"Earth to Sara." Chloe snapped her fingers right in front of my nose. "Stop staring at Kane. It’s embarrassing."

I slammed my locker shut, my cheeks burning. "I wasn't staring."

"You were practically drooling," my best friend countered, leaning against the cold metal. "He’s the golden boy. The most popular Alpha in school. He doesn't know we exist."

"I know that," I muttered, spinning my combination lock.

"Then why do you look at him like he’s a piece of raw steak?"

"Because of the smell," I whispered, glancing around the crowded hallway to make sure nobody was listening.

"The smell? What, does he use a nice cologne?"

"No, Chloe. The mate scent."

Chloe barked a laugh, then quickly covered her mouth. "Are you insane? You think Kane is your mate?"

"I've smelled it on him since the end of junior year," I insisted. "It's faint, but it's there. Pine and rain. Every time he walks past, my chest tightens."

"You’re seventeen. You haven't even shifted into your wolf yet. Unshifted Omegas get their wires crossed all the time. If Kane were your mate, he would have claimed you the second he turned eighteen."

"Maybe my lack of a wolf masks my scent from him," I argued.

"Sara, look at him," Chloe pointed down the hall.

I followed her gaze. Kane stood by the trophy case, surrounded by his usual entourage. A beautiful, fully-shifted Omega named Lexi hung off his arm. He leaned down and kissed her cheek, smiling brightly. He looked perfect. Untouchable.

"Does that look like a guy waiting for his true mate?" Chloe asked gently.

"No," I admitted,

My lips crashed against something warm. A startled grunt vibrated against my mouth.

I pushed back instantly, my palms smacking against a hard chest. My eyes snapped open.

The face inches from mine didn't belong to some random clumsy freshman.

Dark hair fell over a sharp brow. A silver ring pierced his left eyebrow. Eyes like cracked ice glared back at me.

Jax.

I scrambled backward, my sneakers squeaking against the polished linoleum. "I'm sorry!"

Jax remained on the floor. He swiped a thumb across his bottom lip, his gaze fixed on my face.

"Watch where you're going," he growled.

"I didn't mean to," I stammered, scrambling to my feet. "Someone shoved me. I swear."

He didn't blink. He just stared.

I had to get out of here. I spun around, ready to bolt toward the nearest stairwell.

A manicured hand slammed into my shoulder, shoving me backward.

"Not so fast, loser." Mia Thorne stepped into my path. Two of her friends flanked her, forming an impenetrable wall of designer clothes and judgment.

"Move, Mia," I pleaded, glancing nervously over my shoulder.

Mia ignored my request. She pivoted to face the gathering crowd of students. "Look everyone!" she shouted, her voice echoing sharply off the metal lockers. "The lowly Omega is coveting Alpha Jax! She actually threw herself at him and kissed him!"

Whispers erupted. Laughter bubbled up from the back of the crowd.

"That's a lie," I argued, my cheeks burning with humiliation. "I tripped. Someone pushed me from behind."

"Stop making excuses," Mia sneered. She crossed her arms, looking me up and down with pure disgust. "If you like Jax, just say it. We all saw you pucker up."

"I didn't!" I yelled, my voice cracking. "It was an accident."

"You really think a stunt like that will work?" Mia laughed, a harsh, grating sound. "You think an Alpha like him wants a pathetic, unshifted Omega? You're delusional."

"I don't want him!" I shot back. "I was just trying to get to my locker."

"Oh, sure. You just accidentally aimed for his mouth," a tall boy in a varsity jacket mocked from the sidelines. "Nice aim, loser."

"Who pushed you, then?" Mia challenged, stepping closer until she was completely in my space. "Name them. Point them out right now."

"I don't know! I didn't see!"

"Because no one pushed you." Mia turned back to her audience, gesturing wildly. "She's desperate. She knows no Alpha will ever claim her, so she's resorting to assault. It's pathetic."

"I didn't assault anyone!" I yelled.

"Keep your voice down," Mia snapped. "You're embarrassing yourself."

I scanned the sea of faces. No one stepped forward to help. Even Chloe stood frozen by the water fountain, her eyes wide with terror.

Everyone knew Jax. He wasn't just another Alpha in the pack. He was a menace. A rumor floated around that he broke a senior's jaw last month just for bumping his shoulder in the cafeteria. You don't cross Jax. You don't touch him. And you definitely don't kiss him. Messing with him meant a guaranteed trip to the hospital, or worse.

The hallway suddenly fell dead silent. The whispers died in the students' throats.

I turned my head.

Jax was on his feet.

He brushed a speck of dust off his dark leather jacket. His icy gaze locked onto mine.

The crowd parted instantly, giving him a wide berth.

"Jax, I'm so sorry," I babbled, my hands shaking violently. "I tripped. It was a complete mistake. I didn't mean to touch you."

He took a step forward.

I shrank back, my spine hitting the cold metal of a locker.

