Chapter 2

The classroom fell into a dead silence.

Everyone stared at the door, waiting for a reaction.

The newcomer didn't look like someone to be trifled with. Although he kept his pheromones perfectly restrained, his mere presence was enough to make people feel a sense of dread.

Asher was formidable, but he hadn't presented yet. Facing a true Alpha like this, he might not necessarily hold the upper hand.

However, the "Big Boss" didn't react at all. He stood there with downcast eyes, his expression indifferent, not even sparing a spare glance toward anyone.

Great. Another master of the high-level "act cool" technique.

The students of Class 1 let out a collective sigh of lament for their own fates.

Mr. Bennett, the homeroom teacher, didn't seem awkward at all. He gave a couple of honest chuckles and said slowly, "Ah, Asher still loves his little jokes. You two seem to get along quite well, so Sebastian, why don't you take the seat next to Asher?"

...

Exactly which eye of yours saw them "getting along"?

Just as everyone expected Asher or Sebastian to voice an objection, Sebastian had already slung his bag over his shoulder. He walked over with those long, straight legs, pulled out a tissue, and began to meticulously wipe down the desk.

Asher spared him a glance, said nothing, and buried his face back into his arms to continue sleeping.

The atmosphere was inexplicably eerie, yet strangely harmonious.

Silence fell over the room once more.

Milo, standing next to them, stared blankly at the pair. His brain short-circuited for a moment before he suddenly shivered, as if realizing something, and fled the scene at lightning speed.

Sebastian.

If he remembered correctly, that was the name written all over Asher's weekly journals years ago!

To confirm this, Milo ducked straight into Class 2 next door. He ran up to a handsome boy with a buzz cut, grabbed his arm tightly, and asked urgently, "Elliot, Ash mentioned the name 'Sebastian' before, right? I'm not remembering it wrong, am I?"

Elliot swept a glance at him. "Why are you asking? Let me tell you, don't you dare mention that name in front of Ash..."

"I already did."

"?"

"Not only did I mention it, I saw him."

"??"

"Not only did I see him, I saw him sit right next to Ash."

"???"

"He transferred into Class 1."

"?...!"

Elliot froze for a moment, then cursed under his breath. "Damn, Sebastian actually came back? I thought he'd never return to Southaven in his life."

A deathly silence hung over Class 1.

Partly due to the bizarre atmosphere at the back of the room, and partly due to the second announcement Mr. Bennett had made.

There would be a placement exam tomorrow.

Fortunately, since only the seniors had returned to school and it wasn't the official start of the term, the administration was much more relaxed.

No uniforms required, phones were allowed, they could order takeout, and they were even given a full day to catch up on their homework.

Thinking about it this way, Southaven Prep was actually quite humane.

The humble students were moved by a sudden sense of gratitude and began working on their assignments with even more fervor.

Except for the two people in the back row.

Asher wore his headphones, facing the window as he slept. The pale skin of his neck, extending from the collar of his black T-shirt, was exposed defenselessly to Sebastian’s view.

The cervical bone protruded slightly, its lines sharp and smooth. Through the thin fabric, one could see the curve of the boy's arched shoulder blades.

He’d gotten thinner.

And the gland hadn't presented yet.

Sebastian watched him for three seconds before withdrawing his gaze. He lowered his eyelashes and pulled out a physics workbook to start practicing.

The rain outside showed no sign of stopping, yet Asher slept surprisingly soundly.

By the time Caleb woke him up, most of the students had already left, and Sebastian had nearly finished the entire physics workbook.

Caleb packed his bag and said, "Mr. Bennett said since it's the first day back for seniors, he'll give everyone some time to buffer. No evening self-study. Ash, go home and sleep."

"Mm."

Asher gave a weak response. He propped his head up with one hand and rubbed the skin under his eyes with the other, looking completely drained.

Caleb looked concerned. "Ash, you okay? You look like you haven't slept in days."

"I'm fine. It's just easier to feel sleepy on rainy days." Asher let out a lazy yawn, not thinking much of it.

Caleb nodded. "True. That yawn made me sleepy too. I'm going home to sleep. I pulled an all-nighter finishing homework last night, I'm beat."

After Caleb left, only Asher and Sebastian remained in the classroom.

