The morning air was crisp, laced with the faint scent of pine and something sweeter I couldn't quite place. I stood by the training grounds, watching warriors clash in a rhythmic dance of sweat and steel, my mind a storm of conflicting emotions.
Dante had been acting strange since last night. Not that I was paying attention or anything. It wasn't like I cared about the way his jaw clenched whenever I spoke to someone else. Or how his golden eyes flickered with something unreadable whenever I was near.
Nope. Not at all.
I sighed, crossing my arms as I leaned against the fence, trying not to let my thoughts drift toward a certain arrogant Alpha. Instead, I focused on the sparring match in front of me.
Tobi, the wiry Beta warrior, moved like water, dodging every blow that came his way. Despite being smaller than the towering Alphas he fought, he never faltered. He ducked, spun, and countered with precise movements, his body nimble and agile.
But something was… off.
His scent—or rather, the lack of it. Betas had neutral scents, but Tobi smelled like nothing. Too clean. Too perfect.
I narrowed my eyes, the nagging suspicion growing stronger.
And then, fate—being the cruel, drama-loving entity that it was—decided to prove me right.
One of the Alphas lunged, his claws slashing toward Tobi's arm. The fabric of his tunic ripped, and in an instant, the world seemed to slow.
A thick, syrupy scent flooded the air—warm honey mixed with something creamy and sinful. It was intoxicating, curling around my senses like a forbidden promise.
Oh. Oh.
The effect was immediate. The training ground fell into chaos.
Alphas staggered, pupils blown wide as the scent hit them like a drug. A few warriors stumbled back, gripping their chests as if trying to contain their instincts. One particularly unfortunate Alpha let out a strangled groan, his breathing ragged.
Tobi froze, his face draining of color.
I gaped at him. "You're an Omega?"
He took a shaky step back. "N-No, I—"
Before he could finish, one of the affected Alphas snapped, lunging toward him with a guttural snarl.
And then, Dante moved.
Like a shadow cutting through firelight, he was there in an instant, his presence suffocatingly dominant. A powerful snarl tore through the air, vibrating deep in my bones.
"Stand. Down."
His voice was low, dark—the kind of command that left no room for argument.
The Alphas dropped to their knees. Even the wind seemed to hold its breath.
Tobi, now shaking like a leaf, took another step back, but Dante's hand shot out, grabbing his wrist in an iron grip. His golden eyes blazed with intensity.
"You've been lying to us." His voice was dangerously calm. "Explain."
Tobi's throat bobbed. "I-I had to."
Dante exhaled sharply, nostrils flaring. "Your scent—" His grip tightened for a brief second before he let go as if burned. "You smell like a damn dessert platter."
I snorted, unable to help myself. "So what you're saying is, he sweats milk and cries honey?"
Tobi groaned, burying his face in his hands. "It's not my fault!"
Dante ran a hand down his face, muttering something under his breath about useless Betas turning out to be Omegas and the universe testing his patience.
I smirked, leaning against the fence again. "This is a lot to take in, huh, Alpha? First, you reject me, and now you're collecting secret Omegas. What's next? Adopting stray kittens?"
His gaze flicked to me, sharp and unreadable. "Jealous?"
Heat rushed to my cheeks. "Of what? Your sudden charity work?"
His smirk was lazy, knowing. "If you say so."
I huffed, looking away before he saw just how flustered I was. But, of course, my traitorous heart had other plans, thudding wildly at his teasing tone.
Tobi, meanwhile, looked like he wanted the earth to swallow him whole.
"I've been hiding as a Beta for years," he confessed, voice soft. "If Alphas find out what I am, they… they don't leave me alone."
Dante's jaw tightened. Something dark flickered in his eyes. "Someone tried to take you before."
Tobi nodded. "More than once."
For a moment, an odd silence stretched between us. And then, to break the tension, I clapped my hands. "Well, good luck with that."
Tobi gawked at me. "That's it? That's all you have to say?"
I shrugged. "What, you want me to cry? Write you a poem? You've been lying to us for who knows how long, and now you expect sympathy?"
Dante pinched the bridge of his nose. "Arielle."
"What?" I blinked at him innocently. "I think we should throw a party. 'Congratulations, You're an Omega!' We could serve milk and honey."
Tobi let out a deep sigh, shaking his head. "You're impossible."
I grinned. "That's what they tell me."
Dante, however, wasn't laughing. He was watching Tobi with an expression I couldn't quite read. Protective? Curious? Possessive?
I didn't like it.
And I especially didn't like the way something inside me twisted at the sight.
I straightened, flipping my hair over my shoulder. "Well, since you two seem to be having a moment, I'll leave you to it."
I turned on my heel, but before I could take two steps, Dante's voice stopped me. "Where do you think you're going?"
I glanced back, raising an eyebrow. "To do literally anything that doesn't involve babysitting secret dessert-flavored Omegas."
Dante took a step closer, his scent brushing against me like a whisper. "Stay."
My breath hitched. The word wasn't a command. It was a request.
A dangerous one.
I swallowed hard, ignoring the way my stupid Omega instincts fluttered at the sound of his voice. "Why?"
His golden eyes burned into mine. "Because I want you here."
And just like that, my carefully built walls crumbled a little more.
As I stood there, caught between the smirking Alpha and the panicked hidden Omega, one thing became painfully clear—
I was in way too deep.
And Dante Nightbane?
He was going to be the death of me.