"I'll pay for dry cleaning if I got dirt on your jacket," I offered desperately. "Just release me."

He closed the distance between us in three long strides. His hand shot out. His fingers clamped around my upper arm like a steel vise.

I flinched, expecting a blow.

"You kiss me and plan to run away?" he demanded, his voice a gravelly rumble that sent a shiver down my spine.

"I wasn't running," I lied, my voice barely above a whisper. "I just need to go to class."

"Class can wait."

"What are you doing?" Mia asked, her arrogant mask slipping. "Jax, she's just a freak. Drop her."

Jax shot Mia a lethal glare. "Shut your mouth."

Mia snapped her jaw shut, stepping back quickly.

He yanked me forward.

"Wait! Where are you taking me?" I cried out, stumbling over my own feet.

He didn't answer. He just dragged me through the silent crowd. Students pressed themselves against the walls, avoiding his wrath.

My heart hammered against my ribs. I struggled to keep up with his aggressive pace.

"Jax, please, you're hurting my arm."

"Keep walking."

"Where are we going? My next class is chemistry. I refuse to be late."

"Quiet."

"I said I was sorry! I'll apologize in front of the whole school if you want. Just release my arm."

He ignored me, his grip tightening just enough to send a warning pulse of pain through my muscles.

We rounded the corner, leaving the crowded hallway behind. The air shifted.

That's when it hit me.

The scent.

It rolled off his leather jacket. It clung to his skin. It invaded my nose with every breath I took.

Pine and rain.

My stomach plummeted to my shoes.

No. No, that was impossible.

I inhaled again, discreetly, hoping my mind was playing tricks on me.

Yes. It was there. The exact same scent I smelled on Kane every single day. The unmistakable, grounding aroma of a mate.

How could Jax smell like my mate? How could I have two of them? Unshifted Omegas get confused, Chloe had said. But this wasn't confusion. This was clear as day.

Panic clawed at my throat, threatening to choke me.

If Kane was untouchable, Jax was a death sentence. He was a dangerous, volatile Alpha. If he realized an unshifted, weak Omega like me was his fated mate, he wouldn't just ignore me.

He would reject me.

A formal rejection from an Alpha would tear my dormant wolf to shreds. The pain would be absolute agony. It might even kill me.

He must never find out. I had to hide it. I had to play dumb.

He shoved me through a set of heavy fire doors, out into the empty back stairwell. The heavy metal slammed shut behind us, cutting off all sound from the school.

He backed me up against the concrete wall, pinning me in place with a hand on either side of my head.

"Explain," he ordered.

"I already told you," I said, keeping my voice as steady as possible. "Someone shoved me."

"Who?"

"I don't know. The hallway was crowded. People push all the time."

"They don't push people into my face," he stated coldly.

"Well, today they did!"

He leaned in closer. The scent of pine and rain wrapped around me, suffocating me. I forced myself not to react. I refused to let my eyes dilate. I masked my jumping pulse.

"You're lying," he accused, his eyes narrowing.

"I'm not."

"Why are you shaking, then?"

"Because you're terrifying!" I blurted out. "You drag me out here, you grab my arm. What do you expect me to do? Smile and thank you?"

He studied my face, searching for a crack in my defense.

"You didn't feel anything when our lips met?" he asked, his voice dropping an octave.

I forced a look of pure confusion onto my face. "Feel what? Fear? Yes. I felt terror."

"Nothing else?"

"Like what? Disgust?" I challenged, playing up the annoyance to hide my panic. "Because yes, a little bit of that too."

His jaw tightened. A dangerous spark flared in his icy eyes.

"You think you're funny," he stated.

"I think I'm late for chemistry," I shot back.

"You're not going anywhere until you tell me the truth."

"I already gave you the truth!"

"You gave me a convenient excuse." He shifted his weight, trapping me completely against the concrete. "Omegas don't just trip into Alphas. They plot. They scheme. They try to get noticed."

"I don't want to be noticed by you," I insisted.

"Then why did you kiss me back?"

My mouth fell open. "I did not kiss you back!"

"Your lips parted," he pointed out, his voice dropping to a low murmur.

"In shock! Because I was falling!"

He leaned closer, his nose grazing my cheek. He took a deep, slow breath, inhaling my scent directly from my neck.

I held mine.

Jax leaned closer, his nose grazing the sensitive skin of my neck. I froze, locking my knees to keep from collapsing against the cold concrete.

"Please," I whispered, squeezing my eyes shut. "I'm sorry. I swear it was an accident. Just let me go."

He pulled back. His icy gaze dragged over my faded jeans and oversized sweater, taking in my trembling frame.

"You're that wolfless girl," he stated.

My cheeks burned under his intense scrutiny. "Yes. I am."

"The one everyone calls a dud."

"I'm a late bloomer," I argued, though the defense sounded hollow even to my own ears. "Look, I'm a nobody. You don't want to waste your time bullying me. I have zero pack status."

