Axel barely breathed when a notification flashed on his phone.
~All the students to assemble in a hall labelled BC…
The message came from a group chat. He didn't even know he had been added to one, and that must have happened quietly during the administration process.
Since he was already in the tuition area, it made sense that the hall was nearby, so he walked slowly, scanning the buildings, his eyes moving from one label to another.
"Library?!" Axel muttered when he spotted the sign pointing to it. His voice carried a mix of disbelief and irritation. "What do we need that for?!" he added under his breath, scoffing as he passed by.
He continued forward until his eyes finally landed on the building marked with the letters he was searching for.
The hall stood ahead, tall doors open wide in welcome. Even from the outside, the polished wood and the smooth frame gave away how fancy the place looked on the inside.
Axel's footsteps quickened with anticipation. He stepped through the doorway and froze almost instantly, his breath catching in his throat.
Their high school had never owned anything like this. The hall stretched out in grand size, impressive and intimidating at once.
The entire floor gleamed under the light, clean white tiles reflecting a faint glow. Rows of chairs extended in straight lines, filling the space with order.
Each chair looked elegant, polished as if meant for higher officials. Axel hesitated, wondering if this place was truly designed for students or if it was supposed to host board members instead.
Still unsure, he backed up a step and lifted his gaze to the label above the entrance.
"BC Hall," he whispered, confirming he had the right place. With a small breath, he walked back inside and chose a seat somewhere in the middle row.
The moment he lowered himself into the chair, the sound of footsteps filled the space. Other students began arriving.
The first pair to enter were two girls. Axel glanced back almost instinctively. He tried to keep himself steady, tried to maintain that Alpha composure, even though he knew too well his body threatened to betray him.
Maybe if he started working out, he thought, he could shape himself differently. Maybe his body could reform into something commanding.
But a sinking doubt whispered that it might never change, that it might always cling to the softness of an Omega's form.
"Hi," the two girls greeted at the same time, their voices cheerful.
"Hello," Axel replied with a firm tone, forcing his voice steady. He turned back to the front, determined not to lose that carefully constructed coolness.
More groups arrived quickly, both boys and girls, the flow becoming steady until the wide space transformed from hollow quiet to a crowd buzzing with motion. Axel's eyes widened. He hadn't realized there were so many students here. Had they been in their dorms all this time, hidden away, only now emerging?
The atmosphere shifted with each arrival. Girls entered shyly, shrinking almost instantly when their eyes landed on the striking Alphas and confident Betas scattered through the hall.
The Alphas, on their part, couldn't resist staring back. The air thickened with silent curiosity, every glance holding the same question... who among all these faces might turn out to be their mate? Anticipation clung to everyone, restless and searching.
The seats around Axel began to fill. A boy slipped into the empty chair beside him and gave a tentative smile.
"Hi…" the boy greeted softly. From his tone and the subtle aura, Axel recognized him immediately as an Omega.
"Hey," Axel responded simply and looked back to be front.
"I haven't seen you around the dorm," the boy continued. "Did you just arrive?"
Axel frowned, "Why?" he asks even though he knows exactly why the boy said that. Frustration flickers in his expression.
"I mean, male Omegas… there are only like ten of us in the dorm. It's easy to see each other."
The words stung sharper than Axel expected. Even another Omega could look at him and know that he is one of them?! The frustration gnawed deep. He couldn't believe it. He needed to change himself somehow, needed to reshape the impression his body.
"Do you smell an Omega scent on me?" Axel shot back, using the same defense he always clung to.
The boy blinked, startled, then leaned slightly closer. He inhaled, cautious, and pulled back at once, his face flushing red.
"I'm sorry," he stammered. He hadn't caught any Omega scent from Axel.
Immediately assuming Axel is an Alpha.
Alphas didn't let their scent spill out everywhere. They could control it. Omegas couldn't. Their scent escaped without effort, filling the air around them.
Mild to people who aren't their mate, but intoxicating to their mates. To anyone else, it was simply a faint sign of what they were. But it was always there unless hidden by something stronger.
"No problem," Axel replied smoothly, forcing calm back into his tone. "I get why you would think that."
He sat straighter, molding himself into a cool, unshaken image. The way he spoke, the way he looked, the way he sat... everything needed to be precise.
He let his gaze fall on the boy beside him for only a moment. The boy's face flushed deeper under the attention. His eyes darted away quickly, avoiding Axel's gaze as his cheeks burned crimson.
A smirk tugged at Axel's lips.
"Excuse me."
The voice came suddenly, firm but smooth. Axel's eyes flicked up. Standing in front of the boy was Adrian.
Axel's heart stumbled in his chest. His breath caught. Why is he here? Why did he seem so interested in him? Was he suspicious about him? Or did he already know something?
Adrian's gaze shifted to Axel with a grin on his lips, then back at the Omega sitting next to Axel. Without hesitation, the boy stood and hurried off, leaving the chair open.
"I heard this is supposed to be a bully-free place," Axel said immediately Adrian lowered himself into the chair next to him, his tone was unreadable, "But you just bullied that kid."
"I didn't get your name," Adrian said, ignoring Axel's complain.
Axel parted his lips, ready to answer... but not with his name, but another voice interrupted, lower and steadier.
"Excuse me."
Axel's head turned, and his heart kicked hard against his ribs. Ivan?! Axel's pulse quickened in an instant. Why was Ivan here now?
Ivan's eyes were fixed on Adrian who was looking back at him. The tension between them was thick.
Axel pushed himself up suddenly, desperate to create some distance between him and Ivan. "You can have this," he said quickly. "I'll find another seat."
"Not you," Ivan replied, his calm voice cutting through the moment. His eyes didn't even flick toward Axel even as he spoke to him. They fixed on Adrian instead.
Adrian clenched his jaw tighter, then finally stood and moved aside, surrendering the chair.
Around them, the entire hall seemed to hold its breath. Every head had turned toward Ivan, every gaze drawn to him as though gravity itself pulled them.
Axel noticed the girls especially, their eyes already filled with imagined futures, their bodies leaning forward in restless hope, as if already seeing themselves with him.
Ivan lowered himself into the empty seat beside Axel.