Chapter 1: The Scent of Trouble

The air inside the Kang estate always smelled like a high-end apothecary, thick with the clinical, bitter scent of premium scent-blockers and neutralising sprays.

Nineteen-year-old Ji-woo sat on the edge of the velvet sofa, sighing as his mother adjusted the heavy leather collar around his neck.

It was a designer choker, lined with silver threading meant to suppress pheromones, but even the expensive tech was struggling today.

"Ji-woo, you must be careful at university tomorrow," his mother warned, her voice tight with anxiety. "Your doctor said your Omega pheromones are ten times more potent than an average Omega. To a wild Alpha, you smell like an open flame in a dark forest. You will be hunted."

Ji-woo rolled his eyes gently, looking out the massive glass windows of their mansion. "I know, Mother. That's why I agreed to a bodyguard. But only if they are a Beta. I don't want some arrogant Alpha bossing me around on campus."

"We found the perfect candidate," his father interrupted, walking into the grand living room. "He passed all the physical exams, and his medical records confirm he is a pure Beta. Completely immune to your scent, and unable to release any pheromones of his own to trigger your heat."

The heavy double doors of the room opened, and the candidate stepped inside.

His name was Do-hyun. At twenty-four years old, he stood at a towering six-foot-two, with broad shoulders and a sharp, carved jawline that looked anything but 'neutral'. He wore a plain black suit that was slightly frayed at the cuffs—a clear sign that he didn't belong in a neighborhood like this.

Do-hyun bowed deeply, keeping his eyes glued to the marble floor. Underneath his calm exterior, his heart was hammering against his ribs.

Just stand straight, Do-hyun repeated to himself like a mantra. Think about the hospital bills. Think about the debt collectors. You need this job.

Do-hyun was not a Beta. He was a dominant Alpha. But desperation had forced him to pay a shady back-alley doctor for high-grade chemical suppressants—illegal drugs that completely wiped his Alpha scent from his medical blood tests and locked his instincts behind a heavy, painful wall. If he got caught lying to a Chaebol family, he would go to prison. But if he didn't get this job, his family would lose everything.

"Young Master," Do-hyun said, his voice deep and perfectly controlled. "I am Do-hyun. I will be your shadow and your protector at university."

Ji-woo stood up from the sofa, stepping closer to inspect the man who would be following him everywhere.

As Ji-woo took a step forward, a sudden breeze from the open window swept past him. The movement caused his leather collar to shift slightly, and a tiny, concentrated burst of his pheromones escaped into the air.

It was the scent of crushed white lilies and sweet, warm honey. It was intoxicating. Terrifyingly potent.

The sweet scent hit Do-hyun directly in the face.

Behind the locked wall of his mind, Do-hyun’s inner Alpha violently woke up, screaming to rip his suit off, pin the boy to the floor, and claim him on the spot. Sweat instantly broke out on the back of Do-hyun's neck. The illegal suppressants in his veins fought against his instincts, causing a sharp, burning pain in his chest.

Do-hyun clenched his fists so hard his knuckles turned white, forcing his face to remain a blank, emotionless mask.

Ji-woo tilted his head, looking up into Do-hyun's dark eyes. He didn't smell any Alpha threat from him, but something about this man's intense, unblinking gaze made Ji-woo’s heart skip a beat.

"You don't flinch at my scent at all," Ji-woo murmured, thoroughly impressed. "Most people choke when my collar slips. You really are a textbook Beta, aren't you?"

Do-hyun swallowed the thick lump of anxiety in his throat and forced a polite, robotic smile. "Scent does not affect me, Young Master. You are entirely safe with me."

Safe, Do-hyun thought bitterly, his inner Alpha still scratching frantically at his composure. He has no idea he just locked himself in a room with a starving predator.

I am so glad you love it! The tension between them is already so good. Do-hyun is suffering internally while Ji-woo thinks he is completely safe.

Chapter 2: The Campus Guard

The gates of Hankuk University were packed with excited freshmen, but none drew as many eyes as Ji-woo. As a luxury black sedan pulled up to the curb, the doors opened to reveal the young Chaebol heir. Even in a simple university sweater, he looked like a celebrity.

Right behind him stepped Do-hyun, carrying a casual backpack over one shoulder to blend in. Up close, they looked like two wealthy friends. In reality, Do-hyun’s eyes were scanning the crowd like a hawk, measuring the distance of every single person walking past them.

"Remember the rules, Do-hyun," Ji-woo whispered under his breath as they walked onto the bustling campus quad. "In front of my parents, you are my bodyguard. But here, you are just a regular student who happens to share all my classes. No bowing, no 'Young Master', and absolutely no drawing attention to us."

"Understood," Do-hyun replied quietly. His voice was calm, but his body was stiff.

Being out in the open was a nightmare. The campus was flooding with the mixed pheromones of hundreds of students. But worse than that was Ji-woo's scent. Even though Ji-woo wore his expensive suppressant collar, the sheer heat of the afternoon sun made the sweet, honey-like fragrance leak out in tiny, intoxicating waves.

