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.

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.

Maya wasn’t the one who noticed Dante first, he had no idea how Dante even spotted him. Maybe it was his scent.Was Maya pleased? Absolutely not. Was he panicking? Yes. Because standing in front of him wasn’t just his ex of barely a 4 months ... it was the ex he was still hopelessly, tragically in love with.

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

Maya was an Omega, an Elite Prime Omega, to be precise. 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.

In their society, secondary genders meant everything. Alpha and Omega, those were just the basics. Each had ranks. 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 poorly unless they had status. Respect was reserved for the high ranks.

Dante? He was an Elite Prime Enigma. The top Dog, A young one at that.

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, Maya’s scent flared.

He wanted to avoid this situation he knew was going to happen, footsteps approached behind him, firm and fast.

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

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, the smirk he wore disappearing from his face.

Maya could feel the tension . The way Taiga squared his shoulders, the way Dante tilted his head slightly, sizing up taiga like they hadn't met before. He had suspected when they played at the winter cup a few months back but didn't think much of it .

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, his voice was cool and slow. “I see you’ve already replaced me.”

He walked away without waiting for a reply.

Maya stopped mid-step. Taiga stared at him, his brows furrowing in confusion.

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

Maya didn’t speak for a while. 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 face flashing in his mind, his boyfriend's focused stare on his ex's face.

Interesting......

----

They were parked two blocks away,Taiga tilted his head, watching Maya. Most people misread Taiga at first glance. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and loud when he wanted to be, but he was also observant, painfully so.

“You wanna tell me what that was?” he asked. “Because I’ve never seen you go that pale before.”

Maya opened his mouth, then closed it again.

“I used to date him,” he said eventually, “Dante. He was my... my first real relationship.”

Taiga blinked, surprised but he was not angry. “You guys were a thing?”

Maya nodded.

“For how long?” Taiga asks.

“Almost two years. We broke up right before graduation.”

Taiga let out a low whistle, stepping back just enough to lean against the nearest tree. “Damn. And I just shook his hand at the Winter Cup like it was nothing.”

Maya gave a sad laugh. “You didn’t know.”

“Still,” Taiga muttered. “i should have known, he kept staring at me” he says, watching maya cork an eyebrow at him.

“He’s an Enigma. Elite Prime. he was probably sizing you up..” Maya says, staring intently at Taiga's expression.

Silence settled between them again.

“You’re still in love with him?” Taiga suddenly asks

Maya hesitated. “...Yes.”

There. He said it. He knew he hurt Taiga ,but at least they were out. Lying to him wouldn't do them any good.

He looked off down the street, nodding slowly. “Okay.”

“Okay?” Maya echoed, confused.

“I mean, I don’t love it,” Taiga said honestly. “You don’t just switch off feelings like a light. I’d rather know the truth than have you fake something for me.”

Maya stared at him, heart cracking a little at the unexpected grace.

Taiga finally pushed off the tree, walking ahead a few steps, then turning back. “But Maya... if he tries to worm his way back in, you better believe I’m not stepping aside quietly.”

Maya smiles, . “I wouldn’t ask you to.”

“Good,” Taiga said, and gave him a wink. “Now come on. I think those shoes are on sale, and you owe me a game.” He says, already heading back into the mall.

Unknowingly to maya , taiga's mind was in a haze.