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The late afternoon sun slanted low over the college football field, casting a golden haze over the players as they wrapped up their drills. Joshua, his usual calm self, was focused entirely on the game, blocking out the chatter and cheers echoing from the bleachers. Known as the perfect alpha, Joshua prided himself on his control and honor—qualities that set him apart from other alphas, who often gave in too easily to their instincts. No, he wasn’t one to claim an omega with aggression or jealousy. He’d always told himself, and anyone who asked, that when he found his mate, he would treat them with patience, with respect. It was the only way, as far as he was concerned.
“Alright, guys, listen up!” Mingyu called out as the team began gathering on the sidelines. He wore an excited grin, looking around at his teammates with a mix of pride and barely contained energy. “My omega friends are coming to watch today, so can we all try not to look like… you know… animals?”
The other alphas laughed, a few of them making playful jabs at Mingyu’s nerves. Joshua gave his friend an amused look. “Are we really that bad, Mingyu?” he teased.
“Not you, Joshua,” Mingyu grinned, rolling his eyes. “But some of us, yeah! Just try to act like gentlemen, alright?”
“Speak for yourself,” Seungcheol chimed in, giving Mingyu a friendly nudge. His face was lit up with excitement. “My mate Jeonghan’s coming too, and the last thing I need is any of you scaring him off with your alpha nonsense.”
“Please,” Soonyoung cut in, clearly just as thrilled. “As if Jihoon would ever even notice. He’d probably roll his eyes and walk away.”
Joshua chuckled, shaking his head. “Well, I’m happy for you guys. But let’s not get too distracted. Coach will have us running laps if we mess up out here.”
Mingyu laughed and waved off his words as the others got back to practice. Joshua pushed the thought of the visiting omegas from his mind, focusing on the game, keeping his mind clear and his attention sharp. By the time the game was over, the field was filled with shouts and cheers as the team congratulated each other on a strong finish.
“Alright, everyone,” Mingyu called, his grin somehow even brighter than before. “Come on, let me introduce you to my friends.”
Joshua followed, casting a glance at Seungcheol and Soonyoung, who were nearly bouncing with anticipation. His own excitement was quiet but genuine; he was happy for his friends. But for him? He wasn’t expecting much.
They made their way over, and there they were—the omegas, gathered in a small group, some chatting and laughing while others simply waited, glancing curiously at the approaching players.
“Alright, Joshua, this is Seungkwan,” Mingyu said, gesturing to a blonde omega with an air of sass that was immediately evident. Seungkwan’s eyes sparkled as he looked up at Joshua.
“So this is the famous Joshua,” Seungkwan drawled, a smirk playing on his lips. “Mingyu talks about you a lot. Like, a lot.”
Joshua chuckled, offering his hand. “Well, I hope it’s all good things.”
“Mostly,” Seungkwan teased, shaking his hand. “He called you the team’s ‘perfect alpha’ once or twice, which, I mean, I’ll believe when I see it.”
Mingyu rolled his eyes but grinned, clearly entertained by Seungkwan’s boldness. Joshua just shook his head, amused.
“And Jihoon,” Mingyu continued, pointing to a smaller omega with sharp, assessing eyes and a cool expression. Jihoon gave a brief nod, his gaze flicking from Joshua to Soonyoung with barely concealed interest.
“Nice to meet you,” Joshua said, giving him a polite nod.
Jihoon gave a faint smile, looking to Soonyoung. “Soonyoung talks about you all the time,” he said to Joshua, and Soonyoung went red.
Joshua grinned, clapping a hand on Soonyoung’s shoulder. “I’m not surprised.”
Next was Jeonghan, who smiled up at him warmly. “Joshua,” Jeonghan said, holding out his hand. “Long time no see.”
“Jeonghan.” Joshua smiled, clasping his hand briefly. “Good to see you again.” He shot a knowing look at Seungcheol, who seemed almost dizzy with happiness to have Jeonghan beside him.
And then, as Joshua looked over to the last omega, his breath caught.
