Chapter 1: The Scent of Gold and Lavender

The bass vibrated through the floorboards of Neon Underworld, the most exclusive underground club in Seoul. Lasers sliced through the hazy air, catching the expensive diamond studs in Jeon Jungkook’s ears. At twenty-one, the Supreme Alpha possessed a physical presence that commanded immediate submission from anyone in his vicinity. His dark hair fell carelessly over his forehead, and his leather jacket smelled faintly of expensive smoke, burning rubber, and his own intoxicating, heavy cedarwood pheromones.

"Drink up, young master!" one of his sycophantic college friends shouted over the music, sliding a glass of amber liquid across the VIP booth.

Jungkook smirked, downing the shot effortlessly. He was a final-year business student at the prestigious Seoul National Elite Academy, though he rarely showed up for lectures. He didn't need to. He possessed a terrifyingly brilliant mind that allowed him to ace every exam with zero effort, a fact that only enabled his parents, Namjoon and Seokjin, to spoil him further. To Jungkook, the world was a playground built solely for his amusement. Nothing resisted him. Nothing defied him.

"I'm bored," Jungkook muttered, tossing the empty glass onto the glass table. He stood up, towering over his friends. "I'm heading to the company. My old man owes me my monthly allowance boost."

"At two in the afternoon?" his friend laughed. "The CEO is going to lecture you, Jungkook."

"Let him try," Jungkook replied, a confident, arrogant grin spreading across his handsome face.

Thirty minutes later, Jungkook’s matte-black sports car screeched to a halt in front of the towering glass skyscraper of Apex Horizon Real Estate. The security guards bowed low, scrambling to open the doors as the young heir strode into the lobby, completely ignoring the respectful greetings of the corporate staff. He took the private elevator straight to the top floor, intending to demand his money and leave for the next party.

When the elevator doors slid open on the executive floor, Jungkook stepped out, adjusting his leather jacket. But just as he bypassed the main reception desk, a scent hit him.

It wasn't the chemical perfume of the omegas he usually encountered in clubs. It was pure, unadulterated, and intoxicatingly sweet—a blend of fresh vanilla orchids and rain-kissed lavender. Jungkook’s inner Alpha roared instantly, a primal, possessive surge freezing him in his tracks. His pupils dilated as his eyes frantically scanned the corridor.

And then, he saw him.

A slender, breathtakingly beautiful boy was standing near the lounge area. He wore an oversized, soft cream sweater that swallowed his small frame, and his hands were carefully holding a neatly packed stainless-steel tiffin box. He looked no older than seventeen, his large, innocent sparkling eyes blinking curiously at the modern corporate art on the walls.

"Appa?" the boy whispered softly, his voice like velvet.

Jungkook felt the air leave his lungs. The Supreme Alpha within him pinned its target with absolute, terrifying certainty. Mine, the voice growled inside his head. He belongs to me.

Before Jungkook could move, a middle-aged man in a sharp corporate suit hurried out from the operations room. It was Kim Hoseok, one of the company’s dedicated Senior Project Managers.

"Taehyungie!" Hoseok smiled warmly, walking over to embrace the boy. "You didn't have to bring lunch all the way from home, sweetie. Your mom must have worked hard."

"Eomma wanted you to have a warm meal, Appa," Taehyung said, a radiant, boxy smile breaking across his face. The sight of that smile sent a bolt of raw, consuming electricity straight through Jungkook’s chest.

Jungkook stepped out from the shadows of the hallway, his heavy, suffocating Alpha aura flaring intentionally. The sudden pressure in the air made Hoseok freeze, his instincts warning him of a superior predator. Taehyung instantly gasped, his small shoulders tensing as he instinctively hid slightly behind his father, his scent spiking with sudden, overwhelming fear.

"M-Mr. Jeon," Hoseok stammered, bowing deeply as he recognized the CEO's son. "Good afternoon, sir."

Jungkook didn't acknowledge Hoseok. His piercing, dark eyes were locked entirely on Taehyung, tracking the way the younger boy’s long eyelashes trembled. Jungkook took a slow, predatory step forward, the heavy scent of cedarwood invading Taehyung’s space.

"Who is this?" Jungkook asked, his voice deep, gravelly, and dripping with an authority that left no room for refusal.

"This is my son, Kim Taehyung, sir," Hoseok replied nervously, sensing the dangerous intensity in the young Alpha's gaze. "He's... he's just a first-year art student. He was just leaving."

"Art student," Jungkook repeated slowly, rolling the words on his tongue as if tasting them. He stepped closer, forcing Hoseok to step back slightly to shield his son. Jungkook tilted his head, his gaze boring into Taehyung's frightened eyes. "You're very quiet, sweetheart."

Taehyung gripped the tiffin box tightly, his knuckles turning white. The sheer intensity of the Alpha before him—the dark, suffocating power radiating from him—made Taehyung’s chest tighten. He hated loud noises, he hated aggression, and this Alpha felt like the absolute embodiment of danger.

"L-Let's go, Appa," Taehyung whispered, his voice trembling so softly it was barely audible. He refused to look at Jungkook, turning his head away to avoid the intense stare.

The rejection, even so slight, made Jungkook’s jaw clench. No one looked away from him. No one ignored him. Yet this fragile, beautiful Omega was shrinking away from him as if he were a monster. A dark, twisted thrill bloomed in Jungkook’s heart.

"I'll see you around, Taehyung," Jungkook promised, his voice a low, dangerous promise.

Without waiting for a reply, Jungkook turned and walked into his father's office, his mind completely wiped of any thoughts of money or parties. His world had just narrowed down to a single, terrified Omega who smelled of lavender.

Thank you for reading 😘

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***