Chan's POV:
The café door shut behind Minho, and the sound echoed louder in Chan's head than it should have. His wolf clawed at him, furious at the distance now stretching between them.
Mate. Don't let him leave.
Chan's fists clenched at his sides. Every instinct screamed at him to follow, to drag the Omega back into his arms, to sink his teeth into the soft skin of his neck and mark him as his. The sheer force of it made his chest ache.
But Chan was no ordinary Alpha. He was true blood. And that meant control.
He exhaled sharply, willing his wolf down. Not here. Not now.
"Hyung?" Felix's soft voice broke through the storm. The younger Alpha tilted his head curiously. "You okay? You… froze for a second."
Chan forced his features neutral, though his pulse thundered. "I'm fine."
Hyunjin arched a brow, skepticism written all over his face. "You're lying. Who was that you were staring at? The guy who just bolted out the door?"
Chan didn't answer. He couldn't. Because saying the word out loud "mate" felt too raw, too dangerous.
Changbin leaned back, smirking knowingly. "Well, well. Looks like the great Bang Chan finally saw something worth looking twice at."
Chan shot him a glare, but his wolf betrayed him with another restless growl. He couldn't deny it. Not to himself. Not when the scent of Minho still lingered in the air - subtle, intoxicating, like smoke and wildflowers. It had embedded itself under Chan's skin, impossible to shake.
Mate.
Chan had to bite back a curse.
---
Lee Minho's POV
By the time Minho made it back to his dorm, his hands were shaking. He dropped his files onto the desk and sank into his chair, pressing the heels of his palms into his eyes.
"What the hell," he muttered.
His wolf was still pacing, restless and needy, replaying the moment their gazes had locked. The surge of heat, the instinct to submit, it had been overwhelming. Terrifying.
Mate.
"No," Minho hissed. "Not him. Anyone but him."
Bang Chan wasn't just any Alpha. He was the heir of the Bangh family, the only true blood Alpha alive. Minho had grown up hearing stories about his power, about the weight of responsibility he carried. Mates of men like that weren't equals, they were possessions.
Minho clenched his fists. He had worked too hard to carve out a life that wasn't defined by his secondary gender. He wasn't going to throw it away just because his wolf couldn't control itself.
Still… he couldn't shake the way Chan's eyes had looked at him. Like he was something precious. Like the Alpha had felt it too.
His heart thudded unevenly.
"No," Minho whispered again, though the word sounded weaker this time.
---
At Stay University – The Next Day
The Omega table in the cafeteria was alive with chatter.
"Minho-hyung!" Jisung plopped his tray down dramatically, eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Word on the street is someone saw you making eyes at the Bangh heir in the café yesterday."
Minho choked on his drink. "What?!"
Seungmin raised a brow, unimpressed. "Is that true? Because you did run out looking like you'd seen a ghost."
Jeongin leaned forward eagerly. "So? Was it him? Did you feel it?"
Minho slammed his chopsticks down. "No. And stop asking stupid questions."
The three of them exchanged glances. None of them believed him.
But before they could push further, a hush fell over the cafeteria. The air shifted, thick with Alpha energy, as three figures entered.
Seo Changbin. Hwang Hyunjin. Lee Felix.
The heirs. The youngest CEOs of Mixtape Corporation.
Every Omega's eyes followed them. Every Beta stiffened under their presence.
And Minho's friends were no exception.
Jisung's wolf immediately perked up, his gaze locked on Hyunjin with wide eyes. His cheeks flushed pink, his lips parting as if he couldn't catch his breath.
Seungmin stiffened too, but in irritation rather than awe, glaring at Changbin like he'd just been personally insulted by his existence.
Jeongin's hands trembled as Felix's gaze brushed over him briefly. His wolf whimpered softly in his chest.
And Minho? Minho tried to disappear.
He ducked his head, praying Chan wasn't with them today. He wasn't ready. Not yet.
But he felt it anyway, the weight of an Alpha's gaze burning into the back of his skull.
Slowly, against his better judgment, Minho lifted his head.
And across the room, sitting with his friends, Bang Chan was staring right at him.
His wolf howled in triumph.
Mate.
Minho's heart dropped into his stomach.
---
Bang Chan's POV
Chan's control was slipping. He had told himself he'd give the Omega space, respect his boundaries, but seeing Minho now in daylight, surrounded by his friends made his instincts go wild.
The way Minho tried to hide, the way his wolf still radiated despite his efforts… it only made Chan want to claim him more.
Mine.
His wolf growled the word with dangerous certainty.
Chan curled his fists under the table, ignoring the way Felix nudged him knowingly. He had to be patient. If he lunged too fast, he'd scare Minho off completely.
But one thing was clear.
He wasn't letting Lee Minho slip away again.