Standing a few feet away, a gentle smile on his face, was the most beautiful omega he had ever seen. His skin was a warm, golden tan, smooth and glowing in the fading sunlight, and two small moles adorned his left cheek, framing his face in a way that only highlighted his soft, delicate features. But it was his scent—vanilla with the faintest hint of lemon—that seemed to fill Joshua’s senses, wrapping around him like a warm, calming wave.
Joshua barely noticed Mingyu grinning at his reaction. “And this… is Seokmin,” Mingyu said, his tone lighter, almost playful.
Seokmin stepped forward, his gaze meeting Joshua’s, and for a brief moment, everything else seemed to fade away. Joshua swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry. He extended his hand, feeling his own fingers tremble as Seokmin’s soft hand slipped into his.
“H-hello,” Joshua stammered, clearing his throat quickly. “It’s… really nice to meet you, Seokmin.”
Seokmin gave a small, shy smile, his cheeks flushing. “Nice to meet you too, Joshua,” he murmured, his voice soft, almost hesitant.
Joshua tried to calm his racing heart, aware of how silly he must look, completely captivated by the omega in front of him. “So… Mingyu tells me a lot about his friends, but I… don’t think he mentioned how… um, beautiful… you are.”
Seokmin’s blush deepened, and he laughed softly, looking down. “That’s… very kind of you to say,” he said, his gaze flicking up to meet Joshua’s with a hint of nervousness.
Joshua’s grip on Seokmin’s hand tightened slightly, and he couldn’t help but smile. “It’s just the truth,” he said quietly. In that moment, he knew with certainty that he would treat this omega with all the gentleness, respect, and patience he’d always promised himself. He’d finally found his mate.
From the moment he first laid eyes on Seokmin, Joshua’s world began to shift. Every morning he woke up thinking about the shy, radiant omega, and every night he fell asleep wondering if Seokmin thought of him too. The days felt brighter, each one a countdown until he’d see Seokmin again. His friends teased him endlessly, calling him ‘the gentleman alpha’ and telling him he was going way too slow. But Joshua only smiled and brushed it off. He was happy just to bask in Seokmin’s company.
One day, after days of nerves and second-guessing himself, Joshua finally gathered the courage to take a step forward. They were sitting together in the campus café, chatting about everything and nothing, when Joshua leaned forward, his voice a little too quiet.
“Seokmin… um, would it be alright if I asked for your number?” he asked, a faint blush rising to his cheeks.
Seokmin’s face lit up, and his shy smile sent Joshua’s heart racing. “Of course!” he said, taking out his phone and passing it over. “I was hoping you’d ask.”
Joshua’s hand shook slightly as he keyed in his number, grateful for the momentary distraction. He handed the phone back, their fingers brushing, and for a brief second, they were locked in each other’s gaze. It was a simple exchange, but to Joshua, it felt monumental.
Later that night, Joshua received his first message from Seokmin:
“Hey! It’s me, Seokmin :) Just thought I’d say hi.”
He stared at the message, a grin breaking across his face as he replied: “Hi, Seokmin :) I’m really glad you texted.”
From then on, their conversations became part of his daily routine. He treasured every text, every smile Seokmin sent his way. His alpha friends couldn’t help but tease him.
“Dude,” Seungcheol said one day, barely holding back a laugh. “You’re whipped. You haven’t even asked him out yet? What are you waiting for?”
“Maybe I’m not rushing because I actually respect him,” Joshua replied, rolling his eyes.
Soonyoung clapped his shoulder, amused. “Just don’t wait forever, man. That omega clearly likes you.”
Finally, after weeks of late-night talks and shared laughs, Joshua decided it was time. He met Seokmin after class, nerves bubbling under his calm exterior.
“Seokmin?” Joshua’s voice was uncharacteristically soft.
Seokmin looked up at him with wide eyes. “Yes?”
Joshua took a breath. “Would you… would you like to go on a date with me?”
The blush that bloomed on Seokmin’s cheeks made Joshua’s heart skip a beat. “I’d love to,” Seokmin replied, his voice barely above a whisper. He glanced down, clearly shy but undeniably happy. “I was hoping you’d ask me that too.”
That first date was magical. They walked through a quiet park, watching the city lights flicker on in the evening, Joshua quietly taking in how Seokmin’s face seemed to glow in the twilight. He found himself unable to resist a gentle tease.
