Chapter Text
The silence in Alpha Drive One’s dormitory was never really silence.
There was always a hum: Sangwon’s humidifier, the sound of someone turning over in their bed, or the distant echo of Seoul’s traffic.
But that morning, for Anxin, the silence had a different texture. It felt heavy, electric, like the calm that comes before a storm.
“…and then the Omega realizes the Alpha is his mate and boom, the story’s over because he can’t resist the bond. It’s the most cliché trope ever right?, Xin. Are you even listening?”
Xinlong’s voice vibrated in his ears.
Anxin blinked, his eyelids feeling heavy. The last thing he remembered was the blue light of Xinlong’s phone screen illuminating the room as he read fragments of some strange web novel. They had laughed. Anxin had told him: “that alpha-and-omega stuff was something...”
"Xinlong… shut up,” he managed to say.
But when he opened his eyes, the ceiling wasn’t the same. Or maybe it was, but the colors felt sharper, almost painfully vivid. And the smell… God, the smell.
Anxin sat up abruptly. Xinlong was sitting beside him, legs crossed, wearing his usual mischievous smile. And yet, something was missing. In his world, Xinlong always smelled faintly of cologne and sweat after practice. Here, Xinlong didn’t smell like anything at all. He was like a blank space in the air.
“Are you feeling okay?” Xinlong asked, tilting his head. “You look paler than usual. Was it yesterday’s practice? Leo-hyung really worked us to death with the choreography.”
“Leo-hyung?” Anxin repeated the name, confused. Leo was their leader, yes, but they never called him by his name with such… caution.
Before he could ask what was going on, the door flew open, slamming against the wall with unnecessary force.
“Xinnie-hyung! Long-hyung! breakfast is ready!”
It was Sanghyeon. The maknae burst in like a ball of energy, but to Anxin, it wasn’t a normal entrance. It was a sensory assault. The moment the boy crossed the door a wave of invisible heat hit Anxin square in the chest. It was a thick scent, both sweet and bitter, like melted chocolate with a hint of spice. It was so intense that Anxin felt his throat tighten.
“Sanghyeon… you smell… really strong,” Anxin whispered, covering his nose with the blanket, his heart hammering against his ribs.
The maknae froze. His eyes ,usually wide and bright, darkened for a fraction of a second, a spark of something instinctive and primal flashing through his pupils.
“Strong?” Sanghyeon let out a nervous laugh, scratching the back of his neck. “I just took a shower. Besides, I only just presented as an Alpha, hyung. Sangwon-hyung says it’s normal for my scent to be a little out of control until I learn how to rein it in. Does it really smell that bad?”
“Alpha?” Anxin felt the world spin. “What the hell are you talking about?”
Xinlong cut in, giving Sanghyeon a friendly nudge on the shoulder.
“Hey, leave it alone. You know Alphas are always dramatic about their pheromones. Thank god we’re Betas and don’t have to deal with that mess… although, now that I think about it, Anxin, you smell really sweet today. Did you use Junseo’s perfume?”
Anxin didn’t wait to hear anymore. He jumped out of bed, ignoring the dizziness that nearly sent him crashing to the floor, and bolted for the hallway bathroom. He locked himself inside, pressing his back against the cold door, breathing hard.
This isn’t real. It’s a lucid dream. I fell asleep reading Xinlong’s fic.
He turned toward the mirror and let out a strangled gasp, clapping his hands over his mouth. It was him. His face, his dark eyes, his messy brown hair. But when he lowered his gaze to the sink counter to look for his toiletry bag, and opened it, he found bottles that had no business being there.
“HIGH-SPECTRUM SUPPRESSANTS DAILY USE (SUBGENRE: OMEGA)”
“SCENT BLOCKER (NEUTRAL)”
His phone vibrated with a reminder he himself had written:
“Do NOT forget the suppressants. If they find out you’re an Omega, the CEO will cancel ALD1’s contract. The group cannot have a ‘weakness'."
A shiver ran down Anxin’s spine, raising the hairs on the back of his neck. It wasn’t just that he was in another world, it was that in this one, his very existence was a secret that could shatter the dreams of the other seven boys.
After ten minutes of panic and dousing himself in a spray that smelled like absolutely nothing, Anxin left the bathroom. It felt like walking on glass. His instincts (now sharpened in a terrifying way) picked up on everything: the creak of the floor, the heat radiating from the rooms, and above all, the scents.
