Chapter One: Arrival
The bus rumbled to a stop outside the towering training complex. Cameras swivelled, catching every angle as the doors hissed open.
One by one, trainees spilt out—sharp-jawed, tall, brimming with confidence. Their chatter filled the air, scents of alphas mingling into something sharp and heady.
Clutching his duffel bag, Seo Jiwon stepped down last. His blockers were fresh, his scent masked. To them, he was just another nervous trainee in a numbered jersey.
But inside, his pulse hammered. One hundred trainees. Twelve debut spots. I have to make it.
The lobby swallowed them in a blaze of lights and camera flashes. A giant LED screen displayed the program's slogan:
"Only the strongest can shine."
Jiwon's throat tightened. The irony wasn't lost on him. Omegas weren't meant for this stage. Everyone said so. Too weak. Too easily broken. Too dangerous to themselves and others.
But Jiwon had been chasing this dream for too long to turn back now. If he had to hide his identity, swallow pain, push his body past every limit—then so be it.
The producer's voice rang out:
"You will be split into pairs. Roommates for the duration of the competition."
Names were called. Jiwon held his breath.
"Trainee #47—Seo Jiwon. Room with Trainee #12—Kang Minjae."
His stomach dropped. He had seen Minjae on the bus—tall, broad-shouldered, the kind of alpha who radiated power without saying a word. Other trainees whispered that he was already a "sure debut."
In their new dorm room, Jiwon unpacked carefully, trying not to reveal his shaking hands. Minjae lounged on the top bunk, watching silently.
The silence pressed heavily. Jiwon tried to steady his breathing, but his alpha roommate's gaze lingered too long, too sharp.
Then Minjae's nose twitched. His head tilted slightly.
"Strange," he murmured.
Jiwon froze. No. The blockers are fresh. He can't know.
"Strange?" Jiwon asked, feigning casual.
Minjae's eyes narrowed just slightly. "For a second, I thought I smelled something sweet. But… maybe it's nothing."
Jiwon forced a laugh. "Probably just the cafeteria food."
But as he turned back to his bag, his heart thundered. If he finds out… It's over.
And judging by the way Minjae's gaze lingered, Jiwon had the sinking feeling his secret wouldn't stay hidden for long.