Sebastian kept his head down, focused on his problems. His "ignoring everyone" attitude was almost monk-like. Asher didn't particularly want to talk to him either, so he pulled out his phone and sent a message to the driver, Uncle Joe.

[Uncle Joe, school let out early today. Come pick me up.]

Uncle Joe replied quickly.

[I'm already on the way, but the traffic is insane. You and little Sebastian will have to wait for me in the classroom for half an hour.]

Little Sebastian.

"Little" my ass.

Why the hell did his family's driver have to pick up this bastard from next door?

Asher grumbled internally but didn't voice an objection.

It was just a car ride. Young Master Asher was a big-hearted person.

"Your grandpa asked Uncle Joe to give you a lift back."

Sebastian gave a faint "Mm" and flipped another page of his workbook, completely unmoved.

Boring.

Asher rolled his eyes in frustration, stood up, pushed his chair back, and sauntered out the door.

After sleeping all day, he had some physiological business to attend to.

When he reached the end of the hallway and saw the "Cleaning in Progress" sign, he curled his lip and continued wandering down to the second floor.

Asher usually avoided the second floor because it housed the humanities classes and the international classes. The ratio of Omegas and girls was exceptionally high. Every time he went to find Milo, he would inexplicably return with a love letter or a box of cookies.

After being pestered too many times, he stopped going.

However, it should be empty now.

But as soon as he reached the second floor, he heard a girl's voice.

"Sterling, please just let me go. I'm begging you."

It was followed by a low sob.

Asher raised an eyebrow. He quickened his pace and walked toward the restroom. Finding the men's room door locked from the inside, he didn't even think before raising his leg and delivering a powerful kick.

Because a student at Southaven Prep had once been trapped in a stall over a weekend and fainted from the smell, the wooden doors weren't particularly sturdy. With Asher's kick, the loose latch fell off with a "clang."

The intruder stood at the door with one hand in his pocket, using the other to tap against the doorframe. "Sterling 'The Bull,' what are you doing in this sacred men's room?"

The words were flippant, but the underlying tone held a cold edge.

Sterling had some family background and was an Alpha with a decent build. He was practically a tyrant in the international classes. Having been caught in the act, he was both shamed and enraged, momentarily forgetting to be wary of who exactly was standing before him.

As a show of force, he yanked the Omega girl toward his chest and raised an eyebrow. "What I'm doing is none of your damn business."

He looked like a man ready to march to his execution.

Asher let out a light chuckle and rubbed his nose. "It's true, it's none of my business. My business is actually quite valuable."

Though Sterling wasn't the brightest, he could tell he was being insulted.

Having lost face in front of the Omega he’d targeted, his expression soured instantly. "Asher, are you freaking out of your mind?"

With that, he let go of the girl's hand and swung a fist toward Asher's face, fast and vicious.

Asher didn't even blink. He caught the fist with one hand, grabbed the wrist, and twisted it downward with a sharp snap. He spun Sterling around, kicked him hard in the back of the knee, and pulled his other hand out of his pocket to pinch the back of Sterling's neck.

Sterling was forced to his knees by Asher’s sudden pressure.

He tried to struggle, but with his arms pinned, his gland squeezed, and a knee pressed into his back, the full weight of a tall teenage boy was crushing him. He couldn't move an inch.

Damn it. A minor who hasn't even presented yet... how the hell?

Asher looked at the weak little chick under his knee and found it uninteresting. He released the grip on the gland and beckoned the Omega girl. "Come here."

The girl was small with a round face and eyes that took up half of it. She was clearly terrified, tears welling up, but she followed his command.

Asher pointed at Sterling. "Is Sterling 'The Bull' always bullying you?"

Lulu stole a quick, fearful glance at Sterling and nodded while biting her lip.

Asher nodded. "Fine. Go home."

Lulu looked like she wanted to say something else, but she hesitated, lowered her head, and ran out of the restroom.

In the cramped space, only two people remained. Asher grabbed Sterling by the hair and crouched down, letting out a cold laugh. "I didn't want to go all out just now and scare the girl. But let me give you a piece of advice: forcing a minor Omega is a crime. Got it?"

"Screw you, Asher! Who the hell do you think you are? I'm your grand—Argh!"

Before Sterling could finish, Asher slammed his head against the floor. The "thud" was violent and sickening.

Sterling was in too much pain to even curse.