By the time he reached the kitchen, the atmosphere felt like a chemical war zone.
Sangwon had his back to him, serving rice. A scent of flowers and rain emanated from him, something that strangely soothed Anxin’s nerves a little. It was a steady smell, almost gentle. An Alpha, but one with absolute control.
Leo sat at the head, arms crossed and a deep worried frown etched into his face. An aggressive scent of tobacco and pepper radiated from him, so overwhelming that Anxin felt a physical urge to lower his head and avoid his gaze. I
“You’re late, Xin,” Leo said. His voice wasn’t loud, but it carried a vibration that made Anxin’s stomach lurch. “If you can’t wake up on time for breakfast, how are you going to keep up with the pace of the January showcase?”
“I’m sorry…” Anxin murmured, taking the seat farthest from him, right next to Hao.
He didn’t even look up from his plate, but Anxin noticed how his nostrils flared by barely a millimeter.
“You’re using too much blocker, Anxin,” Hao whispered, so quietly that only he could hear. “You smell like a hospital. It’s suspicious.”
Anxin went rigid. Shit.
Suddenly, a heavy hand landed on his shoulder. It was Geonwoo. The boy smiled at him with his usual sunshine-bright energy, but his eyes traced the line of Anxin’s neck with an intensity that made him shiver. Geonwoo’s scent ,sea salt and citrus, wrapped around him, and for a split second, the Omega side of Anxin’s brain screamed: Danger.
“Are you okay?” Geonwoo asked, squeezing his shoulder slightly. “You’re shaking. If you’re sick, tell us. We don’t want our star vocalist passing out onstage.”
“I’m fine, really,” Anxin said, trying to discreetly pull away, but Geonwoo didn’t loosen his grip. The Alpha seemed to be unconsciously scenting the air, searching for something beneath the chemical smell of the blocker.
“Anxin reeks of cleaning products,” Xinlong complained, plopping down beside him and digging into his food. “I told you, he went crazy with Junseo’s hyung peach perfume and now he’s trying to cover it up.”
Junseo, the oldest in the group and a Beta, laughed from the other end of the table. “Hey! My perfume is expensive. I don’t mind Anxin using it, but he doesn’t have to empty the whole bottle in one morning.”
Anxin forced a smile, cold sweat trickling down his back. It was working. Xinlong was giving him the perfect excuse without even realizing it. But then Leo ruined everything.
“Guys we have twelve hours of practice today. Xin, after breakfast, come to my room. I need to go over your notes for the title track. Alone.”
Anxin felt his heart stop.
Alone with an Alpha in a closed room. He’d read enough stories (thanks to Xinlong) to know that this was basically the equivalent of jumping into a lion’s cage wearing a suit made of meat.
“Anxin, are you really okay?” Leo’s voice shifted, laden with the genuine concern he always showed for the group. “You seem… disconnected. If you need to rest for an hour before practice, tell me. I don’t want you pushing yourself too hard.”
Anxin blinked, startled by the softness in the older man’s tone. “No, hyung, I’m fine. Just… a little tired. I’ll go get my notes now.”
“All right. Take your time,” Leo nodded, giving him an encouraging pat on the shoulder before turning back to his conversation with Sangwon.
Anxin took advantage of the distraction to slip out of the kitchen, but he didn’t go to his room. He headed straight for the laundry room, the one place that was always empty at that hour.
A few seconds later, as if he had a built-in radar, the door opened and Xinlong slipped inside with the mischievous agility that defined him.
“All right, spill,” Xinlong said, leaning against the washing machine. “You’re acting like you’ve seen a ghost.”
Anxin looked at his best friend. Xinlong was his safe zone. In his universe, Xinlong was the one who listened to his fears at three in the morning. And his presence was so steady and familiar that Anxin felt a sob of relief slip out.
“Long-ge… you’re going to think I’m crazy,” Anxin began, lowering his voice to a near whisper. “But… what you were reading to me last night… the trope…”
Xinlong raised an eyebrow, amused “The fanfic? Yeah, what about it? Did you like it so much you ended up having wet dreams about it?”
“No!” Anxin swatted his arm lightly. “Long, listen to me. I don’t know how to explain it, but I woke up and… and this world is that book. Sanghyeon says he’s an Alpha, you say you’re a Beta… and I-”
Anxin pointed at himself, his eyes filling with a very real anguish that made Xinlong’s smile falter “And you what, Anxin?”
