Collision In Isle Five

If someone had told Maya he'd run into his ex on a scorching Sunday afternoon at a shoe store, he would have stayed home. No hesitation, no debate, he would have locked himself inside with a tub of ice cream and binge-watched old anime reruns until the sun set.

Because now, standing under the buzzing fluorescent lights of Sports & Kicks, was the very last person he wanted to see.

Dante.

And to make matters worse, Maya’s current boyfriend was just a few aisles down, trying on basketball shoes, oblivious to the hurricane unfolding only steps away.

Maya wasn’t the one who noticed Dante first. In fact, he had no idea how Dante even spotted him. Maybe it was his scent. Maybe it was just dumb, cosmic misfortune. Was Maya pleased? Absolutely not. Was he panicking? Yes, unquestionably yes. His fingers were trembling, his breath shallow. Because standing in front of him wasn’t just his ex of barely a year ... it was the ex he was still hopelessly, tragically in love with.

His name sat heavy in Maya's chest: Dante.

And behind him, at the far end of the aisle, stood Taiga—his boyfriend. Tall, brash, talented, kind. Unknowing.

Maya was an Omega, an Elite Prime Omega, to be precise. The kind that wasn't supposed to let emotions override reason. The kind expected to hold composure like royalty. He had control, power, and rank. But right now, the distress scent curling off his skin betrayed everything.

Dante, of course, noticed. His trademark smirk tugged at the corners of his lips, effortlessly cool, like nothing had changed.

But everything had changed.

In their society, secondary genders meant everything. Alpha and Omega, those were just the basics. Each had ranks, each a rung on an unforgiving social ladder. For Alphas, the hierarchy went: Alpha, Prime Alpha, Elite Prime Alpha, Enigma, Elite Enigma, and the rare Elite Prime Enigma. For Omegas: Omega, Prime Omega, Elite Prime Omega, Luna, Elite Luna, and finally Elite Prime Luna. Lunas were considered the top—rulers of the matriarchal system in theory, but in practice, Omegas were often treated like background noise unless they had status. Respect was reserved for the high ranks. Power, for the rare.

And Dante? He was an Elite Prime Enigma.

A rarity. An anomaly. Possibly dangerous.

He was either someone powerful or the child of someone even more so. A rising basketball star on the national team, not NBA-level yet, but it was only a matter of time. His father ran an electrical company and more businesses than Maya could count. They had met in middle school, played on the same team, dated in their third year, and broke up just before graduation.

Now, here he was again.

The air was heavy with unspoken words. Maya’s scent pulsed with unease.

He wanted to run. But footsteps approached behind him, firm and fast.

“Maya, are you okay?” Taiga’s voice cut through the tension. “You smell... off.”

Maya flinched. He didn’t answer.

Taiga stepped beside him, blinking when he noticed Dante. “Oh, Dante? What a surprise. What are you doing here? Haven’t seen you since the Winter Cup.”

Dante’s gaze shifted to him, unreadable and cold. He didn’t speak.

The silence between them was sharp.

Maya felt it, saw it. The way Taiga squared his shoulders. The way Dante tilted his head slightly, appraising. The way the air suddenly seemed too thin to breathe in.

Panic flared.

Before things could escalate, Maya bowed stiffly, took Taiga’s hand, and tugged him toward the back of the store.

“We meet again, Maya,” Dante said behind them, voice smooth and cruelly calm. “I see you’ve already replaced me.”

He walked away without waiting for a reply.

Maya stopped mid-step. Taiga stared at him, confusion bleeding into concern.

And Maya?

He had a whole storm of explanations to give, and no idea where to begin.

Maya didn’t speak for a while, not even when they stepped outside into the sticky afternoon heat. His fingers stayed wrapped around Taiga’s, but his mind was somewhere else entirely, replaying every second of that encounter like a looping curse.

Dante’s smirk.

That voice.

“I see you’ve already replaced me.”

Maya flinched just remembering it.

Taiga finally tugged his hand gently. “You’re shaking.”

“I know,” Maya muttered. His voice sounded smaller than usual.