Perfect Omega Chapter 5.3 - Identification of Friend or Foe

“Why would someone do that?”

“I don’t know. Whether it was greed, a desire for attention, or jealousy, I can’t say. The rumor itself wasn’t a big deal, but I couldn’t let them spread lies about his private life, so I sued.”

A natural course of action.

“To make a long story short, they eventually begged and pleaded, so I dropped the lawsuit. The funny thing is, that person ended up making money. They sold their story. Owen still gets people who believe his eyes aren’t real.”

“…That’s unfair.”

“Is that the only unfair thing that’s happened to Owen?”

“Does that include the accident when he was young?”

Catherine, who had been reminiscing like an old woman, abruptly lifted her head, her eyes wide with surprise.

“The cousin involved in that accident was probably Sarah’s son, wasn’t he?”

It wasn’t any of the cousins present at dinner. He’d already heard the name, but Sarah’s attitude would have been enough of a clue.

“…Did Owen talk about it?”

Catherine’s eyes narrowed with suspicion.

“Yes. I was hoping to meet him today, but unfortunately, he wasn’t present.”

“Hmph, you’ll likely never meet him. We rarely see him either. He’s an odd one. Probably holed up somewhere doing his research or whatever.”

Her tone lacked affection. There was no sympathy for her nephew.

“Sarah, with her twisted maternal love, can’t see clearly. His life isn’t messed up because of the accident, but because of his twisted nature. …Sometimes I wonder if some people are simply born broken beyond repair. It might sound harsh to say that about my nephew, but so be it.”

As she said “some people,” Catherine tapped her temple twice with her index finger.

“Her own son’s life isn’t going as planned, so she needs someone to blame. Owen is easygoing, so she targets him. She’s wrong. Completely wrong. Locke was strange from a young age. Only his parents can’t see it. Sarah, especially.”

“How was he strange, specifically?”

Seeing Catherine reach for the teapot, Nick picked it up instead. He filled her teacup, ensuring the ornate pattern on the bottom remained hidden.

“Hmm… well.”

Catherine took the freshly poured tea and waited a moment, as if letting it cool.

“He had a cruel streak. He tormented anyone weaker than him, whether animals or his younger cousins. When he got caught, he should have been ashamed, but he never showed any remorse. Sarah only made it worse. Once, I couldn’t stand it anymore and tried to scold him, and this little monster gave me the most chilling look.”

Catherine shivered, setting her cup down and rubbing her arms.

“‘I’m an Alpha, and you’re just an Omega, even if you are my aunt,’ that’s what his look said. He completely disregarded Omegas. It’s a good thing he’s a researcher now. He would have caused nothing but trouble in society.”

“…What happened in the accident?”

“We don’t know the details. Locke rambled, and Owen kept his mouth shut.”

Catherine sighed softly, holding her teacup in both hands on her lap.

“Thinking back, Owen must have been the most traumatized, but Sarah made such a fuss that we were more worried about Locke. Owen’s parents were both very gentle people. They must have been worried about their son, but it was Locke who was rushed to the hospital. And Sarah’s hysterics were so extreme that no one could even speak to her.”

“Then why does Owen think he’s abnormal?”

A sigh, even heavier this time, escaped Catherine’s lips.

“It’s our fault. Sarah screamed at Owen, calling him a monster. Everyone was shocked, and Victor had to restrain her. It wasn’t as bad when my brother and his wife were still alive. But once Locke started going astray, she resumed her accusations. ‘This is all your fault,’ that sort of thing. Nonsense.”

Nonsense, but it had affected Owen deeply.

“But Owen… he thinks it was because he couldn’t control his pheromones. Ridiculous. What teenager has perfect control over their pheromones? We should have told him that back then… but as I said, we were more worried about Locke. And we were busy. And with Owen’s parents around, we didn’t realize he was blaming himself so much.”

“….”

“Did you see the things in the cupboard on the first floor?”

“Yes.”

“And his strict exercise and diet regimen? Even his doctor told him it wasn’t necessary… he’s afraid. He clings to the belief that if he maintains a healthy and stable state, nothing will go wrong. It’s heartbreaking.”

The reason for Owen’s daily handful of supplements and obsessive morning workouts was revealed.

“Of course, the incident wasn’t reported, and only the family knows about it. Even the kids don’t know.”

By “kids,” she meant the cousins.

“Melissa has long forgotten, and Sarah only acts like this when it’s just us. She wouldn’t dare in public. Appearances are everything to her. She’s especially careful about anything that might reflect poorly on her son.”

“What are you doing there? Come here.”

Melissa called to Catherine.

“It’s getting late. Let’s wrap this up.”

Catherine signaled the end of the gathering.

Nick stood at the entrance, watching his relatives disappear into their cars one by one.

It had been a mentally exhausting but fruitful evening.

‘Your Alpha is strange.’

Melissa had whispered this to Owen as she kissed him goodbye on the cheek. Her whispering technique was lacking, as Nick had heard it clearly. Owen simply lowered his eyebrows, offering no other reaction. He seemed almost amused.

‘They seem well-suited to me.’

Sarah added, as if she’d also overheard. But she didn’t attempt a hug or a kiss goodbye. Her expression was one of disdain, a “birds of a feather” sort of look.

Nick tightened his arm around Owen’s waist, reassuring him. Owen’s hand covered Nick’s. Nick closed the door before the taillights of the last car had disappeared.

❊

“Owen, there’s something we need to clarify.”

Nick seemed to have been waiting for Owen to emerge from the bathroom. He closed the bathroom door with a click, his tone firm. He himself didn’t seem ready to shower yet.

“Until our child is past puberty, some of your relatives should only see them under restricted conditions.”

“… .”

Owen felt a momentary flicker of tension, wondering what Nick meant. He felt a pang of something akin to injustice, but when he caught his reflection in the mirror, he was smiling.