“I’m an Omega, hyung. I found suppressants in the bathroom. There’s a reminder on my phone telling me that if anyone finds out, the group is over. I don’t know how to live like this. I don’t even know how to control this… this peach scent that feels like it’s seeping out of my pores.”
The silence that followed was absolute. Xinlong stared at him. In any other situation, he would’ve laughed, but Anxin’s eyes and the way his hands were shaking weren’t a joke. Xinlong took a step closer and, for the first time, took this serious. He leaned in slightly toward Anxin’s neck and inhaled.
As a Beta, his senses weren’t as sharp as Leo’s or Geonwoo’s, but he felt it. Beneath the chemical smell of the blocker, there was something incredibly sweet, warm, and… scared.
“Shit” Xinlong whispered, his eyes going wide. “You’re serious.”
“Of course I’m serious!” Anxin almost shouted, desperation leaking into his voice. “long, in my world this doesn’t exist. There are no scents, no instincts, no suppressants. I don’t know what to do. If Leo-hyung calls me to his room to ‘review notes,’ I’m scared my body will react in some weird way just because he’s an Alpha.”
Xinlong processed the information with surprising speed. His protective best-friend mode kicked in instantly. He didn’t understand how it was possible for Anxin to have “come from another world,” but he could see him suffering, and that was enough.
“Okay, okay. Breathe” Xinlong said, placing his hands on Anxin’s shoulders and giving them a firm squeeze. “Being a Beta is my superpower now. Alphas like Leo or Geonwoo get stupid when instincts take over, but I can still think clearly.”
“You’ll help me?” Anxin asked, his voice small.
“Always, idiot” Xinlong said, ruffling his hair. “Listen. This is what we’re going to do. I’ll be your ‘scent shield.’ Betas can mask Omegas a little if we stay close. I’ll say we’re practicing together, that’s why we’re always stuck to each other. And about hyung…”
Xinlong grimaced. “He’s not a bad guy, Anxin. He’s intense because he loves the group. Just stay calm. If you feel your scent getting out of control, give me a signal and I’ll barge in with some stupid Korean phrase or a terrible joke.”
Anxin let out a long breath, feeling, for the first time since he woke up, that he could actually fill his lungs without panicking.
“Thank you. Really. I don’t know what I’d do if you weren’t a Beta here.”
“Well, technically I’m the best Beta you could’ve asked for” Xinlong joked, slipping back into his chaotic-good energy. “Now, wipe that look off your face. We’ve got a debut to save and a bunch of hormonal Alphas to fool. But first…” Xinlong sniffed the air again and wrinkled his nose. “Seriously, Anxin, that blocker smells like hospital disinfectant. We’re going to need a better excuse than ‘Junseo’s perfume’ if you don’t want Hao-ge figuring you out. That guy’s way too observant for his own good.”
Ten minutes later, Anxin knocked on the door to Leo’s room. His heart was still pounding like a drum in his chest, but knowing that Xinlong was “on guard” outside, pretending to clean his sneakers in the hallway, gave him courage.
“Come in” Leo’s voice said.
Anxin stepped inside. The room was a little mess, with sheet music and song lyrics scattered across the desk. Leo was sitting with a pair of headphones resting around his neck. The scent of tobacco and pepper was there, but now that Anxin wasn’t panicking, he realized it wasn’t threatening. It was like the smell of a winter bonfire: strong, yes, but warm.
Leo looked up and gestured toward a chair.
“Sit down, Xin. I’ve been going over your bridge in the debut song. Your voice sounds incredible, but I feel like you’re missing… passion. Like you’re afraid to let all the air out.”
Anxin sat, trying to keep a careful distance.
“I’m sorry, hyung. I’ve been a little… tense".
Leo sighed and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. His eyes softened.
“Xinny, you’re the emotional core of this group. If you’re tense, the song sounds tense.” Leo studied him closely, and for a moment, his instincts picked up on something through the blocker. He frowned slightly, scenting the air almost imperceptibly. “Are you using hyung's spray again?” Anxin stiffened.
“Uh… yeah. I like the peach scent.”
Leo went quiet for a second, watching him. His presence was protective, almost brotherly “It smells… different on you. Not bad? but it’s… intense.” Leo shook his head, dismissing the thought. “Anyway, forget the perfume. I want you to focus on the lyrics. Here, in the second verse, I need you to trust the group more. You’re not alone onstage, understand?”
