Viona noticed Ethan stepping away from her as he set the dinner table. Though he tried to hide it, his subtle retreat sparked a flash of irritation in her.
Frustrated, she caught him by the arm, forcefully pulling him against her chest. She wrapped her arms around him tightly, pressing her lips directly against the sensitive bite mark on the nape of his neck.
"You're mad, aren't you, honey?" she whispered against his ear, her hand gently tracing the mark. "But I love it when you're jealous."
Ethan's face burned a deep crimson. Every instinct screamed at him to back away, but his body refused to cooperate. The energy had completely drained from his limbs, leaving him paralyzed in her embrace.
As they stood frozen together, Viona suddenly released her pheromones. Ethan couldn't fathom her sudden motive, but the biological trigger was instantaneous. A violent tremble ran through his spine, and his own pheromones began leaking out automatically in response, intertwining with hers.
It took about three minutes for Viona to rein in her scent, but Ethan's body took much longer to regain control.
"There. Much better," Viona smiled warmly, completely unaffected. "Now you smell like me."
She slipped away into the kitchen to fetch the remaining dishes, leaving Ethan standing in the dining room, utterly dazed. What the hell just happened?
He was shaken from his stupor by the sudden, sharp ring of the doorbell.
The muffled sound of a man's voice on the other side sent a small jolt of anxiety through him. Gathering every ounce of his courage, Ethan braced himself to face Viona's Alpha friend. It's fine. He's Viona's friend. There's nothing to worry about. He's one of the good ones...
Trying to steady his breathing, Ethan asked Viona if she would get the door. Busy balancing the hot plates, she casually waved him over to handle it.
Ethan walked to the entryway and opened the door, entirely unprepared for the blur of motion that immediately lunged at him. Before he could process what was happening, he was caught in a tight embrace—and then violently shoved backward.
It wasn't the Alpha friend. It was Helena, Viona's Omega friend.
Helena's usual ritual was to immediately throw herself into Viona's arms, marking her with her scent so the Alpha would be forced to tolerate her presence. The moment she realized the body she was clinging to didn't belong to Viona, but to an unfamiliar Omega, disgust flashed across her face.
Realizing her mistake, Helena forcefully pushed him away. The harshness of the rejection stung Ethan physically. Though her eyes flared with anger, Helena instantly masked it with a flawlessly fake, strained apology.
Standing just behind her, Mark smirked. He watched the subtle drama unfold, highly anticipating the usual childish tantrum he expected from a territorial Omega. In his experience, Omegas always bickered over Alphas, even when the Alpha couldn't care less. Helena was textbook in that regard, and he assumed the new guy would be no different.
But Ethan didn't break.
"Hello. Please, come inside," Ethan welcomed them politely, deliberately ignoring the hostile glare burning into him.
In that single exchange, his suspicions were confirmed. This Omega was in love with Viona. He had a love rival.
Strangely, the realization didn't faze him. Ethan had survived far worse traumas in his life; a petty romantic rival was nothing.
Helena didn't give him a second glance as she brushed past him into the house. Mark, however, paused. He flashed Ethan a warm, seemingly friendly smile and handed over a cluster of gift bags.
"A little something for the newlyweds," Mark said smoothly, his tone perfectly cordial. "It's great to finally meet you."
But Ethan wasn't easily fooled. He had caught that fleeting smirk on Mark's face when Helena pushed him. Mark was the type of person who found amusement in the chaos and misery of others—a dangerous, unpredictable man Ethan knew he should avoid at all costs. Yet, because he was Viona's friend, Ethan forced himself to maintain a serene facade despite the nervous pounding in his chest.
It's okay... He might not be like the others. Just calm down.
Closing the door, Ethan carried the gifts into the living room. His hands were full, and his sole objective was to drop them off and retreat to a quiet corner, well outside their social radius. But Viona caught his eye, silently cutting off his escape route. Left with no choice, Ethan stood awkwardly in the center of the room, feeling exposed.
"I see why you were boasting about your new Omega, Viona," Mark said, his eyes scanning Ethan playfully. "He really does seem like the perfect match for you."
Though the words were complimentary, Ethan felt the heavy weight of a double meaning behind them. He kept his gaze firmly on the floor, refusing to make eye contact. He hated Alphas. The deep-seated resentment burned in his chest, triggered instantly by Mark's arrogant, knowing tone. Memories of his darkest days threatened to resurface.
I hate them. I hate all of them.
But as the thought crossed his mind, a confusing contradiction struck him. Then why... why does Viona's touch feel so comforting? Do I really hate them all? I don't know anymore.
As they moved toward the dining area, Helena repeatedly tried to navigate her way to Viona's side. But Viona kept Ethan anchored firmly next to her, effectively blocking Helena out. A dark gloom settled over Helena's features—a shift that didn't escape Viona's notice.
Viona chalked it up to standard platonic jealousy, completely missing the volatile obsession brewing beneath the surface. Attempting to lighten the suffocating atmosphere, Viona suggested they sit down to eat.
They gathered around a modest four-top table. Mark and Viona sat directly across from one another, leaving Helena and Ethan facing each other.
The table was laden with food, and Helena immediately seized her opportunity.
"Wow! You made shrimp? I love shrimp!" Helena cooed, casting a loaded look across the table. "Viona always remembers exactly what I like."
Accustomed to being pampered by her friends, Helena leaned heavily into her spoiled persona to draw Viona's attention away from Ethan.
"Viona, would you mind peeling these for me? I just got my nails done today, and I really don't want to ruin them."
Mark quietly chuckled, thoroughly entertained by the blatant power play. What fascinated him more, however, was Ethan's reaction—or rather, the complete lack of one. Ethan remained entirely unfazed by Helena's transparent flirting. To Mark, it looked like the ultimate display of confidence; Ethan behaved like an Omega who knew his Alpha belonged entirely to him, leaving no room for petty insecurity.
Mark found it incredibly attractive. Most Omegas he encountered were loud, demanding, and exhausting—much like Helena, who was quickly becoming an eyesore. Ethan's quiet dignity and calm demeanor were exactly what Mark desired in a partner. The first impression was striking.
On the other side of the table, Ethan noticed that Viona hadn't managed to take a single bite of her own food. She was too busy catering to Helena's endless, needy requests. Ethan already had a notoriously small appetite, and sitting across from Mark had completely ruined what little hunger he had left.
Wanting to alleviate the burden on Viona so she could finally eat her dinner while it was hot, Ethan decided to intervene. He turned to Helena with a polite, neutral expression.
"Shall I do it for you?" he offered gently.
He expected a sharp retort from Helena, but instead, he felt a sudden shift in the air. He looked over, only to find Viona staring at him, her expression unexpectedly dark and deeply offended.