Chapter 2 : Not this time

The lecture ended, and the students erupted from their seats, congregating into small clusters. Conversations hummed softly, a gentle murmur of laughter and chatter resonating throughout the hall. Ren Xiao Long lingered in his seat at the back, sketchbook open but neglected, as he mindlessly twirled a pencil between his fingers.

He scanned the room, initially indifferent. The omega and beta students had gravitated toward the professor, their eager voices merging into the warm sunlight streaming through the tall windows.

Shen Nian stood at the heart of the group, his dark suit a sharp contrast to the lively conversation surrounding him. A faint, polite smile adorned his lips as he addressed their inquiries, his voice smooth, calm, and composed.

Most of the students appeared captivated, hanging on every word he uttered. Shen Nian's demeanor was effortlessly alluring—his movements fluid, his gaze focused, and his responses infused with a kindness that rendered him approachable.

Ren Xiao Long's eyes narrowed just a bit. Kind wasn't how he would describe it.

There was something too flawless about Shen Nian's posture, too intentional. The slight angle of his head, the soft curve of his lips, the subtle glint in his dark eyes—it was all meticulously crafted, resembling a mask carefully designed.

Ren Xiao Long couldn't pinpoint why, but it made him uneasy.

"He's concealing something," Ren Xiao Long mused, his fingers tightening around his pencil. The awareness hit him unexpectedly, leaving behind a quiet, persistent curiosity.

Shen Nian was not an ordinary professor. That was evident.

And for the first time in many years, Ren Xiao Long felt an urge to uncover the reason.

The group of students carried on conversing, laughing and posing questions. Shen Nian's voice permeated the room, each word calculated and thoughtfully chosen, yet Ren Xiao Long couldn't concentrate on the discussion. His thoughts kept drifting back to the man at the center of the commotion. There was something compelling about him—something that left Ren Xiao Long feeling. . . unsteady.

Ren Xiao Long rose from his seat, his movements measured and intentional. He placed his sketchbook in his bag, slinging it over his shoulder. His gaze lingered on Shen Nian just a moment longer, the tug of curiosity resembling a cord pulling him back.

He began walking toward the door, navigating around groups of students engrossed in their lively conversations. The sound of their voices faded into the background as his focus remained fixed on Shen Nian.

Just as he was nearing the door, it occurred.

A shift in the atmosphere.

Ren Xiao Long sensed it before he could identify it—an unseen force that pulled at him. The faintest feeling, like a thread being drawn tight, encircling his chest and constricting.

His footsteps wavered.

A subtle, intoxicating aroma enveloped him—a mixture of something profound and lush, intertwined with a sharp nuance that caused a shiver to run down his spine.

Alpha pheromones.

Ren Xiao Long felt his breath hitch in his throat. He couldn't tell what had triggered his awareness first—the aroma itself, or the way it appeared to linger in the atmosphere, nearly tangible. However, what struck him most was its level of control. There was no overpowering scent, no claim to territory. Merely an undercurrent of strength—something faint, yet undeniably impactful.

His head turned instinctively, his eyes landing squarely on Shen Nian.

To his astonishment, Shen Nian was meeting his gaze head-on.

Their eyes connected—Ren Xiao Long's dark and calculating, while Shen Nian's were calm and innocently curious. There was an intensity in that stare that was so strong, so penetrating, that it made Ren Xiao Long's chest constrict.

For a brief moment, time appeared to freeze. Shen Nian's expression was tranquil, yet there was a flicker in his eyes, something that Ren Xiao Long couldn't quite identify. It was not malicious. It was not even intimidating. But it felt as if Shen Nian could see straight through to his core.

The allure of Shen Nian's pheromones was subtle, yet it was unmistakable. Ren Xiao Long sensed the weight of them, pulling at his control, constricting his chest. It was not overwhelming—it was restrained, managed—but it still impacted him.

Ren Xiao Long's heartbeat raced, a sharp flutter echoing in his chest. He could instinctively tell that Shen Nian was a superior alpha. His presence, though still and composed, demanded attention. It felt as if the very air shifted in his vicinity.

Ren Xiao Long didn't avert his gaze.

He ought to have. He ought to have turned around, exited the room, and never looked back. But he found he couldn't.

Shen Nian's stare remained steadfast, his lips still forming that same, courteous smile. However, there was something in the way he held Ren Xiao Long's gaze that stirred ripples in his carefully built defenses.

"Why is he looking at me like that? " Ren Xiao Long's thoughts revolved, but no answer surfaced.

Shen Nian's eyes softened, an innocent curiosity that almost felt. . . like a challenge.

Ren Xiao Long couldn't define it—couldn't comprehend it. And that left him feeling unsettled.

With a sudden and sharp breath, Ren Xiao Long compelled himself to look away. His jaw tightened, and his fists balled at his sides as he turned back toward the door, quickening his pace while his mind continued to race.

As he maneuvered through the cluster of students, his actions became automatic. Their chatter felt distant now, a vague background buzz as his concentration remained locked on the encounter. He didn't stop until he had exited the lecture hall, the still corridor unfolding before him like a route to freedom.

The chilly air outdoors did little to calm the turmoil within him.

His thoughts raced, going over the incident repeatedly. The fragrance. The gaze. The manner in which his body had responded without his consent.

For years, Ren Xiao Long had taken pride in remaining detached, untouchable, and unfazed by the world surrounding him. But now, for the first time, he sensed a fracture in the walls he had so meticulously constructed.

"What are you concealing, Shen Nian? "

The words escaped his lips before he could refrain from saying them, and he muttered a curse under his breath.

Ren Xiao Long tightened his fists, his nails pressing into his palms as he attempted to steady himself. He was unsure why he felt this way. He didn't understand why Shen Nian's stare lingered in his thoughts like an apparition, unwilling to disappear.

All he was aware of was that he couldn't dismiss it.

Not this time.