Leo reached out and placed a hand on Anxin’s knee, a completely platonic gesture of reassurance. But for Anxin’s body, now operating under Omega rules, the touch was like an electric shock. Sudden heat surged up his spine, and for a split second, his vanilla & peach scent fought to break free from the chemical blocker.
Anxin held his breath, praying the suppressants would do their job “Yes, hyung. I understand" he managed to say, his voice slightly unsteady.
Leo studied him for another moment, with that leader’s gaze that felt like it could read your soul “You’re a good kid Xin, stop trying to carry everything on your own. We’re a group for a reason.”
At that moment, the door flew open and Xinlong burst in with a grin from ear to ear, holding a bag of snacks.
“Food emergency!” Xinlong announced. “Leo-hyung, if you don’t let Anxin eat something now, he’s going to pass out during practice and Sangwon-hyung will kill both of us.”
Leo laughed, the tension in the room finally breaking.
“All right, all right. Take him,” he said. “But I want him in the practice room in twenty minutes.”
The practice room was an oven of mirrors and fluorescent lights. The sound of sneakers squeaking rhythmically against the floor created a constant echo. It was three in the afternoon, and the group had already spent four hours running through the choreography for their debut song.
Anxin felt like his heart was about to burst, but it wasn’t just from exhaustion.
In his original world, dancing was a matter of technique and energy. Here, dancing was a minefield. With eight boys moving in perfect sync, space was tight. Every time they shifted into a closed formation, Anxin found himself trapped between other bodies, and his senses (now terrifyingly hypersensitive) registered every change in temperature, every wave of scent.
“Again! From the second chorus" Leo ordered, wiping sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. Though he was tired, his eyes still burned with that spark of controlled fire. His peppery scent had turned earthier, heavier with exertion.
Anxin took his position. Geonwoo was to his left, and behind him he could feel Sangwon’s imposing presence.
The music started.
In the center section, the choreography required Geonwoo to grab Anxin by the waist to boost him into a jump. In Anxin’s world, it was a purely technical move. Here, when Geonwoo’s hands closed around his waist, Anxin felt an electric jolt shoot through him.
Geonwoo’s scent, sea and citrus, turned sharp. And instead of letting go immediately after the jump, chest pressed against Anxin’s back for a second too long “You’re burning up, Anxinie” Geonwoo murmured near his ear, his voice vibrating with an instinctive note of concern “Your skin’s hot.”
“It’s just rehearsal, Geonwoo-hyung,” Anxin replied, pulling away quickly to keep up with the steps, but his legs felt weak.
The scent blocker was starting to fail. Sweat was thinning the chemical layer that hid his true nature.
From a corner of the room, Xinlong never took his eyes off him. As a Beta, he couldn’t sense scents the same way, but he knew his friend. He saw how Anxin avoided eye contact, how his breathing grew uneven. Xinlong made a small hand signal, but Leo was too focused on the formation to notice.
Suddenly, the music stopped “Five-minute break" Sangwon announced. The quiet alpha walked toward the center, handing out water bottles. When he reached Anxin, Sangwon frowned. His steady senses worked like a security radar. “Anxin, sit down. You’re way too red.”
“I’m fine, hyung, really-”
“You’re not” Sanghyeon cut in. The maknae stepped closer, and waves of bitter chocolate scent rolled off him unconsciously. As a newly presented Alpha, Sanghyeon didn’t know how to control himself. He crouched in front of Anxin, invading his personal space with that playful but intense energy Alpha pups tended to have “Hyung, you smell really sweet again. It’s like… like Junseo-hyung’s peach scent but warmed by hours of sunlight.”
That comment made several members look up. Arno, who had been quietly drinking water, narrowed his eyes. His gaze fixed on the back of Anxin’s neck, right where an Omega’s scent gland was located.
“It’s just the practice, Sanghyeon-ah” Xinlong snapped, appearing out of nowhere and stepping between the maknae and Anxin. “Anxin has sensitive skin, that’s all. Stop sniffing him like he’s a dessert, you’re going to drive him crazy.”
“I was just saying…” Sanghyeon muttered, a little embarrassed, even though his instincts were still screaming at him to move closer to his favorite hyung.