Do-hyun could see the exact moment the scent hit the other students.

Several Alpha students in the courtyard stopped mid-sentence. Their heads snapped toward Ji-woo, their eyes widening as they inhaled the air.

"Wow... who is that?" one tall Alpha student muttered to his friends, his eyes instantly turning predatory. "That Omega smells incredible. I've never smelled anything like that before."

The Alpha student began walking straight toward Ji-woo with a confident, arrogant smirk.

Ji-woo didn't notice. He was looking at his campus map on his phone. But Do-hyun noticed instantly.

Before the Alpha could even get within two feet of Ji-woo, Do-hyun smoothly stepped into his path. His large, broad-shouldered frame completely blocked the Alpha's view of the heir.

Do-hyun didn't drop his fake Beta smile, but his eyes turned ice-cold. He stared down at the student, his posture radiating a silent, terrifying warning that notice-me Alphas usually only get from an apex predator.

"Excuse me," Do-hyun said, his voice flat and hard. "You're blocking the walkway."

The Alpha student froze. He couldn't smell an Alpha scent on Do-hyun because of the heavy drugs in Do-hyun's system, but the sheer, raw physical threat oozing from this 'Beta' made his instincts scream to back down.

"Uh... sorry," the student stammered, taking a step back and rubbing the back of his neck nervously before running off to his friends.

Ji-woo looked up from his phone, blinking in confusion. "What was that about?"

Do-hyun instantly softened his expression, turning back to Ji-woo with a polite, casual expression. "Just a student who lost his way, Ji-woo. Your first class is in the Business Building. Let's head inside before we're late."

Ji-woo stared at Do-hyun for a moment, a small frown forming on his lips. "You know... for a Beta, you're pretty intimidating. Are you sure you didn't lie on your medical forms?"

Do-hyun's heart skipped a beat, a cold sweat breaking out under his shirt.

Chapter 3: The View From the Back Row

The lecture hall was already buzzing with life when they walked in. Groups of students were gathered in circles, laughing and exchanging social media handles. The air was a dizzying cocktail of different scents, but Ji-woo didn’t look bothered at all.

Instead of hiding in a corner, Ji-woo walked confidently down the steps and picked a seat in the middle row next to a cheerful-looking girl named Sora. On his other side, a friendly Omega boy instantly turned around to strike up a conversation. Within seconds, Ji-woo was smiling and chatting, blending in perfectly like a normal college student.

Ji-woo didn't look back at Do-hyun even once. He didn't need to. He knew exactly who was guarding him. 'I don't need to worry about anything anymore,' Ji-woo thought, feeling a strange sense of comfort. 'Do-hyun will take care of me.'

Seeing his employer safe, Do-hyun quietly retreated to the very back row, keeping a sharp eye on Ji-woo from above. He slid into an empty desk.

"Hey," a voice spoke up from the seat right next to him.

Do-hyun turned his head. Sitting beside him was a tall, relaxed-looking guy with a sharp jacket and an unmistakably confident posture.

"Hello," Do-hyun replied, keeping his voice neutral.

The guy leaned back, his eyes narrowing slightly as he openly scanned Do-hyun's broad shoulders and imposing frame. "Are you an Alpha?"

Do-hyun’s stomach dropped, but his face remained a perfect, emotionless mask. Thanks to the illegal suppressants, his biological scent was completely dead, but his massive physical presence always made other Alphas suspicious.

"Nope," Do-hyun lied smoothly. "I'm a Beta."

The guy blinked, looking genuinely surprised, before a relaxed grin spread across his face. "Oh, good. I’m Min-jae, and I’m an Alpha." He extended a hand, though his eyes kept staring intensely at Do-hyun, as if trying to solve a puzzle. "You just have a really intense vibe for a Beta, man. I almost thought I'd have to compete with you for territory in this class."

Do-hyun shook Min-jae's hand briefly, his grip firm but careful not to reveal his true strength. "I get that a lot. I'm Do-hyun."

"Well, nice to meet you, Do-hyun," Min-jae said, finally leaning back but keeping his eyes locked on Do-hyun's side profile.

Up front, Ji-woo laughed at something his new friends said, and the sudden movement caused his leather collar to shift slightly. A tiny, microscopic hint of sweet lilies and honey drifted up toward the back row.

Min-jae’s nose twitched instantly. His eyes flared. "Whoa... do you smell that?" Min-jae whispered, leaning forward and staring down at the front rows. "There's an Omega down there with a crazy attractive scent. Damn."

Sitting right next to him, Do-hyun's jaw clenched so hard it ached. His inner Alpha violently roared in his chest, furious that another male was sniffing his Omega's fragrance. The drug in Do-hyun's veins burned like fire as it forced his pheromones to stay locked inside, but a dangerous, dark glint flashed in Do-hyun's eyes as he stared at the back of Min-jae's head.