Page 9

I stood there for a moment, watching Sariel’s silhouette as he walked away. He headed toward his car, moving slowly, his head slightly lowered. His entire posture looked… downcast. He got in and drove off, unaware that my eyes were still following him.

A deep breath, then a slow, deliberate exhale, and I felt calmer. I wasn’t sure what Sariel was trying to achieve here, but from the very first day, I’d sensed something unusual about him, a strange kind of rebellious energy, and a peculiar attention focused on me that went beyond what was appropriate for a regular employee.

Starting with his little smirks during our first conversation, then volunteering to help with my car, offering me a ride… and, last but not least, the strange manga drawings printed on his T-shirts. Clearly, they were a mockery of how I looked and a satire of our interactions.

There was something intangible about him, a kind of energy that annoyed more than I was willing to admit.

Normally, I wasn’t easy to rattle, though I’ll admit, it took effort to keep it that way. I had learned to suppress any stronger, more spontaneous reactions.

Not many knew that, but my natural temperament wasn’t as composed and stoic as I presented to the world, I was far more intense beneath the surface, but I made sure it never boiled over too quickly. I knew that in a leadership position, any sign of instability could hurt morale and reduce employee productivity. Over the years, I’d built a reputation in this company as someone who always kept a cool head and could handle chaotic situations. I always had a plan, always had a process. I led my team steadily and systematically toward the goal. That’s what brought us the most success.

But this kid… from day one, he had already chipped away at that barrier of meticulously constructed stoicism I’d built around myself. And I had no idea how to respond to that.

When I’d lashed out at him on the very first day he came into my office, he got a reaction out of me no one else had ever managed to see in this company. And that was… almost fascinating.

Was he doing it on purpose? Trying to provoke me? Or was it just part of his nature? After all, Jacob had always said Sariel had a rebellious spirit.

"Everything all right?"

Not a flinch. I was trained enough in self-control that the sound of my boss’s voice, suddenly behind me, didn’t even graze my composure.

Unhurriedly, I turned around with a neutral expression. Jacob stood there, eyebrows slightly raised, giving me a questioning look.

A small, vague gesture was enough to let him know it was nothing serious. "Car troubles," I said in a light tone. "I’m waiting for an Uber, but it’s running late."

"Heading home or do you have errands to run?"

"Home."

"Perfect. I’m driving past your place, I’ll give you a ride. Let’s go."

Jacob’s tone wasn’t one that tolerated objections. When he said something, that’s just how it was going to be. Even though I had a lot of independence in this company, I never forgot who was in charge.

"Sure, thanks, if it’s not a problem. I’ll cancel the Uber."

A moment later, we left the building together, the glass doors sliding shut behind us. The wind and rain hit our faces, but Jacob’s perfectly styled dark hair didn’t budge an inch. Neither did mine.

There was a certain similarity between the two of us, something we both instinctively felt.

He’d liked me from my very first day at DevApp, back when I was still a freshman intern. He appreciated my work ethic and respected my opinions. We made a pretty solid team, and our collaboration definitely helped improve all of DevApp’s products. We pushed projects forward with shared, seamless effort.

But underneath it all, there was something else. Something subtle that may have made Jacob just a little more open with me than with other employees.

A hint of forbidden attraction.

I’d sensed it from him over the years, on a very discreet level, of course. Jacob had never done anything physical to confirm it, so aside from the energy I picked up, I had no concrete proof there was anything more behind his behavior. But some things… you just know .

I remembered one day in particular when his heat was approaching. We were in Jacob’s office, and he asked me to brush something off his back, he’d been sitting in another manager’s chair during a meeting, and apparently, that guy had cats.

It was palpable in the air, how hard it was for him not to turn around and… His flushed cheeks, quickened breathing, dilated pupils. His pelvis tilted a bit, instinctively, as omegas do during heat waves. He even made a soft, involuntary sound, but as a beta, I couldn’t quite interpret it. I was almost certain it expressed either arousal or some kind of approval… of me, or maybe just of my touch as I brushed the fur off his back.

