Chapter Ten

Kian’s POV 

The day of the move came faster than I was ready for.

I woke up early, stomach twisted in tight knots, and went through my checklist one last time. Patch — fresh, thick, pressed firmly behind my ear. Check. Hoodie — oversized, zipped all the way up. Check. Bag — everything I own, which honestly isn’t much, packed tight and strapped to my back. Check!

I took one slow, deep breath, mentally locking everything down deep inside. 

There should be not a single whiff. Not a single hint. Not to anyone. Especially not Luca. Because Luca was a dominant omega — and not just any dominant omega, but one training to be a doctor. If anyone could pick up on even the faintest leak… it was him. He’d notice the shift in my scent before I even stepped through the doorway. And I couldn’t afford that mistake. Not now.

I hauled my duffel bag out the door and made the short walk to campus as I was already near. I moved quickly, eyes forward, keeping to the less crowded paths. Every stranger that passed made my shoulders tense. Every alpha that walked by had me holding my breath until they were gone. But I made it. No one stopped me, thank goodness I didn't bump with that engineering guy again. Also, no one smiled and said something that made my blood run cold. Just… people. Students hurrying about their lives, completely unaware that I was walking among them carrying a secret.

The dorm lobby was warm and alive when I walked in — laughter echoing down the hallways, music drifting from an open door somewhere on the second floor. I found my room number and made my way there, gripping the strap of my bag so tight my fingers ached.

I knocked once, then pushed the door open.

Luca was there, sitting cross-legged on his bed with a textbook propped open on his knees and a half-eaten apple in one hand. The moment I stepped inside, his head snapped up, and a bright, warm grin spread across his face.

“Kian! Hah! You finally made it!” He set the book aside and hopped up, practically bouncing over to help. “I was wondering when you’d show up! I was half-convinced you’d gotten lost somewhere and were currently wandering the hallways like a very cute ghost.”

I felt a small, genuine smile tug at my lips despite my nerves. “Almost did,” I admitted, setting my bag down by the empty bed. “Took three wrong turns just to find this hallway again. I swear this place changes its layout every time I blink.”

Luca laughed — light, musical, easy — and helped me drag my bag onto the mattress. “Don’t worry. Everyone gets lost here. Even I still do sometimes, and I’ve been here for weeks now. It’s designed like a maze on purpose, I’m sure of it.”

He stood back then, hands on his hips, and looked at me — really looked at me — for a second longer than I was expecting. My heart gave a sharp little jolt. Don’t react. Don’t flinch. Stay locked down. I kept my breathing slow and steady, every wall in my mind reinforced, every scent barrier secure.

His head tilted just slightly to the side, his bright green eyes curious but not suspicious. “You okay? You look a little… tense. Like you’re expecting the room to bite you or something.”

“Just nervous,” I said quickly, maybe a little too quickly. I rubbed the back of my neck, keeping my movements natural, relaxed. “First time living with someone. First time being away from home properly. All of that. I’ll… get used to it. Probably.”

Luca’s expression softened instantly. He gave my arm a gentle, reassuring pat — quick, not lingering — and I didn’t flinch. Good. “Hey, no pressure at all. Seriously. We can figure out the roommate thing as we go. If I’m too loud, or I steal your food, or my alarm goes off at 5 AM because I forgot to turn it off… just yell. I promise I won’t take it personally.”

I laughed, a real one this time, and some of the tension seeped out of my shoulders. “Fair enough. And if I’m too quiet, or I accidentally fall asleep at the table… you know, normal stuff.”

“Normal stuff,” Luca agreed with a grin. “That’s all I ask. Now — do you want help unpacking, or do you need some space first? I can give you an hour. Or twenty minutes. Or five minutes if you’re just gonna stand there feeling awkward until I leave the room.”

“Five minutes sounds perfect,” I said gratefully.

“Awesome. I’ll be in the common room if you need me. Holler me if you need something — I’ll come rescue you. Even if you just need someone to tell you which shelf is yours. I’m very good at shelf assignments.”

With one last bright smile, Luca stepped out and closed the door behind him.

The moment the latch clicked, I sank down onto my new bed and let out a breath I felt like I’d been holding since I left my old apartment. My hands were trembling just slightly. I reached up and pressed two fingers against my neck, right over the patch. It felt secure. It was holding…

He hadn’t smelled anything. I was certain of it. Luca was a dominant omega with sharp senses and a medical student’s eye for detail — if there had been even the tiniest slip, he would have caught it. He would have paused, or frowned, or asked another question. But he hadn’t. He’d just… smiled. And welcomed me. And treated me like I was just a regular person.

I flopped back onto the mattress and stared at the ceiling, a tiny, fragile spark of hope flickering in my chest. Maybe… maybe I could actually do this. Maybe I could stay hidden, keep everyone safe, and actually have something resembling a normal life while I was at it.

I just had to stay careful. That’s all. Just stay one step ahead, keep the barriers up, and never — ever — let anyone get close enough to really know me.

Simple enough, right?