Chapter 2

    You gotta try 'eating' everything to make it worth it.

    Bang!

    The sound of the car door slamming shut signaled a foul mood, causing the owner of the vehicle to turn around and snap at the passenger in the back.

    "What’s up with you, Mil? Why the long face?"

    Nalin, the beta woman who was Ramil's close manager, spoke up. Even though today was supposed to be a gathering for a top project of the year, and the other person was in a good mood this morning, why did he look so glum instead of excited to celebrate after the shoot? The person who was like a younger brother to her now wore a face that seemed unapproachable.

    "Well, that Jenrob guy had shown his true colors, P’Lin. Not only does he want to sleep with me, but he's also thinking of blackmailing me."

    The young omega shrugged indifferently, but it nearly made the other person faint.

    "Blackmail? Are you telling me you dealt with him already?"

    "Of course, at my level, just pinning him down and knocking him out for a bit will do. He'll wake up and be back to his old tricks, P’Lin. Don't worry."

    "Oh... my head hurts. I'm not worried about him, but I'm worried about you, Mil! How many times have I told you not to mess with these guys? See... It's just like I said, isn't it?"

    "Oh, P’Lin! You're such a nag. I didn't know he’d be as bad as people say. I don't want to judge someone based on gossip."

    "Yeah, someone like you has to experience it firsthand to understand."

    "I'm totally convinced now, Mom. If all the alphas around me are going to be like this, I might as well go back to the soft embrace of my own kind."

    The owner of the blonde hair clicked his tongue in frustration. Initially, he was so taken with an alpha like Jenrob that he thought about getting serious, but now he had to shelve that idea and toss it aside. Just thinking about his face made him feel utterly disgusted, prompting him to seek something beautiful to uplift his spirits.

    Which led Ramil to casually reach into his purse to grab a mirror and lipstick. He opened the nude-colored lip balm and lightly applied it to his lips, then pressed them together slightly to evenly distribute the texture. He finished with a small kiss to the mirror to check his appearance before putting everything back in his bag.

    Nalin, who was driving and watching Ramil through the rearview mirror, shook her head with amused affection.

    Her little troublemaker always had a love for beauty, no matter the time.

    "So, after throwing Mr. Jenrob like that, do you think he'll still come to your birthday party this Saturday to take photos? And what about the new product shoot the day after tomorrow?"

    "What can I do, P’Lin? I wanted to be serious, but he wanted to skip steps. I'm just as annoyed. This one's really got my heart racing. I wanted him."

    "I'm really baffled by your tastes, Mil. One day you want a slender guy, the next you're after a big alpha."

    "Come on, why stick to one type when you can try them all? It's the spice of life. Eating the same dish over and over gets boring, doesn't it?"

    "Yeah, yeah, it's your business. But aren't you worried he'll retaliate?"

    Nalin tapped her fingers on the steering wheel, feeling slightly anxious because the person her brother had tangled with was not just anyone. He was a well-known alpha in the industry, influential enough to stir up scandal for Ramil.

    However, the top queen was not worried like Nalin was. The young omega simply crossed his legs and continued texting his friends.

    "Mil's got a voice clip, so he won't dare. Plus, everyone knows who Mil's dad and mom are. That alpha's smart enough to keep his mouth shut."

    "Just be careful. It's better to be safe than sorry. You're always stirring up trouble, my dear brother."

    "Think of it as adding some excitement for you, P’Lin. So you won't get bored and have something to do when you're with Mil."

    Nalin's middle finger shot up at the person in the backseat as soon as that sentence ended, prompting laughter from both of them, mingling with the music playing in the car.

    "By the way, do you know anyone who can do a photoshoot for me? This time, I want someone cute and easy to work with, someone who can negotiate smoothly."

    "Negotiate, my foot, Mil. Take a break for now!"

    "Just kidding... I'll be careful for now. So, P’Lin, can you find someone new for me?"