Anxin took the opportunity to slip away toward the bags. His hands were shaking as he dug into the hidden pocket of his backpack. He needed another dose of suppressants, but the label was very clear:
'Do not exceed two doses per day. Risk of collapse'
And he’d already taken one that morning.
I have to endure this, he thought, clenching his teeth. If I survive this rehearsal, I can lock myself in my room.
But fate had other plans.
Leo approached him with a towel draped over his shoulder. His presence was comforting, but overwhelming.
“Anxin, after the break, I want you to try the center dance solo” Leo said “Geonwoo says you seem hesitant with the physical contact. If you don’t trust him as your support Alpha in that section, the choreography will look weak.”
Anxin swallowed hard. Support Alpha. In this world, it was a technical term, the partner who guided the movement.
“I do trust him, hyung. It’s just that… I’m still getting used to… all of this”
Leo placed a hand on the back of Anxin’s neck, a leader’s affectionate gesture that usually calmed anyone. But in this state, with heat lurking in the shadows of his biology, Anxin let out a small sound, almost a gasp, that he couldn’t control.
Leo’s hand went tense. The leader’s peppery scent darkened, thick with sudden confusion. His eyes searched Anxin’s, and for a split second, Leo’s professional mask cracked.
“Anxin…” Leo whispered, his voice dropping an octave. “What was that?”
“Anxin! You dropped your phone!” Xinlong shouted from across the room, deliberately knocking over his own water bottle to create a distraction.
The crash of the bottle and Xinlong’s shout broke the trance. Leo blinked, pulling his hand back as if he’d been burned. He stared at his own palm, then at Anxin, who was already rushing toward Xinlong under the excuse of the phone.
As the group resumed practice, Arno stayed observing them. As a Beta, he had always been the group’s balance, the one who noticed when someone was sad, or when someone was lying.
He watched how Xinlong didn’t leave Anxin’s side for even a second. He watched how Anxin constantly covered his neck with his hand. And above all, he watched the Alpha's reactions. Geonwoo was unusually restless, Leo was far too quiet, and little Sanghyeon kept staring at Anxin as if he were the most fascinating thing in the world.
Arno moved closer to Junseo, the other older Beta.
“Hyung,” Arno whispered “Don’t you feel something strange in the air?”
Junseo shrugged, wiping the sweat from his face “It’s Sanghyeon’s hormones, Hao. He just presented. It’s normal for the whole place to smell like chocolate and testosterone.”
“It’s not Sanghyeon,” Arno replied, staring fixedly at Anxin’s back. “It’s Anxin. His blocker is too strong. It smells like fear, hyung. And I don’t think it’s fear of debuting.”
Junseo looked at Anxin, then back at Arno “Anxin is a Beta, just like us. The debut medical exam confirmed it.”
Arno said nothing more, but his intuition told him that something had cracked in the reality of their group. The Anxin they knew, the one who was simply “sweet”, was disappearing, giving way to something far more complex, fragile, and… alluring.
The ride back from the practice room to the apartment was a silent torture. The group split into two cars. Anxin was lucky enough to end up in the first one with Xinlong, Sangwon, and Junseo.
As soon as the apartment door closed behind them, Anxin staggered. The effects of the suppressants were completely wearing off due to the sweat and cardiovascular strain from rehearsal.
“Anxin, are you…?” Sangwon, ever the attentive, reached a hand out toward him.
“He’s exhausted!” Xinlong cut in with astonishing speed, blocking Sangwon’s view and slipping Anxin’s arm over his shoulders “You know this kid doesn’t have our stamina, hyung. I’ll take him straight to bed, he’s not even going to have dinner”
“But he has to eat something…” Junseo, the eldest, began, setting the keys down on the table.
“I’ll bring him a sandwich later. Come on, Anxin!” Xinlong practically dragged Anxin into their shared bedroom and shut the door, sliding the bolt closed, a sound that echoed like a gunshot down the silent hallway.
Inside the room, Anxin let himself collapse against the door, sliding down until he hit the floor. The air in the room, which had been normal just hours ago, began to change. A sweet, dense, intoxicating scent of pure vanilla and peach started to pour from his skin, completely unfiltered.
“Shit, Anxin…” Xinlong covered his nose, not in disgust but in sheer shock. “If I, a Beta, can smell you this strongly, if Sangwon walks in here right now, he’ll drop on the spot.”
