took charge of my modelling career. I dealt with all the contracts and negotiation myself. While they were too busy looking for omegas, I had already built a name for myself. I had enough money and power to break away from them. By the time they realized this, I had already walked out of the cage by myself. All they see in me is this secondary trait. That's all I amounted to.”

Sora turned his downcast eyes up, the sparkle returning to the dark gemstones.

“But despite hating it at first, I’m glad I’m a dominant alpha. It gave me the strength and standing to walk my own path.” He rested his head on his palm, the smile becoming warmer with every word he breathed. “Now that I am my own person, I will make my own decision. The only person I’m going to marry, the only person who will have my child, is you, Mihoshi.”

Who said lightning never struck twice? If Mihoshi had been drinking, he would have spat out. He stared wide-eyed at the man before him, processing the multiple bombshells of information in his tipsy brain.

“Don’t worry. I’m not forcing you into anything.” Sora continued. “I just want you to know the depths of my feelings. It’s difficult for recessive omegas to get pregnant and it can also be dangerous. So if you don’t wish for children, we don’t have to.”

It’s not as though Mihoshi didn’t want children.

It’s that he couldn’t.

Before all of these become more complicated, he must tell Sora the truth.

“Actually I—”

Sora stood up and walked around the table to take a seat next to Mihoshi. He reached out, caressed Mihoshi’s soft cheeks, and a genuine smile tugged his lips. An innocent expression, faithful to his beliefs.

“Like I said, don’t worry about it. We’re still young. Marriage and children are a long way to go. Right now, I just want us to enjoy ourselves.” Sora kissed Mihoshi’s lips. “I really miss you.”

Trapped under the possessive kiss and bewitching words, Mihoshi couldn’t do anything but return the gesture. Butterflies danced in his stomach. Heat tingled his skin. Hot breaths mingled between them.

Right now, I just want us to enjoy ourselves.

Recessive omegas could hardly detect or release pheromones, making them basically akin to betas. As long as Mihoshi kept his mouth shut, he could enjoy this relationship with Sora. With his first love.

How far could he take it?

Eventually, Sora would want to get married and have children. Mihoshi could simply say that he was infertile, or his recessive genes were too weak that his body couldn’t function as an omega. He could simply say he didn’t want children.

Or they could split up when Sora eventually finds out.

Mihoshi’s heart throbbed.

A relationship built on lies wouldn’t last.

That was the reality.

“What are you thinking about?” Sora whispered.

“I…” Mihoshi swallowed. “I’m not quite…an omega…”

His heart thundered like roaring waves, crashing against treacherous cliffs. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t keep lying to Sora. Because his feelings for Sora were genuine.

“I know.”

Mihoshi snapped his head up in attention at the sudden acknowledgement.

“You’re not like the others. You can’t get affected by pheromones at all. That’s why you were confident working at the club without a protective choker. Even when I accidentally released my pheromones at a close distance, your pheromones didn’t react.”

What was Sora talking about? What was going on?

“I’m sorry if my words hurt you. Forget about all the talks about having children. I like you just the way you are, Mihoshi.”

Did he think that Mihoshi had a biological problem? Perhaps some problems with his nonexistent pheromone glands? If that was true, wouldn't that be advantageous to the lie he was building?

“Because at the end of the day, you’re still my Fated Pair.”

Ringing silence echoed in Mihoshi’s ears.

Sora wrapped his arms around Mihoshi and effortlessly picked him up, allowing Mihoshi to step on his feet. Pressed close together, he guided them to the living area in a playful waltz.

“So, what do you think? When shall I help you move in?”

“What?” Mihoshi regained his bearings.

“I’d love to help you pack your stuff, but since our work hours are different, I’ll send a moving truck over.”

“Wait, just wait a minute. What do you mean? I’m moving in? Here? With you?” Mihoshi tried to step off Sora's feet but the arms around him prevented him from doing so.

Sora grinned. “Yes!”

Of course, Sora had asked him about it earlier. Granted, Mihoshi hadn’t answered properly, so how did this become the conclusion? Though part of him jumped with excitement and anticipation at the prospect of living with Sora, his more rational side kicked in. He hadn't yet figured out how he was going to fully navigate his lie. Just declaring that he had issues with pheromones wouldn't cover up everything else. There were other precautions to take into account such as how an omega's body would react to an alpha. He could regulate hesitation and muscle tension, but he could never fake biology.

He must stop this madness!

“Sora, listen. I can’t just move in. I have my own place. And I—”

“Do you not want to live with me?”

The question interrupted him.

“Is the idea of living with me that bad? That you’re so vehement in refusing?”

Sora’s smile dropped, his brows crinkled, an obvious gloom in his eyes. Like a puppy abandoned at the curb.

Mihoshi groaned, a pang in his heart. Sora was uncharacteristically handsome, putting classical sculptures to shame. Even when he displayed anger or frustration, that bad boy aura was still charismatic and attractive. But out of all his expressions, this sulky look always hit Mihoshi like a truck.

“We’re now back together after so long… I wish we could continue where we left off. As lovers.” Sora caressed Mihoshi’s back. “I…I like you. I like you even more. I want to do so many things with you. Go to so many places together. I want to spend the rest of our lives together. Do you…do you feel the same?”

How could Sora say all those things with that face? It had to be cheating. A smile could turn many heads towards him. But teary eyes could take the world down!

Without realizing it, Mihoshi had his arms around Sora and he blurted out, “I—I want to be with you too! But I think—”

The rest of his explanation was swallowed by a kiss. He parted his lips, allowing the eager tongue to wander inside his mouth. No matter how many times they locked lips, Mihoshi could never get enough. He wanted to feel their breaths mingle, to taste the heat between them, to embrace each other’s hungry desire.

Without worrying about their difference in life, without worrying about their secondary traits, without worrying about anything in the world, Mihoshi simply wanted to love Sora.

Why do Fated Pairs only exist between an alpha and omega?

He was the only one who noticed Sora’s real self. He was the only one who stayed by Sora’s side. He was the only one who loved him to the point he would lie about himself.

So why?

Why couldn’t he, a beta, be Sora’s Fated Pair?

Sora twirled them around and plopped onto the sofa, pinning Mihoshi under him. His muscular arms bracketed Mihoshi’s flushed face while a satisfied grin caressed his lips. Sora wasn't heavily-built, but his tall frame and solid muscle made him tower over Mihoshi like a predator with its prey in its jaws. Every single thing he did was calculated to capture Mihoshi's attention. And he succeeded every single time.

“What are you thinking so hard about?” Sora whispered. “Don’t worry about anything. Don’t think about anything else. Both our feelings are mutual, so let’s just enjoy ourselves.”

Sora’s right.

Why should Mihoshi continue to worry about all these impossible things? They had confessed long ago. Even after the fight, neither of them said they would break up. Sure, they parted for a few years, but now that they reunited, they had talked through it and apologized.

Mihoshi draped his arms around Sora’s neck and gently pulled him down into another kiss.

The feelings he harbored for Sora was surely love.

Because only love would make someone do something so stupid.

Mihoshi moaned into the kiss. He shuddered when the lips trailed along his jaw and down his neck. He wanted to lock lips with Sora longer, but when a hand snuck under his shirt and touched his bare skin, he let out a surprised gasp.