Chapter Text
The rain hit the pavement hard, forming puddles on the deserted street. Iván walked quickly, his footsteps echoing in the silence of the late night. He was a twenty-year-old young man, with his head down, focused on his thoughts. He didn’t like walking so late through the city, but his university classes had run late, and the lights from the buildings illuminated his way like beacons in the dark.
His steps stopped as he smelled a strange mint scent. Iván frowned, sure that those were alpha pheromones. Why wasn't that person using suppressors? If a common omega passed by, it would probably drive them into heat.
How annoying!
Ivan hesitated for a moment, but his instincts led him to cross the street, following the scent to an alley. There, he found someone leaning against the wall, injured. Being hurt, his pheromones must have been released involuntarily.
Ivan sighed, torn between his common sense and the curiosity overwhelming him. "This isn’t my business," he told himself mentally, but his feet were already leading him toward the figure in the alley. "Just a glance. If it’s dangerous, I’ll leave "
Big lie
The mint scent, fresh and intense, felt strange and attractive. Although it didn’t affect Ivan, a less dominant omega or an alpha would have already lost control.
The flickering light of a nearby streetlamp revealed a man not as tall as Ivan but close, with gray hair, and his clothes stained with blood. He was leaning against the wall, his heavy breathing and gaze fixed on Iván, who stopped a few steps away, evaluating him.
Ivan hesitated to approach when he saw the blood and a couple of wounds. Those injuries suggested the alpha in front of him wasn’t simple and that he could get into serious trouble if he made a wrong move.
The alpha seemed to glance at him slightly—maybe assessing whether he was an enemy? Iván heard him sigh and let out a groan of pain.
Ivan pressed his lips together. He wanted to turn and leave, but just a little bit of light allowed him to see the man’s eyes, beautiful green eyes, but there was something beyond the fierceness of an alpha: vulnerability, though barely perceptible, and that almost took his breath away.
In the end, that was enough to give Iván a bit more courage, and he tried to speak as gently as he could. Usually, injured alphas became more aggressive, and he hoped this one was at least sane.
— Excuse me... do you need help? — Ivan mentally cursed himself for asking such a stupid question. The answer was obvious. "Stupid Ivan!"
— Thanks for noticing — the man replied, letting out a short, dry laugh that turned into a groan of pain.
Ivan felt embarrassed and sighed in defeat. "Should I leave? That way I’ll stop looking ridiculous" But his instincts, or perhaps his annoying sense of responsibility, told him he couldn’t leave him there.
— Yes, sorry, it was stupid to ask... — he coughed a little to ease the discomfort. — Can you walk? — he asked, trying to sound calm.
The alpha tried to straighten up, but his body betrayed his will. He stumbled forward, and before he could fall, Ivan took a quick step to catch him. He barely had time to process the man’s weight as he leaned heavily on him.
AAAAAAH
Ivan screamed inwardly. He’d never been close to alphas… or omegas, really, he’d never been close to anyone! He forced himself to calm down and hold the alpha more securely, who seemed to want to escape his grasp.
— Stay still, or you’ll make the wounds worse. I can hold you, so trust me for a moment, okay? — Ivan spoke, trying to calm him. For a moment, he thought of releasing soothing pheromones but discarded the idea.
— You need to let go, my pheromones... — the alpha seemed to whisper.
— Your pheromones...? — Ivan, confused, tried to listen carefully.
— They can affect you... an alpha smelling another alpha activates the fight instinct — Ivan froze, processing his words and almost letting out an indignant squeal.
Stupid alpha! Assuming someone's second gender just like that!
He huffed but didn’t blame him entirely. Ivan was usually mistaken for an alpha because his body proportions didn’t match those of other omegas. Plus, he never let out any pheromones, even less so.
He decided not to correct him, though it did sting, just a little!
— It’s okay, your scent isn’t that strong — Ivan realized too late that it might sound offensive to alphas in general, so he quickly added — Sorry, that sounded rude… I mean, it’s fine, it’s bearable.
The alpha let out a soft laugh, though tinged with exhaustion.
— That’s new... — he murmured, tired. Then, his eyelids drooped slightly as if fatigue was beginning to take over him.
Ivan frowned. "He’s fainting, right? Damn!" His mind was racing. He couldn’t leave him there, especially not in that state. The injuries seemed serious enough to require urgent attention but not immediately fatal. At least that’s what he believed and hoped.
— Don’t go towards the light! — Ivan said without thinking, then quickly changed his words — I mean, calm down... I’ll help you somehow — he tried to sound trustworthy.
The alpha weakly growled, seeming like he wanted to reject the help, and Iván wondered if it was pride or something else. His doubts were resolved quickly.
— No... — he murmured with effort — You can’t get involved... it’s dangerous.
Ivan felt somewhat moved, and maybe his confidence grew just a little more.
— And what should I do? If I leave you here, someone else might find you, or you’ll end up worse... and it would be dangerous if it’s an omega, you know? — Iván tried to reason, though it could be a disaster — You don’t want me to just leave you here, do you?
The alpha didn’t answer, but something in his expression shifted slightly, as if the idea of being abandoned didn’t bother him as much. Iván felt a pang in his chest.
Stupid alpha!
— Look, maybe you’re in big trouble, but right now, your situation is messing with my conscience... So, whether you like it or not, I’m going to help you! — he tried to sound serious but was scared that it might come off too arrogant. Would this alpha just tell him to fuck off or something?
To his surprise, the alpha just raised an eyebrow and looked at him, as if deciding whether he was crazy or just stubborn. Finally, he sighed and let his weight completely fall on Iván, surrendering.
— Do whatever you want... — the alpha murmured with his eyelids half-closed, a trace of bitterness in his voice. But even in his state, he seemed to weigh each word, as if evaluating how much he could trust Ivan.