“Why are you smiling?”

“Nick… that matter requires some time. Oh, it’s not what you think. I’m not trying to play games. It’s me, not you. There are some issues I need to resolve… that’s why.”

Their eyes met in the mirror. Despite the gentle rejection, Nick didn’t seem particularly upset.

“What I said at dinner wasn’t just for your relatives to hear.”

Nick, leaning against the wall, spoke slowly.

“….”

“Stop thinking of us as mutants, as abnormal.”

“Not us, just me.”

Nick kindly used “us,” but it was Owen who had caused the accident.

Despite Owen stating a fact, Nick offered an enigmatic smile.

“You’ve never seen me work. I won’t sugarcoat it, Owen. My work is rough. And I know how to use pheromones a bit more aggressively than the average Alpha. I don’t know if it was innate or something I developed for my profession. What I do know is that I’ve also been called a monster.”

Owen’s shoulders instinctively hunched at the word “monster.”

“But Owen, I’m certain that I’m a very healthy and normal person.”

“I think so too!”

Owen turned from the mirror and agreed vehemently. He’d never sensed the twisted violence or fear from Nick that he had from Locke, even when Nick was angry.

“That’s good. One of us is settled. Now we just need to change your opinion of yourself.”

Nick’s tone lightened as he pushed himself off the wall. He took Owen’s hand and led him towards the bedroom, Owen following without thinking.

“Oh, this might help: I’ve met someone who possesses abnormally powerful abilities yet appears mentally sound.”

“What do you mean?”

“You seem to think you’re the only monster in the world, so I’m giving you an example to prove otherwise.”

“Are you talking about the person in the tabloid Henry was reading?”

Owen asked playfully, but Nick shook his head.

“With your level of suspicion, I can’t use a tabloid interview as evidence. Fortunately, I met this person myself. I sometimes get requests to rescue people. This was an Alpha I met on one such occasion.”

“An Alpha…”

“A kidnapped young Alpha. He was 14, I think.”

Around the same age Owen had been during the accident.

“But when I met him, I wondered if he even needed rescuing…”

“Why?”

“I clearly saw his ankle twist, but he kept walking. He was in pain, but he refused any help, stubborn little kid with a lot of pride. I didn’t want to argue, so I let him be. I figured I’d carry him when he started lagging behind.”

Nick stopped a few steps from the bed. As if recalling the memory, his eyes narrowed in disbelief.

“But instead of lagging behind, his limp gradually disappeared, and by the time we reached the beach, he was walking almost normally. When I gave him a strange look, he said he had a fast recovery rate. Recovery rate! So, I stared at him, just like you’re doing now. …It was hard to believe, but he was right. His recovery was so fast, it could only be described as animalistic, as if he’d healed while walking. I think he could have been dropped in the middle of the Atlantic and swum to the nearest deserted island. He would have recovered his stamina without getting tired. …Have you ever heard of such an ability?”

Owen shook his head without hesitation.

He knew that Alphas had superior physical abilities compared to Betas and Omegas, that they were less prone to illness and recovered quickly, but he’d never heard of such superhuman abilities.

“Have you met anyone like that who was an Omega?”

“No. I’ve met two people like that, and both were Alphas.”

Two, only….

“Don’t be disappointed, Owen. These were chance encounters during my work, and there are very few Omegas in my line of work. The probability of meeting an Alpha was simply higher.”

“You didn’t… make that up, did you?”

Owen suspected Nick might fabricate such a story to convince him. As if reading his mind, Nick raised an eyebrow, and Owen, feeling slightly embarrassed, looked away.

“You need proof to believe me, suspicious CEO Rose. Oh, you might actually know him. He’s British, but I’ve heard the upper-class social circles are rather small.”

“There is a network, so to speak.”

Unless Nick had bought a title along with some real estate, he might actually know this person. As Nick had said, the upper-class social circles were small.

“He’s the same age as you. What was the name of that debutante event? He was featured in the newspapers as part of the best-dressed couple. I recognized him from the photos because I’d rescued him.”

“The Bal des Débutantes?”

“Yes… something like that. Hmm.”

Nick suddenly made a strange sound.

“What is it?”

“I don’t think your face was in those ridiculous photos. If you’re the same age, you would have debuted the same year, wouldn’t you?”

Impressed by Nick’s memory, Owen blinked.

“…I wasn’t there. I wasn’t invited.”

“Why?”

“I didn’t have a guardian at the time.”

“A guardian? Weren’t the relatives who came today your guardians?”

“In social circles, a guardian is someone who lives with you and can directly control your actions. I was already living alone. And there were already… rumors about me. After the accident, I was undergoing various tests at the Center, and rumors of my ill health spread. It wasn’t reported in the press, but rumors in social circles can be quite accurate and fast.”

Nick frowned.

“Aunt Catherine tried to include me anyway, but I refused. She eventually gave up. But that’s interesting. Being chosen as best-dressed couple means he’s very well-known.”

“He’s such a social butterfly, his photos will pop up somewhere soon. I’ll let you know when I see them.”

“Social butterfly?”

“With his monstrous physique, he’s obsessed with extreme sports. He travels the world, sweeping up trophies. I bumped into him a few years ago.”

As if recalling the encounter, Nick chuckled, then shook his head in amusement.

“He eventually admitted that he could probably survive a broken neck as long as it was still attached.”

“…!”

Even considering youthful bravado, it was a remarkable ability.

“For the record, I’m not like that, Owen. My ability is perception, not recovery. So let’s resolve our issues through conversation. No shooting each other or pushing each other off cliffs, even when we’re angry.”

“….”

Even these lighthearted words made Owen’s heart race. He was happy to hear Nick talk about their long-term future, but it also felt heavy. He wanted to respond in kind, but the unresolved issues weighed on his vocal cords.

“You’ve had a difficult time.”