    "Yeah, yeah, I'll try to find someone, but I can't guarantee they'll be to your liking on such short notice."

    "With you, P’Lin, I trust you'll find someone perfect."

    "You really are... something else."

    Nalin chuckled softly. She could not believe her talent sometimes.

    She had been managing Ramil for eight years, but it felt like twenty because of all the headaches. This kid was too much to handle. Yet, despite his antics, she could not help but be fond of him like a real younger brother.

    Hmm... When did it all start? He entered the industry at twenty, and now he was twenty-nine, almost thirty. She was about five years older than Ramil. Maybe it was because they had been through so much together that they understood and cared for each other like real siblings.

    Even though Nalin had started to help manage new talents alongside top stars like Ramil, she still performed her duties flawlessly. She was always on guard, fearing her mischievous talent might charm someone into a scandal. So, she had been vigilant for the past eight years to keep the gossip to a minimum.

    It was not like she absolutely forbade him from seeing anyone—she just screened the people Ramil got involved with. After all, he was an omega... No matter how strong he was, no matter how tall or how much he could match an alpha’s strength,

    Ramil still went into heat, just like any other omega.

    Yes, her little brother went into heat every three months, each time lasting three days. Even though his heats were shorter than most, the intensity was anything but mild.

    Nalin always made sure Ramil had enough supplies to last three days locked in his room alone. When that time came, no one was allowed in or out. Ramil used his collection of sex toys to take care of his heat, over and over, until the three days were up and he could go back to his normal life like nothing happened.

    The reason for all the toys was simple: none of them trusted any alpha—or anyone else, for that matter—to be alone with Ramil in that room. What if some alpha tried something and got her little brother pregnant? Or worse, what if someone tried to blackmail him when an omega was at their most vulnerable, completely out of their mind?

    No... The status of the sole omega in the MacCullen family was not something anyone can be trusted with. Even though she was fairly confident that Ramil could take care of himself, during the heat when an omega was at their weakest, there was no guarantee that accidents would not happen.

    But could Nalin really stop her mischievous brother one hundred percent?

    Well... just look at Jenrob as an example.

    “Today ends with me dropping you off at the airport, and then we go our separate ways, right?”

    When they stopped at a red light, Nalin asked the person in the backseat to confirm the final plan for the day.

    “Yeah, sis. My close friend is coming from abroad, so I have to pick him up.”

    “Make sure to keep your face covered so people don’t know who you are. Check in with me once you’re back to your room.”

    “Got it, mom.”

    The beta shook her head with amusement before changing gears and driving down the road ahead. Since she had errands to run in the evening, she could not accompany Ramil to wait for his friend from overseas. The last thing she could do was drive him safely to the airport.

    Nalin hoped that leaving the top queen of the industry alone for just two hours, with a mask covering his mouth and a black hood hiding his striking blonde hair, along with a spray to mask his scent for extra security—even though the vanilla scent owner could conceal his own scent quite well—would assure her that no problems would arise later.

    Well... she hoped so, anyway.

    .

    .

    .

    Even though it was already past 7 PM,

    the airport was still bustling as usual.

    Amidst the crowd at the departure gate, a young man appeared, wearing a cream-colored sweater layered with a denim jacket and matching pants. His short brown hair complemented his face, which could be considered both handsome and cute. With his beautiful brown eyes and slightly rosy lips, he stood out quite a bit, even though he was not an alpha or omega.

    That ordinary beta was Kacha.

    The young man, standing at 180 centimeters tall, was pulling his suitcase along the walkway, looking around the airport with excitement. It was his first time back in Thailand in eight years after spending a long time studying in England.

    Actually, his return to Thailand was not planned for today. He came back in a hurry without even informing his friends or family. He had not decided whether he would stay for just a year or longer, which meant he needed to quickly find a place to rent for the night.

    This was his last thought before Kacha took out his phone with the Thai number from his shoulder bag, intending to check where he could stay.

