The hall had barely begun to recover from the chaos of Cassian Drakov's uncontrolled pheromones. Guests who had fainted or crumpled to the marble floor were being helped to their feet. Whispered speculation filled the air. Cassian scanned the room with laser focus. Even seated, he radiated power, tension coiled in every muscle. The alpha within him had learned to regain control quickly, but the faint residue of earlier instability kept him on edge.
Then, from the far side of the hall, a sharp clap rang out, precise, deliberate, and impossibly calm. Heads turned, still shaken, to see the source.
A boy had come forward.Blonde, hair tied back with a simple hair tie, long enough to catch the light as he moved, his presence was otherworldly. Majestic. Ethereal. Almost fragile-looking, yet there was something in the way he carried himself — deliberate, confident, and unafraid — that made everyone instinctively pause. Even the staff froze, unsure of whether to approach or retreat.
This was no ordinary boy. He was an omega, and his aura already brushed subtly against the alpha instinct of Cassian Drakov, teasing, pulling, and coaxing awareness even before a word was spoken.
The boy paused, scanned the room, then signed discreetly to a nearby attendant. A small object was handed to him — precise, controlled, almost ceremonial. He took it, and with every step he moved forward, the air seemed to ripple around him. Guests could not look away. Their attention was captured entirely by his ethereal beauty: the sharpness of his jaw, the delicate curve of his lips, the calm intensity in his eyes. Many whispered, mesmerized, failing to notice the danger quietly approaching them.
Cassian's gaze locked onto the boy immediately. He could feel the shift — the omega's natural pheromones brushing against him like a gentle current, teasing the edges of his control. Every instinct inside him warned him to act, to dominate, to protect himself. But there was more than danger here; there was intrigue, curiosity, a pull he had not felt in years.
The boy continued, step by step, toward Cassian, who remained seated on the grand chair at the head of the hall. Alpha instincts surged, pheromones reacting, but Cassian forced himself to remain still, to control the rising heat in his chest and the tension coiling in his limbs. This omega was bold. Too bold.
By the time the boy reached the foot of Cassian's chair, the guests were entirely captivated, completely unaware of the silent tension brewing between alpha and omega. And then — in a motion so fast it was almost imperceptible — the boy drew a small injector from his hand and applied it to the base of Cassian's neck.
A collective gasp rippled through the hall. The staff froze. Guests screamed. Some scrambled to move, thinking it was an assassination attempt. Elena's eyes went wide, her hand moving toward her wrist panel to call for immediate security measures. Rick's face twisted in shock as he rushed forward.
Cassian's body reacted immediately. His muscles coiled, hands shooting up to seize the omega's wrist in a grip like iron. Panic surged in him, instincts screaming. "What—" he began, voice sharp, commanding, threatening, as if the alpha dominance alone could punish the intruder. His intention was clear: neutralize the threat immediately.
But then… a subtle scent — sandalwood, warm, calming, unmistakably from the omega — brushed against him. The effect was instantaneous. Panic faltered, muscles that had tensed relaxed just slightly, a thread of calm winding through him. His alpha instincts did not disappear, but the surge of anger and instinctual dominance had been softened, tempered by the omega's pheromones.
The omega yanked his hand free gracefully, effortlessly, even as Cassian's grip still lingered. He pushed gently, but firmly, against the alpha, forcing him to lean back into the chair. His voice, calm but cutting through the tension like a knife, was both playful and commanding.
"Control yourself, old man," he said, almost smiling. "You don't need to ruin your manners in front of everyone."
Cassian froze, jaw tight, eyes burning with a mix of irritation, desire, and confusion. The hall seemed to shrink around them. Guests were stunned into silence, unsure whether they had just witnessed a threat, a duel, or a demonstration of the most intimate power exchange.
The blonde omega had already turned to leave when Cassian's voice finally cut through the stunned silence.
"Wait."
The boy paused, glancing over his shoulder with that calm, unreadable expression.
"It's just a suppressant," he said softly, lifting the small injector slightly between his fingers. "It helps you control yourself. Consider it a courtesy."
Then he left. The doors of the banquet hall closed behind him, and with them went the ethereal calm his presence brought. The trace of sandalwood lingered, almost like a reminder that some challenges were… fascinating.
Rick moved immediately, placing a steady hand on Cassian's shoulder. "Let's get you somewhere private," he said.
Cassian did not resist. His face was calm, controlled, but beneath the surface, the alpha instincts were coiled, restless. He followed Rick through a side corridor into the VIP lounge, a quiet sanctuary far from the chaos of the hall.
Meanwhile, Elena had already disappeared. Swift, precise, determined, she moved through the banquet hall with a single goal: find the culprit. Guards followed her silently, cameras were reviewed, and security systems scanned the area.
Ten minutes later, she returned, flanked by two guards. Between them, they held a tablet showing a frozen image.
Elena spoke, calm but firm. "This is the one who rigged the Master's drink. He left before we could intercept him, but we've identified him."
Cassian's eyes narrowed as he leaned back in the chair, studying the image. Delicate features, but nothing like the ethereal aura of the boy who had left. This omega had been cunning, careful — but now he was exposed.
No one dared move too quickly in the room. Rick's hand hovered near Cassian's shoulder, hesitant, knowing how dangerous it was when the alpha inside him flared.
Cassian's gaze was merciless. Every fiber of his being screamed that anyone who touched him, anyone who dared interfere with him, would pay. He gestured with a single, sharp motion of his hand toward the guards.
They understood instantly.
The image of the culprit burned in Cassian's mind. His eyes were cold, precise. No hesitation. No mercy. A person who dared to touch him, to manipulate him, to play with his control — the price would be severe.
Elena glanced at him, silent but understanding. Rick's jaw tightened. In Cassian's presence, there was only one rule: cross him, and the consequences were absolute.
"Make sure he doesn't escape," Cassian said quietly, his tone calm but lethal. "I want him found. Alive is better… but don't fail."
The guards nodded, already moving to track the culprit.
Cassian leaned back, closing his eyes for just a moment, the last trace of anger mingling with intrigue. The blonde omega had left, calm and teasing. But this other omega? He had challenged Cassian in a way that demanded retribution. And Cassian Drakov never forgot a challenge — nor forgave those who dared strike at him.
The hunt had begun.