He finally changed the subject.

“…I wish I’d known you back then.”

Nick played along, despite knowing Owen was deflecting. He gazed down at Owen intently, the playfulness gone from his eyes, replaced by a serious expression.

“In my line of work, there’s a lot of waiting. Once, I was in a jungle, and I couldn’t disturb the camouflage. I had to dig a bunker and crouch there for 36 hours. It was so agonizing, I was convinced such torture existed in barbaric times. It physically hurt.”

Owen could imagine the pain.

“It started raining, and I had to worry about hypothermia on top of everything else.”

Nick’s fingers ran through Owen’s hair.

“If I’d had you in my mind back then, Owen, at least I wouldn’t have been cold.”

“….”

Owen doubted that knowing him would have prevented hypothermia, but Nick’s expression was serious.

“Maybe those 36 hours would have felt like 36 minutes. I would have replayed every moment with you, frame by frame, from the time you were covered in sweat in that bunker. And after that, I would have rewound to the moment I kissed your cheek the other night.”

“….”

Owen pressed his lips together, afraid a ragged breath would escape. He’d taken a hot shower, but he felt a heat rising within him.

“Unfolding your body after being crouched for so long is the hardest part. The pain when the blood rushes back into your numb limbs… it’s excruciating. But if I’d had you in my mind, I would have welcomed the pain. It would have been a signal that I could finally stretch, that this job was almost over, that I could come back and hold you again.”

The back of Nick’s hand brushed Owen’s cheek. He was probably blushing everywhere Nick touched him.

“I’m curious, Owen. When we exchanged pheromones, did you feel any aversion? At the beginning, in the middle, at any point…?”

Alphas and Omegas could simply smell each other’s pheromones during sex. Most did, if it wasn’t a serious relationship.

Or, they could take those molecules into their bodies, dissolving them within themselves. It created a primal intimacy far beyond simply smelling. The better the chemical bond, the greater the pleasure, it was said. Imprinting occurred when that bond was so satisfying that one accepted it as a part of themselves. It was a permanent, subordinate connection.

Owen had released his pheromones twice. The first time, during his unexpected heat cycle. And the second time, the night he returned from the charity event.

He didn’t remember the first time, but the second night was vivid. He hadn’t felt any aversion. It had been so pleasurable that he’d worried it was a delusion.

“No. Not at all.”

“Me neither.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Nick released his pheromones. Slowly, subtly.

“Nick…”

Owen’s breath hitched. The heat rising within him made it impossible to keep his mouth closed.

“I understand you’re not a typical Omega. But neither am I.”

He felt Nick’s pheromones wrapping around him, starting from his toes and rising slowly. A tingling sensation spread through his body.

“Even if you lose control, I think I can handle it. I probably will. Owen, we’ll be a perfect match.”

Nick was seducing him. He hadn’t touched Owen beyond his robe, but he was using his pheromones to entice him.

Owen managed a smile. Nick, seemingly flustered by Owen smiling mid-seduction, paused, a dazed expression on his face.

Owen had already been halfway gone since dinner. That’s why he’d smiled, though Nick seemed unaware.

Owen untied the belt of his robe and opened it. Nick’s pheromones suddenly intensified.

“Owen…”

Nick reached out but only grasped Owen’s waist, as if unsure what to do next.

Owen’s hands were decisive. He reached for Nick’s pants, unbuckling the belt and slowly lowering the zipper.

“To be honest, Nick, I feel the same way. I think we’ll be a very good match, chemically speaking. Just the fact that I love your pheromones so much tells me that.”

To prove his sincerity, Owen stopped what he was doing and rose on his tiptoes. He nuzzled Nick’s jaw and inhaled deeply.

The shape of Nick’s parted lips seemed to ask, “Why?” Owen hadn’t released a single drop of his pheromones yet. They’d done it a few days ago, so it might be okay if they were careful tonight. But Owen was already too far gone.

Nick’s speech at dinner had been deeply moving. No one had ever spoken up for Owen like that, with such eccentric eloquence.

“Not tonight.”

“Why…”

Nick’s hands fell away from Owen’s waist. He raised both hands in a gesture of incomprehension.

“I think I’ll get too emotional tonight. I’m not sure I can control myself. If you don’t promise not to tempt me with pheromones tonight, I need to take another suppressant.”

Owen took Nick’s hand and placed it between his thighs, damp with arousal. He wasn’t confident he could remain rational tonight.

“Nick?”

He called Nick’s name, leaving the decision to him, but he already knew the answer.

“Damn it, Owen. Please don’t take any suppressants.”

Nick groaned, pulling Owen closer.

❊

“So, Captain, what’s the plan?”

Cooper downed his freshly brewed espresso in one gulp, the crema still swirling, and immediately signaled for another.

“Water is better for jet lag.”

“You think I don’t know that? I want coffee. I unpacked my bags at dawn yesterday. But since you’re buying me breakfast, I’ll forgive this minor exploitation of labor.”

Cooper, a long-time colleague and employee, switched between modes of address. He maintained a professional demeanor in front of other employees, but with close friends, he reverted to the familiar banter of their days as team leader and operative.

Nick had no problem with authority and only a handful of employees addressed him so casually, so he let it slide.

“The taxi driver said this place is famous. People line up in the mornings. I wondered why you dragged me out here instead of letting me sleep at the hotel, but now I see your noble intentions. You wanted to buy me a delicious breakfast. My stomach’s not ready for anything but coffee yet, but I appreciate the thought. Love has changed you, hasn’t it?”

Cooper, wearing sunglasses to shield his sleep-deprived eyes, grinned.

“What nonsense? If you can’t think straight, order another shot.”

“…Then why did you call me here?”

Cooper’s smile faded.

“Because Owen needs fresh bread. Now hurry up, he’ll be done with his workout soon.”

