L*ck Me If You Can

Chapter 201

Stay calm. It’s not certain yet.

Back home and finally alone, Koi sat on his bed and tried to gather his thoughts, his mind considerably calmer now. What Angel had said felt far too surreal, and it wasn’t easy to believe it all at face value.

Maybe he was just some crazy person...

The thought popped into Koi’s head for a moment, but he quickly shook it away and mentally apologized to Angel. If Angel knew he’d imagined something that rude, how offended would he be? Remembering the strange trust and closeness he’d felt toward Angel, Koi sank back into contemplation.

If... just if...

If I really were an Omega...

If what happened back then was a manifestation...

Then it’s entirely possible I unknowingly released pheromones, isn’t it?

He carefully entertained the thought. If that were the case, Ashley might have already figured out he was an Omega. But then why hadn’t Ashley said anything? Or... did he not realize either? Was it because I was suppressing my pheromones?

Even if you're unaware, you can instinctively suppress your pheromones.

If that’s true, then of course no one would know. That is, if I really am a Hyper-Omega.

It was overwhelming, but there were no holes in Angel’s explanation. Given the context of everything that had happened, it was the only explanation that fit.

If only I could smell it too, this would be so simple.

Koi started to resent himself, but that wouldn’t change anything. Sitting there for a while, he took a deep breath and tried to shift his thoughts in a new direction.

If I’m really an Omega, then what does that mean for me and Ash?

He had always assumed he was a Beta, and that naturally created a distance between them. No matter how hard he tried, there was always a wall between Betas and Alphas or Omegas—and there had been times when Ashley had grown distant from him too.

But if I’m actually an Omega...

Ash would probably be just as shocked and confused as I am.

Fear briefly surged through him—but then, another memory rose up and stopped it in its tracks.

Ash said he loved me.

Jumping to negative conclusions was a bad habit of his. Ashley had told him over and over again that he loved him. To feel anxious like this was no different than doubting Ashley’s feelings.

I know how much it hurts when someone doubts my love. I’d be doing the same thing to Ash.

Chiding himself, he tried to shift to a more positive outlook.

He might actually be happy about it.

A cautious sense of hope began to rise in his chest. Until now, the only reason anyone had dismissed his love was because it hadn’t manifested. But if he really was an Omega now, no one could question his feelings anymore.

Ash would probably prefer me being an Omega over being a Beta.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

Even if a rut hit him, he wouldn’t have to find someone else anymore. I could be the one to be there for him.

Just imagining Ashley being happy made his chest feel like it would burst. Calm down. You need to confirm it first. Koi took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. If Angel was right, the heat cycle would come soon. Thinking about it after that wouldn’t be too late. Once it’s confirmed, then I’ll tell him. I can worry about Ashley’s reaction after that.

What exactly does “soon” mean...?

Lost in thought, Koi’s eyes slowly closed, and before he realized it, he had drifted off to sleep.

*

He woke up with a start, sensing movement nearby. Darkness had already blanketed the room. Koi blinked a few times while lying down, then glanced around, but there was no one else in the room. After hesitating for a moment, he got up from the bed and walked out.

“Ash?”

Passing through the brightly lit living room, he headed toward the kitchen—just as he’d expected, Ashley was standing there alone, seemingly lost in thought and staring at something.

Noticing the half-empty whiskey glass in front of him, Koi shifted his gaze to Ashley’s face. That’s when Ashley turned and met his eyes. Their gazes locked, and Ashley was the first to speak.

“You’re awake?”

That quiet voice told Koi that Ashley must’ve been watching him sleep. That presence he’d felt earlier—it had been Ashley’s. Feeling oddly guilty, Koi was the one to speak next.

“You should’ve woken me. Did you eat dinner?”

“Don’t worry about it. If you’re tired, you should sleep some more.”

Ashley’s tone wasn’t unusual, but Koi sensed something off. No... He cautiously responded.

“I slept plenty. I’m good now... Hey, if you haven’t eaten yet, want to eat together? I can order something.”

As he turned to call the front desk, Ashley suddenly spoke.

“You went out earlier, right?”

“Huh? Yeah...”

Did the doorman tell him? Koi felt something unsettling stir in his chest as he replied.

“I just stepped out for some air. Came right back, but I was so tired... I ended up crashing early. Sorry.”

What if he asks about Angel? What should I say? He was nervous—but Ashley surprised him with a completely different question.

“Nothing happened?”

“Nothing, really.”

Ashley stared intently at Koi without saying anything. The way his narrowed eyes locked onto him, as if trying to dig something up, made Koi even more uncomfortable.

Is he waiting for me to bring up Angel?

But the words wouldn’t come. The promise he made with Angel held him back. It didn’t feel right to talk about it—and just as he was hesitating, Ashley raised the glass and downed the remaining whiskey in one go. His brows furrowed slightly as he set the empty glass down.

“...Koi.”

“Y-Yeah.”

Ashley broke the silence after a long pause. Koi, nervous, quickly responded, watching as Ashley looked like he was struggling to say something. Just as he opened his mouth to speak—

The door intercom rang loudly.

They both froze, staring at each other. No one moved. Maybe the ringing would stop on its own—but it didn’t. After a brief pause, it started again. Ashley cursed under his breath and finally moved to the intercom.

– Ah, sorry for the late hour, Mr. Miller.

The doorman’s anxious voice came through, and Ashley listened without responding. Koi, uneasy, heard Ashley speak next.

“...A guest? At this hour?”

He glanced at the wall clock, hesitated for a moment, then said:

“Let them in.”

The call ended. Koi looked at Ashley’s back and cautiously asked,

“Um, Ash? Since someone’s coming over, I’ll just head to the room—”

“Wait.”

Just as he was about to step away, Ashley stopped him. Koi froze mid-step as Ashley continued.

“Stay right there. It’s ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) your guest too.”

“W-What...?”

Before he could process the unexpected words, the faint ding of the elevator arriving echoed through the suite. The private elevator had returned, carrying the guest.

Ashley quickly manipulated the wall panel to unlock the inner door’s security. A moment later, the door flung open violently, and heavy footsteps echoed across the floor.

A sudden sense of dread filled Koi. He stood frozen, shoulders tense, staring at the hallway. Ashley was also watching the same direction, waiting for the visitor to appear.

It didn’t take long.

In long strides, the man crossed the living room and arrived at the kitchen entrance where Ashley and Koi stood. Upon seeing them, he stopped in his tracks. Koi, seeing the man’s figure, froze in shock.

He was just as tall as Ashley, with a broad frame and heavily muscled build. The vest stretched tight over his white shirt emphasized his powerful chest. His dark hair, sharply defined nose bridge, and firmly set mouth gave him an intimidating presence—but that wasn’t what shocked Koi the most.

Purple eyes.

He couldn’t smell the pheromones, but it didn’t matter. It was the first time he’d seen a Hyper-Alpha other than Ashley, and the sheer impact of it paralyzed him.

Ashley had always been kind to him, so Koi had never fully understood what it meant to be a Hyper-Alpha. Suddenly, the expressions other people—like Ariel—would make whenever they spoke about Ashley flashed through his mind.

And then Koi saw something in the man’s hand.

It was a person. And he looked familiar.

Just as Koi realized this, the man tossed the body to the floor.

“Agh!”

The frail figure that collapsed with a cry—Koi knew that body. He stopped breathing.

The man stirred, lifting his head slightly, and locked eyes with Koi.

And Koi saw it clearly.

The tousled silver hair, the gleaming green eyes, the slightly parted, crimson lips—

It was Angel.