Noah looked at the handsome, roguish Alpha with trepidation, waiting for his answer. He wouldn't blame the man if he refused; Noah was, after all, a complete stranger sitting on the side of the road outside a luxury hotel. He simply looked on, anxious and nervous.
The Alpha didn't respond immediately. He took a moment to look Noah up and down, a slow, deliberate inspection, before a slight, knowing smirk touched his lips.
Given the man's dismissive attitude, Noah was already preparing to turn away and search for another option, when the Alpha suddenly pulled out his phone and passed it through the open car window.
Noah's face lit up with surprise. He hadn't collected the phone immediately, caught off guard by the unexpected act of kindness.
"I thought you said you needed to make a call," the Alpha prompted. "Don't you need the phone any longer?"
Noah quickly composed himself. "Thank you, thank you so much, sir," he said, reaching out and gently taking the phone.
He rapidly punched in his friend's number and waited, the ringing in his ear sounding impossibly loud, until the call finally connected.
"Naya, it's me, Noah," he rushed to say into the receiver. "Can you please pick me up at Tuniforce Hotel? I'm alone here, and I have no way to get back home."
Without a second of hesitation or a single question, Naya's voice came through the speaker. "Okay. Wait for me. I'll be there in ten minutes."
"Okay," Noah confirmed, ending the call.
He carefully handed the phone back to the roguish Alpha and offered the man a bright, genuine smile. "Thank you so much, sir. I'm very grateful."
The man lifted the corner of his lips into a responding smile. Noah couldn't help but be struck by his looks; he was truly handsome, the type of man who could seduce anyone in seconds, making resistance seem impossible, regardless of his intentions.
Noah instinctively compared this man's face to that of the beast who had tortured him all night. No matter how much he wanted to believe this new Alpha was better looking, his conscience wouldn't allow it. Adam was truly, devastatingly handsome, despite his vile nature.
Realizing he was thinking about that stuck-up Alpha again, Noah quickly shook his head, clearing his mind. He addressed his helper once more. "Thank you, sir. I'm sorry for blocking your car. You can leave now, and thank you once again."
The man smiled warmly. "You're welcome."
Noah was about to turn toward the sidewalk to sit and wait when the Alpha spoke again. "What's your name?"
The question caught Noah off guard. He hadn't expected the man to ask for his name. But the Alpha had just done him a huge favor, and Noah didn't want to be rude to his benefactor.
"My name is Noah," he answered honestly.
The man nodded slowly. "Since you are waiting for your friend and you don't have somewhere comfortable to stay, you can sit in my car for a while. We can wait for your friend to arrive together."
Noah quickly shook his head, politely refusing. "I've already troubled you enough, and besides, I am not used to entering a stranger's car. I don't mean to be rude; it's just how I feel. I am genuinely grateful that you want to help me again, but I have to politely refuse."
The man did not argue. He simply nodded and accepted the refusal. "That's fine then. I also have things to do. Take care, Noah. I hope we see each other again."
With that, the man drove his car away, not giving Noah another chance to speak. Noah watched the luxurious car disappear, letting out a weary sigh. He returned to the sidewalk and sat down again. He didn't care that passing cars might see him sitting alone on the curb. He was exhausted and no longer cared what strangers thought of him.
Just a few minutes later, a sleek sports car screeched to a halt in front of him. A beautiful girl, Naya, got out of the driver's seat. She wore a very tight dress that hugged her curves and bright red lipstick, looking every bit the confident, stylish Omega. Naya walked quickly toward him. Noah raised his head, managing a faint smile.
"You're here," he said.
Naya nodded. "I was nearby already, that's why I got here so fast. Come on, get in the car."
Noah nodded, opened the passenger door of the sports car, and climbed inside. Naya settled back into the driver's seat.
"Where do you want to go?" she asked immediately.
"Home," Noah answered. "I have to confront my parents about something."
Naya nodded and started driving. After a few minutes of silence, she finally spoke. "Are you going to tell me what happened to you and why you look like a wreck?"
Noah shook his head. "I'm very tired right now. I just want to sleep. I promise I will explain everything to you later."
Naya accepted the refusal without pressing. "Sleep when we get to your house, I'll wake you up," she said gently.
Noah nodded his acceptance. Their friendship had always operated on this quiet understanding; they never pressured each other. They allowed space for the other person to calm down before requesting explanations. Noah was endlessly grateful to have Naya in his life.
Naya was an Omega like him, and they had attended the same prestigious high school. Noah had only been there on a full scholarship, meaning he was surrounded by wealthy students who mostly ignored the poor scholarship kid.
Naya, however, hadn't been like that. They had connected quickly. Naya didn't care about his poverty. Being a month older than him, Naya had always regarded herself as his elder sister and had fiercely protected him since their friendship began.
She knew about his devastating family problems, and if Noah hadn't constantly held her back, Naya would have stormed into his house long ago to fight his parents.
In every difficult time, Naya had been his steadfast support. Now, sitting in her car, Noah felt safe. The exhaustion of the last two days finally caught up to him, and he drifted off to sleep.
He woke only when he felt someone gently shaking him. He rubbed his eyes, disoriented. "Where are we?" he asked Naya.
"Your home," she replied.
Noah nodded. "Thank you. You can go back home now. I will call you later to tell you what happened."
Naya shook her head firmly. "I'm not leaving. You just told me you're going in for a confrontation with your parents, and I intend to be there to support you. Don't tell me it's a 'family business' and your parents won't appreciate you bringing an outsider. I only care about you, and I am following you in."
Noah felt a familiar warmth spread through him. He knew their bond was strong because neither of them fit the typical Omega mold.
They both rejected the notion that Omegas were inherently weak, meant only for pampering, or were merely preys or submissive spouses who shouldn't make global decisions.
Naya was a fierce, no-nonsense young woman. Many boys who had initially been attracted to her backed off because they found her too unconventional; one boy had even called her 'weird' for not behaving like a proper Omega.
Noah, too, believed his designation didn't diminish his worth, but he recognized that if Naya had been an Alpha, free from societal constraints, it would be easier for her to become one of the most powerful people in the country. Noah believes in Naya, it's just that he knew her path to greatness will be thorny just because she's an omega, but Noah knows she can do it.
Noah knew that once Naya made up her mind, she was immovable. He finally nodded in acceptance. "Fine," he said. "But no matter what happens in there, don't say anything. I will take care of it myself."
Naya frowned, clearly disagreeing, but conceded. "Fine."