Evan had a bad habit he couldn't shake.
Every class, no matter how hard he tried to pay attention, his gaze wandered. Inevitably, it drifted toward Rylan the boy who had captured his attention since their very first year. Rylan sat a few rows ahead, posture loose, a pen dangling lazily between his fingers, a faint smile always playing at his lips like he knew some secret no one else did.
Evan told himself he was subtle. Just quick glances, nothing more. But the heat that crept into his cheeks every time Rylan laughed said otherwise.
What Evan refused to notice was the boy sitting right next to him.
Damien lounged in his chair, long legs stretched under the desk, sharp eyes trained not on the board, not on the professor, but on Evan. He didn't even pretend to take notes. Instead, he watched every shift, every stolen glance, every nervous twitch of Evan's fingers tapping the desk.
And if Evan looked his way? Damien didn't flinch. He held his stare with a smirk that said: I see you. I see everything.
By the time the lecture ended, Evan practically bolted from his seat, clutching his bag like a shield. Damien only chuckled under his breath, unhurried, as though he had all the time in the world.
When lunch break rolled around, the classroom buzzed with chatter as students gathered their things. At a desk near the window, Liam was busy shoving books into his bag when Damien suddenly rose to his feet.
His chair scraped back, drawing a few curious glances. He walked straight to Liam's desk, his shadow falling over him.
"Hey, you," Damien said.
Liam looked up, startled. "Uh… me?"
"Yes, you." Damien leaned down, too close, his voice dipping into something low and velvety. "Have lunch with me."
Liam blinked, heat rushing to his face. He gave a nervous little laugh. "You… wanna have lunch with me?"
"Why? You won't?" Damien's gaze sharpened. For a moment, something dangerous lingered in his tone then he released a subtle wave of his pheromones. Seductive. Dominant. Inescapably Alpha.
Liam's breath caught. His pulse quickened, his head swimming under the sudden pressure. "F-fine," he stammered, grabbing his bag in a rush. "Let's go."
Damien straightened, lips curling into a slow, satisfied smile. "Good."
They walked together across campus, Liam jittery and flustered while Damien trailed at an easy pace, like a predator humoring its prey. In the cafeteria, they picked up trays, the silence between them thick and uneven.
Liam scanned the crowded room, eyes darting from table to table until they landed on a familiar figure. His whole face lit up.
"There!" he said, pointing.
Damien followed his gaze. In the corner, Rylan sat surrounded by his usual group. His golden-boy smile was on full display, laughter spilling effortlessly from his lips. It was the kind of laugh that drew people in, made them want to be near him.
Liam practically sparkled. "Let's sit near them!" Without waiting for an answer, he started toward Rylan's table, tray in hand.
Damien's jaw tightened. His eyes darkened as they locked onto Rylan. A flicker of irritation crossed his face, sharp and possessive. He clicked his tongue but didn't argue, his footsteps slow and deliberate as he followed behind Liam.
They slid into the table just beside Rylan's group. Damien set his tray down without a glance at the food. His eyes were already locked across the way at Rylan, glowing in the spotlight of his friends, and at Evan, sitting a little further down, sneaking yet another glance he thought no one noticed.
Damien's lips curled into something that wasn't quite a smile.
So. This was the Alpha who had Evan's attention.
His fingers tapped once against the table, deliberate and steady.
Game on.
Evan had been trying to focus on his food .... when that prickling sensation crawled up the back of his neck the heavy weight of being watched. Against his will, his gaze flicked sideways.
Damien sat right there, close enough that their shoulders nearly brushed. His tray sat untouched, forgotten. His sharp eyes were locked on Evan, unwavering, making his chest feel tight.
Evan quickly looked away, pulse spiking.
"Something wrong?" Damien murmured, his voice low, velvet-soft but edged with something dangerous.
"N-no," Evan said too quickly, his fork clattering against the plate. "Just… nothing."
Damien's mouth curved into a smirk, the kind that made Evan's skin prickle. "Good. I'd hate to think you were uncomfortable."
The words sounded polite, almost casual but the weight behind them was anything but polite and casual.