Kaelen had served Dahmer Lukas for more than ten years. In those years, he had watched kings surrender kingdoms after a single meeting, and he had watched enhanced Alphas—men capable of tearing steel apart with their bare hands—drop to one knee beneath Dahmer's gaze. He had watched billionaires beg, politicians tremble, and generals rethink entire wars. None of that surprised him anymore. But today, Kaelen was beginning to believe he had finally found a mission that was truly impossible.
Kaelen countered. "You're going in as an Omega, Dahmer. With a new identify as Luca Vane, and Artificial Intelligence Ethics intern.You're going to have to suppress your natural aura entirely."
Looking across the luxurious cabin of the private jet, Kaelen took a breath and instructed, "Smile."
Dahmer looked up from the document he had been studying, his expression blank. "I beg your pardon?"
"I said..." Kaelen repeated patiently, "...smile."
Silence stretched between them before the corners of Dahmer's lips lifted exactly three millimeters. His eyes remained completely emotionless, making him look less like a smiling man and more like a vampire who had just decided which neck to bite first. Kaelen slowly pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "You look like you're informing someone their entire family has died."
Dahmer frowned at the critique. "I followed your instruction."
"You followed it mathematically."
"I fail to see the difference."
"There is a very big difference," Kaelen sighed, shaking his head. "A smile isn't measured in millimeters." When Dahmer considered this for a moment and nodded, murmuring that he understood, Kaelen prompted him to try again.
Once more, Dahmer attempted to smile. This time it was much wider, exposing every single one of his teeth in a rigid display. Kaelen stared at him blankly before groaning, "Now you look like you're about to poison someone."
Dahmer immediately relaxed his face back into its default composure. "Interesting."
"No."
"It is."
"No, it's terrifying," Kaelen corrected.
Outside the panoramic windows, clouds rolled beneath the aircraft like an endless ocean, while inside, a completely different storm was brewing. Dahmer sat perfectly straight with one leg crossed over the other. The expensive suit he wore fit his frame with impossible precision, emphasizing the quiet authority that clung to him even in relaxation. His mask rested on the table beside him, and without it, there was no hiding the reason palace staff avoided making eye contact. His face was absurd, beautiful enough to be deeply unsettling. It wasn't because he was delicate, but because every single feature seemed too perfectly balanced to belong to an ordinary human being.
Noticing Kaelen studying him, Dahmer asked, "What?"
Kaelen let out a heavy sigh. "Do you know what your greatest problem is?"
"My enemies?" Dahmer guessed.
"No."
"My workload?"
"No."
"My inability to tolerate incompetence?"
"No," Kaelen folded his arms, looking directly at his master. "Your personality."
Silence blanketed the cabin before Dahmer echoed, "My... personality?"
"Yes."
"I have one."
"You certainly do," Kaelen countered smoothly. "It simply isn't compatible with seduction."
Dahmer leaned back in his seat, entirely unconvinced. "I disagree. I have negotiated with heads of state."
"You intimidated them."
"I persuaded hostile corporations to surrender."
"You bankrupted them."
"I convinced military leaders to abandon wars."
"You threatened to destroy their economies," Kaelen pointed out. Dahmer remained quiet for a beat before offering a mild defense, stating that those were still valid forms of persuasion. Kaelen chuckled at that. "They are. But Malcolm Ford isn't a nation, a corporation nor an enemy. He's a man. And attraction... doesn't respond to strategy alone."
Dahmer folded his arms, shifting into his usual analytical mindset. "It responds to variables. Physical appearance, voice, body language, scent, eye contact, timing, environmental influence, and psychological compatibility. If enough variables are optimized... attraction becomes statistically inevitable."
Kaelen stared at him, utterly dumbfounded. "You just turned flirting into mathematics."
"It is mathematics."
"No."
"It absolutely is."
Kaelen walked over and sat directly opposite him to ground the conversation. "Listen carefully. People can admire beauty without feeling attracted. They can respect intelligence without wanting someone. They can acknowledge perfection... and still walk away."
For the first time, a flicker of genuine thoughtfulness crossed Dahmer's face. "So... what creates attraction?"
Kaelen smiled, glad they were finally getting somewhere. "Now you're asking the right question." He leaned forward, lowering his voice. "Attraction begins before words. It begins with how safe someone feels around you. How curious they become. Whether they want another excuse to look at you. Whether your absence feels... noticeable."
Dahmer absorbed the explanation, breaking it down into categories. "So attraction is psychological, biological and emotional?"
"Partly."
Dahmer's brow knitted slightly. "That lacks consistency. I dislike inconsistency."
"I know you do," Kaelen replied softly.
Dahmer stood up and walked toward the cabin window, watching the clouds drift beneath the aircraft as he studied his own reflection in the glass. "Who exactly is Luca Vane?"
