Chapter 2

I still don’t understand how I ended up here, watching a movie with Rhunar and Lya. I should’ve known better than to fall for those pretty eyes of his. Sitting beside them while they whisper, laugh, and kiss is making my stomach twist. I’m used to being the third wheel, though. He always runs after her, no matter what she does. Even when she dumped him for someone else. Even when she cheated. He still follows her around like a lost puppy. All because she’s his first love… and she’s a Beta.

“Um, Agatha, can you get me a green smoothie?” Lya asked, pulling her lips off Rhunar. She’d been kissing him through half the movie.

“No, I can’t. I want to watch the rest of the movie,” I said, pretending to be focused on the screen.

“Come on,” she sighed. “Try being useful for once, Agatha.”

I froze. Did she really just say that? And Rhunar? He didn’t even say anything. Just sat there like it was fine.

I felt the heat rise in my face. Maybe I should’ve just stayed at my mom’s house instead of coming here. Buried my face in a pillow like before.

Without a word, I stood up and walked out of the cinema. Their soft giggles followed me. I even heard someone behind us whisper, “Can you guys keep it down?”

I didn’t look back.

…..

I still don’t understand why Rhunar acts so differently when he’s around other people. We’ve been friends since I was ten. I remember the first day my mom took me to the pack house. She worked there as a cleaner, and I used to follow her around. The other kids weren’t nice to me—especially one boy who made fun of me just because I was a regular omega. But Rhunar? He was the only one who treated me kindly. He smiled at me that day. It was the first smile I got there, and ever since then, I stayed by his side.

“Are you paying for the smoothies, ma’am?” the vendor asked, pulling me out of my thoughts.

“Oh! Yeah. How much?”

“Five dollars and five cents.”

“Okay, here you go,” I said, handing her the money and grabbing the smoothie.

I realized the movie was almost over, so I hurried back, walking as fast as I could. That’s when I bumped into someone—he was wearing a white shirt and black shorts. The smoothie spilled all over him.

“What the hell? Can’t you watch where you’re going?” he snapped, brushing off the green mess.

“Oh my God, I’m so sorry!” I said quickly, still thinking about getting the half-spilled smoothie to Lya. But before I could leave, he grabbed my wrist.

“Hey! Where do you think you’re going? How are you going to fix my ruined outfit?” he asked, not letting go.

“I said I’m sorry. If you want, I can help pay for dry cleaning,” I said, turning to face him.

His angry expression changed a little, like he’d seen me before.

“You...” he said slowly. “Of all the people I could run into today—it had to be you, Omega.” He smiled now, and leaned closer. “I finally found you, and I’m not letting go this time.”

His face was inches from mine. I could feel his breath. Something about him felt familiar—those sharp dimples and those crazy blue eyes.

“Do I know you?” I asked, noticing how people were staring. Mostly the girls.

“Wow... Agatha Morrow forgot her first kiss?” he said with a cocky smirk.

Of course. How could I ever forget the boy who stole my first kiss?

“You... You’re Fenrik Vale,” I said, and my smile faded into a glare.

Fenrik Vale.

Rhunar’s older brother.

Back from abroad. My worst nightmare had returned.

He used to be mean, cocky, and a complete pain in my life when we were kids—but now? He looked different. Maybe it was his new hairstyle or the way his jawline had sharpened over the years. Or maybe... he was just more handsome now, and that made it worse.

That’s when I realized why everyone was staring.

Of course. The women’s dream guy was holding my hand like we were a couple in a drama scene—and I was the unlucky girl who spilled smoothie all over him.

“Let go of me, Fenrik,” I said firmly, tugging my hand, but his grip didn’t loosen. His hold was strong—too strong—and my wrist started to hurt.

“And how exactly are you going to pay for this shirt?” he asked, waving at the mess I made. “I had a date tonight. With a beautiful lady, might I add. You’ve ruined everything.”

His words stung, and so did my wrist. “You’re hurting me,” I said through gritted teeth. “Let go, at least. Please, Fenrik.”

“Didn’t you hear me? You ruined it—you fix it.”

“I’ll scream,” I warned, glaring up at him. “I swear, I’ll scream.”

He leaned closer, and his voice dropped to a whisper, sending chills down my spine. “Scream then. I don’t care. I’ll rip off anyone who comes between us.”

The look in his eyes was wild, teasing—but there was something else there too. Something I couldn’t name.

I opened my mouth, ready to scream, when I heard a voice.

A voice that stopped everything.

“Fenrik,” the voice said, low and angry. “Let her go. Now.”

My breath caught in my throat. I knew that voice. Every part of me knew it.

I slowly turned around.

Rhunar was standing there—jaw clenched, eyes sharp, fists already curled at his sides.

He wasn’t smiling anymore.