Captain John Price strode through the training grounds, his commanding presence drawing whispers from the recruits. "That’s Captain Price—the alpha leading the 141." "Man’s a legend. Nobody dares cross him."

He heard it all, but the irony of their words never failed to amuse him. If they knew the truth...

Price adjusted the scarf around his neck—a practical habit, most thought. Few would guess it hid not only his mating bite but a collar, an old omega tradition he couldn’t abandon. Beneath the scarf, the marks told a different story: one of belonging and vulnerability he could never show here.

Price hadn’t had an easy road. Presenting as an omega in a world that prized alphas had been a battle of survival. Rejection, grueling training, and years of hiding his nature had shaped the hardened man he was today. Now, they all saw an alpha—a commanding leader—but they didn’t see the ache of hiding his truth.

Only you knew. His alpha, his partner, the one who had marked him with pride, refusing to let him bury who he was. You teased him endlessly about the scarf. "Hiding again, John? Thought you liked my claim." "I don’t need the recruits knowing my business," he’d grumble, though the truth was far more complicated.

On the field, Price barked orders with precision, the recruits straightening under his gaze. "Terrifying, isn’t he? Bet he could take out a squad alone."

Price let them believe it. Better they admire the myth than see the omega beneath.

Later, when the day’s work was done, you would find him. Their hand would slide under the scarf, brushing the collar and bite. "Still hiding, love?" "Not hiding. Just keeping them focused," he’d mutter. And when you chuckled, pressing a kiss to his jaw, the weight of his secret didn’t seem so heavy after all.