Owen had been asleep when Nick left Rose Mansion, but he was meticulous about his routine. He would have woken up at the first alarm and started his workout by now.

Nick had glanced at the day-old bread in the breadbox with disapproval and had the belated thought of buying fresh. Owen barely ate any bread anyway, so why give him stale bread? He’d learned that this bakery made the best croissants.

“This is unbelievable. Absolutely unbelievable.”

Cooper shook his head in mock exasperation, but leaned closer to Nick. A large, hairy hand, clenched in a fist, landed on the table. He opened it to reveal an in-ear device, slightly bulkier than a Bluetooth earphone. He handed one to Nick, who put it in his ear. A voice immediately crackled through.

—Morning, Boss. Morning, Cooper.

The night owl sounded chirpy, even at this early hour.

“I’m suffering from jet lag, John. Make it quick. Please.”

Cooper groaned, rubbing his temples.

—Okay, starting now. I’ve looked into Rose’s ‘enemies,’ as you requested. Overall, there aren’t any obvious adversaries. Rose has a good reputation, both internally and externally. No recent lawsuits or anything. But since you asked, I dug deeper. There’s the board of directors, and some relatives… but they’re also on the board.

“Tell me about the board first.”

Nick spoke indifferently, his hands in his pockets.

—Outwardly, Rose’s position seems very secure, but there are some internal issues.

“What kind of issues? Embezzlement? Stock manipulation?”

Nick kicked Cooper’s shin under the table, eliciting a yelp. Unfazed by the noise, John continued.

—There have been frequent emergency board meetings recently, apparently aimed at pressuring Rose.

“That’s nothing new.”

Unlike Nick, who was listening quietly, Cooper couldn’t resist commenting.

—Hear me out. Pressure from the board is common. They object to the CEO’s management style, demand reduced investments and increased dividends for shareholders, push for new ventures. That’s all standard stuff. But the weird thing is, they lack the votes to actually remove him, so these meetings are pointless. Yet, they keep happening.

“They have too much time on their hands.”

—I thought so too. But, and this is… take it with a grain of salt, but there are rumors that pheromone levels in the meeting room were unusually high after these board meetings. But this is just hearsay; I can’t confirm it.

“What’s the source?”

Nick finally spoke, showing interest.

—Gossip posted by a former employee of the private club where they meet. That’s why I said take it with a grain of salt. But it’s slightly more believable because the details are quite specific. And the rumors about friction between the board and Rose originated from a drinking party attended by some board members, so that part is confirmed.

“So, they have a bad relationship, but they can’t oust him because they lack the votes. So, they harass him in official board meetings, and when that doesn’t work, they resort to unofficial attacks? That’s the scenario? Really? John, do you believe that?”

Cooper summarized and challenged the information.

—Well, if you’re asking for my opinion, not really. First, as I said, the ‘harassment’ is just a rumor, unconfirmed. And I haven’t found anyone desperate enough to resort to such tactics. They’re mostly rich people with nothing better to do. No one seems particularly invested in new ventures. Oh, there is one person who’s slightly suspicious. His name is… Victor Rose.

“Not surprising.”

“Someone you know, Captain?”

Cooper asked Nick, but the answer came faster from the in-ear device.

—He’s Rose’s relative. Uh, his father’s younger brother?

“He’s no one to me.”

Nick corrected him.

—Come on, Boss, he’s not ‘no one.’ He’s the former CEO’s brother, practically forced into semi-retirement after losing the succession battle. He has reason to hold a grudge, right?

“Did he actually have a grudge?”

Cooper interjected again.

—Hmm… that’s the weird part. There’s no other evidence of Victor actively vying for the CEO position. The succession battle was a generation ago. If he’d wanted to prevent Rose from taking over, he could have easily interfered, but he didn’t. He seemed to have lost all interest. He didn’t even attend board meetings. He delegated his voting rights and stayed away from the company.

“But?”

—He’d been completely indifferent, and then suddenly reappeared. And that’s around the same time the rumors about the conflict between the board and Rose started circulating, which is suspicious.

“When was that ‘some point’?”

Nick’s interest piqued.

—I knew you’d ask that. I did some digging. He has a son, Locke W. Rose. He’s quite famous, actually.

“Why is he famous?”

Cooper raised an eyebrow.

—Hehehe. He’s been engaged three times. Engagements among these people are always big news, right? And he’s done it three times.

“But what does this have to do with Rose’s… enemies?”

—When did Victor reappear on the board, and when did those harassment rumors start? Right after Victor’s son, Locke, broke off his third engagement.

“A love triangle…?”

Cooper trailed off, glancing at Nick, as if realizing the implications.

—No. Locke is an Alpha.

“Oh, an Alpha… then it’s not a love triangle.”

Cooper quickly corrected himself.

—Anyway, after that, apparently heartbroken, he retreated to an island.

“An island?”

—He established his own research lab. The funny thing is, it’s on an island owned by Victor. It’s called a research lab, but I wonder if he’s just playing around there. But he’s been publishing papers diligently, and they seem to be getting cited.

“What’s his field?”

—He seems particularly interested in the suppression and stimulation of Alpha pheromones.

“Wouldn’t it make more sense to join the Rose Pharmaceuticals research team? His father is on the board.”

—I thought so too. Maybe he doesn’t want to work for someone else.

“So, cutting to the chase, the key figure is Victor Rose, who’s suddenly developed an interest in taking over the company?”

Cooper summarized.

—It’s a bit of a cliché, but that’s what it looks like.

“Is Victor’s son also interested in running the company?”

—Doesn’t seem like it. He’s a complete recluse, dedicated to his research. He’s so rarely seen that some say he’s ill. There are even worse rumors… .

Catherine had said something similar last night. What Nick had sensed when she spoke about Locke wasn’t simply dislike for an eccentric nephew. Whether she realized it or not, there was a subtle undercurrent of fear in her tone and eyes.