“It hurts…” Anxin whispered through clenched teeth. He felt the muscles in his lower back tighten, and a feverish heat bloom in his abdomen “Xinlong, what do I do? The note said not to take any more pills.”
“Don’t move.” Xinlong switched fully into protective best friend mode “I’m getting cold towels and blocking the gap under the door. If anyone from the other apartment comes to check on us, I’ll say you’ve got a contagious flu".
Ten minutes later, when Anxin was curled up on his bed, wrapped in the sheets in a futile attempt to contain his own scent, the apartment doorbell rang.
Leo, Arno, Geonwoo, and Sanghyeon.
“Anxin?” Leo’s voice came from the living room. It wasn’t an intrusion, it was their usual habit to have dinner together.
“He’s sleeping” Junseo’s voice replied. “Xinlong says he’s not feeling well.”
From inside the room, Anxin held his breath. He heard footsteps approaching. Heavy footsteps. Alpha footsteps.
“Not feeling well? He was fine half an hour ago” Geonwoo said. His voice sounded strangely hoarse. Having been so close to Anxin during practice, his Alpha instincts were still on, searching for the trace his senses had picked up. “I just want to see if he needs anything from the pharmacy".
“Don’t come in!” Xinlong shouted from inside the room, hopping onto his own bed to sound casual. “He just fell asleep and he’s in a terrible mood! You know how he gets when you interrupt his beauty sleep!”
There was silence in the hallway. Anxin could picture all seven of them standing there.
Suddenly, a low, calm voice broke the moment. Arno.
“Long, open the door. I brought some herbal tea, it’s good for fever".
Anxin buried his face in the pillow. Hao was the most dangerous one. His lack of Alpha pheromones made him less likely to act on instinct, but his mind was far too analytical.
“Leave it, hyung,” Sangwon said, stepping in as the group’s pillar. “If Longie says he’s resting, let him rest. Tomorrow’s going to be a long day.”
“But the smell…” Sanghyeon whispered. The maknae Alpha was pressed up against the door, his nose twitching slightly. His inexperienced instincts were picking something up through the door. The bitter chocolate of his scent thickened, a sign of agitation. “It smells really good. Is Anxin-hyung sneaking sweets?”
Xinlong opened the door just a crack, one eye peeking out.
“It’s a new humidifier I bought, Hyeonie It has a fruity scent. Now go, you’re suffocating me.”
With some effort and Sangwon’s authority, the hallway finally emptied. Anxin heard the main door close as the members returned to their rooms.
Xinlong locked the door again and sat down on the floor, letting out a sigh that seemed to last a century “That was close. Way too close. Xin, we’ve got a problem.”
Anxin uncovered himself a little, his hair soaked with sweat “What kind?” he asked, his voice breaking.
“Your scent. It’s not just that you smell like an Omega. You smell like an Omega who’s about to go into heat” Xinlong looked at him seriously “I’ve read about this. If you go into heat in a building full of Alphas, there won’t be a door or a lock strong enough to stop them. Not even Leo will be able to control himself if his protective instinct kicks in.”
A wave of real fear washed over Anxin. It wasn’t fear of his friends, he knew Leo, Sangwon, Geonwoo, and Sanghyeon were good people. But this world had biological rules they hadn’t chosen “I have to go back to my world, long” Anxin sobbed, hugging his knees “I don’t belong here. I’m a burden to the group. If they find out, everything they worked for will go to waste.”
Xinlong stood up and sat on the edge of Anxin’s bed. He placed a hand on his head, just like in his original universe “You’re not a burden. You’re Anxin. It doesn’t matter if you’re a normal human or an Omega that smells like dessert. You’re our kitty”
Xinlong smiled, a hint of his usual chaos slipping through. “Besides, you’ve got the best Beta in the world as your bodyguard now. Tomorrow we’ll buy industrial-grade blockers if we have to. But for now, you need to sleep”
Anxin nodded and closed his eyes. As sleep finally claimed him, he could think of only one thing: Leo’s face when he touched the back of his neck in the practice room. The confusion in his eyes.
Upstairs, Leo lay on his single bed, staring at the ceiling. His room smelled of pepper and tobacco, but his senses were still fixed on the floor below. His leader’s instinct told him that one of his own was in danger but his Alpha instinct… his Alpha instinct was telling him something far more disturbing.