Kaelen smiled as he described the target persona. "The kind of Omega people instinctively want to protect. Not because he's weak, but because he seems genuine. He smiles without calculation. He gets embarrassed. He laughs at terrible jokes. He accidentally holds eye contact a second too long. He apologizes when he bumps into someone and thanks people sincerely. He isn't trying to attract attention... which somehow attracts even more attention."
Dahmer frowned at his reflection. "That seems inefficient."
"It is," Kaelen agreed. "It also works."
Turning away from the window, Dahmer conceded, "So... I require practical examples."
"I expected that," Kaelen stood up to face him. "Lesson One. Smiling."
Dahmer nodded once, perfectly confident. "I'll replicate the muscular movement."
"No, you'll communicate comfort."
"There is a difference?"
"A massive one. Watch me," Kaelen said, offering a warm, natural smile. "That's a smile."
Dahmer studied every microscopic shift of Kaelen's face. "The left cheek rises slightly higher. The pupils contract. The shoulders relax. The jaw unlocks. Interesting." Thirty seconds passed in total silence as Dahmer processed the data. Then, he smiled.
Technically, it was flawless. Every muscle moved correctly, and every facial angle matched Kaelen's perfectly. Yet, Kaelen found himself slowly exhaling in defeat. "You look like you're inviting someone into a room they're never coming back from."
Dahmer immediately dropped the expression, demanding an explanation.
"Your eyes," Kaelen pointed out.
"My eyes?"
"They're hunting."
"I'm smiling."
"Exactly. And somehow you're still hunting."
Kaelen rubbed his temples, feeling the onset of a headache. "This is going to take longer than I thought."
"I learn quickly," Dahmer insisted.
"I know you do."
"In approximately how many hours should I become naturally attractive?"
Kaelen burst into loud laughter at the question. "You can't put attraction on a timetable!"
"Why not?"
"By definition, because people aren't algorithms."
Dahmer became quiet, processing the concept of a system he couldn't easily map. "Everything behaves according to patterns."
"Not attraction. It follows no formula."
"No universal one," Dahmer muttered. "Inconvenient."
"Extremely," Kaelen agreed.
For several moments, Dahmer simply stared out at the passing clouds. Then, he asked a question so quietly that Kaelen almost missed it over the hum of the engines. "Have I ever been attractive?"
Kaelen looked up, noticing the complete lack of arrogance or vanity in the question. There was only genuine curiosity. He smiled softly at his master. "Dahmer... you've never had a problem attracting people's eyes. The problem... is that you've never given anyone a reason to keep looking."
Silence settled comfortably over the cabin once more. Dahmer slowly turned his gaze back to his reflection in the dark window, taking in his own perfect posture, his flawless face, and his absolute control. Yet for the first time, it felt undeniably incomplete.
"Then teach me," Dahmer murmured.
Kaelen smiled warmly and clapped his hands together once. "Gladly. Welcome to Lesson One: How to make Malcolm Ford look at you... and want to look again."
Kaelen clasped his hands behind his back and slowly circled Dahmer. "All right. We've covered smiling. Barely. Now..." He stopped directly in front of him, locking his gaze onto his boss' face. "...eye contact."
Dahmer raised an eyebrow, entirely unfazed. "I already maintain eye contact."
"Exactly," Kaelen countered, "and that's the problem. You don't maintain it; you dominate with it."
When Dahmer remained silent, Kaelen let out a heavy sigh to break the tension. "When you look at someone, it feels like you're deciding whether they're useful."
"I usually am," Dahmer replied simply.
"I know you are, and that's exactly the problem."
Kaelen pulled a chair opposite Dahmer and instructed him to sit. Once Dahmer obeyed, Kaelen set the stage for their exercise. "We're strangers meeting for the first time. You've just arrived for your internship, and I am Malcolm Ford."
Dahmer nodded once. "I understand."
"Good." Kaelen extended his hand cordially. "Welcome to Deviloy Technology."
Dahmer stared at the offered hand as five seconds passed, then ten, without making a move. Kaelen groaned in exasperation, prompting Dahmer to point out that he hadn't even spoken yet.
"Exactly," Kaelen said. "You left me standing there."
Recognizing the error, Dahmer murmured an acknowledgment and finally shook Kaelen's hand. His grip, however, was firm—far too firm—causing Kaelen to immediately wince. "You're greeting me, not testing my bone density."
Dahmer released him at once, offering a brief, "My mistake."
"Again," Kaelen ordered, and they repeated the process. This time Dahmer's handshake was lighter, earning a nod of approval. "Better. But don't stare."
"I wasn't staring," Dahmer corrected.
"You were analyzing."
"There is a difference."
"There isn't," Kaelen insisted, but Dahmer frowned, flatly disagreeing. Kaelen could only sigh, muttering, "I know you do."
Kaelen walked toward the refreshment cabinet and returned with two glasses of juice, handing one to Dahmer. "What do people usually say?"
