The peeling paint on the front porch glowed dull under the streetlight.
Kieran sat on the steps, elbows braced on his knees, waiting.
The poor district where they lived was quiet except for the sound of traffic and the bark of stray dogs.
Rico sat beside him, shifting nervously, his small frame tucked into an oversized hoodie. The Omega glanced at him for the third time that hour. "Kieran," he said softly, "you can't keep waiting on him like this."
Kieran's jaw flexed. He didn't look away from the road. "He said he would come back soon."
Rico hesitated, chewing his lip, he didn't want to make Kieran angry but still he has to say something.
The words he'd been holding back spilled out. "He's not just partying up there. Noah's been… seeing someone, An Alpha."
Finally, Kieran turned his head, his dark eyes sharp. "What do you mean?"
"I mean Dante Perez," Rico whispered, shoulders curling in. "The richest Alpha in the city. Everyone knows about this. He is not just going to parties. He has been meeting him."
Kieran stared at him, his expression was unreadable. Then, with slow deliberation, he leaned back against the porch rail. His hands were steady, though his chest was tight. "Noah wouldn't do that."
"He already has," Rico said, voice trembling. "And if Dante wants him, you can't fight that. Nobody can."
Kieran's lips curved, not into a smile, but something darker. "Nobody but me."
Rico flinched. He had seen Kieran's temper before. Even for a "low ranking Alpha," his dominance had weight. He was rough around the edges, yes, but he cared for Noah like nothing else mattered. He protected him, fed him, defended him countless number of times. To Kieran, Noah wasn't just an Omega. He was his.
Headlights cut across the cracked street. Both of them froze.
A sleek black car slid into view, engine humming low and smooth. It didn't belong here in this neighborhood, not among broken sidewalks and flickering lamps.
The passenger door opened.
"Noah?" Kieran stood, chest loosening in relief, until he caught the scent. Too sharp and strong. The scent of another Alpha, clinging to Noah's skin.
Noah stepped out, avoiding his eyes. His face was pale, his lips pressed tight. "Kieran," he began, voice shaking, "I need to tell you something."
Before he could, the driver's door opened.
The air changed instantly.
Rico crumpled with a gasp, both knees hitting the ground. Noah followed, shoulders bowing as though invisible hands had pressed down on him.
Kieran's muscles tensed, his lungs burned. His nose felt hot, blood pricking. The weight pressing down on him was suffocating, it told him to submit and kneel. His instincts screamed at him to obey.
He didn't move.
A man stepped out, tall and broad, dressed sharp as if the city itself bent to his presence. His aura was thick, pressing down like a storm front.
Kieran's head tilted stubbornly upward, though his vision swam. His voice was rough, but steady. "Who the hell are you?"
The stranger smirked, gaze locking on him with predatory focus. "Dante."
Kieran forced his body upright against the crushing weight of Dante's aura. His knees screamed to bend, but he refused. He fixed his eyes on Noah, who was still crouched on the pavement, trembling.
Slowly, Kieran stretched out his hand. "Get up," he said, voice steady, coaxing. His tone softened just for Noah. "Come on, let me help you."
Noah looked at him, then past him. His wide eyes slid to Dante, searching his face like a child begging for permission.
Kieran's heart twisted. No. No, don't you dare...
Dante tilted his head lazily, the barest nod.
And just like that, Noah scrambled to his feet, not by Kieran's hand, but by Dante's command.
Kieran's chest hollowed, but anger filled the emptiness. "What the hell is this?" His voice cracked like thunder in the quiet street. "All I do is work, day and night, to give you a life, to keep food on the table. And you..." He jabbed a finger toward Dante, his glare cutting back to Noah. "You throw it away for him? For his money?"
Noah's lips trembled, but his eyes hardened. "Your best wasn't good enough, Kieran."
The words landed sharper than any blade.
Kieran surged forward, his Alpha scent flaring, hot and fierce. His dominance rolled out, wild and rough around the edges, slamming toward Noah. "Look at me when you say that!" he barked. "You're mine, Noah! Not his, mine!"
For a fleeting second, Noah's body faltered, caught between the pull of two Alphas. But then Dante stepped closer, his presence crashing down like a tidal wave.
The air itself thickened, bending Kieran's shoulders against his will. He gritted his teeth, fighting, his instincts howling in protest. Dante's voice was smooth, low, lethal. "Pathetic."
Kieran's power shattered under the weight of Dante's. His breath ripped from his lungs, his body nearly forcing itself to its knees.
Noah's hand clutched Dante's sleeve like an anchor. He didn't look back at Kieran. Not once.
"Don't do this, Noah" Kieran's voice was raw, but the roar of the engine cut him off as Dante's driver started the car.
Noah slipped inside.
Kieran lunged forward, fury and heartbreak burning in his veins, only to feel a desperate grip around his legs.
"Kieran, please!" Rico's voice broke, muffled against his jeans. The smaller Omega was still on the ground, clinging to him with every ounce of strength he had left. His tears wet the fabric. "Don't. You'll die if you go after them. Please, don't."
Kieran strained forward, his muscles burning, nails digging into his palms. His heart was filled with rage, grief, and betrayal. But Rico's arms held fast.
The sleek car slid away, its taillights glowing red until they vanished into the night.
The street was silent again, except for Kieran's ragged breathing.