The morning was still dark, the sun only just about to rise. The house was quiet.
Suddenly, Jay's bedroom door slammed open.
Jay stumbled out, half-asleep, eyes barely open, hair completely messed up, walking crooked like he'd just stepped off a ship.
"What's wrong with me… this house is spinning. Who changed the floor?" Jay muttered, clinging to the wall like he was about to collapse.
Noah, who was making coffee, just stared at him with a confused look, as if trying to process what he was seeing. He spoke calmly, "The house isn't spinning, Jay. You are."
Jay rubbed his eyes, his nose twitching. "Why does the air smell so strong? Is the air-con broken? Or… did you shower in kerosene?"
Eric and Liam, who had just come out of the kitchen, froze on the spot, both of them equally shocked.
Eric whispered to Liam, "Bro… does he smell bad, or just strong?"
Liam whispered back, "I don't know… but look at him."
Jay glared at the two Alphas, half annoyed, half dizzy. "You two smell strong too. Stronger than burnt eggs!"
Liam raised an eyebrow. "My face smells?"
"Yes. Alpha smell. It hurts my nose," Jay replied, waving the air in front of his face like he was trying to push the smell away.
Eric looked at Liam, his face tightening. "Holy… bro. He's in heat. This is his first heat."
Jay looked up in shock. "What heat?! Who heated me?! When?!"
Liam let out a small laugh, trying to hold it in but failing. "Not that kind of hit, Jay. Omega heat. Mood swings, pheromones spiking, dizziness… all of it. Normal. First time as an omega, right?"
Jay leaned against the wall, completely lost. "Then why do I feel like biting Eric?" he said, staring at Eric with a strange look.
Eric immediately stepped back two steps, panic on his face. "Nope. No. Absolutely not. Liam, we're leaving. Now."
Liam nodded right away. "Yeah. We're going out first. Before our Alpha instincts kick in."
Noah raised his hand and shooed the two Alphas away like cats trying to enter the kitchen. "Correct. Out. Both of you. Don't stay near an omega in heat. It's dangerous. If it gets too strong, you'll follow his pheromones."
Eric and Liam didn't waste time.
"Yeah, dangerous," Eric said while tying his shoes the wrong way. "Jay, I value my life. I'll see you when you don't want to bite me."
Liam waved. "Don't destroy the house. We'll wait outside."
Jay dropped onto the sofa, still dizzy and overheated. "Noah… I'm seriously not okay. I feel like yelling at the window."
Noah took a deep breath and grabbed a glass of water. "It's okay. Sit there. This is your first heat. Every omega goes through this."
Jay squirmed restlessly. "First heat feels like an emergency room situation…"
Noah sat in front of him and placed the glass in his hand. "If you're not mad at the window and not mad at my coffee, that already counts as stable."
Jay shot a look at the coffee. "I am mad at your coffee."
Noah nodded calmly. "Okay. Normal."
---
That night, the house was quiet. Jay was sleeping in the guest room, completely exhausted after everything that happened earlier. Eric and Liam had been out since evening. Eric had dragged Liam to a new restaurant at the end of the block, supposedly to clear their heads.
"Feels better getting out," Eric said while chewing fries. "My head gets messed up when Jay's like that."
Liam nodded slowly. "Yeah. I panicked too. His pheromones spiked out of nowhere… it didn't make sense."
"Relax. He's probably asleep now. When we get back, his heat should've calmed down," Eric said, trying to convince himself.
Liam didn't reply. He had a bad feeling. Omega heat wasn't something you could predict. But he kept quiet, not wanting to think about it while eating.
After they finished, they talked a bit about work and life before heading home. But the closer they got to the door, the more something felt wrong to Liam. The scent… omega scent. Jay's scent. And it shouldn't have been that thick.
Liam stopped. "Eric… do you smell that?"
Eric inhaled. His eyes widened instantly. "Oh… damn."
They opened the door. The scent hit them like a wave of heat. Omega pheromones were so thick they felt suffocating. Eric immediately covered his nose with his arm.
"Liam… this… this isn't a normal heat smell," Eric whispered, his voice shaky.
Liam was no longer calm. He tried to steady his breathing, but his Alpha instincts reacted on their own. His heart dropped. "Why is it so strong? He shouldn't—"
He didn't finish the sentence. They walked slowly toward the guest room. When Liam cracked the door open, the scent became even stronger. Like the room itself was soaked in omega pheromones.