“Tell me about Locke. In as much detail as possible.”

—As expected, Boss. I was already digging into this guy because he seemed interesting.

John sounded excited. He’d found something he considered intriguing.

—He spent several years at an Alpha Center during his teens. I don’t know the specific diagnosis. His secondary gender is dominant Alpha.

“How old was he, exactly?”

—Between 15 and 18. Three years.

“Three years? That’s a long time, isn’t it? What could have been wrong? Did his secondary gender not develop properly?”

Cooper’s guess was the most plausible. Teenagers sometimes attended secondary gender centers to stabilize after puberty and secondary gender manifestation. But three years was unusually long. Spending that much time at a Center at that age implied problems related to pheromones.

Owen understood that his cousin hadn’t exhibited any further abnormalities, but even family members could hide things. It might be related to the accident.

—Apparently, there were problems. I have a hunch… his relationships haven’t been smooth.

“Relationships?”

—He was engaged three times and broke them all off.

“He’s impotent.”

Cooper interjected before John could finish.

Hmm….

It was a delicate area for diagnosis, but Nick couldn’t deny that it was the most appealing word he’d heard all morning.

—I object to that characterization. The rumors are actually worse.

“There’s something worse than impotence?”

—There are rumors that his fiancées, Omegas, fled their hotels in tears during their engagements. This happened with both the second and third fiancées.

“What is that? …You mean he’s a pervert?”

Cooper, seeking confirmation, looked at Nick from behind his sunglasses.

—Great minds think alike… there were rumors of perverse demands, but they quickly disappeared. But there’s actual evidence suggesting sexual dysfunction. After his first broken engagement, he returned to the Alpha Center. And get this: he was prescribed erectile dysfunction medication for four months.

“Aha. An impotent pervert.”

Cooper leaned back in his chair, satisfied, as if everything finally made sense.

—I’d advise against jumping to conclusions, but personally, I’m leaning towards agreement.

“What about the rumors of him being crazy?”

Nick addressed another point that had bothered him.

—It seems to be based on his notoriously difficult personality. He rarely attends social events, so there’s not much information on him. But the consistent feedback is that he has a bad temper. The most favorable descriptions are workaholic and elitist.

“That’s a favorable description?”

Cooper scoffed.

—He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and a dominant Alpha secondary gender, so what do you expect? Anyway, after his three broken engagements, he holed himself up on that island, focusing solely on research. He hasn’t attended any official events in recent years. Rumor has it he’s developing a new drug to rival Rose Pharmaceuticals. He supposedly set up his lab on Victor’s island to maintain secrecy.

“Is his son that much of a genius?”

—I don’t know about that, but he can always hire geniuses. It’s not like he’s short on money.

Nick doubted the validity of Cooper and John’s speculation.

He didn’t know the details of the lab’s facilities or personnel, but even without that knowledge, it was unlikely that a privately run lab could develop a groundbreaking drug to surpass the industry leader.

If they disregarded the unrealistic scenario of establishing a rival company, two possibilities remained. Either Victor had been secretly plotting to regain control all along, or… A son living like that would be a source of immense frustration for any parent. As Catherine had said, perhaps Victor, dissatisfied with his own son’s life, needed someone to blame.

“What about the helicopter accident that killed Noel and his wife? Was it just an accident?”

If Victor was still harboring ambitions for control, he might have been involved in Noel’s untimely death.

—Yes, Boss. It appears they died because they couldn’t escape the helicopter. But there are some strange aspects to it.

“Was it a crash?”

Cooper, lacking the background information, asked about the nature of the accident.

—Judging by the fact that the bodies were recovered intact… it was a forced landing, not a crash.

“A forced landing in a river… that implies a skilled pilot.”

The helicopter belonged to the CEO of Rose Pharmaceuticals. They wouldn’t have employed an incompetent pilot.

“Then why did they die? If it wasn’t a crash or an explosion?”

Cooper asked again.

—The cause of death was drowning. They were found inside the fuselage. Both were unbuckled.

“Drowning? Did the helicopter sink? Did the floatation system malfunction? No way.”

—Hold on, I’ll send you a photo.

A photo appeared on Cooper’s tablet, showing the helicopter after it had been recovered.

—See?

“…The floats didn’t deploy.”

The floats, part of the floatation system, were still attached to the helicopter’s skids, undeployed.

Helicopters were a common mode of transport for Security Solutions operatives, almost as frequent as cars. They had their own helicopters but also used chartered commercial and military helicopters depending on the situation.

The helicopter in the photo was a common commercial type often seen in New York airspace. And by regulation, commercial helicopters were required to have floats attached to their skids to prevent capsizing in the event of a water landing.

Helicopters were top-heavy by design. The engine and other mechanical components were located in the upper fuselage, shifting the center of gravity upwards. Therefore, landing on an unstable surface like water would cause the aircraft to capsize due to simple physics.

Both Nick and Cooper had experienced helicopter capsizes in water. Escaping a capsized helicopter wasn’t easy, even for trained soldiers.

When a helicopter capsized, one had to suppress the instinct to escape immediately and remain in place. Unbuckling during a capsize would cause the body to become disoriented in the confined space. If there was visibility, it wasn’t so bad, but unlike the clear waters depicted in movies, underwater visibility was often poor, especially in rivers.

People who regularly used helicopters were trained for this. It was mandatory. But untrained individuals, even if they knew the procedure, might panic and unbuckle. They would then become trapped and disoriented inside the fuselage.

In murky water like a river, with dwindling air supply… Maintaining composure and finding the exit by touch in a dark, cramped space was nearly impossible, unless one had memorized the layout of the aircraft.

Nick scrolled through the report, quickly reading the summary. The accident had occurred in winter. The cold would have further reduced the amount of air they could hold in their lungs. The chances of the Roses escaping on their own were practically zero.

