Chapter Text
Phuwin Tangsakyuen had always believed that life followed a clear structure.
You work hard, you build something respectable, and eventually you settle down.
That was the way things were supposed to be—especially for an alpha.
At twenty-three, Phuwin was already well on his way to fulfilling that expectation. As the only son of the Tangsakyuen family, the future of their event management company rested almost entirely on his shoulders. The business had grown over the years into something well-known among wealthy circles in Bangkok. Weddings, corporate launches, charity galas, private celebrations. If someone wanted an event that people would remember, they came to the Tangsakyuens.
Phuwin had grown up watching his father run the company with quiet authority. There had never been any doubt that he would take over someday. And truthfully, Phuwin had never questioned it either.
He was good at it.
His father trusted his judgment more and more each year, often letting him oversee important events by himself.
Today was no different.
Phuwin sat in his office on the top floor of their headquarters; Several folders lay open, each containing details for the upcoming event— Charlotte Kridakorn’s tenth birthday.
Charlotte was the younger sister of Shelly Kridakorn— Phuwin’s girlfriend.
The Kridakorns were one of their most important business partners, which made the relationship between Phuwin and Shelly feel almost inevitable from the beginning. They had been together for about a year now, though “together” sometimes felt like a generous description.
Shelly was beautiful, elegant, and exactly the kind of omega families liked to see beside a successful alpha. Their parents clearly approved of the match. Recently, the two families had even begun discussing the possibility of marriage.
Phuwin didn’t object.
He wouldn’t say he was deeply in love with Shelly, but he cared about her well enough. She was kind, polite, and they got along without conflict. To him, that seemed sufficient.
After all, an alpha’s life wasn’t meant to revolve around romance. It was about stability, responsibility, and building a future.
His phone vibrated against the desk.
Phuwin glanced down at the screen and saw Shelly’s name appear. He answered the call almost immediately.
“Hey,” he said, leaning back slightly in his chair.
“Hi,” Shelly replied, her voice bright and energetic. “Are you busy?”
“Just going through some plans for Charlotte’s party.”
“Perfect,” she said quickly. “That’s actually why I called.”
Phuwin smiled faintly. That figured.
“What is it?”
“Well,” Shelly began, sounding slightly hesitant
“you know how we planned for the princess entertainer? The one playing Elsa?”
Phuwin glanced at the file open beside him. “Yes. She arrives at five, performs the ice-princess show, sings a few songs, then takes photos with the kids.”
“Right. But I was thinking…” Shelly paused for a moment, then continued “What if we also add Anna?”
“Anna?”
“You know. Elsa’s sister.”
Phuwin rubbed his temple thoughtfully. “Another performer?”
“Exactly. Charlotte loves the movie. I think it would make the whole thing more fun if both sisters were there.”
Phuwin considered the logistics. Adding another performer wasn’t complicated, but it would require adjustments to the schedule and staging.
“I can arrange it,” he said after a moment.
Shelly sounded pleased. “Really? That would be amazing.”
“I’ll have the team contact the agency and request an Anna performer.”
“Thank you so much , Phuwin,” she said warmly. “Charlotte is going to be so excited.”
Phuwin hummed in acknowledgment. But just as Phuwin was about to end the call, a strange wave of discomfort rolled through his body.
He stiffened slightly in his chair. A sudden nausea twisted in his stomach. His muscles felt oddly weak, almost like the energy had drained out of him without any reason. A dull heat spread along the back of his neck, right where his scent glands were located.
Phuwin frowned, rubbing the area lightly. The skin there felt oddly sensitive , like a quiet burn beneath the surface.
It had been happening more frequently lately.
Worse than the discomfort was the scent. He could feel it leaking out in faint, uneven waves. It was not like his usual scent , a strong mix of amber and cinnamon.
That shouldn’t have been happening.
An alpha’s pheromones didn’t behave like this unless a rut was approaching .
