Chapter Text
Daniela curled up on the couch, nestled between the cushions and a strong pair of arms, looking like the princess of comfort.
Her cheeks warm, and her scent—a dizzying mix of lilac and peonies—hung thick in the air, pulling both alphas closer as if by gravity. Yoonchae had basically become her personal recliner.
She sat there, a faint sea breeze scent trailing around her, an arm around Daniela’s shoulders, letting her lean back into her chest. Her free hand absentmindedly traced soothing patterns along the older omega’s arm. They smelled like they had been glued together all day, floral warmth and grounding ocean air.
Megan was sitting at the far end of the opposite couch. Leg bouncing. Jaw tight. Her fruity scent, strawberries and a hint of citrus clung to her, impossible to ignore. She pretended to scroll on her phone, pretended not to notice, as if she were fine. She was absolutely not fine.
She didn’t want to look jealous. She knew the older omega needed comfort, and the last thing she wanted was to act dramatic about it. She knew Yoonchae was doing what alphas do.
But her alpha was literally cuddling someone else into melted butter. Her scents betrayed her. Tiny flickers of sour frustration that she tried desperately to smother under sunshine energy.
Daniela, in her cozy preheat-dizzy brain fog, noticed. She couldn’t read feelings well right now, but she could feel the spike. The shift in air. The sour pinch.
She turned her head lazily, cheek still squished into the maknae’s shoulder.
“Where’s Sophia?”
Yoonchae looked down at her, eyebrows raised slightly. She felt it too but didn’t know what it meant.
“Sophia,” Daniela raised her head slightly, “go check on her for me.”
The older alpha, hovering by the kitchen doorway like a stressed mother hen, immediately perked up. “On it.”
She headed straight toward the younger omega. That was supposed to soothe Megan but ended up pissing her off because Daniela sent Sophia while she was literally snuggled into the younger alpha’s lap.
Her eyes flicked up, and there it was.
Yoonchae, warm and unbothered, the scent of sea breeze mixed with the floral-musk preheat, letting another omega rest against her like they were the softest pair in the world. Their scents mixed, clothes lightly rumpled, hair a little out of place.
Megan could smell the closeness. Feel the closeness. Imagine it even. And it killed her.
Sophia kneeled beside the couch, voice gentle. “Sunshine? You good?”
She nodded stiffly, letting a blinding smile snap onto her face. “Of course! I’m great. Why wouldn’t I be?” Her voice was sweet, a complete contrast to her scent.
Daniela, still cuddled up, called out in a husky mumble, “You sure, baby? You feel… prickly.”
Megan’s smile twitched.
Yoonchae glanced over, eyes soft, almost worried.
And that ruined the younger omega even more.
Because Yoonchae noticing her? Looking at her? All of that while smelling like someone else’s preheat floral musk and holding her close?
It was too much. She walked straight to her room and faceplanted on the bed.
She smushed her face into the nearest pillow, groaning.
“YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND. She was sitting on her lap. HER LAP. AND SENT SOPHIA OVER TO CHECK UP ON ME.”
Lara sighed from across the room. “That just means she noticed something was wrong and cares.”
“I KNOW,” she pouted, “that’s worse because I can’t even get mad at her.”
Manon patted her head, “It’s okay, bub. She will come around.”