    Buzz Buzz

    The phone vibrated, indicating someone was calling. The caller made Kacha smile slightly as he prepared to answer the call.

    If only...

    Thud!

    "Ouch!"

    The young beta would not have collided hard with someone, causing his beautiful phone to slip from his hand. Naturally, Kacha quickly crouched down to pick up his phone from the floor.

    "Sorry."

    Whoosh

    At the same moment, the person he bumped into... also reached out to pick up the phone.

    His beautiful brown eyes inadvertently glanced up at the face of the person wearing a mask.

    Freeze

    In that instant, their eyes met.

    The touch of fingertips made someone catch their breath.

    "It's alright. I should apologize too. I wasn't paying attention either."

    Kacha accepted the apology with a smile, thinking he was partly at fault too. The young beta stood up to his full height and retrieved his phone before continuing to walk, pulling his suitcase along and answering the call as well.

    "Hello."

    [Hello, Cha! Do you remember me!]

    "Of course, I remember. How could I forget my beautiful cousin, P’Nalin?"

    Kacha replied with a smile, reminiscing about his childhood with his cousin, who was about nine years older. They used to play together when they were kids, and now, at twenty-six, he had not seen Nalin since he went abroad for his studies. Yet, talking to this relative always brought him comfort.

    [Oh, you sweet talker. I thought not seeing each other for almost ten years would make you forget me.]

    "How could I forget. You're my beautiful cousin, after all."

    [Yeah, right... So, are you back in Thailand? I saw your update on your story.]

    "Yes, Nalin. I'm at the airport now."

    [Why didn't you tell me you were coming back today? I just dropped someone off at the airport myself.]

    "I flew back suddenly, so I haven't told anyone in Thailand yet. I'm just about to check for a hotel around here."

    [Oh, being all artsy again, huh? If you don't know where to go, why not stay at my condo for now?]

    "Are you not staying at the condo anymore, P’Lin?"

    [No, I'm at home now. I haven't been at the condo for months. Why don't you stay at my place tonight and pick up the condo keycard?]

    "You're always so kind to me, Nalin. Thank you so much. I'll take a taxi to your place."

    Kacha smiled broadly, grateful for Nalin's kindness. Knowing his destination, the young beta bid farewell to his cousin on the phone.

    "Alright, I'll hang up..."

    [Oh... Cha, by the way...]

    "..."

    [Are you still taking photography gigs?]

    "Yes, I am. I'm planning to freelance here. If you have any work, feel free to recommend me."

    [Great! Then this Friday... could you take a job for me?]

    "What kind of job, P’Lin?"

    [It's not difficult, Cha...]

    "..."

    [Just a photoshoot for Milly's brand.]

    .

    .

    .

    "What are you staring at?"

    The voice of a young alpha broke the silence after his friend bumped into someone and kept staring at the retreating figure, lost in thought. It was like he was in a trance or something, prompting him to ask.

    "Why, was the person you bumped into so handsome you couldn't look away?" he could not help but tease his friend a bit, earning an eye roll in response. The friend chucked.

    "Come on, I don't fall for every handsome guy in the world. It's just that..."

    "..."

    "His scent, it was... nice."

    "Did you just bump into an alpha?"

    "No... he was a beta."

    "And?"

    "His perfume smelled really good. I just wanted to try it for myself, that's all."

    His friend's final answer made the listener burst out laughing again.

    "Ow! Ramil, what's with you? Let's go, I'm tired."

    The young alpha wrapped an arm around his friend's neck, who was about the same height, and started walking, leaving his omega friend to grumble in annoyance as usual.

    "Yeah... I get it."

    Even though the queen of the industry agreed and followed along, Ramil could not deny that the encounter just moments ago had left him a bit shaken.

    For a split second... it made his heart race.

    Was it because of the faint perfume that lingered in the air at that moment?

    Or the beautiful brown eyes that seemed to see only him?

    Or...

    Was it the adorable smile that came from that beta's heart?