Unfortunately, this is not the first time he was experiencing something like that.It had been happening for a while now, almost a month, probably more than a month. Random moments of dizziness, Nauseating feelings, sometimes a stomachache. A strange wave of heat under his skin that came and went without explanation.
“Phuwin ?” Shelly asked.
“Yeah,” phuwin said quickly. “Just a little tired.”
“Alright then . I’ll see you at the party tomorrow.”
“See you.”
Phuwin ended the call.
He exhaled slowly and leaned forward, suddenly exhausted.
Something was definitely wrong. Something strange was happening to him.
He had tried to ignore it for weeks, convincing himself it was just stress from work. But the symptoms weren’t going away. If anything, they seemed to be happening more frequently.
He opened his laptop again and scheduled an appointment with his doctor.
------------♡
The Kridakorn residence looked less like a house and more like a luxury resort that evening.
Soft lights illuminated the garden, and colorful decorations had transformed the entire space into something that looked straight out of a fairy tale. Snowflake decorations hung from trees, artificial ice castles stood near the stage area, and children were running across the lawn wearing tiny princess dresses and crowns.
Phuwin stood near the main entrance, adjusting the cuff of his dark suit jacket.
Everything had been planned under his supervision.
And everything was running perfectly.
Across the garden, Charlotte was smiling with her friends while the Elsa performer sang on stage. The girl looked completely delighted, which meant the event was already a success.
Guests filled the venue—family members, business partners, relatives, and a few close friends. Phuwin spotted both his parents speaking with Shelly’s father near an area reserved for adult guests who wanted drinks away from the main party.
Shelly herself was busy guiding Charlotte and her friends toward the next activity.
Phuwin hummed a small breath of satisfaction.Then suddenly, he noticed him.
Tall. Broad-shouldered, and short dark hair.
The unfamiliar man stood near Shelly’s father and a few other old folks; And dressed nothing like the rest of the guests.
While most people wore formal attire suitable for a high-profile event, this man had on black baggy jeans, a white shirt, and a black jacket. Casual. Almost rebellious compared to the polished environment around him.
Phuwin’s attention lingered for a moment.
Even from a distance, the man’s presence was difficult to ignore. He carried himself with the quiet confidence typical of an alpha.
Yet his eyes held an unusual curiosity, scanning the decorations and the crowd like someone observing a scene rather than participating in it.
Before Phuwin could think further, he saw Shelly’s father approach him alongside the unfamiliar man.
“Phuwin,” Mr. Kridakorn said, smiling politely. “There’s someone I’d like you to meet.”
The tall alpha stepped forward.
“This is Pond Naravit Lertratkosum. Shelly’s cousin. He just returned from studying abroad.”
Phuwin extended his hand , and the scent of the tall man, subtle but unmistakable, reached Phuwin’s senses —cedarwood mixed with roasted coffee.
“Nice to meet you, Phuwin Tangsakyuen ”
Pond’s handshake was firm.
“You too.”
Up close, Phuwin realized the man was even taller than he first thought.
And undeniably alpha. No one could mistake him for anything else.
Another man joined them—Pond’s father.
“Pond,” he said with mild irritation, “you should learn something from Phuwin here. He’s already running his family’s business at such a young age.”
Phuwin felt slightly awkward at the sudden praise.
Pond sighed softly.
“Dad—”
“Perhaps you should spend some time learning from Phuwin,” his father insisted. “A few lessons might do you good.”
Phuwin offered a polite smile, unsure how to respond.
Eventually the older men drifted away, called by other guests.
For a moment, silence settled between the two alphas. A little awkward.
Pond tilted his head slightly, studying Phuwin’s outfit.
Then he smirked.
“Be honest,” Pond said, amused. “Do you sleep in a full suit too?”
Phuwin blinked. Clearly caught off guard by the comment. “It’s a formal event.”
“It’s a kid’s party,” Pond corrected.
Phuwin felt a faint defensive heat rise in his chest.
