"What gives you the right to say that, you arrogant punk!? Is this how you young people treat your elders these days?"
For a second, everything went silent the moment Earl roared at the silver-haired young man. The young boy didn't look older than 21, and given their age gap from the real world, if Earl had gotten married as a teenager, he would've had a son close to his age!
Thus, being insulted by someone so young and pretty whose charm indeed captivated him for a moment, definitely hurt his pride.
After all, Earl didn't sign up for all this chaos awaiting him from the moment he woke up in this omega's body.
But quickly, a sharp, loud burst of laughter erupted from all those young kids surrounding him, except the silver-haired one.
They exchanged mocking glances at each other, repeating after him.
"Pfft…Elders? He's supposed to be an elder and labelled Zion a kid?"
Earl folded his arms stubbornly, knowing it was a mistake to express the age gap with these kids who still considered him a young omega.
But when his gaze shifted towards the silver-haired boy, who was now scowling at him, he murmured on his own, "So, his name is Zion…a pretty name for a rude brat."
A muscle twitched near Zion's jaw as he sounded irked enough to halt the laughter of other kids. "The academy's standard has fallen, and that's how a useless omega like you sneaked in here after spreading legs for an old military chief. And you demand respect from us?"
"Fuck, I didn't do that!" Earl gritted his jaw, blatantly answering him as if he was desperate to prove his innocence before them.
Even if this omega boy had made a deal with that old pervert by offering his virginity, he didn't let that man touch him ever again from the moment his soul transmigrated into this body.
In fact, he killed that pervert with his own hands to satiate the flames of vengeance that flared in his chest from the moment he found he bore the same face as his boss. The man who singlehandedly ruined his life!
But here, no one would actually believe his words even if he screams his head off. Worse, they might send him off to a mental asylum.
"You're really insane." His amber eyes turned colder than steel, but disgust flickered in them when he spoke, "Or are you too ashamed to admit your deeds?"
Earl's eyes twitched in anger the moment he glowered at him, "You don't know anything about me…I am not a prostitute! Stop treating me like one!"
"I know more than enough." As if Zion seemed amused at his vexed expression, he continued, "Otherwise…You expect me to believe that you got a special admission without offering something in return?"
Initially, Earl felt Zion seemed to hold some kind of authority among the students, which piqued his curiosity towards him.
Moreover, that intoxicating scent emitted by Zion felt similar to the essence of sandalwood and night jasmine, had stirred an unusual ache deep down his chest, making Earl indeed drawn to him a little.
But now…fury had exploded in his chest.
Splashed with mop water, weak omega, whore, dirty mutt…those insults were piling up fast, hurting Earl's pride worse than ever.
Thus, a sneer curved his jawline, when Earl growled at him, "You know what? For someone so pretty, your personality is absolutely awful!"
The entire crowd gasped in shock, with cold whispers murmured among the students. Most of them stared blankly at Zion's face, who held a menacing glare towards Earl.
"What…did you say?"
"Your personality is trash, a handsome idiot with a birdbrain," Earl smirked, showing no sign of nervousness despite his intimidating aura.
On the other hand, Zion stood flabbergasted.
Since arriving in this academy, nobody had ever talked back to Zion this way.
And naturally, no one ever dared to call him pretty either! After all, who would ever dare to label a tall, strong, handsome but ill-tempered Supreme Alpha like him as someone…' pretty'?
Nobody had ever tried to test his patience. Not even his own family.
Yet this drenched, weak, powerless omega was practically squaring up with him, without getting much bothered by the insults hurled at him.
And with that realization, something dangerous flashed through Zion's crimson eyes.
Earl, however, continued his attacks.
"Honestly, I was starting to think you were a cool boy when you walked over here dramatically parting the crowds, but now…I seem to have overestimated you. You're just a noisy brat."
"..."
A dangerous silence followed when he spoke, turning the faces of those young kids paler as they whispered among themselves.
"This idiot must have a death wish by messing with Zion like that. He's craving for a beating!"
But then the corner of Zion's mouth twitched when a vein popped on the side of his neck.
"Take your words back, before I make you regret saying that."
A cold, menacing warning flew from Zion, making others gasp while Earl stood tall, without a flinch.
Meeting his annoyed amber eyes seemed to amuse him more when he marched forward to provoke him even more, "Really? Then come on, try me…AH!"
When the argument escalated instantly, with Earl taking a few steps ahead, before either of them realized, his heel hit something hard.
The world tilted, and suddenly losing his balance, Earl saw the ground rushing towards his face!
Great.
After his death, and waking up in this new world, he was just an inch away from dying after tripping over a rock.
But before that impact came, a strong arm grabbed him by his elbow, pulled him upward. And at that very moment, everything had stopped, including the mild breeze.
Earl blinked and realized his face was pressed against a firm chest that felt very warm.
"..."
With an awkward gulp, when he looked up, he found Zion was staring at him, standing completely still.
He didn't seem angry, nor disgusted to hold him. But a mysterious tint glistened in his amber eyes, watching over him.
Earl frowned awkwardly, "Can you let go?"
But no response came from him. In fact, without moving an inch, his arm pressed against Earl's waist, and only his fingers tightened a little.
All of a sudden, he noticed Zion's face had turned pale as if blood had drained, with a confused expression that grew evident.
And there was something that felt wrong for both of them.
Yet still neither of them could stop staring at each other, including Zion, who even forgot to blink.
"Hey, can't you hear me? Let go?"
When Earl called out again after a moment of silence, Zion intentionally tightened his hold on him, erupting in a whisper, "You're warm."
"Of course…we are warm-blooded beings after all."
"Not that." Zion pressed his soft red lips, almost holding a little excited but anxious gaze towards him when he muttered, "Are all bodies supposed to feel this warm?
"Or…you're a special one?"