They’d been flying over a river in a helicopter.

What would it be like to have to fly over the river where your parents died? Nick’s encounters with death were frequent, but the grief was usually short-lived. But… if something happened to Owen. Could he ever bring himself to fly over that place again?

Nick’s brow furrowed as he stared at the tablet.

The thought was unbearable. He wanted to go back, pack their bags, and leave New York with Owen, but that wasn’t a solution.

He returned his attention to the screen.

The floats on the recovered helicopter were pristine, undeployed. They should have inflated automatically upon impact. The helicopter would have remained afloat for a while, giving the occupants time to be rescued or at least to surface with their life vests.

—Strange, right? Forced landings happen, but I doubt the Roses would have flown in a helicopter with faulty maintenance.

“Hmm… suspicious.”

Cooper tapped the table.

The helicopter accident seemed suspicious to Nick as well.

“It’s been a while, but look into that helicopter accident. Find out everything you can.”

—Oh, there’s one more thing. There was another person who died in the accident, besides the Roses.

“The pilot?”

Cooper interrupted.

—No. There was another passenger. The Roses were so prominent that the other person was practically forgotten.

“Who was it?”

—The Rose family doctor. Specifically, the doctor for the Rose Alphas. Guess where he worked?

“The Alpha Center Locke W. Rose attended.”

The answer came to Nick instantly.

—Oh! You knew, Boss. Then one more thing: where were these three returning from?

“Where?”

—Victor’s residence in New Jersey, where the then-underage Locke also lived.

“Hmm.”

Cooper’s restless leg stopped tapping.

“Captain.”

“What.”

“I owe you an apology. I thought you were overreacting when you called me here. But it seems CEO Rose might actually have enemies. I’m sorry. I’ll cooperate.”

“You’re not cooperating; you’re part of this operation. Just do your job.”

“Okay.”

Cooper stepped back slightly and tapped the table lightly.

“Isn’t this pretty much the answer? Lure him home, make it look like an accident on the way back, and then take over the company.”

“He didn’t take over, though.”

“Too simple.”

John and Nick retorted simultaneously. It seemed too obvious to be true. And they shouldn’t forget about Sarah. The Sarah Nick met last night harbored an irrational animosity toward Owen, but was it enough to kill Noel and his wife and send a hitman to the helipad?

“There’s a famous saying, Captain, that the simplest answer is usually the right one.”

Generally speaking, that was true, but somehow it didn’t feel right this time.

“We’ll have to go ask him to find out if it was the right answer or not.”

“Go? Where? To Victor?”

“Pennsylvania.”

“Oh, Frank said he’ll be joining us there soon. He’s planning to infect the boss with Ebola if he caught it, I guess.”

“Tell him to worry about getting into the country first.”

Nick scoffed. If Frank successfully entered the country, it meant he had finished quarantine and showed no symptoms, so there wouldn’t be a problem even if he came here.

“Are we done talking?”

“Where are you going? I haven’t even had breakfast yet.”

“Eat alone. Owen’s workout is almost over. I’m going to eat with him. Get ready to leave and call me back.”

With that, Nick removed his earpiece and placed it in front of Cooper.

“So, Captain, when’s the wedding? John hasn’t said anything. We need to adjust our schedules. Even if we can’t all attend, our team has to be there.”

The “our team” Cooper referred to were his comrades from his contractor days, before founding Security Solutions, who still called him Captain like brothers.

“Don’t forget we have a guy in the middle of nowhere, Captain. He needs time to get out.”

“…”

Cooper paused, having casually tossed the remark while putting his earpiece back in its case, but receiving no reply.

“Huh? What? You’re not getting married?”

The veteran team members were a problem. They read Nick’s expressions too well.

“We need time.”

“Uh… why? Did Chairman Rose say you can’t get married until you eliminate all his enemies?”

“It’s not like that.”

If that were the case, he’d be enthusiastically working on it.

“…I need to give Owen time to build trust in me.”

Nick finally let out a short breath and told the truth to his brother-like comrade.

“Huh? He doesn’t trust you? Why?”

“Owen thinks I’m… a very weak alpha.”

“Uh… how did he come to such a serious misunderstanding?”

Cooper’s thick eyebrows furrowed deeply above his sunglasses. Nick, instead of answering, took a bitter sip of his coffee.

“Should we go and tell him? Tell him you’re not like that? If he heard about the life you’ve lived, his opinion would change drastically. Does he even know your nickname among us is ‘Savage’?”

“…”

It wasn’t Nick that Owen didn’t trust, but rather himself. What Owen needed to shake off was the long-held misconception that he wasn’t normal. Only by breaking down that misconception could they move on to the next stage. And that’s what Nick was trying to do now. However, he had to proceed carefully so Owen wouldn’t get hurt in the process.

“What kind of person could make our Captain into such a timid man? I’m really curious.”

Nick chuckled and this time raised his coffee cup more leisurely.

He couldn’t agree with being called timid, but Owen had made him a… simpler man.

He had harbored the ambition to fill that old house with their children. On their first night, as he held Owen’s slender waist, marveling at the perfect feel, he hadn’t doubted for a single moment that he would soon see that belly swell beautifully. The anticipation had heightened the pleasure of that night. The thrill of it being the right person, the right place, had even led him to knot.

These days, Nick would follow Owen upstairs under the pretext of carrying his bag or clothes. He would sniff close by, hoping Owen wouldn’t notice, anticipating even a single drop of his scent.

A house full of children… now, all he needed was to be able to freely inhale Owen’s scent, and he’d have no other wishes.

“Cheer up, Captain. I’ll help you. Why are you so discouraged over something like this? You always tell us, obstacles aren’t meant to be climbed over, they’re meant to be pushed aside. I’ll help you push aside all the obstacles and get you down the aisle.”

Leaving Cooper to his own conclusions, Nick stood up. He had been watching the empty tray, waiting for it to be filled with freshly baked croissants.