Still, his body couldn’t resist, and he left those last words before passing out. Ivan held his breath for a moment, seeing that he really wasn’t moving anymore, but he was still breathing, so he calmed down.
— Didn’t ask your name... — he whispered into the void.
Well... should I ask later? When he’s not covered in blood and looks half-dead, haha
There was really nothing funny about the current situation, but he didn’t want to get depressed or let himself be carried away by his sensitive emotions.
With considerable effort, Ivan managed to hold the alpha enough to get him out of the alley. He couldn’t take him directly to a hospital; it would be a problem if the alpha was involved in something illegal, which seemed very likely.
Although I’m scared out of my mind, if I don’t help him, maybe this guy could get revenge on me, better not take risks
Instead, he decided to take him to his small apartment. It wasn’t the best idea, but it was the only thing he could think of at that moment.
As they walked, the scent of the alpha lingered, though it seemed to fade slightly. Ivan tried not to focus on it, but a part of his mind couldn’t help but notice it. Fortunately, the street was almost deserted, and with the rain, people couldn’t see that he was practically carrying a bleeding man.
When they reached the door of his building, Ivan took a deep breath and braced himself for the inevitable.
With effort, Ivan opened the building door, propping the alpha against the wall while he fumbled with the keys. He felt the man’s weight sinking into him, his breathing barely audible over the sound of the rain. Once inside, he was grateful the building was deserted at this hour.
The last thing I need is for someone to see me carrying an injured stranger and think I’m doing something weird, my reputation is on the line!
The elevator seemed to take forever. When the doors finally opened, he dragged the alpha inside, propping him against the metal wall. As they ascended, the sound of the motor echoed in the silence. Iván used that moment to examine the man more closely.
His face, though stained with blood and dirt, was undeniably handsome. His gray hair was messy, and his features were harsh, but something about his relaxed expression in unconsciousness gave him an almost vulnerable air.
"This is not the time to think about that, stupid Ivan!" he scolded himself, shaking his head. "First, clean him up and make sure he doesn’t bleed out. Then you can ask yourself whatever you want, yeah, that’s what you’ll do"
When the elevator doors opened, Ivan had to gather all his strength to take him to the small apartment. It was a modest space, but cozy, with a living room that also served as a dining area and a small kitchen in the back.
— Well, here we are... — he murmured as he closed the door with his foot and guided the man toward the couch. He carefully lowered him, making sure not to worsen his injuries, and then straightened up.
Although he looks thin, he’s pretty heavy...
The alpha let out a soft groan but didn’t wake up. Iván sighed and scratched his head, trying to organize his thoughts.
— First, clean the blood. Second... well, we’ll see — He headed to the kitchen, searching for the first aid kit. It wasn’t much, but he hoped it would be enough to stabilize him for now.
With wet towels and a pair of tweezers, he returned to the couch side. He knelt next to the alpha and began cleaning the blood off his face and arms. Some of the wounds looked superficial, but there was one on his side that needed immediate attention.
As he worked, Ivan couldn’t help but notice how calm the man seemed, even unconscious. His pheromones, though present, were no longer as overwhelming as before. Now the mint scent was softer, almost pleasant.
— Who are you really? — Ivan whispered softly, more to himself than to the alpha. But, of course, he received no response.
Every time he looked at the alpha, a part of him wanted to scream that this wasn’t his problem. But another, stronger part couldn’t ignore the vulnerability hidden in his eyes at that moment. Damn it, Ivan hated his conscience.
After cleaning the wounds and covering them with makeshift bandages, Ivan lay down on the floor next to the couch, letting out a heavy sigh.
— Why do I feel like this is only going to complicate my life...? — he murmured defeated, staring at the ceiling.
Suddenly, a low, hoarse voice interrupted the silence:
— Because it will
Ivan yelped in place, jumping up and quickly turning his head toward the couch. The alpha was looking at him with half-closed eyes, his expression more relaxed.
— ¡¿Were you awake?! — Iván exclaimed, his face flushing with embarrassment.
— I just woke up — the alpha replied briefly, not seeming to notice Iván’s embarrassment.
Ivan pressed his lips together, trying to regain his composure.
— Well, now that you’re conscious, can you tell me your name? — he asked, crossing his arms.
The alpha looked at him for a moment, as if evaluating whether he should respond. Finally, he spoke:
— Till
Pretty. Ivan almost slapped himself for thinking such nonsense at such a serious moment.
— Till....— Ivan repeated, testing the name on his lips. Then he nodded slowly. — I’m Ivan
Ivan suspected that maybe the alpha, Till, had given him a false name or something, but it was fine. After all, they were strangers.
Till closed his eyes for a moment, as if even saying his name had drained the little energy he had left. Ivan wasn’t sure whether he should feel relieved that the alpha was conscious or worried about what that consciousness might bring.
— Well, Till... — Ivan began, running a hand through his wet hair— I don’t know what mess you’re in, but at least until you can walk on your own, you’re staying here! Just... try not to die? — Ivan really should start thinking before speaking— Just... stay still?
Till kept his eyes closed but seemed to be listening, and fortunately, he didn’t seem to mind Ivan’s strange way of speaking.
— I’ll try... — he murmured in a barely audible tone before his breathing stabilized, and he fell unconscious again.
Ivan watched him for a moment, trying to ignore the mix of emotions the situation stirred in him: uncertainty, frustration... and something he didn’t want to analyze too much. Finally, he stood up and walked to the kitchen, determined to make himself some hot chocolate to calm his nerves.
As the water began to boil, he turned to look at the couch where Till was resting. Something in the air had changed, as if his life had taken an unexpected turn, one that couldn’t be undone.
"He’s just an injured alpha," he told himself to calm down. "Nothing more..."