Jake would never judge someone by their appearance.
If there was one thing he had learnt in recent years, it was that people could be better or worse than they appeared. That's why he preferred to be polite to everyone to avoid problems, even though sometimes there was no escape from arguments and misunderstandings.
But this was the first time Jake had no idea what to do.
The rumours that Matheus had told him before revolved around murders and arrest warrants. Surely that was bollocks, but staring at that scar sent shivers down his spine as if that stupid lie were an immutable truth.
— I know it's uncomfortable, but as soon as I've finished eating I'll put the mask back on.
Blinking dazedly, Jake came back to reality, chastising himself for having stared too long at the poor guy.
— It's fine. Make yourself at home.
Nathaniel didn't reply, he remained quiet, eating his cake without even talking to the alpha again.
Damn it, would that have spoilt the mood?
Until a few seconds ago, they had been chatting quietly. Should he try to strike up a conversation? Maybe if they talked about some teacher or assignments and exams, the mood could return.
Peeking out of the corner of his eye, Jake made sure Nathaniel didn't seem bothered. For some reason, he couldn't stop looking at that scar.
— Your scar, does it hurt?
Stopping to eat, looking surprised, Nathaniel relaxed his shoulders without looking at the alpha.
— No, it's fine now — he mumbled, pulling out a napkin to wipe his chocolate-smeared mouth — That day you said you smelled something coming from my mask.
Jake tilted his head, forcing his mind to work to remember, and it didn't take him long to realise that he had said something similar. He'd thought it was a mistake, but apparently Jake wasn't the only one who was curious about it.
— It was very slight, I was surprised since you said you hadn't woken up. But I'm sure I felt the pheromones coming from your mask.
Nathaniel moved away from the table to rummage through his rucksack and pulled out a small plastic bag in which some other masks were neatly folded. He wouldn't ask the alpha to smell them just to confirm that, would he?
— Can you smell anything coming from those?
Ah, he asked.
Shame on him, he felt like a sniffer dog.
— Does this bother you? — Jake asked, reluctant to pick up the plastic bag.
— I'm just curious.
Well... If he were in your position, where you've never had the awakening of your class, it would certainly be worrying to hear about an alpha, in full heat, claiming to feel pheromones coming from you. He had made the poor boy worried, so the least he could do was help him.
Opening the plastic bag, Jake took them out one by one to sniff them lightly. To his surprise, the first ones had a subtle sweet aroma, almost imperceptible. Perhaps if he hadn't smelt it the other time, Jake would barely have noticed.
Thanks to his attention to recognising the scent, he noticed that half of the masks in that bag contained traces of pheromones.
— It's not all of them, but I can smell the same in some.
Nathaniel leaned his elbow on the table and arranged the masks on the table in the same way they had been stored in the bag. At the first half, he pulled them apart and whispered.
— I used those after that day. They were all washed off after use, but it seems that the smell remains.
— Hm, so these other masks you never used after you helped me?
— That's right.
Oh, shit.
— Did you see a doctor?
Nathaniel raised his frightened eyes to Jake, who shuddered automatically even though there was nothing wrong with his question.
— Why would I? I'm fine.
— But you said that until you helped me that day, you never exuded pheromones. Doesn't that mean that I ended up influencing you in some way?
— Is there such a thing?
— Of course!
The boy carefully put the masks back in the bag. He didn't seem the least bit concerned about the question.
An alpha's pheromones are strong enough to move both an omega and a beta. The betas were lucky not to be so influenced compared to the omegas, their resistance was an amazing defence system.
However, Nathaniel had not awakened as a hybrid.
And that day, he had wrapped his body in high doses of pheromones, just to control his own impulses. Of course, Jake had believed his words and it was comforting not to see him react. However, it would be foolish to think that it wouldn't influence him.
— You'd better see a doctor, just in case — Jake received Nathaniel's silent gaze, then hurried on — I'm an alpha, my pheromones could harm you in some way.
— But I said I feel fine.
— Even so...
— Haa... If it worries you, I don't mind going for a consultation.
For a moment, Jake felt his heart racing. He imagined it was a surprise at not having to beg even more. That Nathaniel was a good guy. Sniffling to hide his sudden embarrassment, Jake went back to his coffee.
Of course he would have been worried, he would have made trouble for the boy who had only reached out to help.
— You're the first person who doesn't seem bothered by my face — he heard the boy mutter.
Jake's chest tightened. Was Nathaniel wearing that mask to avoid trouble? And it was he who had asked for a table away. No-one could see him where they were. Besides, he waited for the orders to arrive so he could take off his mask.
Wasn't it a relief that at least while he was there he could feel at ease?
— Eat slowly. We've got time.
He didn't have the heart to look at him. Jake continued to eat the cake he had ordered without worrying about the time. It would be fine if they missed the first few minutes of class. Jake just felt it was the right thing to give the boy this time to breathe fresh air and stop hiding.
— Ah, I was going to ask if you liked the cake you ordered — Jake remembered.
To his surprise, when he looked at Nathaniel he found a thin smile on his bruised lips.
— Hm, it's sweet.