What’s it like to be meticulously poring over some fishy financial records, only to suddenly receive a massive wire transfer?

First reaction: count the money.

Second reaction: check who sent it.

Third reaction: suspect they made a mistake.

Such was the mental journey Zoe Pierce went through after suddenly receiving a massive sum of money.

What in the world was wrong with Erin Xavier? He’d suddenly sent her a huge sum of money—a quick count showed it was in the millions.

She was starting to panic.

On instinct, Zoe Pierce gave Erin Xavier a video call.

Erin Xavier appeared on screen, looking like he’d been expecting her call. He was still grinning cheekily and spoke first, "Got the money?"

Half of Zoe Pierce’s anxiety melted away. It wasn’t a mistake.

"Why did you suddenly send me money?" And so much of it, too.

"Aren’t a few of your family’s mines shut down because of the collapse? Use the money to get them properly repaired." Erin Xavier said it with utter nonchalance. To him, this amount of money wasn’t even enough for a decent Mecha; it was truly just pocket change.

And for repairing mines, a few million would barely even make a splash.

It wasn’t much at all.

"Feeling touched?" Seeing the completely lost expression on Zoe’s face, Erin propped his chin on his hand and asked with a raised eyebrow.

He even shot a glance at Miles Sherman, as if to say, ’Just you wait and see.’

Miles Sherman simply frowned at Erin Xavier’s antics.

Zoe Pierce was speechless.

’It was just another stark reminder that these guys were all loaded.’

But either way, Erin Xavier had given her the money directly. She couldn’t be ungrateful!

"I’ll keep a record of this amount. Thank you, Erin Xavier." ’From now on, I’ll try my best not to privately gossip about how weird he is.’

Erin Xavier chuckled. "Is a simple ’thank you’ enough?"

Zoe Pierce blinked. What else was she supposed to do? It’s not like she had anything to give the guy.

"Zoe Pierce, say, ’Thanks, bro.’"

Some people just crave what they don’t have.

Zoe was beginning to understand that now.

’He didn’t act like a ’bro’ in the slightest.’

"Erin Xavier!" a familiar voice called out from the other end. "Are you making trouble again?"

The real big brother had made his appearance.

Zoe Pierce watched the screen shake. In the next instant, Miles Sherman appeared, his short-sleeved shirt revealing a sturdy arm as he steadied the camera.

"Don’t pay any attention to him. Just take the money. If he’s happy to give it to you, just accept it."

Erin Xavier’s pout was so pronounced you could’ve hung a kettle from it. "Why can’t she call me bro? That’s all I’m asking for! A few million isn’t even worth one ’bro’?"

Zoe Pierce hastily chimed in, "Thanks, bro! I’m hanging up now, you guys seem busy."

’If Erin Xavier was going to have a fit and send her millions every time she called him ’bro,’ Zoe Pierce would be happy to do it until he went bankrupt.’

But with Miles Sherman right there, Zoe Pierce restrained herself a bit.

She felt Miles Sherman had that effect on people—he kept everyone from completely losing their minds.

’It’s better to be rational.’

Fearing Erin Xavier would say something else outrageous, Zoe Pierce took advantage of Miles’s presence to quickly hang up. If Miles was about to lecture Erin, she wouldn’t hear a single word of it. She would know nothing.

...

Zoe Pierce had no idea how Miles Sherman dealt with Erin Xavier. All she knew was that today was the start of their next "plunder battle."

After putting on her special training uniform, Zoe Pierce headed to the training grounds to assemble first thing in the morning.

Nathan Lockwood and Chase Shaw had arrived first and were already waiting on the field.

The moment Zoe Pierce arrived, Chase Shaw asked her, "What did the doctor in the infirmary say yesterday?"

Nathan Lockwood looked up as well. He hadn’t even known Zoe went to the infirmary yesterday; Chase hadn’t mentioned it.

"My pheromones are returning. The doctor told me to just keep my barrier patch on properly and it’ll be fine. If the scent gets through the patch, I have to go back for a check-up immediately."

The gland on her neck was once again covered with a pheromone barrier patch.

Nathan Lockwood waited until Zoe Pierce had finished before asking, "Yesterday, you smelled her pheromones?"

Pheromones were a sensitive subject.

An Omega’s pheromones during their heat were especially potent to an Alpha, possessing an intense, almost fatal, attraction.

Even outside of a heat, only established couples would normally smell each other’s pheromones.

That was because it meant removing the barrier or suppression patch from the back of the neck.

Alphas typically marked their Omegas.

It was usually a temporary mark, which spared the Omega the discomfort of taking inhibitors while also signaling the Alpha’s possessiveness.

This Omega was already taken.

When two individuals’ pheromones mingled, they created a unique scent, one that didn’t attract other Alphas as intensely as an unmarked Omega’s would.

And typically, only upon marriage would a temporary mark be converted into a permanent one.

Nathan Lockwood’s question seemed to carry other emotions with it.

At least, that’s what Zoe Pierce felt. The atmosphere had suddenly become strange.

She couldn’t quite put her finger on what was so strange, but it felt like a turbulent undercurrent. She simply explained, "My barrier patch broke yesterday. Chase was the one who pointed it out to me."

Everyone had known from the start that Zoe Pierce didn’t have any pheromones.

"My pheromone levels have been rising lately, but they’re still far from normal." Even now, Zoe didn’t know why they were increasing.

’Is it because I’m spending more time with Alphas?’

"Is it still the scent of freesia?" The moment Nathan Lockwood spoke, Zoe whipped her head around to look at him. "You know?"

Of course Nathan Lockwood knew. He’d found out what Zoe Pierce’s pheromones smelled like when he ran a background check on her.

He’d smelled freesia before, but that scent was bound to be slightly different from her pheromones.

Pheromones contained something more—a special, alluring fragrance unique to an Omega.

Seeing that Nathan Lockwood didn’t deny it, Zoe asked, "Then what do your pheromones smell like?"

Right now, she only knew Chase’s, and maybe Erin’s. The last time Erin had been around, she’d caught a faint, slightly tart scent of bitter orange.

’Her thought process was simple: ’Since you know mine, I want to know yours.’’

Nathan Lockwood glanced at her. "Tea tree."

For some reason, Zoe Pierce blurted out, "Green tea?"

’She wasn’t sure why, but it suddenly felt like it suited his personality perfectly.’

’He could be so sly sometimes! Always holding back when he spoke, making you guess, all while looking perfectly harmless with that casual air of his.’

Standing to the side, Chase Shaw let out a snort, draping an arm over Nathan Lockwood’s shoulder. His grey eyes twinkled with amusement. "Green tea sounds about right."

Nathan Lockwood was so exasperated he had to laugh. His expression froze for a second. He’d thought something might be happening between them, but now he just felt like an idiot.

’Zoe Pierce was completely clueless, and as for Chase Shaw... hah. He was barely an improvement over Erin Xavier.’

He shoved Chase’s arm away, his expression flat and humorless. "White tea."

Exchanging information about pheromone scents—such a sensitive topic—was as natural as drinking water for them.

There wasn’t the slightest bit of hesitation.