The heat in Yibo's chest wouldn't let him breathe normally. He told himself to look away, to focus on the gala, on the laughter and music around him—but the Alpha's gaze burned into him like a brand.
He tried to keep his usual confident mask, raising a glass, tilting his chin, tossing a teasing smile at a nearby Alpha who dared glance his way. But every glance was meaningless, every attempt at playfulness faltered. Because Xiao Zhan wasn't just looking. He was claiming, and Yibo felt it in the depths of his bones, even though he had no idea why.
"Yibo," Yuan's voice pulled him back, soft, concerned. "Are you… okay?"
Yibo's laugh came out sharper than intended, more like a bark. "I'm fine," he said, though his eyes couldn't help flicking back to the man in black. The one whose eyes didn't beg, didn't flirt, didn't even acknowledge that Yibo was beautiful—he just stared. Unflinching. Unapologetic. Unforgettable.
The Alpha's lips curved slightly as he took a step forward, not even approaching Yibo fully. He didn't need to. His presence alone was enough. Every movement exuded dominance, control, the quiet danger of a predator who had already decided that the Omega before him would one day belong entirely to him.
Yibo felt heat crawl up his neck, creeping into his ears, and for the first time in his life, he felt… small. Not weak. Not scared. Just… aware of someone who could dismantle him without touching him.
And Xiao Zhan, 22, already knowing this Omega was his mate, allowed the stare to linger. He had all the time in the world. Patience was part of his game. Watching Yibo struggle against instincts he didn't yet understand—oh, it was exquisite.
Minutes—or was it hours?—passed in silence. Yibo kept glancing away, trying to mask the fluster, trying to return to the safe distance of social interactions. But every time his eyes met the Alpha's, he felt it again: the undeniable, shattering pull.
Xiao Zhan didn't move closer. He didn't speak. He didn't have to. Yibo's gaze betrayed him, flicking back in secret, betraying his own fascination, his own growing obsession—even if he didn't know it yet.
And in that crowded gala, under the glittering chandeliers, it became a silent war: the Omega fighting instinct, the Alpha already victorious in claim, and the tension between them so thick it could choke anyone who stepped too close.