Chapter 8

    What are you waiting for, Mr. Cha?

    Thud.

    "Sigh..."

    Kacha dropped himself onto the ground, letting out a weary sigh.

    He had retreated to the area behind the bushes near the swimming pool while everyone else was partying in the main hall. The DJ's music still seeped through occasionally, but at least there was no one around except for the bartender preparing drinks at the pool bar.

    Because of this, Kacha could fully express his pain.

    'I, Ramil doesn't like someone so ordinary.'

    That sentence echoed in his mind, prompting him to clutch his beloved camera to his chest.

    Before he knew it, a tear had rolled down his cheek.

    No, Kacha was not crying because of Ramil's words. The heaviness in his heart stemmed from memories they stirred.

    It was like hitting a nerve, probably? As if it was opening a box of memories he had tried to lock away, bringing them to light once more. Yes, it was not the first time he had heard something like that.

    Because before, he had...

    "Are you sure no one knows?"

    "!!!"

    Before he could revisit old wounds, Kacha flinched at the sudden voice of someone nearby.

    Luckily, the large bushes completely concealed him, so the initiator of the conversation could not see him. On the other hand, Kacha could see both of them clearly.

    He saw the bartender at the pool bar talking to a man who seemed to have just arrived. Even from a distance, the man's impressive height suggested he was an Alpha. Kacha noticed that the newcomer, dressed in a white hooded outfit that obscured his face, was slipping money along with a small clear packet into the bartender's hand.

    A sense of foreboding kicked in, as if something suspicious was unfolding before his eyes. This prompted Kacha to take out his phone and start recording a video. He managed to capture a bit more of their conversation before the hooded Alpha walked away, leaving the bartender looking awkward and uneasy.

    Kacha put his phone away, his heart pounding. His mind was racing with thoughts. Should he confront the bartender about what had just happened? Or should he show the video to his cousin who was at the party? Or perhaps, should he wait and see if it was nothing at all?

    However, his unease drove him to stride quickly to the pool bar without hesitation. He approached the bartender and began to speak.

    "Excuse me, just now..."

    Bang!

    “Come on, everyone! It's time to blow out the candles!”

    “!!!”

    Before he could say anything, the large doors swung open, courtesy of the event's host, followed by the guests who eagerly gathered around the pool with excitement.

    “Nong Cha, come stand by and help take some photos for P’Mil. Get some great shots!”

    Nalin's words calling him to action made Kacha realize he was just a fraction of a second too late. When he turned back to look at the bartender, he found the man busy with various celebrities who had started ordering drinks, as if nothing had happened.

    “What are you waiting for, Mr. Cha? You can drink after the event, can't you?”

    “...”

    Hmm... Ramil's voice wrapped things up, making him sigh. Kacha had no choice but to brush off his unease and move closer to the host, who was about to blow out the candles.

    It was customary for a representative to come up and offer well wishes to the host. In this case, it could only be the three friends from the Four Fur gang, who were currently in the spotlight.

    “Wishing you lots of happiness, buddy.”

    “Thanks, Win.”

    “Stay beautiful, Mil. Find some time to rest, you fierce tigress.”

    “Screw you, Klay. Yeah, thanks.”

    With Kawin and Kelvin having had their turn, it was now the turn of the tan-skinned Alpha, who approached with a smile playing at the corner of his lips.

    "I wish you lots of happiness, buddy. May you always be surrounded by good people."

    "Thanks..."

    "And may someone finally tame you until you meow like a kitten."

    "Meow like a kitten, my ass, you bastard Singh!"

    And with that, the circle of well-wishers broke into laughter. The guests roared with laughter at the sight of the host chasing his hotshot friend with all his might. It was well-known that these four had been through a lot together, so a bit of teasing was only natural.

    "Mil thanks everyone for coming to my party."

    After chasing each other until they were exhausted, the Queen of the Industry expressed his gratitude to the guests before blowing out the candles on the large cake. Applause and cheers accompanied the well-wishes, making Ramil smile broadly. When the bartender came over to serve drinks, he grabbed a clear glass and downed it in one go amidst cheers from all around.

    As the alcohol flowed down his throat, warming his entire body, Ramil accidentally locked eyes with Kacha.

