For a brief moment after Kendrick spoke, the noise of the ballroom faded into the background. Damian felt the shift immediately. The way the air tightened. The way Kendrick Walker's attention locked onto him and refused to move. This is bad.
He had worked enough elite events to recognize danger when it appeared. Powerful alphas didn't focus on someone like him without reason. And when they did, things rarely ended well. Damian adjusted the tray in his hands, hoping the small movement would break the tension. "I think you're mistaken, sir," he said politely. His voice remained steady, though his pulse had begun to climb. Kendrick didn't move. Up close, his presence was impossible to ignore. Taller than Damian had realized, broad shoulders filling the sharp black suit. People nearby shifted subtly without realizing it. Power like that didn't need to be announced.
It simply existed. And right now, it was focused on him. "You work here," Kendrick said. Not a question. Damian nodded once. "Yes." Kendrick's gaze moved slowly over him, not casually, not dismissively.
Carefully.
Like he had discovered something he couldn't explain. Damian forced himself to stay calm. Don't look nervous, don't attract attention. He had learned those rules the hard way, growing up as an omega in a city run by powerful alphas. Still, the longer Kendrick watched him, the more uneasy he felt. The suppressor patch at the back of his neck suddenly seemed too thin. Had it failed? The thought sent a flicker of anxiety through him.
No.
He had applied it carefully before work. It should be fine. "I should get back to work," Damian said. He shifted, intending to step past him. Kendrick moved at the same moment. Not aggressively. Just enough to block the path.
Subtle.
Deliberate.
Damian's heart skipped. Is he serious? He lifted his gaze. "Excuse me." The words were polite. But firm. Something in Kendrick's expression shifted slightly. Most people didn't speak to him that way. They either tried to impress him … or avoided him entirely.
This omega was doing neither. "You didn't answer my question," Kendrick said. Damian frowned faintly. "You didn't ask one." For half a second, Kendrick looked surprised. Then amused.
Interesting.
"What's your name?" Kendrick asked. There it was. The question Damian had hoped to avoid.
Names created connections. Connections created problems. Still, refusing would only draw more attention. And attention was dangerous. "Damian," he said. Kendrick repeated it slowly.
"Damian."
The way he said the name made it sound heavier.
Intentional.
Memorable.
Damian felt unease settle deeper in his chest.
Great.
Now the city's most powerful alpha knows my name. Kendrick tilted his head slightly. "You're an omega."
Not an accusation.
An observation.
Damian's shoulders tightened. "That's not unusual." Kendrick studied him. "No," he said. "But your scent is." Panic flickered through Damian's chest. He can smell it. The suppressor patch was supposed to block everything. That was the entire reason he spent the extra money.
Still, something in Kendrick's expression suggested he had noticed something different. Damian forced himself to remain calm. "I think you're imagining things." The lie sounded weak. Even to him. Kendrick didn't challenge it. But he didn't look convinced either. Instead, he kept watching. That same focused attention. And the truth was… Damian could feel it too. The strange pull between them.
Instinctive.
Biological.
The kind of reaction omegas were warned about growing up.
Alpha instinct.
Dominance.
Hierarchy.
Except Kendrick wasn't behaving like other alphas. There was no aggression, no entitlement.
Only curiosity.
Dangerous curiosity. "You don't seem nervous," Kendrick said. Damian blinked. "I'm working." "That's not what I asked." Damian studied him carefully. Was this a test? Most alphas expected submission.
Lowered eyes.
Quiet voices.
Compliance.
Damian had spent years learning how to survive without losing himself. "I've met alphas before," he said.
Simple.
Honest.
Defiant.
Kendrick noticed.
The corner of his mouth lifted slightly. "Most omegas avoid eye contact," he observed. Damian shrugged. "I'm holding a tray, not starting a fight." The words slipped out before he could stop them. For a second, he braced for anger. Instead… Kendrick laughed.
Low.
Genuine.
Unexpected.
Damian stared at him. Did the most powerful alpha in the room just laugh? Kendrick studied him again, but now there was warmth in his gaze. "You're not what I expected," he said. "That's probably a good thing." Before Kendrick could respond, a voice cut smoothly through the moment.
"Kendrick."
Both men turned.
Alehandra Peters approached with effortless confidence, her red dress catching the light with every step. Nearby guests subtly shifted their attention toward her. She was impossible to ignore. Her sharp gaze moved between Kendrick and Damian.
Assessing.
Calculating.
Her smile remained perfectly polite. But something colder lingered beneath it. "Kendrick," she said softly. "Everyone's looking for you."
For the first time since their conversation began, Kendrick stepped back. The tension around Damian eased slightly. Alehandra's gaze settled on him for a moment. Long enough to make him uncomfortable. "Is there a problem?" she asked.
Light tone.
Sharp eyes.
"No," Kendrick said. He glanced at Damian once more. "Just a conversation." Alehandra's attention returned to Damian. A quiet beat passed. Then she smiled. "Thank you for assisting the guests tonight."
Polite words.
Clear message.
You can leave. Damian dipped his head. "Of course." Then he turned and walked away. Not too fast. Not too slow.
Professional.
Controlled.
But he could feel it.
That gaze.
Heavy.
Persistent.
Following him.
Don't look back.
He moved through the crowd, offering drinks with steady hands. But inside, his thoughts raced.
What was that? Why had Kendrick Walker focused on him like that? And more importantly… Had the alpha really smelled something through the suppressor patch? That possibility made his stomach twist. Because if Kendrick discovered what Damian truly was…
Everything would change. Kendrick remained beside Alehandra. But his attention wasn't on the guests. It followed the omega disappearing into the moving crowd. Damian. Even now, Kendrick could still sense that scent.
Warm.
Soft.
Unmistakable.
Alehandra noticed. Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Someone interesting?" she asked. Kendrick didn't answer immediately. He watched until Damian vanished from sight. Then he said quietly, "Yes."
Alehandra's smile didn't change. But something thoughtful flickered in her eyes. Because she had known Kendrick for years. And she had just seen something new. Her future fiancé… looking at someone else like that.
Meanwhile, in the service hallway, Damian finally allowed himself to breathe. He leaned briefly against the wall. His heart was still beating too fast. "What the hell was that?" He reached up and touched the edge of the suppressor patch.
Still there.
Still secure.
Still working.
Hopefully.
Yet somehow…
Kendrick Walker had still noticed him, and Damian couldn't shake the uneasy feeling settling in his chest. Tonight hadn't ended anything.It had started something. Because somewhere behind him, the most powerful alpha in the city had just learned one dangerous truth. No matter how crowded the room became… He could still find Damian.
Without looking.
Without trying.
Without fail.