The sunlight of Seoul filtered through the bedroom curtains, but it brought no familiar sense of calm. For Anxin, dawn arrived accompanied by a heavy feeling in his body and a terrifying mental clarity. He could no longer deceive himself; the vanilla scent clinging to his sheets was real. His body was different. His world was different.
He turned over in bed and saw Xinlong sleeping in the bed beside him. His friend snored softly, Anxin felt a stab of gratitude. Without the support of that chaotic Beta, he probably would have already collapsed.
Carefully, Anxin got up and went to the shared bathroom. He moved like a ninja, avoiding any noise that might wake Sangwon or Junseo.
He undressed in front of the mirror and looked at the back of his neck. It wasn’t a wound, but a gland, a small patch of more sensitive skin that seemed to pulse with every heartbeat. With trembling hands, he applied the scent blocker, feeling the chemical cold suppress his natural essence. Then he took his daily pill. The taste was bitter, a reminder that his idol career now depended on a daily dose of medication.
When he left the bathroom, he came face to face with Sangwon. He was already awake, dressed in sportswear, probably ready for his morning run. Sangwon’s flowered scent was gentle in the early hours, but his gaze was as sharp as ever.
“Are you feeling better, Anxinie?” Sangwon asked, unintentionally blocking the hallway. His voice was deep.
“Yes, hyungie. It was just some dizziness yesterday. Fatigue, I guess.”
Sangwon took a step forward, shortening the distance. Anxin held his breath. Sangwon wasn’t ruled by impulses, but his observational skills were legendary. He tilted his head slightly, sniffing the air almost imperceptibly “You smell… like nothing" Sangwon commented, frowning “It’s strange. Yesterday you smelled too strong, and today it’s like you bathed in disinfectant alcohol"
“It’s Junseo-hyung’s spray,” Anxin lied for the hundredth time, forcing a smile. “I think I overdid it.”
Sangwon studied him for another second, a look that made Anxin’s blood run cold “Don’t push yourself today. If the others scents make you dizzy, stay close to the Betas. Sometimes Alphas are… too much.”
Anxin nodded quickly and slipped back into his room.
Did he know?
Or was he only suspicious?
Half an hour later, the eight members gathered inside the van that would take them to the company for the outfit fitting rehearsal. The space was tight, Anxin sat in the very back with Xinlong to his left and the window to his right.
However, Geonwoo decided to sit directly in front of him, turning around in his seat to talk “Anxin-ah!” he said all smiley, but his usual sunshine energy carried a sharper intensity that Anxin didn’t remember from his original universe “Today we’re trying on the debut outfits. The stylist said yours is white. It’s really going to highlight your… aura”
“My aura?” Anxin asked, pressing himself closer to the window.
“Yes” Arno cut in from the front seat without turning around “You’ve had a very soft aura lately. It draws a lot of attention. Even the security staff were asking who the ‘new kid’ was who smelled so nice in the hallway yesterday"
Anxin felt his stomach twist. The fix-it in this story wasn’t about saving the world, it was about saving himself.
Suddenly, the van stopped because of traffic. Anxin’s body lurched forward, colliding directly with Geonwoo’s back. It lasted only a second. Minimal contact. But in that brief instant, Geonwoo’s body heat seeped through Anxin’s layers of clothing.
Geonwoo visibly tensed. His shoulders broadened, and a low growl, almost inaudible to a normal human, escaped his throat. Geonwoo’s sea-and-citrus scent exploded inside the vehicle, turning so salty it was almost tangible.
“Geonwoo, get a grip.” Leo’s voice snapped from the passenger seat, cold and sharp like a whip. The leader didn’t turn around, but his presence flooded the van, instantly crushing Geonwoo’s reaction. The silence that followed was absolute.
Anxin sank into his seat, trembling. Xinlong squeezed his hand beneath everyone’s line of sight, a silent 'I’m here, calm down.
Anxin stared out the window, watching the buildings of Seoul rush by. In his world, he was just a nineteen-year-old boy chasing his dream. Here, he was a walking secret surrounded by friends who, by nature, were wired to either claim him or protect him aggressively.
'I have to find a way back' he thought desperately. Because if I stay here much longer… one of them is going to notice. And I don’t know if it’ll be Leo, Geonwoo, or my own body that betrays me first.
The company building appeared in the distance.
The first official day of his life as the only Omega of Ald1 had just begun.