ALPHA UNIVERSE #5: DESIROUS

CHAPTER 34

The atmosphere was cozy, interrupted only by Jaemin's playful comment.

"So, are we just going to ignore the part where Jeno smiled like an idiot because Riri finally arrived, and then the air got weird?"

Harin and Jeno exchanged a brief look, one that carried volumes unspoken. Harin raised a brow, and Jeno's lips twitched into the smallest grin before both turned their attention back to the male omega.

"Just ignore them, Nana," Renjun said with a wave of his hand, though his smirk betrayed his teasing nature. "Now eat. Breakfast is getting cold."

The morning had started softly, with the kind of warmth only shared by two people teetering on the edge of something deeper. The alphas had woken up tangled together, the quiet intimacy in their breathing matching the steady rhythm of their bond.

Jeno had insisted Harin stay with him for a few days, and despite her teasing protests, she hadn't needed much convincing. The pull between them was magnetic. It was unspoken, but they both felt it.

Now, the spacious confines of Jeno's penthouse were no longer just his. Harin's presence was everywhere, her scent imbued into the very air, her belongings scattered about like they had always belonged there. What had once been a pristine, borderline impersonal living space now felt alive, as if it had grown a soul of its own. Even the bedroom had transformed, the bed laden with soft blankets and pillows, an almost instinctive nesting space that neither of them commented on but both silently cherished.

Innocent kisses had turned into habitual gestures, and the casual brushes of fingers evolved into lingering touches. They hadn't discussed labels or boundaries, but their actions spoke louder than any words. Their alphas had gone from restless, guarded creatures to calm, purring presences whenever the other was near.

Later, Harin found herself peeling away from Jeno after another stolen moment—one that left her lips tingling and her cheeks flushed. Jeno groaned at the sudden loss of her warmth, watching her get off his lap with a look that could melt glaciers.

"You're going there again?" he asked, his tone heavy with displeasure.

"I have to," Harin replied as she straightened her clothes, trying to shake off his lingering touch. "It's work, Jeno."

"Back out," he said simply, as if it were the most obvious solution in the world.

She turned to him, hands on her hips. "Backing out now would affect the Maze Studio. You know I can't do that."

"So?" He tilted his head, utterly unbothered.

"You're impossible," she muttered, rolling her eyes. "Clingy."

Jeno only smirked. "I'll drive you."

"I can handle myself, thanks," she replied, already tying her hair back. "Besides, I probably reek of pureblood right now."

"You do," he said with a grin that was more wolfish than anything else. His eyes darkened, trailing over her neck. "Should I scent you more? Just in case."

She turned to glare at him, narrowing her eyes. "Forget it. I don't want to make the other dancers uncomfortable."

"Other dancers?" he asked, his tone low and menacing. His alpha stirred, and his possessiveness flared.