To his credit, he didn’t act on it. And I respected him for that. Jacob was a man of strong moral principles, controlling his desires with the same firm hand he used to run his company. He loved his husband, and I just knew he’d never do anything to risk that relationship—or, for that matter, our professional dynamic.

Climbing into his car, which was a good two classes above mine, I sighed quietly. I drove a modest, older model; I’d put my money into my apartment instead. Unfortunately, as life had recently reminded me, that choice had put me in a tricky spot. Because of my car’s breakdown, I’d been relying on others, and that wasn’t ideal.

We pulled out of the parking lot. Jacob kept his eyes on the road, but there was a faint trace of distraction on his face, like something was weighing on his mind.

And I knew, it was only a matter of time before he asked the question. Sure enough, a few moments later, it found me.

"How’s your collaboration with Sariel going?"

What should I do? Two options: I could brush it off, sweep my doubts and concerns under the rug, or I could be honest about how things were going, just in case something genuinely troubling was happening.

"It’s hard to say for now, Jacob." As soon as I finished the sentence, he shifted slightly in his seat, like something about that answer made him uneasy, or he would rather not hear where it was going.

"I’ve been having car trouble. The battery died. Two days ago, Sariel offered to help and used jumper cables to start it."

Jacob chuckled. "Ah, right. That’s Victor’s influence. He’s full of odd little quirks and taught Sariel a bunch of tricks that are basically useless in a city like this."

"Sometimes they come in handy, though. My car’s definitely past its prime." I paused for a second, choosing my words carefully. "But now Sariel keeps offering to help, and he’s being pretty persistent about it. Even though I set clear boundaries on his first day, asked him to keep things professional, and avoid unnecessary interaction. Unfortunately, he ignored that."

Jacob was quiet for a moment. At one point, he shot me a brief, searching look, as if trying to read between the lines.

"What do you think is behind it?" he asked, calm and direct.

I sighed. "It could be that he just genuinely wants to help, but something about the way he acted on the first day makes me think he might not be taking the job entirely seriously. He chuckled during our conversation, and he acts like we’re buddies…" I glanced at him, noticing how tense his face became. Then, for some reason, I decided to leave the whole T-shirt thing behind. Clearing my throat, I added, "But I don’t want to overanalyze. I just wanted to give you a heads-up. This is where things stand for now. Everything’s still under control."

We drove in silence for a while.

I didn’t live far, but downtown traffic always made the trip longer. I stared at the line of cars ahead, feeling a twinge of annoyance that the whole conversation had even started.

Fuck. I’d just tattled on Sariel to his father. A cheap shot. A low blow.

And it began to feel weirdly unfair, jumping straight to the assumption that his intentions were negative.

To my surprise, I found myself reflecting on my own bias. How I often felt about alphas in general, and especially about rich kids like Sariel, born into a privileged world completely different from mine. Because I wore it as a badge of honor, that everything I’d achieved, every single dollar I’d earned, came from my own effort.

But the more I tried to unpack my own prejudices about Sariel’s gender and his background, the more I felt disappointed in myself. Small. Full of hidden envy. Unable to rise above and see him as a human being before his circumstances.

Damn.

Did I really have to cling to those default assumptions? Deny him the kind of fair shot I’d give to someone else off the street?

I cleared my throat and said, "But I don’t want this to become a whole thing. Honestly, Jacob, these are just small issues. Nothing worth dwelling on."

But it was too late to take my words back. And judging by Jacob’s expression, he hadn’t taken them lightly.

"We’ll see about that. Thanks for telling me. I like to keep a finger on the pulse when it comes to Sariel. He’s just… this wild energy. Unpredictable. I was always happy he was so artistic, but he’s become more and more like a turbulent river that just refuses to be tamed."

We were getting close to my apartment building, and my sense of unease kept growing. I felt the urge to squirm in my seat like a kid, but I forced myself to stay still, maintaining my usual neutral expression even though I was extremely frustrated.

A red light stopped us just a block from my place.

Unexpectedly, Jacob leaned slightly forward and glanced to the right. A bright light shone from a nearby building, and behind the glass, a few shadows were moving.

"Sariel’s probably in there," Jacob muttered. "He always goes to class around this time."

