Damian Roberts had only one goal now.
Finish the shift.Leave the building.And never come back.
At least, that was what he kept telling himself as he moved through the ballroom with another tray of champagne. In reality, nothing about the evening felt simple anymore.
Victor Hale had noticed him.Kendrick Walker had defended him.
Somewhere between those two moments, Damian's careful plan to remain invisible had collapsed completely.
He kept his gaze lowered as he moved between guests, focusing on the familiar routine that usually kept him calm. Offer a drink. Collect an empty glass. Smile politely. Move on.
Normal.Predictable.Safe.
Except every few minutes, he felt it again.
That quiet awareness.
The unmistakable sense of being watched.
And he did not need to guess who.
Across the ballroom, Kendrick stood near a group of corporate executives discussing market trends. His posture remained relaxed. His expression stayed calm. To anyone observing, he appeared fully engaged in the conversation.
Inside, however, his attention remained divided.
Because every time Damian crossed the room, Kendrick noticed.
And every time the omega moved within range, that faint scent brushed his senses again.
It had been hours.
Hours of trying to dismiss the reaction.Ignore it.Explain it.
Yet the response had not faded.
If anything, it had grown stronger.
Which was becoming a problem.
"Kendrick."
Alehandra's voice pulled him back to the present.
She had been studying him quietly for several minutes.
"You're doing it again."
Kendrick did not pretend to misunderstand.
"I know."
Her gaze shifted across the room.
"To him."
"Yes."
Her expression tightened slightly.
"You should stop."
Kendrick exhaled slowly.
"I'm trying."
Alehandra watched him carefully.
"And failing."
He did not argue.
Because she was right.
Across the ballroom, Damian approached the catering station to exchange trays.
One of the kitchen staff leaned toward him and spoke quietly.
"Almost done. Another half hour."
Relief washed through him immediately.
Half an hour.
He could survive half an hour.
He picked up a fresh tray and stepped back into the ballroom.
The music had shifted again. A slower melody drifted through the room as more couples moved onto the dance floor. Guests laughed and talked freely, the atmosphere relaxing as the evening stretched on.
Everything felt normal.
For everyone except Damian.
Because the moment he stepped into the room again, a familiar presence settled behind him.
Close.
Too close.
Damian stopped.
Not again.
He did not even need to turn.
"Kendrick Walker," he said quietly.
Behind him, Kendrick's voice answered in a calm, steady tone.
"You noticed."
Damian sighed and turned around.
"Yes."
Kendrick stood only a few feet away now. Without the constant movement of the crowd between them, his presence felt stronger. More focused.
Damian resisted the urge to step back.
"You keep appearing," Damian said.
Kendrick tilted his head slightly.
"You keep noticing."
"That's because you're not subtle."
A faint hint of amusement touched Kendrick's expression.
"Neither are you."
Damian frowned.
"I'm carrying a tray."
Kendrick's gaze flicked briefly to the glasses.
"That's not what I meant."
The quiet intensity in his voice made Damian uneasy.
"What do you want?" Damian asked.
Kendrick hesitated.
Because the honest answer was complicated.
He was not entirely sure what he wanted.
But he did know one thing.
"You should leave."
Damian groaned softly.
"Again with that."
"You're attracting attention."
"I'm doing my job."
"Victor is watching you."
Damian's shoulders stiffened.
"I noticed."
"And he's not the only one."
That made Damian uneasy.
He glanced around instinctively. Several guests were indeed watching the interaction now. Two powerful alphas speaking to a catering worker was unusual enough to attract curiosity.
"This is exactly what I was trying to avoid," Damian muttered.
Kendrick followed his gaze.
Then he made a decision.
"This way."
Before Damian could protest, Kendrick gently took the tray from his hands and placed it on a nearby table.
"Hey—"
Kendrick gestured toward a side hallway leading away from the ballroom.
"Walk."
Damian stared at him.
"You can't just order me around."
Kendrick raised an eyebrow.
"I didn't."
"You clearly did."
"And yet you're still standing here."
Damian hesitated.
He hated that Kendrick had a point.
The attention around them was growing. Guests were definitely watching now. Which meant the safest option was leaving the main room.
Damian sighed.
"Fine."
They walked toward the hallway together.
The music and conversation faded as they stepped through the doorway. The corridor beyond was quiet and dimly lit. Empty.
For the first time that evening, the pressure of the ballroom disappeared.
Damian crossed his arms.
"Happy now?"
Kendrick leaned casually against the wall.
"Yes."
Damian stared at him.
"You dragged me into a hallway so people wouldn't see you talking to a waiter."
Kendrick corrected him calmly.
"An omega."
Damian rolled his eyes.
"That's not better."
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
The quiet space felt charged.
Without the noise of the ballroom, their senses sharpened. The faint scent between them became clearer. The suppressor dulled most of it, but not completely.
Kendrick inhaled slowly before he realized what he was doing.
The reaction was immediate.
His instincts stirred.
Stronger now.
More aware.
Damian noticed at once.
His eyes narrowed.
"Did you just—"
Kendrick straightened quickly.
"No."
"You absolutely did."
Damian rubbed his temple.
"This is weird."
Kendrick did not argue.
Because he agreed.
Something about this omega was triggering instincts he normally controlled without effort. And the closer they stood, the stronger the reaction became.
Damian shifted slightly.
The movement brought him half a step closer.
That was enough.
The scent between them strengthened.
Kendrick's breathing slowed.
His focus sharpened.
Damian felt it too.
That strange pull.
Subtle, but undeniable.
And suddenly the quiet hallway felt too small.
Too close.
Damian stepped back quickly.
"This is a bad idea."
Kendrick remained still.
"Yes."
"But you followed me anyway."
"Yes."
Damian stared at him.
"Why?"
Kendrick hesitated.
Because the honest answer made no sense.
"I don't know."
The admission surprised both of them.
For a moment, they simply stood there, tension thick in the air.
Then a voice called from the ballroom behind them.
"Kendrick!"
Alehandra.
Her voice carried clearly through the hallway.
Damian released a quiet breath.
"Saved by your fiancée."
Kendrick did not look relieved.
But he stepped back.
"You should go."
Damian nodded quickly.
"Gladly."
He turned toward the ballroom.
But just before stepping through the doorway, he paused.
Behind him, Kendrick spoke again.
"Damian."
He turned slightly.
Kendrick's voice was quieter now.
More serious.
"Be careful tonight."
Damian studied him for a moment.
Then answered softly.
"You too."
He walked back into the ballroom.
Leaving Kendrick alone in the silent hallway.
For several seconds, Kendrick did not move.
Then he exhaled slowly.
Because the faint scent lingering in the air had not disappeared.
And for the first time that evening, he realized something unsettling.
Ignoring it might no longer be possible.