“Seokmin, are you sure you’re real?” Joshua asked, his tone half-joking but completely sincere.
Seokmin laughed, looking away as he nudged Joshua’s arm. “And are you always this cheesy?”
“Only for you,” Joshua replied, watching with satisfaction as Seokmin’s cheeks turned pink.
Over the next few weeks, their dates became a happy blur of dinners, long walks, and quiet moments shared over coffee. With each date, Joshua found himself falling deeper, charmed by the way Seokmin’s laughter filled his heart, by the way his touch lingered just a second longer than necessary. Seokmin, for his part, had begun to show his own little signs of affection—squeezing Joshua’s hand as they walked, brushing a stray lock of hair from his face, smiling at him in that quiet, captivating way.
One evening, after an especially sweet date, they sat under the stars, the night air cool and calm around them. Seokmin took a steadying breath and, looking down at his hands, whispered, “Joshua… I think… I think I’m falling for you.”
Joshua felt his heart stop. The words hung in the air, precious and fragile, and he took Seokmin’s hand gently, overwhelmed by the emotions welling up inside him.
“Seokmin,” he murmured, voice thick with awe, “you… you’re my world.”
Seokmin looked up, his eyes shining. Joshua leaned in slowly, barely daring to breathe as his lips brushed Seokmin’s in a soft, tender kiss. It was the sweetest kiss he’d ever shared, and he poured every bit of his love and reverence into it, holding Seokmin close.
The alpha instincts roared in the back of his mind, urging him to claim, to hold, to mark his omega as his. But he fought it back, knowing this was Seokmin, his beautiful, gentle Seokmin, who deserved every bit of his patience and care. He held him close, feeling Seokmin’s heart beat in time with his own.
Seokmin pulled back, his face flushed, his voice soft as he whispered, “I’m yours, Joshua.”
And Joshua, for once in his life, was absolutely speechless.
>>>
Joshua had never thought of himself as a possessive alpha. He'd always prided himself on his self-control, his respect for boundaries. But with Seokmin, everything he believed about himself seemed to unravel in ways he couldn’t control. It started with small things, moments he’d brush off as nothing but a slight, inexplicable annoyance. He didn’t even notice it at first. But his friends did.
“Look at you,” Soonyoung teased one day, watching Joshua’s jaw clench as he observed Seokmin laughing with an unfamiliar alpha from across the quad. “The perfect alpha, huh? Not so calm when Seokmin’s over there, are you?”
Joshua shot him a sharp look, trying to play it cool. “I’m not… jealous. He can have friends,” he muttered, sounding more like he was convincing himself than Soonyoung.
But Soonyoung only chuckled. “Right. Keep telling yourself that.”
Joshua ignored him, crossing his arms and trying to focus on something, anything other than the way Seokmin seemed to be getting along just a little too well with the other alpha.
After a few minutes, Seokmin looked up and caught Joshua’s gaze, his eyes softening with affection. The omega said a quick goodbye to his friend and made his way over, smiling as he wrapped his arms around Joshua.
“What’s that look for?” Seokmin asked, a playful glint in his eyes.
Joshua tried to relax, but his jaw remained tight. “Nothing,” he said, his voice a little colder than he’d intended. “Just… wondering why he had you laughing so hard.”
Seokmin’s brow furrowed, a smile still playing at his lips. “Joshua,” he said, softly pressing a hand to Joshua’s chest. “You’re not… jealous, are you?”
“Of course not,” Joshua replied, but his arms instinctively closed around Seokmin, pulling him closer. “Just… wondering.”
Seokmin laughed, shaking his head as he leaned in close. “You know you’re the only alpha I want, right?” he murmured, his voice a gentle reassurance.
Joshua felt the tension dissolve, his jealousy melting into something softer. “I know,” he whispered, letting out a breath as he finally allowed himself to relax. He dipped his head, capturing Seokmin’s lips in a kiss that was a bit harder, a bit hungrier than he’d intended, but Seokmin didn’t pull back. Instead, he melted into it, his hands finding Joshua’s shoulders as he whispered against his lips, “Only you, Joshua.”