“Eat slowly and then go.”

After paying for his coffee and four croissants, Nick carefully picked up the warm bag.

❊

“How’s your nightlife?”

Owen had to pause, his fork suspended in mid-air on its way to his mouth.

“No need to pretend to be innocent. It’s just you and me.”

He hadn’t intended to feign innocence. He was just surprised by the unexpected question.

“Aunt Catherine, that’s my private life.”

Owen put down his fork and reached for a glass of cool water.

How is the sex with Nick…?

He slowly tilted the glass and took a sip of the cold water.

Honestly, it was so good that he wondered what he’d been doing before. He could believe there were pleasure receptors even in his hair. It literally made his hair stand on end. Since having sex with this man, there hadn’t been a day when his body or mind felt heavy.

Lately, he’d even had the selfish desire that Nick were a beta. If Nick were a beta, there wouldn’t be a fundamental craving for bonding or pheromones. Then Owen could manage his own issues with suppressants, as he had been doing, and be with Nick like a normal couple. Unfortunately, Nick was an alpha.

No, actually, he wasn’t unfortunate.

He wasn’t sure what to call what they had shared the night they returned from the charity event, but it wasn’t just sex.

‘Do you not like it, Owen? I won’t do anything you don’t like. Tell me if you don’t like it.’

‘…’

Owen had bitten his lip, lest words contrary to his true feelings escape.

He didn’t dislike it. He didn’t dislike it; he liked it so much that he worried he might go crazy. Noticing Owen’s silence, Nick pushed in further.

‘Owen, your scent is truly…’

Nick’s admiration for Owen’s scent, his intoxication with it, brought him greater satisfaction than the insane pleasure he felt with each deep thrust. It was in those moments that he felt the illusion of sensation reaching the very tips of his hair. If there were no pheromones, could that night have happened?

There was a huge difference between just smelling a scent and receiving the other person’s pheromones into your body during intimacy. He could feel Nick all over him.

Of course, they could never reach the bond Nick desired in that way. For a bond to occur, there had to be a pheromone shower, a torrential outpouring of each other’s pheromones.

It was about inscribing the other person’s presence into your brain by accepting them with your whole being. It was said that after bonding, a specific part of the brain changes, visible on brain scans. So, for that level of change to occur, a certain level of pheromone exposure was essential.

But who could guarantee what would happen if he fully released his pheromones? The one time Owen had experienced an explosive release of pheromones, he had hurt someone. Now, Owen believed he was in control of his own body. He had made tireless efforts to achieve that control.

Of course, he hoped things would be different now than they were in his unstable teenage years. But he couldn’t risk a dangerous experiment with Nick.

Should he ask Nick if they could take the bonding slowly and adjust to each other little by little instead? Nick seemed like he would accept. If Nick agreed, he could suggest they start a long-term, committed relationship…

“Yes, I understand.”

“…Yes?”

Lost in thought, Owen had missed what Catherine had said. He lowered the glass from his lips and asked,

“By the look on your face, I can tell. I knew he’d be useful.”

“…”

She muttered the last sentence, but Owen heard it.

“Honestly, his profession is a bit of a drawback. And his financial sense was a bit of a mess.”

“That…”

Catherine stopped Owen’s attempt to defend Nick with a look.

“It’s okay. I could tell at a glance. He’s much better than the guys I brought to my hotel.”

“…”

He had no retort. Even though their relationships weren’t based on love, the partners Owen had painstakingly chosen hadn’t been great. They mistakenly believed they could control Owen with pheromones after a few satisfying sexual encounters.

“Owen.”

Catherine’s serious tone brought him back to the present.

“What those fanatics say is nonsense, but I agree that there is a natural order. An alpha’s heart is the same. He wants to possess his omega and have children.”

As if reading the small dream Owen had just harbored, Catherine countered,

“He seems like a decent man, so hold onto him. You’ll regret it if you let him go.”

“…Nick knows about my incident. He said he’d wait.”

“Yes… he knows. You opened up to him, didn’t you? That alone makes him a decent person. That’s why I called you today.”

Catherine let out a subtle sigh.

“One of my college classmates, an alpha, married a beta. He made a big fuss about falling in love and went through with the marriage, defying everyone’s concerns. For a while, they lived really well.”

For… a while?

Owen’s expression clouded.

“You can guess what happened next, it’s a predictable story. His business trips started to include weekends, and eventually, it came out that he had another family with an omega. The outrageous part is that his relationship with his beta spouse was still good, even then. Unbelievably good. Him, having an affair?”

“…”

“If he got caught, he should have broken up. Don’t you think? The infuriating part of this predictable story is what happens next. This shameless guy holds on. He says he loves his beta spouse too much to ever leave him. Who would understand that? He’s not saying he loves them both, he’s saying he loves his spouse more, this crazy bastard!”

Catherine suddenly seemed to remember that time and grabbed her water instead of her coffee.

“But you know what’s really amazing? It sounded pretty sincere.”

“…”

“I asked him why he did it. It wasn’t just a one-night stand; he set up a whole other household. I was so curious what he was thinking.”

“You don’t have to say any more.”

“The bottom line is that the alpha needed an omega. You know. Pheromones, bonding… knotting. Instincts can be truly animalistic sometimes. Isn’t that right? It’s even more so for alphas with strong traits. I’m not saying it’s right, but I’m saying that, for now, instinct trumps reason. Don’t put it off too long. Nick doesn’t seem recessive.”

“…He’s dominant.”

Owen’s appetite vanished completely.

❊

‘Work calls, I have to go for a bit.’

Nick spoke casually. He had no luggage to pack.

‘I might be out of contact.’

He held up his phone, saying he might be out of contact, but Owen understood it to mean he would be out of contact.

‘I’ll contact you.’