“ I know it's a kid's party but still, there are business partners here,” phuwin said. “as an alpha, It’s important to maintain a certain standard.”
Pond chuckled. “Relax. I’m just joking.”
Phuwin side-eyed him.
“Come on,”pond said again, his tone a little teasing. “Let’s introduce ourselves properly. You know—alpha style.”
--------------♡
They moved toward a quieter section of the garden, the area reserved for adult guests, away from the main party.
Pond leaned casually against a railing.
“So,” pond asked, swirling the wine in his glass.
"how old are you ? Heard Shelly and you are getting married next year, so, future cousin-in-law ? "
“Yeah. And I am 23 ,same as Shelly."
Pond raised an eyebrow, “That sounds depressing.”
Phuwin frowned slightly, looking at pond. "What?"
“Nothing,” Pond said calmly. “You just don’t sound very enthusiastic about it.”
Phuwin let out a quiet breath. “That’s because it’s not about enthusiasm, It’s about responsibility.”
Pond tilted his head a little.“Responsibility?"
“Yes.”
Phuwin sipped some wine from his glass and continued:
“Look,” his voice steady, “That’s what an alpha does.”
Pond’s eyes flickered slightly at that.
“An alpha,” he repeated.
“Yes." Phuwin said ,"Build a stable life. Lead a family. Have children. Continue the family name. That’s the role. That’s life."
Pond was silent for a moment. Then he gave a small, amused smile. “Wow !"
Phuwin turned towards pond , getting a little closer. He was feeling a little nauseous. That weird heat was creeping in his body again. But he ignored it. This alpha was very different than him. So weird, very weird. Saying weird things.
“And what exactly are you doing instead, what is your definition of life ?” phuwin asked.
“Trying things, new things. Breaking the stereotypes . Not just getting married to an omega and having kids ”pond replied calmly.
Phuwin shook his head. “That’s not a stable future.”
“Maybe not,” Pond admitted. “But it’s mine.”
“You’re an alpha,” phuwin said again, more firmly this time. “You have some responsibilities. Whether you like it or not, you have to fulfill them. ”
“And who decided that?”
“Society.”
Pond laughed quietly.“That’s your answer?”
Phuwin didn’t smile.“yes."
Pond took a slow sip of his wine before responding. “You know, rules are only interesting when someone tries to break them.”
Phuwin shook his head. “People like you romanticize chaos. But at the end of the day, you have to follow what the society has set."
“And what if the thing that lasts isn’t what you actually wanted in the first place? Then what's the meaning of life, what is the meaning of life if you are not even happy, not even fulfilled, just blindly following what the society has set for us ?. ” pond asked , looking at phuwin.
Phuwin met the taller one's gaze. But didn’t answer immediately.
Because strangely enough, the question lingered longer than he expected. He never thought about is before.
But he pushed the thought aside.
“That doesn’t matter,” he said finally.
“Doesn’t it?”
“No.”
Pond was quite for some time. Then he smiled at phuwin. “You’re interesting,”
Phuwin frowned faintly. “How so?”
“Because you sound very certain about everything. I have just met you but it looks like your life is full of rules and society's expectations . Life is full of uncertainty. You don't know what's waiting for you. Do you?" Pond continued , “I’m just curious what happens when something in your life refuses to follow the rules. "
"You---" phuwin opened his mouth to say something, but suddenly that strange sensation returned, more intense this time .Phuwin’s stomach twisted sharply. His head spun. His gland was leaking pheromones unusually. Out of control. Out of breathe. He stumbled in his own feet.
Before he could steady himself, Pond grabbed his arm.
“Hey. You okay?”
The contact sent an unfamiliar sensation racing through Phuwin’s body.
His breath caught.
Confused and alarmed, Phuwin pushed Pond away.
Without another word, he turned and quickly walked out toward the garden entrance. Anything to escape the strange reaction his body had just experienced.