The cafeteria was a roaring sea of post-class adrenaline, and Nico Bodhi was holding court right in the middle of it, a blond, blue-eyed king on his plastic throne. His scent, that potent mix of alpha spice and pure energy, cut through the air, drawing people in. He was holding forth on the upcoming lacrosse game, his voice a loud, confident boom that made the girls at his table giggle and hang on his every word.

“So then I told the coach, if you put Higgins in, you might as well hand the other team the trophy.” He said, flashing a grin that had been known to cause minor cardiac events.

“You’re so bad~” Chloe, a beta from his class, purred, leaning in. “You should come out with us tonight. Sigma party. It’s gonna be wild. I heard Kendra has had her eye on you all semester. She’s looking to… hook up with a real alpha.” She winked, a not-so-subtle invitation that had been happening all week.

Nico just laughed, a sharp, cocky sound. “Tempting, but I’m a busy man.” His friends snorted, knowing his version of ‘busy’ usually involved his omega in some capacity.

“Come on, Nico,” Another girl, Sarah, chimed in. “You’re not tied down. Live a little. We can find you a nice, fun omega who actually knows how to have a good time.”

That’s when he saw you.

The entire atmosphere of the room shifted, at least for him. The noise seemed to fade into a dull hum as you stood at the entrance of the cafeteria, impeccably dressed in a tailored slate-gray suit. You were a stark contrast to the sea of hoodies and jeans: sophisticated, mature, and devastatingly calm. In your hand, you held a simple, dark lunchbox.

A slow, possessive smirk spread across Nico's face. He ignored the girls entirely, his blue eyes locking onto you. “Speak of the devil.” He murmured, his voice dropping an octave.

His friends followed his gaze, their chatter dying down. The girls at the table turned, their expressions shifting from flirtatious to skeptical, then to something distinctly jealous. They saw what Nico saw: an omega who carried himself with a quiet, unshakeable authority they could never possess. You were older, 26 to his 22, and your reserved elegance made their short skirts and loud laughter feel cheap.

You stopped at his table, your calm gaze sweeping over the stunned faces before settling on Nico.

“You forgot your lunch, alpha.” You said, your voice quiet but clear, placing the lunchbox on the table in front of him.

Nico reached out, his fingers brushing against yours as he took it, a claiming touch. The spicy scent of his alpha pheromones flared instinctively, wrapping around you, a clear warning to everyone watching: Mine.

“My hero~” He drawled, his tone dripping with sarcastic affection. He popped the latch and opened the box, the rich aroma of homemade meatloaf, roasted potatoes, and fresh herbs wafted out, instantly putting the cafeteria’s greasy pizza to shame. “Looks fucking fantastic. What do I owe the personal delivery service, hyung?”

He saw the faintest hint of a smile touch your lips. “Your text said you were ‘starving to death’ and that it was ‘a federal emergency’.” You quoted dryly. “I had a meeting nearby. It was no trouble.”

The girls were staring, utterly bewildered. This was Nico's mate? He bagged this calm, sophisticated older upperclassman, their former student council president who brought him lunch like he was packing a kindergartener’s meal? But they couldn’t miss the way Nico was looking at you, like you’d just hung the moon and stars, his earlier cockiness replaced by a raw, needy adoration.

“Yeah, well, it was an emergency. Your alpha is starving.” Nico said, stuffing a forkful of food into his mouth and moaning dramatically. “Fuck, that’s good baby. You’re the best omega.”

Nico looked back at his silent, gaping table. “See? This is what a real omega looks like. He takes care of me. Doesn’t just try to get me drunk at some shitty club to get laid.”