My gaze followed. I knew Sariel had been into breakdancing for a few years, though Jacob rarely mentioned it. He thought it was a childish hobby that wouldn’t lead anywhere. I didn’t share that view. I personally enjoyed spending hours on my bass or piano, and saw nothing wrong with having creative outlets.

The colorful neon sign above the dance studio caught my eye. It wasn’t far from my apartment, I sometimes passed it during short walks. But the window was matte, so the dancers inside were more like silhouettes. That’s why I’d never really stopped to watch.

"I didn’t know he was practicing here," I murmured.

"Yeah. He says dance is his escape. The only question is… from what?" Jacob grimaced. "He seems like he’s searching for something. He told me recently he wants to start a family!" His mouth twisted in mild amusement, but I didn’t find it funny. Feeling highly uncomfortable, I stayed quiet and just shot him a sideways glance.

The light turned green, and we made a left. After another couple hundred yards, Jacob turned again, pulling into my apartment complex’s parking lot.

In this state of mind, I didn’t want to drag things out.

"Thanks for the ride. You really can’t rely on Ubers anymore. Downtown, they cancel all the time," I said, keeping my tone neutral. I reached for the door handle, but Jacob’s hand landed on my shoulder, stopping me.

I held my breath.

His fingers tightened slightly and lingered as he spoke.

"Winter, you know how important you are to me at this company. You’re my… most valuable employee." His tone shifted, becoming more intense. "If Sariel gives you any trouble, come to me immediately. I’ll handle it. That kid needs a firm hand. He’s not stupid, but he doesn’t know how to channel his energy yet."

I nodded quickly. "I’ll let you know if anything serious comes up. Have a good evening, Jacob. We’re still on for the ByteBites meeting tomorrow, right?"

"Absolutely," he replied.

His hand was still resting on my forearm, and I was growing increasingly anxious. I lowered my gaze to where he was touching me, and maybe that was what finally made him realize he was overstepping. He pulled his hand back, straightened up, cleared his throat, then ran his other hand through his hair, ruffling it slightly. Very out of character. I’d never seen him do anything that could be read as awkward or uncertain.

Yeah… definitely. Jacob was attracted to me big time. But his strict principles kept him on a tight leash, and that worked just fine for me.

Romancing a married omega, especially my own boss, would be extremely risky. If anything ever went wrong, my career at this company would be over in a heartbeat. I had to be careful. Keep things official. I valued my job too much.

Jacob was staring straight ahead, jaw clenched, looking like he wanted to say something but was fighting the urge.

To be honest, I couldn’t deny there was something about him. We had a lot in common, similar views, a similar work ethic, even similar mannerisms.

Kind of like with… Finn. But I suspected that we would end up the same way, with this tiny, annoying imperfection.

When we met for the first time, during my internship, I was deep in my relationship with Finn. Even then, I could sense Jacob’s very subtle approval of me, beyond just my coding skills. But I programmed my mind pretty hard to ignore it, blocking any energy I might have felt in me, pushing me toward Jacob. I always treated the not-cheating policy very seriously.

"Have a good evening, Jacob," I said decisively, opening the door.

"You too, Winter," he replied, and immediately started the engine, like he needed to speed away from the moment. Short as it was, it already seemed like something he regretted.

As he drove off the lot, I let out a breath.

Whew! A close call.

I promised myself I wouldn’t get in a car with him again, especially after work hours.

Needing to stretch my legs and shake off the tense, negative energy, I started casually walking instead of heading inside the building. Being near Jacob was never relaxing, his aura too heavy. Now I wanted to feel lighter, and for some reason, my feet carried me toward the dance studio. It was dumb, and I didn’t fully understand myself, but something, maybe curiosity, was pulling me like a strong thread.

Baffled, I crossed the street and spotted a small parking lot. Sure enough, Sariel’s car was there.

So he was inside. Probably already dancing.

But the windows were fogged up, so I couldn’t really see him. Still, I walked along the large glass wall, not even sure what I was expecting to achieve here. I rounded the corner of the building, and there, at the far end, were some smaller doors. Probably a side entrance, the one dancers used to step outside. I’d seen them there before, standing around in small groups when I passed by on occasion.

