chapter 1

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.

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