Chapter One:The Arrival
1129 Words
“There are two types of people in this world: the ones who hide their scars, and the ones who let them bleed.”
That’s what Ashir told himself every morning.
It was easier that way. Cleaner.
The glass doors of Saint Elora Medical Center swished open as a gust of late-morning air carried in the scent of antiseptic, bleach, and something else—barely there, unfamiliar, a whisper of static in the air.
Ashir stiffened. His fingers, already wrapped around his second coffee of the day, tensed just slightly. His body recognized the shift even before his mind caught up.
He turned.
The new intern walked in.
…
He wasn’t late, but he moved like he was—brisk strides, a slim messenger bag slung across his body, ID swinging from his neck. A little out of breath, a little too alert. His uniform was crisp, sterile white beneath a long navy coat, hair slightly tousled. And his eyes—ash-brown, flecked with something molten—swept the lobby once before locking with Ashir’s.
Kael.
Ashir had seen his name in the morning roster: Kael Ishen. Omega. First-year surgical resident.
He’d grunted and moved on.
Now, faced with him, there was something…off.
Not his posture. Not his expression. Kael’s face was unreadable.
But his scent-or lack thereof- unnerved Ashir.
Omegas had scent trails like ribbons. Gentle, lingering things that curled into the air like smoke. This one was almost nothing. Synthetic. Sterile. Masked. Clean enough to fool most people.
Ashir was not most people.
…
“Dr. Raye?” Kael reached him with a slight bow, polite but not timid.
Ashir’s jaw clenched. “You’re late.”
“I’m two minutes early, sir.”
Ashir didn’t respond. He simply turned and walked.
Kael followed.
They moved through sleek hallways, past nurses and physicians. Kael took in the world of surgical rotations, knowing he had entered enemy territory. Every step here was a risk.
Because Ashir Raye didn’t tolerate omegas. Everyone knew that.
And if Ashir ever discovered that Kael wasn’t even an omega…
…
Twenty Minutes Later – Observation Wing
Ashir stood at the head of the OR observation theater. Below, the surgical team was prepping for an emergency appendectomy. He spoke to the residents without looking back.
“Discipline makes the difference between survival and malpractice. If you don’t know your limits, people die.”
Kael sat in the back row with the other residents. He wasn’t sure what unnerved him more—the words, or the cold steel in Ashir’s voice.
When the lights dimmed, Ashir finally turned and let his gaze sweep the room. His eyes lingered on Kael for a second longer than they should have. Kael sat perfectly still.
Later – Staff Locker Room
Kael opened his locker and removed the foil-wrapped suppressant patch he wore beneath his collarbone. Sweat beaded his neck. The synthetic omega scent was starting to fade under the heat of his skin.
He peeled off the spent patch and replaced it with a new one, gritting his teeth as the medicated layer stung against his skin. The cocktail of blockers, sedatives, and hormonal dampeners was enough to flatten even the faintest trace of his enigma identity.
You can’t slip. You can’t scent. You can’t feel.
His guardian’s voice echoed from his memory.
But today, standing that close to Ashir Raye, Kael had felt something.
The low thrum of challenge. Of pull. Of danger.
And it scared him.
…
Afternoon Rounds
Ashir stalked down the corridor, coat flaring with each step. Kael shadowed him silently, clipboard in hand, fielding information, making notes. The other residents spoke. Kael did not.
At room 412, they paused. A teenage girl with a ruptured cyst writhed in pain. Her mother begged for help the moment Ashir walked in.
“She’s in agony. She needs painkillers, something-she hasn’t eaten in hours..”
“She can’t eat,” Ashir cut in smoothly. “She’s prepped for laparoscopic surgery.”
“Is that today?”
Ashir shot a glance at Kael.
Kael stepped forward. “I’ll check her file, ma’am.”
The mother narrowed her eyes at him. “You’re an omega, aren’t you?”
The room fell into a fragile silence.
Kael’s stomach twisted. “Yes, ma’am.”
Ashir’s stare flicked to him, unreadable. Cold.
Kael managed to smile politely and moved to the chart.
…
Later, when the mother and daughter were wheeled out, Ashir cornered Kael near the linen closet.
“You’re not like the others.”
Kael blinked, playing dumb. “Sir?”
“You don’t react like an omega. No fear. No submission reflex. You look people in the eye.”
“I was raised to think clearly under pressure.”
Ashir’s jaw flexed. “Who trained you?”
Kael hesitated. “Dr. Shun Ire.”
Ashir’s brow arched. “A beta?”
Kael nodded.
“Interesting.” Ashir took a step closer. Close enough to scent. Close enough to test.
Kael’s spine straightened, every nerve on fire.
Ashir leaned in. “You’re hiding something.”
Kael met his eyes. “You’re imagining things, sir.”
For a second, neither moved. Then Ashir turned sharply and left.
Evening – Hospital Rooftop
Kael stood alone under the orange-tinted dusk sky, wind brushing his coat open.
He exhaled, letting the tension drain from his limbs.
His scent was breaking through. The suppressants were weakening—faster than usual.
The cocktail wasn’t holding.
He clenched the railing and leaned forward.
You can’t let him find out.
If Ashir discovered he was an enigma, Kael wouldn’t just be fired.
He’d be labeled dangerous. Marked. Registered. Hunted.
No one hired enigmas. No one bonded with them. The last one in this city was institutionalized for “instability.” His scent alone had been considered weapon-grade.
Kael’s hands trembled.
Meanwhile – Ashir’s Apartment
Ashir sat in his living room, half a glass of whiskey untouched on the table.
He could still feel the way the “omega” had looked at him. Like he wasn’t afraid. Like he saw through him.
And that scent—or rather, the lack of it—was unnatural. Like a body without a heartbeat. Like something was missing.
He thought back to her. To the enigma who’d destroyed him.
Her scent had been like wildfire and sweetness—perfect until it burned.
Until she’d used his trust to cover up a black-market ring.
Until she vanished the day the scandal broke and left Ashir ruined.
Now this… Kael…was stirring old instincts.
He hated it.
…End Scene
Back at the hospital, Kael received a text:
“You’re not safe there. If he suspects, you need to disappear.”
– Guardian
Kael stared at the screen. He swallowed hard.
Then deleted the message.
- Writer
