ALPHA NEXTDOOR

Chapter 3 - Trigger Point

The forest was supposed to be quiet.

But Jungkook wasn't. He couldn't if he wanted to. He paced restlessly, one lap around the living room and then two. His bare feet dragged lightly across the wooden floor, a deep scowl etched between his brows. He exhaled harshly through his nose with his jaw ticking.

He tried again to shake it off, tried to pretend like it wasn't real.

But unfortunately, it was too fucking real.

That scent.

That damn scent.

Sweet, delicate, and maddeningly calming in a way that should've helped but only made things worse for him. It hung in the air like silk, brushing softly against his skin, slipping beneath the control he'd spent years mastering.

He rolled his shoulders once, then again. His rut wasn't due yet so he shouldn't be reacting like this. But his instincts didn't care. They had smelled Omega.

And worse, it wasn't just any Omega.

This one... this one was too way dangerous.

Jungkook cursed under his breath and stormed toward the front door, yanking it open in frustration. The fresh air hit his face, cool and sharp. But it did nothing to soothe the irritation prickling down his spine.

He squinted...and then froze.

Wait. That car...Was it already there when I got here?

How had he missed the black vehicle parked so precisely outside the cabin next door? His pulse ticked up. There wasn't supposed to be anyone else. His cabin wasn't meant to have a neighbor.

...What the hell?

He inhaled slowly, trying to suppress the restless stirrings under his skin. The scent had only grown stronger since he stepped outside, wrapping around his senses like velvet heat, coiling tight in his chest. It didn't just smell like any omega. This scent was prismatic, light vanilla whipped into something floral, delicate... and too dangerously sweet.

It was the kind of scent that pulled at the primal root of him. The kind that whispered mine without permission. His fingers twitched and the back of his neck prickled.

"This isn't right," he muttered, voice low and quiet strained, as he pulled out his phone and called his manager immediately. The moment the line picked up, he didn't waste time.

"You fucker, listen. You said no one is here, Kim Taehyung!" he hissed through gritted teeth. "There's an omega next door! I can smell it clearly! What the hell is this?"

"What?! An omega?" Taehyung sounded genuinely confused. "That's impossible. The listing said both houses were vacant—"

"I'm never wrong when it comes to scent," Jungkook bit. "Especially that kind of scent. It's... too calm. Too—" He paused, tasting it in the back of his throat. "—too dangerous."

"Shit. I didn't know. I swear my contact said both cabins were empty for weeks. Maybe someone came in last-minute—"

"Fix it!"

"What?! Bro, I can't do that."

"I'm checking." Jungkook cut the call and shoved the phone back into his pocket.

He didn't bother with shoes anymore. He was in desperate. His steps were fast and quiet as he crossed the small path between cabins. The trees swayed softly above, as if they too sensed the shift in atmosphere.

And with each step closer to that neighboring house, the scent grew even stronger.

Soft.

Warm.