Dahmer answered immediately, "Thank you."
"Good," Kaelen smiled. "Now say it."
Dahmer accepted the glass, his tone completely flat. "Your contribution has been acknowledged."
Kaelen blinked, stunned by the rigid response, and told him to try again. Dahmer paused, then tried, "I appreciate the beverage."
When Kaelen rejected that too, Dahmer offered, "Gratitude has been registered."
Kaelen buried his face in both hands, utterly defeated. "Dahmer... it's juice. You don't need to sound like a government satellite."
For the first time that day, a faint curve touched the corner of Dahmer's lips before disappearing almost instantly. Kaelen noticed the micro-expression immediately, pointing out triumphantly that he could, in fact, smile.
"I wasn't smiling," Dahmer deflected.
"You almost were."
"I experienced mild amusement."
Kaelen pointed at him again. "That's called smiling."
Hours passed as the aircraft continued its steady journey toward Freenly City, and piece by piece, Dahmer learned. He learned how to soften his shoulders, how to laugh without sounding rehearsed. He practiced apologizing naturally and figuring out how to make himself appear smaller.
"Again," Kaelen coached. "You accidentally bumped into Malcolm."
Dahmer immediately stepped sideways, his voice softening considerably as his posture relaxed. He even rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly as he muttered, "I'm terribly sorry."
Kaelen blinked in surprise and ordered him to do it again. Dahmer repeated the action, making it look even better, and on the third attempt, he looked like a shy university student who had genuinely made an innocent mistake.
Kaelen stared at the transformation, murmuring that it was deeply unsettling. When Dahmer asked if it was incorrect, Kaelen shook his head. "No. That's the problem."
Dahmer adjusted a pair of glasses fitted with plain lenses. His striking silver hair was gone, now concealed beneath a rich chestnut-brown dye that made him look years younger, with a few loose strands resting naturally across his forehead. His tailored suit had been replaced by simple jeans, white sneakers, and a cream-colored cardigan worn over a pale blue shirt. Nothing about his appearance suggested power anymore; instead, everything about him radiated an approachable, quiet, and forgettable intelligence.
Looking into the mirror, the name "Luca Vane" rolled naturally from his tongue. Kaelen smiled and asked him to introduce himself.
"My name is Luca Vane," Dahmer said, scratching the back of his neck as his voice took on a softer, warmer rhythm. "I'm a final-year Artificial Intelligence student. It's an honor to meet you. I've admired Deviloy Technology for years."
Kaelen's smile slowly disappeared as he listened to the flawless execution. He quietly asked Dahmer to do it again, and Dahmer repeated every word perfectly, naturally. A long moment of silence stretched between them before Kaelen finally whispered that it was frightening.
"Because it's convincing?" Dahmer asked.
"No," Kaelen replied softly. "Because I almost forgot who you really are."
A gentle chime echoed through the cabin as the pilot announced they would begin their descent in fifteen minutes. Kaelen glanced through the window at the sprawling lights of Freenly City, which shimmered beneath the clouds like a sea of gold, and murmured that they had arrived.
Without hesitation, Dahmer picked up a small vial of scent suppressants and applied the transparent patch on Dahmer's neck. Within seconds, the commanding Enigma aura that had filled the cabin since takeoff faded away entirely, replaced by the delicate, harmless scent of rain-soaked lilies.
Kaelen inhaled unconsciously before catching himself, muttering that it was incredible. Dahmer looked at him, noting that the formula was simply functioning as expected, but Kaelen shook his head slowly. "No, I meant... you're convincing."
For the first time since they had boarded the aircraft, Kaelen wasn't looking at the ruler of GEM, the man who had crippled Titan with one hand, or the feared Boss. He was looking at a young Omega who seemed far too gentle for the ruthless corporate world waiting below, creating a truly dangerous illusion.
The aircraft dipped lower as buildings emerged through the clouds and neon signs illuminated the night over Freenly City, the kingdom's technological heart. Kaelen closed the tablet in his lap and gave one final reminder, emphasizing that the mission was not to overpower Malcolm Ford, but to make him lower his guard.
Dahmer nodded, stating he understood the objective, but Kaelen smiled knowingly. "You understand the objective. But tomorrow, you'll meet the man."
A brief silence filled the cabin before the pilot spoke over the comms again. "Sir, we've just received a message from Deviloy Technology. The CEO has canceled tomorrow's executive meetings and will personally welcome every intern during orientation."
The cabin fell dead silent as Kaelen slowly turned toward Dahmer. The young Omega sitting beside the window adjusted his glasses with quiet composure, a gentle, natural smile curving his lips that was almost impossible to doubt.
"How fortunate," Luca Vane said softly.
But for just a heartbeat, behind those warm eyes, Kaelen caught a chilling glimpse of Dahmer Lukas—cold, calculating, and unyielding.