Jay was on the bed, sprawled out, sleeping, his forehead damp with sweat. His breathing was heavy. The blanket had slipped halfway down. His pheromones were spreading without him realizing it.
Liam gripped the door. "No way… I thought his heat was over."
Eric stood frozen behind him. "Liam… this isn't good. You need to leave. Now."
But Liam didn't move. His eyes couldn't leave Jay. His Alpha body tensed. His heartbeat raced. His breathing turned uneven.
"No way… no way…" Liam tried to pull himself back, but the scent wrapped around him like a trap. "If this keeps up… we're screwed."
Eric grabbed Liam's arm. "Get out. Now, Liam. I'm serious. This is not—"
But that was the problem. Jay's omega scent had reached a level no Alpha could resist. No matter how strong the will, the body reacted first.
"Eric… you should just go first…" Liam muttered.
And that night… things turned into something they should never have allowed.
No details needed. What mattered was this. Liam knew everything had gone wrong, and now there was no easy way back.
---
Noah sat on a long bench at the edge of the park, a warm mug of coffee in his hands. He looked up when he saw Caryn walking slowly toward him, hands tucked into her jacket pockets, hair slightly messy in the morning breeze. Noah smiled lightly, trying to look casual even though his heart skipped a little.
"Did you wait long?" Noah asked, relaxed, but his eyes carefully taking in every step she made.
Caryn raised an eyebrow, no smile. "Not really. But if you were any later, I would've started eating already. Can't stand watching you drink coffee alone."
Noah chuckled softly. "If you're that hungry, I can buy another one. But you have to promise not to eat yet, or my coffee'll get cold."
Caryn sat down, leaning back slightly, and Noah noticed how her shoulders relaxed once she sat, even though she tried to keep her usual rude attitude. "Fine. But you know I hate waiting."
He lifted his mug in a mock toast. "I know. But now that you're here, maybe smile a little? I haven't seen your real smile yet this morning."
She looked at him, eyebrow raised, eyes flickering. "A real smile? You want it just for you?"
"If it's just for me… I won't complain," Noah said, his eyes lighting up.
Caryn gave a small smile, clearly pretending it meant nothing, but Noah felt warmth spread through his chest.
They joked about coffee for a while. Who finished faster, who chose the better spot in the park. Noah laughed when Caryn exaggerated her struggle trying to get her straw unstuck from the ice.
"Let me help," Noah said, reaching out.
She looked at him. "What, you think I'm fragile?"
"No. I just don't want a small accident ruining the mood," he replied with a smile.
She laughed softly, eyes bright, but still tried to keep her rude act. "I'll remember that. But don't expect me to be soft like this in public all the time."
Noah laughed. "That's fine. At least you didn't kick me off the bench."
They kept chatting, light and warm. The morning weather, people passing by, the scent of flowers blooming nearby. Noah even mimicked the voice of a kid running through the park, making Caryn laugh so hard that he laughed too.
"Hey, don't laugh like that. You sound stupid," Caryn teased, still laughing, her voice soft.
Noah smiled, eyes fixed on her. "If you say that, I'll laugh even more. You might get jealous."
Caryn laughed again, eyes sparkling. "Jealous? Me? You're ridiculous…" She paused, took a breath, tried to look serious. But Noah saw the softness in her eyes, her smile gentler, unforced.
Warmth filled Noah's chest. Throughout the morning, there was comfort in the teasing, the smiles, the way Caryn looked at him. No big words were needed. That was enough.
Caryn, despite trying to stay tough and rude, noticed how easily she laughed at Noah's stupid jokes. A warmth crept in without her realizing it. This time, Noah wasn't just a friend. Something else was starting.
They spent the rest of the morning calmly, coffee almost finished. Noah didn't want it to end. He noticed Caryn sitting a little closer now, and when she lightly stumbled over a small stone, Noah instinctively reached out.
"It's okay… I've got you," he said softly, eyes never leaving her.
She looked at him, feeling something unfamiliar. No one had ever looked out for her like this. She didn't want to show it, only teased softly, "I don't need you to take care of me. But… thanks."
Noah smiled, relieved and happy. "If mornings were like this every day, I'd come every time," he said, putting on an innocent face.
Caryn smiled quietly, her heart opening a little, even as she tried to stay tough. Noah was… special.