Now, though, there was no one. The session was still going on. I walked slowly up to the door and noticed that the frosted pane had two narrow strips of plain, clear glass. Feeling a bit ridiculous, I leaned in and pressed my eye to one of them.

The room was full of people dancing to the beat of the music, which I could hear even through the thick door.

At first, I didn’t see him, but my eyes quickly picked him out of the crowd. He was the only alpha in the group, the rest were omegas and betas.

Sariel was maybe five yards away, close enough that I could catch every detail.

He wore a black, tight top and what looked like black leggings with thin phosphorescent green stripes running down the sides. His mint-colored hair, damp with sweat, clung to his forehead in strands.

Watching, I just stood there, appreciating the way he moved, his whole body radiated power and grace, like a black panther. A silly comparison, maybe, but there was something wild about him, something I never saw when he walked through the office halls like anyone else.

His naked arms had wiry, long muscles, his skin was shining, and the delicate, mint-colored floral tattoos on his forearms looked almost black against his fair skin in the neon lights.

He was really good. I knew he’d been dancing for a few years, but I hadn’t expected this level. There was something completely immersive in the way he moved, like he was dancing only for himself, folding inward into his own bubble, tuning everyone else out. He didn’t hold back, didn’t save anything. He gave everything he had to each move. Pure passion. Pure force… Every motion intense, his energy practically exploding with sudden twists, stops, and releases. Then he’d launch again, giving off this strong, raw vibration, like he was being powered by electricity.

I continued to stare, mesmerized, captivated by the spectacle of physical vitality, the vibrancy of it.

There was something about him, not exactly alpha-like, in the way he moved. More graceful, more sophisticated. Almost like he’d tuned into his inner omega. What a funny thought. But the ambiguity of his energy, as it presented itself here, was surprisingly attractive, and… convincing. It just fit, like a composition designed with a purpose. He seemed shockingly real. Almost naked. Vulnerable. I loved how pure it was, this openness… I lacked.

I could sense him here, on a completely new level, as if I were seeing some unexplored truth about him.

And wow. I realized then how far removed Sariel was from me, Jacob, and Finn. Another world, another galaxy.

Like a different species.

We were all fucking intense about careers, competitive, perfectionists, almost militant about our meticulously designed lives.

He was the opposite. For a second, I had this absurd thought, that Sariel was the type of guy I had never tried to date before. I settled for Finns, Jacobs, Winters. Those types. And kept feeling there was something lacking. Too many similarities. Suffocating.

I’d never considered dating anybody artistic and wild. Maybe I should try to find somebody like that?

Wait, I actually had tried one time…

Logan.

After I kicked him from the coding club, he switched to the art club. And he did well! He actually went to college, majoring in Fashion Design!

Yeah… so, I’ve never explored the artistic boyfriend scenario, given this kind of bad start. But maybe there was something to it after all?

My first intuition in choosing a boyfriend was a guy with blue hair and artistic inclinations. All those other analytical, success-oriented, STEM-minded types chose me. Interesting.

My thoughts were rolling.

The music kept going.

…and so did Sariel, my eyes following every movement.

His narrow hips, his long, strong muscles. He really did have something feline about him. And something simply… beautiful.

I pressed my lips together.

When he was passed out in my office and I leaned over him, I’d thought he had a beautiful face. But now I was realizing—he had a beautiful, lithe body too.

What the hell? I exhaled sharply.

Stop that, Winter. Crazy!

I turned away and walked off, my jaw clenched, just like Jacob’s had been earlier in the car.

Funny. Almost ironic.

Jacob found me attractive, and I found his son attractive. Too twisted, too sick. At the very least, complicated.

On the walk home, I picked up my pace, emotions swirling inside me, pushing crazy fantasies and scenarios into my head, trying to tell me something about myself that I’d kept hidden forever.

About the life I could have had if I wasn’t so angry and proud.

And frozen.

But at the same time, my well-practiced persona, the one that was always in control, always rational, was hacking those feelings down like a machete, cutting through them with logic and solid arguments.

Why did I even come here? A needless disturbance in my life.

All I’d done was stir myself up over something that practically had the word disaster written across it in bold, top to bottom.