Asher smiled as if nothing had happened. "You really think you're qualified to call yourself my grandfather? Go back and ask your old man; he wouldn't dare say that if you gave him a hundred lives. Your family's little fortune isn't enough to look at, so behave yourself."

"How the hell am I not behaving? That Omega didn't use suppressants, letting her pheromones leak everywhere. Is that my fault?"

Sterling hissed through the pain, finding a point to attack Asher. He sneered, "Oh, I forgot. You're not an Alpha. You can't smell pheromones. But your lack of development is your problem, I... I—ARGH!"

This time, Asher slammed his knee directly into Sterling's cheek, perfectly avoiding the fragile nose and eyes.

His voice was indifferent. "If your father won't teach you not to use foul language, I will."

For a moment, Sterling felt like he was going to lose his life. Following the principle that a wise man doesn't fight when the odds are against him, he swallowed the metallic taste of blood. "Fine. I won't bother Lulu again. Can you let me the hell go now?"

Asher finally let go, leaving Sterling to slump on the floor clutching his mouth. He sauntered to the sink, turned on the tap, and pressed three pumps of soap, scrubbing his hands meticulously as if he had touched something filthy.

He lazily let out a single word: "Beat it."

Sterling was fuming but didn't dare vent. He endured the pain, pushed himself off the floor, and staggered out of the restroom.

His eyes were full of darkness and resentment.

To hell with you. Just wait. As long as you haven't presented as a high-level Alpha, I'll find plenty of ways to ruin you.

As he limped around the corner, he saw a figure standing in the shadows. Tall and cold, the mere silhouette exerted an overwhelming pressure.

In the next second, before he could even see the person's face, he was forced to his knees by the absolute suppression of a powerful pheromone, clutching his head in agony.

After handling his business, Asher wandered back to Class 1.

Sebastian was already standing at the door with his bag.

Seeing Asher approach, he turned his head and spoke his first words since their reunion: "Did you bring an umbrella?"

Asher tilted his chin toward the umbrella rack outside the classroom.

Sebastian followed his gaze. Lying there was a black umbrella with a gold-carved handle and a prominent logo—exquisite, luxurious, and loud.

It definitely looked like his.

This guy really hadn't changed at all.

Sebastian glanced at him again and said slowly, "I didn't bring one."

Hearing those words, Asher immediately perked up. "Come on then. Let me hear you call me 'Dad'."

"..."

Sebastian swept a look over him and prepared to step out into the rain.

Asher quickly called him back. "Hey, hey! Fine... since your 'Big Brother Ash' is so soft-hearted and kind, you can owe me that one for now."

They had to go to Sebastian's grandfather's house for dinner. It wouldn't be right to let the old man's grandson go back looking like a drowned rat.

Raindrops hammered against the black fabric, a rhythmic percussion that seemed never-ending.

Although Asher walked with a straight back and level shoulders, he somehow possessed a lazy, wandering aura—slow and deliberate, like a wealthy young master from ancient times out for a stroll.

Sebastian wasn't an impatient person, but the walk under the shared umbrella was becoming uncomfortable.

As they neared the school gate, he finally couldn't take it anymore. "Can you hold the umbrella higher?"

"?"

"Even though you're short, I don't think it prevents you from holding the umbrella five centimeters higher."

"Who the hell are you calling—" Asher turned his head in a rage, only to find his line of sight landing exactly on Sebastian's nose.

"..."

Shifting his gaze upward, he saw the beads hanging from the umbrella's ribs ruffling a lock of Sebastian's light chestnut hair.

Asher was six-feet tall. Standing in the center of the umbrella where there was the most room, he was perfectly fine.

Sebastian was about five centimeters taller. Standing near the edge, he was a bit cramped.

But who told him to grow so tall?

Wait, this guy was actually taller than him?

Young Master Asher suddenly felt a surge of inexplicable annoyance. "Use it or don't. I'm not pampering you."

With that, he sped ahead with the umbrella and hopped into a Bentley parked by the curb.

He was tall, and his proportions were excellent. As he moved, the hem of his shirt caught slightly on his belt, revealing a firm gluteal line from years of sports and a pair of long, straight legs.

Sebastian watched him for two seconds, then a nearly imperceptible smile curled the corner of his mouth.

He really was... quite valuable.