Jay had a glint in his eye the first time he stepped foot in Avery's penthouse, and Noël saw it immediately. With his golden-blond hair tied loosely at the nape and a scent like fresh apples in the spring, he exuded that polished, high-society charm that made him hard to ignore. He was sharp, confident, and knew how to work a room—even if the "room" in question was just Avery's living room.
But Jay wasn't there to seduce. Not seriously, at least. It started as a joke to him. Playing with Noël's expressions, brushing close to Avery, lingering too long in conversations, whispering things in a language Noël didn't speak. He called it harmless fun, but Noël could feel the crack forming in his chest each time Jay clung to Avery's arm like he belonged there.
Avery didn't indulge it. Not really. But he also didn't stop it. He had to het use to it to keep the act convincing for the plan. Still, every moment Jay laid his head on Avery's shoulder while watching TV, every staged laugh, every soft flirt, chipped away at Noël's patience.
Noël tried, at first, to ignore it. He told himself it didn't matter. He reminded himself of the truth: that it was all fake. But love, real love, wasn't always logical. His heart didn't care for contracts or strategy. His heart only saw the man he loved being touched by someone else.
So Noël snapped.
But not with anger. Not with confrontation.
With possession.
It started one evening when Jay leaned in a little too close during dinner, "accidentally" brushing his hand over Avery's. Noël silently reached across the table and intertwined his fingers with Avery's instead, gently tugging his hand away. Jay blinked. Avery looked up in surprise but Noël just gave a small, innocent smile.
From that night, Noël became someone else. Someone bolder.
He was suddenly everywhere Avery went. Sitting closer than necessary. Kissing his cheek when Jay was watching. Curling up beside him on the couch and humming softly into his shoulder. He even started helping Avery undress from his work jacket, brushing his fingers a little too slowly across his chest. His voice was softer, warmer, dripping affection in every word he spoke.
And Avery—Avery, who had been holding himself back for weeks started to bend. His eyes lingered longer. His hands grew less hesitant. His lips occasionally found their way into Noël's hair, his voice growing gentler whenever he spoke Noël's name.
Jay, at first amused, now watched with narrowed eyes.
He had underestimated the quiet little Omega.
Because Noël wasn't backing down anymore.
He was done being polite.
He was done pretending that watching someone else touch the man he loved didn't hurt.
Avery Cheng was his.
And everyone was about to know it.
A few days had passed.
Noël's plan had changed. At first, he only wanted Jay to back off. He wanted the guy to know that Avery wasn't up for grabs. But now… now it wasn't about Jay anymore. It was about Avery. About claiming his attention, his gaze, his desire—all for himself.
After a bold conversation with Leo earlier that day, Noël had done something he never thought he'd do. He'd walked into a boutique and bought a soft silk pajama set in a daring cut that highlighted every curve of his lithe, hourglass-shaped body. The shorts stopped mid-thigh, revealing long, toned legs that glowed under the bedroom lights. The matching silk top dipped low enough to hint at skin without giving it all away. Everything about it was suggestive, yet Noël wore it with feigned innocence as he lounged on the bed, scrolling casually through his phone like it was just another ordinary night.
"According to Leo, no Alpha should be able to resist if I wear this," Noël muttered in his head, glancing toward the door every few seconds. "But… is this really me? Isn't this shameful?" His thoughts spiraled with self-doubt, but every time he caught Avery's eyes on him—even briefly—he felt a strange sense of pride. It was working. Avery had noticed.
Avery entered the room fresh from work, expecting the usual quiet evening routine. But instead, he found a vision that stole the breath from his lungs. Noël on the bed, legs crossed just right, phone in hand, and a glimmer in his eye that said he knew exactly what he was doing, even if he wouldn't admit it. The silk outfit clung like a second skin, emphasizing every dip and rise of his form.
Avery froze mid-step, stunned. His gaze dropped, following the elegant curve of Noël's thighs to the soft skin peeking from beneath the hem. The sight awakened a hunger he hadn't expected. Noël looked up and greeted him as if everything was normal. That made it worse. The feigned innocence. The subtle way he shifted, elongating his body as though relaxing, but the effect was pure seduction.
Still stunned, Avery removed his shirt and walked over, crouching by the edge of the bed before slowly reaching out and grabbing Noël's thighs. He let his fingers trail higher, up to his soft hips and around to squeeze his ass. "What exactly do you think you're doing?" he asked, voice low, teasing, but rough with restrained want.
Noël blinked, all wide-eyed and falsely confused. "Doing what? I'm just resting. I should be asking you that question. Why are you squeezingmy butt?"
Avery chuckled, dark and deep, before pulling Noël into his lap with one smooth motion. Noël gasped, arms instinctively wrapping around Avery's neck as his body was pressed against firm muscle. Avery buried his face in Noël's neck, inhaling slowly, deeply. The scent had faded since the end of Noël's heat. He had gotten used to the intoxicating feeling of Noël's scent spreading in the house during his heat. Now the scent had reduced but still lingered. It was soft, addictive, uniquely Noël.
"You're playing a dangerous game, Noël," Avery murmured, his voice husky and laced with a groan as he gripped Noël's waist, fingers spreading across his lower back. "And I don't think you're ready for what you're about to start."
Noël's heart thundered. He wanted this. He wanted Avery to want him but now that he had his full attention, it felt terrifying and exhilarating at the same time. He wasn't the shy Omega anymore, at least not right now. Right now, he was Avery Cheng's biggest distraction.