Noël had wanted Avery's attention. He had craved it, even. But now that he had it, things were… complicated.
He hadn't expected Avery's gaze to be so intense, or for his touch to light a fire across his skin like that. His little act of seduction had worked a bit too well, and now he was panicking. The excitement from earlier slowly started to be replaced with nervousness.
He fidgeted with the hem of his silk shorts, suddenly feeling exposed. "I… I saw online that silk pyjamas are supposed to be super comfy," he said, avoiding Avery's eyes. "And since summer's coming, I thought—"
Avery quirked a brow, interrupting, "It's winter."
"I know," Noël mumbled, heat rushing to his cheeks. "I just… wanted to try it?"
Avery smirked, clearly amused. Noël was flustered and adorable and totally unaware of the effect he was having. He looked seconds away from bolting.
Avery reached out and gently caressed Noël's cheek, then leaned close to murmur, "Go change into your usual cute cotton ones. I don't want anyone else seeing my boyfriend's beautiful body. Even if it's just another Omega."
Noël blinked, then nodded quickly and escaped to change.
By the time they came downstairs for dinner, Noël was back in his soft cotton pyjamas—still clingy, still seeking attention, but visibly calmer.
Avery, however, couldn't stop looking at him.
Jay noticed.
Throughout the meal, Avery's affectionate gaze rarely left Noël. He was obviously softer tonight, more tactile. Jay chewed his food slowly, eyes flicking between them. He didn't particularly care. At least not in any serious way. The whole situation was entertaining. Teasing Noël had become his new favorite pastime.
He reached out casually and placed a hand on Avery's arm. "So, about your father… What's the plan to get under his skin?"
Avery had already finished eating and was lounging back in his chair, sipping water. "There's an event coming up. A high-profile one. I'm invited," he said. "It's the perfect place to stir up a rumor. We need to get the media's attention—and fast. Once that starts, my father will have no choice but to pay attention."
Jay nodded with interest, still keeping his hand lightly on Avery's arm.
Noël, still eating quietly, almost choked on his food.
He hated that hand.
And he hated even more how Jay's voice had suddenly turned soft and sugary when addressing Avery. He could feel jealousy burning in his chest and Jay knew it. That smug little smirk on his face confirmed it.
Noël stood up abruptly, plate clean. He walked over to Avery and slipped his arms around the Alpha's neck from behind, resting his chin on his shoulder. "I'm done eating," he said softly. "Can we go upstairs now?"
Avery raised a brow slightly at the possessive gesture, but didn't mind it. In fact, he smiled, his hand naturally reaching up to hold Noël's. "We should do the dishes first."
Noël didn't protest. As long as it meant being by Avery's side, he'd do anything.
Together, they cleared the table and got to work in the kitchen. Avery, knowing full well what Noël had been feeling all evening, made sure to be extra affectionate. Brushing fingers over Noël's wrist while handing him dishes, gently tapping his hip when passing by, and occasionally leaning in to whisper some joke or tease.
Noël smiled to himself, heart calmer now.
Jay had been playing a game, sure.
But tonight, Noël had won.
________
Ten days passed in relative peace.
Jay's attention toward Noël had faded—teasing him had lost its charm once Avery stopped reacting the way Jay wanted. Boredom had set in, and Jay was now hunting for other forms of entertainment.
Noël, on the other hand, had buried himself in preparation for his return to university. His desk was piled high with textbooks, printed notes, and hastily scribbled reminders. Since he'd missed an entire semester, he had a mountain of material to cover. Avery had struck a deal with the university: if Noël could pass the exam he'd missed, he could skip repeating the year. It was a rare opportunity—one Noël didn't intend to waste.
It meant cramming months of work into weeks. His head ached, his coffee intake doubled, but the determination in his eyes never wavered.
Meanwhile, Avery was stationed at the office at work, but his "studying" looked different. His desk was littered with business profiles, event programs, and dossiers on influential attendees. The upcoming event with Jay wasn't just about creating media buzz to provoke his father, it was also an opportunity to connect with future partners and shareholders. Every handshake and photograph had to be calculated.
That afternoon, Jay slipped out of the house without a word.
Avery learned of his absence through his security team. He immediately tried calling, but every attempt went unanswered. By the time evening fell, his irritation had grown into a steady, restrained anger. He couldn't easily take the matter to the police.
When he returned home, he found only Noël.
"Did you hear Jay leave?" Avery asked.
Noël shook his head. "No. I've been in my room all day."
It wasn't until nearly 11 p.m. that Jay finally returned. He tried to slip in quietly, but Avery was waiting in the living room, sitting in the dim glow of a single lamp. His bodyguards had already alerted him that Jay had passed through the gates.
"Where were you?" Avery's voice was low but sharp, catching Jay completely off guard.
For a split second, Jay froze. He could feel Avery's pheromones in the air, heavy, unrestrained, betraying the Alpha's anger that he was trying not to show.
"I… just wanted to look around the neighborhood," Jay said quickly. "But I wandered a little farther, ended up in the city… then got lost."
"Lost?" Avery's tone made the word sound ridiculous.
Jay nodded, fumbling for more. "My phone died. I didn't have my charger."
Avery stared at him for a long moment. "Do you have any idea how reckless that is? If anything happened to you, it would compromise everything. You're under my care right now. We have a contract and a plan. Disappearing like this is unacceptable."
Jay's jaw tightened. "I didn't think walking around the block required informing the whole world."
"Don't test me, Jay." Avery's voice dropped, and the weight of it filled the room.
Jay wasn't the type to apologize, and tonight was no exception. His posture screamed defiance, even as Avery's presence pressed down on him.
Finally, Avery stood. "From now on, some of the rules in our contract are going to be revised." He didn't wait for a reply. Without another glance, he headed upstairs to his room, leaving Jay silent in the living room.