Receiving Nick’s kiss, Owen also vaguely understood it meant not to contact him before then.

At the time, he thought it was possible. Nick had said it would only be two days at most, so he didn’t think he’d be unable to resist contacting him during that time.

Owen stared at the phone in his hand. He had Nick’s number displayed on the screen, but he hadn’t pressed the call button yet.

This is stupid. He could be in the middle of something dangerous.

It would be fortunate if Nick had turned off his phone, but if not, Owen would be making a mistake. Owen turned off the screen and put the phone down.

“Connect me with Mr. Spyros.”

He pressed the button that connected him to his secretary’s office instead.

—Yes, Chairman. You called for me?

The company lawyer’s voice came through shortly after.

“I need some company information.”

—Please tell me what you need.

“SS & Co.”

As Henry had said, the website didn’t offer any useful information. This was out of curiosity. He realized he didn’t know much about Nick.

—What level of investigation are we looking at?

Even after hearing the company name, the lawyer maintained his professional tone.

“Just basic information will suffice.”

He didn’t need to mention confidentiality.

—I’ll report back to you within two hours.

Spyros was competent.

“One more thing.”

And Spyros had extensive connections.

Exactly one hour and twenty minutes later, a report with the bland title “Basic Investigative Data” landed on Owen’s desk. The contents of the report were surprising, yet not surprising. Since he hadn’t needed the services Security Solutions offered, the information Spyros compiled was limited to broadening Owen’s understanding of Nick.

Owen picked up the business card Spyros had left with the report.

Printed on a dark green background, the only information was a contact number. There was no address or company name. Below the large print name was the small word “Investigator.” It didn’t even include common descriptors like “Special” or “Professional,” but since Spyros had recommended the contact, they must be an expert.

Owen turned the card over and over in his fingers. What he was contemplating now was what was commonly referred to as a background check. Who Nick really was. Where he was now.

He stopped toying with the card. Owen stared at the name printed on it for a moment before putting it in his drawer.

Nick would tell him. If he felt he couldn’t wait any longer, Nick would grab Owen and tell him honestly, instead of deceiving him.

❊

“What the heck, this is too easy.”

“We could’ve come barehanded.”

Hugh and Cooper looked down at the automatic rifles in their hands with disappointment. They had donned combat uniforms, masks, gloves, and even helmets, all for this operation. They had even packed two magazines each in their vests, but they hadn’t fired a single shot tonight. And they didn’t expect to.

“Damn it, seriously. This is embarrassing. Why did we come all this way?”

“I thought there’d be about twenty cult fanatics.”

It was fortunate that it was a remote location with few people around; otherwise, a neighbor might have reported an armed robbery.

“He likes new religions, huh?”

Cooper hugged his rifle to his chest and looked around the house. There were no worshippers, no crosses, no incense, no preaching, nothing.

They knew it was this house even before seeing the house number because the security was excessively tight for a quiet residential area.

The wooden house was a disguise. Of course, it wasn’t a religious organization, and the interior was desolate, like a vagrant’s home, except for a few pieces of furniture that seemed to have originally belonged to the house. Firearms, medical supplies, and a few electronic devices provided information about the occupants.

Inside the wooden house, with CCTV cameras installed in every corner, there were only four armed men. The men must have seen Nick’s group approaching on the monitors. There were separate motion sensors at the front and back doors, and they hadn’t broken any windows to enter.

The first floor was set up as a typical contractor’s office. The firearms seemed sufficient, but the confrontation was anticlimactic. One man was instantly knocked unconscious by Hugh, and Cooper had just tied the hands and feet of two others with zip ties. The remaining man was being interrogated for information about who hired them.

“Give him a chance to talk, Captain. If a few more teeth get knocked out, we won’t be able to understand him. We have to at least hear what he has to say.”

Hugh offered his advice, considering the man’s condition, but he didn’t think the Captain would take it to heart.

“Should I give him an injection? You said you came here to ask questions.”

Nick didn’t even react when Hugh spoke again.

Among the equipment Hugh and Cooper had bothered to bring were personal first-aid kits. The people Security Solutions dealt with were mostly armed rebels, guerrillas, occasionally pirates, and, though they tried to avoid them, sometimes local gangs. The locations they were deployed to were often remote and far from urban centers. That meant no hospitals, even if someone was injured.

They had a team doctor, but he couldn’t accompany every operation. Therefore, the training Security Solutions employees received included emergency medical training. Nick checked the first aid skills of new employees, retraining them from scratch if necessary, regardless of where they had worked before.

Whether or not there was a team doctor, field operatives were required to carry personal first-aid kits. And sometimes, if needed, they put things other than medicine in the kits.

The injection Hugh just mentioned was one of those “other things.” If there was information they absolutely needed to hear, they had a high-performance truth serum, but Nick was pretending to be completely oblivious to its existence.

Why waste time and effort like that? There were several computers and monitors set up in the living room, so it would be enough to just detach those and examine the data.

“We didn’t need to be this heavily armed, did we?”

Cooper, who had just finished touring the house, whispered from beside him.

“I’ll… I’ll… talk.”

The Captain seemed to be using only his feet because he didn’t even want to touch the man. However, he was being careful not to hit the man’s face anymore. It was obvious that he hadn’t actually not heard what Hugh said, but rather had pretended not to hear. The man, who now had his hands up in a defensive posture, slurred his words because of the blood in his mouth, not because he was missing teeth.

“Ugh, that Neanderthal. How did he manage to survive alone… Someone needs to tell him that Homo sapiens ruled the earth.”

“That’s why he survived alone. Loneliness makes you grumpy.”

—No, it’s because he’s taking out his frustrations. Frustrations.

During operations, communication lines had to be kept open at all times, and environmental limitations had to be considered, so they wore wired earpieces, which were more stable than wireless ones. John’s voice came through the earpiece connected to his vest.

“Huh?”