The day started wrong.
Lucian could feel it in the air , heavy, damp, like the universe had woken up just to test his patience.
Even before coming to school, he had to wake up before everyone else just to avoid Hunter. Like a thief in the night, he'd snuck in and out of his own house. His jacket clung to his shoulders, his head ached from too little sleep and too many thoughts he couldn't shut off. He rubbed his temples as he stepped into the hallway. He'd left class early, hoping for a quick breather , he really needed a time-out before he could get back on track.
He was halfway down the corridor when Ethan appeared out of nowhere, leaning casually against the lockers that same lazy smirk that used to make Lucian's stomach twist now only made his skin crawl. 'He didn't just leave class just to follow me ', just when Lucians day couldn't get any worse
Lucian frowned. What does he want now? he thought, trying to ignore him and keep walking.
"Where were you yesterday?" Ethan asked, his voice low but sharp enough to cut glass. "We were supposed to meet, remember? I stood there for ages." He slid his hands into his pockets, watching Lucian closely.
Lucian didn't even slow down.
Well, at least today he didn't smell like omega pheromones. No , he shouldn't be relieved about that. A player would always be a player, and he had been just one of Ethan's pawns.
"Busy," he said casually, hoping to end the conversation. "Besides, I never said I was coming."
Ethan pushed off the lockers and stepped in front of him, blocking the way. "Busy? Busy with what, Lucian?" His eyes narrowed.
Lucian flinched as the familiar, toxic scent of Ethan's pheromones filled the air. His head went light. Ethan grabbed his arm.
"What's keeping you so busy these days that you can just forget about me?" he demanded, tightening his grip.
Lucian exhaled, rubbing the bridge of his nose before yanking his hand away. "I was busy, like I said." He tried to ignore the pheromones that were starting to wrap around him, heavy and suffocating.
That single word busy made Ethan's jaw tighten. "You're lying," he hissed, stepping closer, his pheromones thick in the narrow hallway.
Lucian met his gaze, voice flat. "Maybe. Or maybe you just don't matter enough for me to remember."
He clenched his fist, biting his lower lip as he stared right back at Ethan.
The silence that followed was deafening. For a moment, Ethan just stared , and for the first time, Lucian saw something dark flicker behind his eyes.
Before it could turn into anything else, the bell rang. Lucian stepped aside, brushing past him like he wasn't even there.
"Don't walk away from me," Ethan muttered under his breath. He turned sharply, but didn't follow. He couldn't.
Lucian didn't even glance back. "Watch me."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Classrooms had always been his quiet zone. He'd hoped to at least focus and drown out his thoughts , until Mason's chatter filled the room like static.
"Dude, look at this," Mason said, thrusting his phone under Lucian's nose.
On the screen was Hunter's latest post , a perfect shot of him leaning against his car, hair damp, half-smile dangerous. The caption read:
No limits, no fear. Just the road.
Lucian scoffed, though his chest gave a traitorous flutter. "He really said that?"
He tried to look away, but his eyes lingered on the post longer than they should have. His heart betrayed him as he stared at the tattoos wrapping Hunter's arm. Greek god, his mind whispered. Someone who could make anyone drop to their knees if he commanded it.
How did that annoying bastard turn into such a hotshot?
Mason grinned. "Yeah, it's kind of hot, right?" He sighed dramatically. "Man, if only he could be with me." He looked at Lucian. "Hey, you're brothers! Send a good word for me, huh? Come on!"
"He's getting married," Lucian cut in, sharper than he meant to.
Why was he even jealous? Mason liking Hunter shouldn't bother him , but it did. He had to remind himself Hunter was his brother, for crying out loud.
Mason blinked. "Wait, really? The Hunter Damion? Engaged?"
Lucian nodded, flipping open his notebook. "Yeah. Happens. Don't fall too hard for the fantasy."
Mason frowned. "Why do you sound… annoyed?"
Lucian didn't answer. He just scribbled nonsense in his notes, trying not to think about the heat in his face, or the way Hunter had looked at him yesterday , like he was something more than just another biker kid.
He told himself it didn't mean anything. It shouldn't mean anything.
Because guys like Hunter belonged in headlines, not real life.
And besides Hunter was his stepbrother.
Hunter Damion
Hunter Damion grew up in the countryside with his single mother. Brilliant and composed, he topped his class from a young age. Books and numbers were his only friends.
When his mother married a powerful CEO, Hunter became the target of cruel rumors ,people whispered that she'd seduced the man for money. But Hunter never let it break him. When he finally presented as a dominant alpha, his stepfather promised him the company's future.
He went abroad to study, and no one really knew what happened after that. Rumor had it that he'd grown to despise omegas , that he even got physically ill when exposed to their pheromones.
Lucian stared at the article on his phone and scoffed.' Some people really have too much time snooping into others' lives.'
Shoving his phone away, he headed to the engineering lab , his second home, his sanctuary.
The smell of engine grease and burnt metal was oddly comforting. He buried himself in work, sketching designs, recalculating torque ratios , anything to drown out the mess in his head, and it kinder worked.
The hum of machines replaced his thoughts. Equations made more sense than emotions ever did.
Hours slipped by. When his hands started cramping, he realized it was already dark outside. The Regeants were coming soon, reality started to hit him, and he still hadn't found a rider. Ethan was off the table, and no one else came close.
"Great," he muttered, rubbing his temples. He glanced at his post again and sighed.
The hallway outside was quiet , the kind of quiet that made your thoughts too loud.
Lucian shoved a few coins into the vending machine and watched as it sputtered out a paper cup. The bitter smell of instant coffee filled the air.
He scrolled through his phone, checking the responses to his "Looking for a Rider" post.
Most were scams , a parade of fake racers and sketchy sponsorship offers.
'Professional rider, DM for details.'
'Join my racing team, guaranteed win.'
He groaned. "Scammers have no shame."
Still, he kept scrolling, thumb hovering over the screen. Maybe someone real had applied. Maybe—
His mind drifted back to last night.
To Hunter standing in his room, calm and collected, eyes glinting like he already knew something Lucian didn't.
"Maybe you don't need to look far."
Lucian's heart stuttered. The way Hunter had said it still echoed in his chest.
He took a shaky sip of coffee and stared at the floor.
"No," he whispered to himself. "Not happening, i cant seriously have him look down on me "
But even as he said it, he wasn't convinced. He really hoped he does not get the desperate
Across the mansion, Hunter sat on his bed, turning an old photograph over in his hand.
In the picture, a much younger Lucian grinned beside a racing bike, grease smudged on his cheek, sunlight in his hair.
Hunter traced the edge of the photo with his thumb.
"So, you're really trying to get rid of me, huh?" he murmured softly.
He opened a drawer and pulled out a sleek black wallet, sliding the photo inside.
A faint smirk ghosted across his lips.
"Doesn't matter. I already claimed you once. Even if you don't remember, mi pecadito… I'll just have to remind you."
He picked up his phone, scrolling through Lucian's latest post , the one searching for a rider. His thumb hovered over the "message" button, but he didn't press it.
Instead, he leaned back, smirking darkly. He'd already made sure Lucian wouldn't find a real applicant. Every fake message, every scam , all his doing.
He poured himself a drink and took a slow sip, eyes gleaming with intent.
"Guess I'll have to remind you who you belong to."