>>>
Yet each time he told himself he’d gotten a handle on it, jealousy found a new way to sneak in. One evening, at a party Seungcheol had thrown, Joshua found himself watching with an uneasy heart as Seokmin chatted with a couple of his alpha friends. Joshua tried to play it off, but each time Seokmin laughed or one of them leaned a little too close, the tension in his chest grew.
He clenched his glass, fighting the urge to step over and pull Seokmin away. “Relax, Joshua,” he muttered to himself, trying to take deep breaths, but the moment one of the alphas dared to rest a hand on Seokmin’s arm, Joshua was on his feet, his pulse racing with barely contained possessiveness.
He crossed the room in seconds, sliding an arm around Seokmin’s waist and pulling him close, casting the other alphas a look that left no room for argument. “Hey, Seokmin,” he murmured, his voice low, a hint of warning in it as he brushed a possessive kiss to Seokmin’s temple. “Can we talk?”
Seokmin’s eyes went wide with surprise, but he nodded, following Joshua outside into the cool night air. Once they were alone, Seokmin looked up, his expression both curious and amused. “So… what was that about?”
Joshua sighed, running a hand through his hair as he tried to calm himself down. “I… I just… didn’t like seeing him touch you,” he admitted, his voice rough. “I know I’m being… irrational, but Seokmin, you’re mine, and seeing you with other alphas…”
Seokmin’s expression softened, and he reached up, placing a hand on Joshua’s cheek. “You don’t have to worry,” he whispered, his voice steady and soothing. “I’m yours, Joshua. No one else even comes close.”
But the reassurance only eased Joshua’s jealousy so much. He leaned down, capturing Seokmin’s lips in a kiss that was both desperate and demanding, his fingers tangling in Seokmin’s hair as he poured every ounce of his need into it. It was nothing like the soft kisses he’d given him before, nothing like the gentle promises he’d once made to himself. He knew he was breaking his own rule, but with Seokmin, he couldn’t help it.
As he pulled back, Seokmin was breathless, his cheeks flushed. He gave Joshua a gentle, teasing smile. “Are you sure you’re the ‘gentleman alpha’ everyone says you are?” he whispered, laughter in his voice.
Joshua groaned, resting his forehead against Seokmin’s. “Not when it comes to you,” he admitted, a smile tugging at his lips. “Not anymore.”
>>>
The next day, Seungcheol and Soonyoung cornered him in the locker room, both of them smirking knowingly.
“So,” Seungcheol drawled, leaning against the lockers. “We heard you went a little… alpha at the party last night.”
Joshua rolled his eyes, but the embarrassment was clear on his face. “Shut up, Seungcheol.”
“Hey, I’m just saying,” Seungcheol laughed. “For all that talk about being ‘patient’ and ‘respectful,’ you’re worse than any of us!”
Soonyoung chuckled, clapping Joshua on the shoulder. “Yeah, our ‘gentleman alpha’ is nothing but a jealous mess.”
Joshua couldn’t help but laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah, yeah, I know. But… it’s different with Seokmin.”
The teasing died down as Seungcheol and Soonyoung exchanged a glance. “Yeah,” Seungcheol said softly, nodding. “We know. Just… don’t be too hard on yourself, alright?”
Joshua thought about it, realizing that maybe he didn’t need to be the perfect alpha to keep Seokmin’s heart. Maybe he just needed to be himself, jealousy and all.
>>>
Another day, they were out for lunch when yet another alpha caught Seokmin’s attention. Joshua could see the admiration in the alpha’s eyes as he looked at Seokmin, and a familiar, possessive anger flared in his chest. Seokmin must have noticed because he gave Joshua’s hand a reassuring squeeze.
“Joshua,” he murmured softly, looking up at him with a smile, “it’s alright. I only have eyes for you.”
The words were all it took to calm him, but this time, he didn’t try to be gentle. Instead, he pulled Seokmin close, his voice rough as he whispered, “You’re mine, Seokmin. Only mine.”
Seokmin’s cheeks flushed, and he nodded, whispering, “Yes, Joshua. Yours.”
And as he leaned in to kiss him, Joshua knew that for once, letting go of control was okay. Because this was love, messy and imperfect but completely his own. And Seokmin was his—heart, soul, and everything in between.