    Twitch.

    Both of them froze, as if some current passed between their gazes.

    A Beta with a stoic expression and an Omega who quickly looked away, feeling a strange sensation in his heart.

    It seemed like alcohol could make people bolder than usual.

    Splash!

    Ramil jumped into the pool in front of him, trying to escape the odd feeling in his heart, and it worked quite well. Many others joined him, laughing, creating a lively scene that captured everyone's attention. It was a perfect distraction, though Kacha was the only one who kept glancing at the bartender by the pool bar with unease.

    Even though Ramil was still acting normal, playing ball in the pool with some guests and laughing,

    damn it,

    why did he have a sense that something was about to happen?

    .

    .

    .

    Ramil was getting out of the pool, his body drenched, to change his clothes.

    After enjoying the swim, he went up to his room to change before returning to see off the guests and wrap up the party. He admitted that jumping into the cold water helped clear his mind a bit. He decided not to think about Kacha anymore, avoiding the headache.

    The young Omega hummed a tune as he walked to his private room. This thirtieth birthday celebration had been a huge success, and he was certain that tomorrow's headlines would be all about his grand birthday party.

    While the famous Queen was lost in thought,

    "Ah..."

    Suddenly, Ramil felt a strange shiver run through his body.

    A peculiar sensation hit him hard, forcing him to brace himself against the wall as he walked. The owner of the vanilla scent frowned in confusion.

    Whether it was the sudden flush or the inexplicable heat spreading through his body, or the parched throat that made him crave something to quench his thirst, his vision began to blur even though he had not drunk much. He found himself staggering, unable to walk straight, leaning against the wall for support. He tried to recall if anything unusual had happened to him in the past fifteen minutes.

    Could it be a chlorine allergy from the pool? Unlikely... Nor it could be an alcohol reaction from drinking too much. He had had more before without any issues. Ramil kept these suspicions to himself until he reached his room, thinking that if he changed clothes, dried off, and took some medicine, he might feel...

    "Ugh!"

    Thud!

    Before he could reach his room, the young Omega's body collapsed right there.

    “Huff... Damn it...” The blond-haired owner cursed in fear as his vision blurred, making it nearly impossible to see ahead. The relentless waves of heat coursing through him made the Queen of the Industry tremble uncontrollably. The sharp pangs in his lower abdomen and the throbbing ache in the center of his body caused Ramil's face to turn pale instantly.

    Oh hell.

    He was going into heat!

    Yes, there was no mistake. These familiar symptoms, no matter how much he despised them, were etched in his memory. What surprised him was that his heat cycle only occurred every three months, with the last one being last month. It usually came with warnings... except this time.

    This realization made Ramil bite his lip and try to get to his room as quickly as possible before any guests noticed the dangerous situation he was in. Although he could usually control his scent well, during heat, that ability dropped to nearly zero without a doubt.

    Just a few more steps to his room, where the emergency heat suppressant was stored in the drawer. Despite the severe side effects, it was better than letting any Alpha sink their teeth into his neck. Ramil would rather feel faint and nauseous to the point of vomiting than suffer that fate.

    Because that would mean being bound until his last breath.

    Bang!

    "Ah... ha..." Once inside the room, the young Omega rushed straight to the drawer where the heat suppressants were stored, not even bothering to close the door.

    But—

    "Wh... where is it... where's the medicine!"

    He found not even a trace of what he was looking for.

    The spot where Ramil had placed the emergency suppressants was now empty before his eyes. His heart was pounding so hard it was driving him mad. Calling Nalin for another suppressant was out of the question because he had already collapsed to the floor, losing his composure as the Queen of the Industry. His breathing was labored, as if his consciousness was fading, until the young Omega caught a whiff of a sweet scent approaching.

    "Looking for this, darling?"

    "!!!"

    The deep voice of someone nearby made Ramil freeze.

    Behind him was an Alpha with a citrus scent.

    The young Omega slowly turned to face the owner of the voice, his blue eyes widening in shock.

    "Hello, beautiful."

    "!!!"

    "Did you miss me, sweetheart?"

    Oh hell...

    What kind of madness was this?

    "Jenrob!"

    How could that scumbag Alpha be here?