"I decide who I waste my time on," Jax replied, stepping directly into my space. "And right now, you're wasting mine by lying."

"I'm not lying!"

Jax planted a hand on the wall beside my head, trapping me completely. "Did you smell it?"

His voice dropped to a low, dangerous rumble that vibrated right through my chest.

"Smell what?" I asked, forcing my voice to stay steady.

"Don't play stupid." His fingers tapped a harsh rhythm against the painted cinderblock. "When you crashed into me. The scent."

Panic flared in my throat. If I admitted it, he would know. He would figure out we were mates. A volatile, aggressive Alpha like Jax wouldn't accept a weak, unshifted Omega. He would reject me on the spot, and the severed bond would tear my dormant wolf to shreds.

"I didn't smell anything," I lied.

"Nothing at all?"

"Just leather and floor wax," I insisted, meeting his stare. "Someone shoved me, I fell, my face hit yours. That's the entire story."

Jax studied my eyes, searching for the crack in my armor. A muscle feathered in his jaw. "Omegas always notice an Alpha's scent. Especially mine."

"I told you, I'm wolfless. My senses aren't like yours."

"So you felt absolutely nothing."

"Only panic," I shot back, pushing my shoulders against the wall. "Because you dragged me out here like a criminal."

He opened his mouth to argue, but the heavy metal fire door groaned open.

"Jax? You out here?"

I flinched. That voice.

Kane stepped onto the landing. The golden boy of our school stood bathed in the harsh fluorescent light from the hallway, wearing his varsity jacket, looking every bit the perfect Alpha.

Then, the scent hit me.

Pine and rain.

It rolled off Kane in heavy waves, instantly tangling with the exact same aroma radiating from Jax. My stomach bottomed out. The air suddenly felt too thick to breathe.

Two mates. Two Alphas. Both smelling like the exact same forest storm.

I pressed my palms flat against the wall, trying to ground myself. This was impossible. A werewolf only had one fated mate. Having two was a myth, a ghost story elders told pups around the fire. It broke every law of nature.

Kane stopped halfway down the stairs. His relaxed posture vanished the moment he saw us tucked into the shadows.

"What's going on?" Kane asked, his brow furrowing.

"Nothing that concerns you," Jax shot back, not moving an inch away from me.

Kane descended the remaining steps. As he got closer, his nostrils flared. He stopped, his gaze snapping directly to me.

He stared. Not with the usual indifference he showed everyone else, but with a sharp, piercing focus.

"Who is she?" Kane asked. He took another step forward. "She smells... different."

My heart hammered against my ribs. He noticed my scent. Even without a wolf, my Omega nature was reacting to him, calling out to him just as strongly as it reacted to Jax.

"She's nobody," Jax answered, his tone turning possessive.

"She doesn't look like nobody," Kane countered. He tilted his head, his eyes locked on mine. "I've never noticed you before."

"I keep to myself," I managed to say, my voice cracking slightly.

"She's the girl who just threw herself at me," Jax announced, a cruel edge entering his voice. "Kissed me right in the middle of the crowded hallway."

Kane froze.

His jaw clamped shut. A strange, dark shadow crossed his features. His hands curled into tight fists at his sides, his knuckles turning white. He stared at my lips, then back up to Jax.

"She kissed you?" Kane repeated, the words sounding heavy, almost bitter.

"It was a mistake!" I yelled, desperate to fix whatever terrible dynamic was forming between them. "I tripped! It meant absolutely nothing!"

Kane blinked, the dark expression vanishing as quickly as it appeared. He shook his head, letting out a short, forced laugh.

"Right," Kane muttered, dragging a hand through his blond hair. "Must be losing my mind. Why would I care who kisses who?"

He forced a casual smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Coach is looking for you, Jax. Don't be late for practice."

Kane turned his back and pushed through the heavy doors, disappearing into the school.

The moment the door clicked shut, the oppressive tension broke.

This was my chance.

I ducked under Jax's arm and bolted toward the exit. My sneakers squeaked against the concrete as I lunged for the handle.

A heavy hand clamped around my wrist, yanking me backward.

My shoulder wrenched as Jax spun me around, pinning my back against his chest.

"You kiss me and plan to run away?" he growled, his breath hot against my ear.

"I told you, I didn't kiss you!" I fought against his grip, kicking my legs. "Let me go!"

He twisted my arm just enough to keep me still, ignoring my struggles completely.

"Sara," Jax commanded, his voice echoing sharply in the empty stairwell.

I froze. He knew my name.

"As punishment for your little stunt," he continued, his tone leaving absolutely no room for negotiation. "Starting today, you must do exactly as I say."

I twisted my neck to look up at him, my eyes wide with horror. "What? No. You can't do that."

"Until next month," Jax finalized, a dark, victorious smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth. "You belong to me."

A cold dread washed over me, settling deep in my bones. Trapped with a volatile Alpha who shared the exact same mate scent as the golden boy. My secret was a ticking time bomb, and the countdown had just begun.