CHAPTER 11- Just because I'm a Beta⁵

"Don’t worry about it, Jaden. He’ll be there soon."

Mrs. Wilson’s reassuring voice echoed through the phone.

"Okay, Mrs. Wilson. Thank you."

A young charmer exhaled softly as he ended the call, setting his phone down on the pristine white tablecloth. His fingers tapped idly against the polished surface while his sapphire-blue eyes flickered toward the entrance of the restaurant.

Still no sign of him.

A waiter approached with a courteous smile. "Do you need anything, sir?"

The Omega lifted his gaze, thick lashes fluttering as he met the waiter's eyes. There was a brief pause—almost a hesitation—before the man collected himself.

"No, thank you. I'll order once my partner arrives." His voice was polite but distant, and the waiter, sensing his mood, gave a slight nod before leaving.

With a quiet sigh, Jaden leaned back against his chair.

He wasn’t just any omega.

His scent alone commanded attention. It was intoxicating yet refined, a blend of dominance and allure that made heads turn the moment he walked into a room. Even now, he could feel eyes lingering on him from every direction. Their curiosity, their fascination—it unsettled him.

He hated being out in public like this.

More than that, he hated this situation.

His fiancé—his supposed mate—was late.

Jaden’s grip tightened around the napkin in his lap. It’s almost 9:30.

I just spoke to his parents. They said he already left home. So where the hell is he?

...****************...

Meanwhile...

A sharp breath. A hand gripping fabric.

"Using me?"

"Wasn't that what you were doing?"

Riley's eyes burned with defiance. His back was pressed against the cold wall, trapped between it and the broad, looming figure before him.

Jamie.

The Alpha who was supposed to be at the restaurant. With his fiancé.

Instead, he was here.

With him.

Jamie’s grip tightened on Riley’s shoulders, his expression unreadable.

"...what?!!"

Riley let out a bitter laugh, though there was no humor in it.

"You were using me, Jamie," he hissed. "So don’t act like you’re the only one being betrayed."

Presley tensed, his pulse quickening. He had no idea what was running through this Alpha’s mind, but judging by the way Jamie’s gaze kept flickering over his half-exposed body, it wasn’t hard to guess.

Worse, the system was confirming it.

«+46»

«+47»

«+50»

«+55...»

He’s seriously thinking about that right now?

Presley cringed internally. On one hand, it meant his mission was progressing—but on the other, was this really a good or a bad thing?

He wanted Jamie to leave. Desperately. But how the hell was he supposed to make that happen? He wasn’t even really Riley.

Just as Presley was scrambling for a way to respond, a sudden vibration cut through the tense atmosphere.

Jamie stiffened, fishing his phone out of his pocket. His eyes flicked to the screen, and whatever he saw made his expression twist with annoyance.

He sighs and receded away from Presley.

"I never thought you had it in you, you sl**!" His voice was sharp, laced with something deeper—betrayal, frustration.

"Acting like you were the one hurt, and in the next minute, you're playing around with Zane?" Jamie scoffed, his piercing gaze locking onto Presley’s. "If you think you can get to me by doing that, you're wrong."

And just like that, he turned on his heel and stormed out.

...****************...

James' POINT OF VIEW:

I left Riley’s apartment in a hurry, my chest tight with emotions I didn’t want to name—anger, embarrassment… maybe something else. More than anything, I needed to get out before my body made me do something I'd regret.

Because for a second, standing there, my hands gripping his shoulders, my eyes trailing over his slender, toned body… I could feel my control slipping.

The vibration in my pocket had been my saving grace.

At first, I was just relieved the vibration, wasn’t my damn rod reacting to him. But then reality hit me—this wasn’t just a casual message. My parents were expecting me to be at dinner. With Jaden. My fiancée.

And here I was, losing my mind over Riley.

___________

A few hours later…

I dragged my feet toward the restaurant, every step heavy with reluctance. This wasn’t something I wanted—never had been, never would be. I had no interest in my parents' marriage arrangements, no curiosity about my so-called fiancé. I didn’t know his name, had never seen his face, and frankly, I didn’t care.

To them, this was supposed to be the beginning of my future. To me, it was just another blind date, one with far heavier consequences than I cared to acknowledge. The person waiting for me inside wasn’t just some stranger I’d be having dinner with—he was the one I was expected to spend the rest of my life with.

How did I feel about that? Nothing. At least, nothing close to what I once felt for my first love back in highschool. That part of me—the part that knew how to love—had died a long time ago. Now, I was just sinking into yet another obligation, another prison of my own making. I was the one who agreed to this, wasn’t I? When my parents brought it up earlier today, I didn’t protest. So here I was, about to play my part, just like they wanted.

But what made this whole thing unbearable wasn’t the marriage. It wasn’t the stranger waiting inside.

It was the fact that no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get Riley out of my mind.

The moment I stepped into the restaurant, I was assaulted by an overwhelming scent—thick, intoxicating, and unmistakably dominant Omega. My body tensed instinctively, my stomach twisting in discomfort. I already knew, before even laying eyes on him, that this person—this scent—belonged to my so-called fiancé.

And that was the worst part.

This was the person I was supposed to spend the rest of my life with. Someone whose presence alone made my skin crawl. The air between us was suffocating, not just because of his overbearing pheromones but because the way he looked—it was far too similar to the omega from my past.

For a moment, the thought crossed my mind—was this some sick joke? My parents' twisted way of mocking me for what happened back then? My head spun at the idea. Did this bastard not have the slightest control over his pheromones? My jaw clenched as the pressure built in my skull. And then, to make things worse, he had the audacity to whine.

“I thought you’d be here at 8 p.m.,” Jaden’s fingers fumbled with the tablecloth, his nervous energy palpable. "It’s already half past 10."

His tone wasn’t exactly demanding, but something about it irritated me beyond reason. He didn’t just sound like someone on a first date—no, he sounded like someone who had never even been outside before.

I almost couldn’t believe I was wasting my time on this.

“I... I understand you’re busy, but—” Jaden hesitated, struggling to find the right words. “You could’ve at least been considerate enough to come early or at least informed me that you’d be late.”

I felt something snap.

Who does this fucker think he is?

JAMES:"We’re not even married yet, and you’re already trying to control my life?"

JADEN:"What? N-no, I didn’t mean—"

I cut him off sharply.

JAMES:"How much?"

Jaden froze. Confusion flickered in his sapphire eyes, his delicate brows furrowing.

JADEN:"…What?"

JAMES:"How much were you paid to show up here?"

I didn’t bother sugarcoating it. My voice was cold, devoid of any warmth, and my expression must have been just as unyielding. He reminded me of everything I hated about Omegas—timid, delicate on the surface, but all too eager to take the money when it was offered.

I wasn’t going to be fooled by that again.

His scent was still suffocating me, pressing down on my senses like a relentless wave. Even as I fought to ignore it, my body reacted on instinct. Clipping my nose wouldn’t do anything—it would still linger.

I was done. I needed to get out of here before I suffocated in this Omega’s sickly-sweet pheromones.

...----------------...

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