Alex stood outside Room 237 with his single duffel bag, heart pounding for entirely different reasons than the audition. Through the thin door, he could hear movement—someone unpacking, the scrape of furniture being moved.He knocked."It's open!"The voice was deep, warm, and unmistakably alpha. Alex took a breath, made sure his scent was still completely masked, and pushed open the door.The first thing he noticed was how small the room was. Two narrow beds, two tiny desks, one closet they'd apparently have to share. The second thing he noticed was the broad back of someone bent over a suitcase, dark hair falling across strong shoulders."Hey, you must be my—" The alpha straightened and turned around, and Alex's breath caught.The guy was gorgeous. Not in Jake's pretty-boy way, but in a rugged, natural way that made Alex's stomach do uncomfortable flips. Dark eyes, sharp jawline, and when he smiled, it was genuine and reached his eyes."I'm Ryan," he said, extending a hand. "Ryan Torres. You're Alex, right?"Alex shook his hand, trying not to notice how Ryan's completely dwarfed his own. "Yeah. Alex.""Cool. Sorry about the mess—I got here early and claimed the left side. Hope that's okay?" Ryan gestured to his half of the room, which was already organized with military precision."That's fine." Alex set his bag on the other bed, hyperaware of Ryan's scent filling the small space. Even through the suppressants, he could detect hints of cedar and something clean, like fresh rain."So where are you from?" Ryan asked, sitting on his bed. "I'm from Denver.""Seattle.""Nice. Long way from home." Ryan's eyes were curious but not intrusive. "You nervous about tomorrow?""A little." Alex unzipped his bag, careful to keep his suppressants hidden at the bottom. "You?"Ryan laughed, and the sound made Alex's chest tight. "Terrified. I mean, I've wanted this since I was twelve, but now that I'm here..." He shook his head. "What if I'm not good enough?"The vulnerability in his voice caught Alex off guard. He'd expected arrogance, alpha posturing, maybe some territorial behavior. Not this easy honesty."You made it through auditions," Alex pointed out. "That has to count for something.""So did you." Ryan studied him with those dark eyes. "You're different from the other guys I met today."Alex froze. "Different how?""I don't know. Calmer, I guess? Most of the alphas here are..." Ryan wrinkled his nose. "Let's just say they're very confident about their chances.""And you're not?""I'm realistic." Ryan flopped back on his bed, staring at the ceiling. "There are some seriously talented guys in this competition. Did you meet Jake Morrison? Dude's got pipes like you wouldn't believe, plus he's got that whole alpha presence thing down pat."Alex's jaw tightened at Jake's name. "Talent isn't just about presence.""True." Ryan turned his head to look at Alex. "What's your thing? Singing? Dancing?""Both, hopefully.""Show me.""What?"Ryan sat up, grinning. "Come on, we're going to be living together for months. I want to see what my roommate's got.""Right now?""Why not? Unless you're shy?" Ryan's teasing tone made Alex's competitive instincts flare."I'm not shy."Alex stood and moved to the small open space between their beds. Without music, without staging, it felt different. More intimate. But Ryan was watching him with such genuine interest that Alex found himself relaxing.He started with a simple routine, something he could do quietly so they wouldn't disturb other contestants. But even simplified, his natural grace showed through, the way he could make every movement look effortless.When he finished, Ryan was staring."Holy shit," Ryan breathed. "That was incredible.""Thanks." Alex felt heat rise in his cheeks and quickly sat down, putting distance between them."No, seriously. I've been training for seven years, and I've never seen anyone move like that." Ryan leaned forward, excited. "You're going to destroy the competition.""We'll see.""Don't be modest. That was—" Ryan stopped mid-sentence, his expression shifting to something Alex couldn't read. "Alex?""Yeah?""This might sound weird, but..." Ryan tilted his head slightly, like he was trying to figure something out. "Do you use a different body wash or something? You smell different from other alphas I've met."Alex's blood turned to ice. The suppressants were still working—he'd checked before coming up—but Ryan's senses were obviously sharper than most."Different how?" Alex asked carefully."I don't know. Cleaner, maybe? Less..." Ryan gestured vaguely. "Most alphas smell like they're marking territory 24/7. You don't.""Maybe I just shower more," Alex said with a forced laugh.Ryan grinned. "Fair enough. My last roommate at training camp smelled like a gym sock that had been soaked in cheap cologne."Crisis averted. For now.They talked for another hour—about music, about their families, about everything except the one thing Alex couldn't tell him. Ryan was funny and smart and surprisingly thoughtful for an alpha. By the time they turned out the lights, Alex was more relaxed than he'd been all day."Hey Alex?" Ryan's voice came through the darkness."Thanks for not being a total alpha asshole. I was worried I'd get stuck with someone who'd try to piss on everything to mark his territory."Alex almost choked. "No problem.""Good night, roommate.""Good night."Alex lay in the dark, listening to Ryan's breathing gradually slow and deepen. The alpha scent that filled the room should have made him uncomfortable, should have triggered his omega instincts. Instead, it was oddly comforting.Which was a problem.Because in three months of living in this tiny room together, of training and competing and sharing every meal, Alex was going to have to hide not just what he was, but how he was starting to feel about his alpha roommate.His suppressants were good, but they weren't that good.
