INSTINCT

PHEROMONE BLIND

STARWRITES

CHAPTER 2: INSTINCT

Lucas's heart lurched into his throat.

The Alpha standing a few feet away looked nothing like the composed, untouchable Eric Carter the entire campus admired. His school tie hung loosely around his neck, and the top buttons of his white shirt had been torn open. Damp strands of black hair clung to his forehead as he struggled to breathe.

Most terrifying of all were his eyes. Gone was the calm blue Lucas had seen from afar countless times. They were crimson, wild, barely restrained.

"Omega..."

The word echoed through the silent restroom. Lucas instinctively tightened his grip on the doorknob, every instinct screamed at him to run, he took one cautious step backward.Eric took one forward, then, as though forcing himself to stop, Eric dug his fingernails into his palms until they drew blood.

"No..."

His voice was rough, almost pleading. "Don't come any closer."

Lucas blinked, wasn't Eric the one walking toward him?

"I... I think I came to the wrong restroom," Lucas said with an awkward laugh. "I'll just leave."

"Don't." The sharp command made Lucas flinch, for a long moment, only Eric's uneven breathing filled the room. His chest rose and fell violently before he suddenly staggered backward, crashing into the sink. The loud bang echoed through the restroom, Eric gripped the porcelain so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

"Go."

His voice trembled.

"Please... just go."

Lucas frowned, nothing about this made sense, a moment ago Eric had looked ready to chase him, now he sounded desperate to protect him.

"Carter..."

Eric slowly lifted his head.The instant their eyes met, his breathing faltered again.

"No..."

He squeezed his eyes shut."This isn't happening..."

His fingers dug so deeply into the sink that a sharp crack echoed through the room.Lucas stared, the porcelain had actually cracked.

"What...?" Eric let out a bitter laugh.

"So that's why..."Lucas couldn't understand.

"Why what?"This time, Eric answered.

Instead of brushing the question aside, he looked directly at Lucas.

"Because every time I saw you..."He paused, struggling against another wave of instinct.

"...I felt like something was missing."

Lucas frowned."We've never even talked."

"I know."Eric gave a weak smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"But I've noticed you."Lucas froze.

"You... noticed me?" Eric nodded once.

"You volunteer at the library every Wednesday." Lucas's eyes widened."You help Professor Miller carry books after class."Lucas's heartbeat quickened.

"And last winter..." Eric continued quietly, "...you gave your umbrella to one of the freshmen and walked home in the rain."Lucas stared at him.

He barely remembered doing that."How do you know all that?"Eric looked just as confused as Lucas."...I don't know."

That answer frightened him more than anything else.Eric suddenly drew in a sharp breath, his expression twisted.

"I can smell you..."Lucas frowned.

"Smell me?"

"Clearly."

Lucas looked around the restroom in confusion, all he could smell was disinfectant, soap, and the faint scent of rain drifting through the open window.

"What are you talking about?"Eric stared at him, his confusion slowly deepened."...You can't smell my pheromones."Lucas blinked.

"Your what?"

For a brief moment, Eric simply looked at him.Then realization dawned across his face."...You really can't."Lucas's patience was wearing thin."I don't even know what we're talking about."

He took a cautious step toward the door."I should go."

The moment he moved, Eric's instincts reacted before his mind could.His hand shot forward and wrapped gently around Lucas's wrist.Warm, firm, both of them froze.

The instant their skin touched, Eric's breathing stopped completely, his crimson eyes widened as though the contact itself had calmed the storm inside him. Lucas could only stare back, neither of them understood what was happening.

"This..."Eric whispered hoarsely. "It really is you."

"What are you talking about?" Lucas asked.

Before Eric could answer, another violent wave of instinct crashed over him, he released Lucas immediately and stumbled backward.

Bang!

His fist slammed into the tiled wall, cracks spread across the surface, blood instantly stained his knuckles, Lucas gasped.

"What are you doing? "Eric ignored him, another punch, then another.Each blow seemed less about destroying the wall and more about fighting himself. Blood dripped onto the floor.

"Eric, stop!"

Without thinking, Lucas rushed forward and grabbed his injured wrist. "You'll break your hand!"Eric stiffened, for a split second, the pain disappeared from his face.Instead, he looked at Lucas with an expression so gentle it made Lucas's heart skip.Then Eric slowly pulled his hand free.

"If you stay..." His voice trembled. "...I'll lose control."

Lucas's throat tightened.This was the first complete sentence Eric had spoken that actually made sense.He wasn't threatening Lucas, he was warning him, he was trying to protect him.Eric forced himself to take another step back, his breathing became ragged again.

"Please." His crimson eyes met Lucas's one last time. "Run."

This time, Lucas listened, he turned and ran from the restroom, his footsteps echoing through the empty hallway, only when he reached the front gate did he finally stop.Bent over and struggling to catch his breath, he pressed a trembling hand against his chest.

"What... was that?"

His wrist still felt warm where Eric had held it, and somehow...instead of fear alone, there was another unfamiliar feeling lingering in his heart.

Back inside the deserted restroom, Eric slid down the cracked wall until he was sitting on the floor.Blood stained the white tiles beneath him.His breathing slowly steadied, he closed his eyes.

"...Lucas Bennett."

He whispered the name as though committing it to memory, only then did his eyes suddenly fly open.He had never asked for the boy's name.Yet somehow...

He already knew it.