A deafening scream tore out from Leo's throat as his eyes fluttered open. He had dreamt of being struck by lightning, and this time, it felt as though he had died again. He jerked upright, his heart pounding against his chest, and noticed the silk sheets sliding off his trembling body. He realized he was lying on a massive bed. its frame was intricately carved with dragons, their jade eyes glinting in the glow of crystal lanterns illuminating the room.
This was an unfamiliar room, a clear sign he hadn't returned to his own world.
A sudden rush of alpha scents slammed into him, overwhelming his senses. His head snapped up, his omega instincts reeling as three Familiar figures approached the bed. Their pheromones flooded the room, stirring a heat that coursed through his body.
"You again!" he groaned in frustration. Pointing at the first man, he said, "You're Veyr." Then, frowning at the man in the middle, "Sylas." His gaze shifted to the third, meeting Kael's intimidating eyes. He visibly gulped before shouting, "Kael!"
"Must you scream like that, omega?" Kael responded, his voice stern. "Such behavior is unbecoming."
Veyr snorted and stepped toward the bed until he stood directly in front of Leo. Leaning in close, he inhaled deeply. "Oh, omega, your sweet jasmine scent is driving me wild!"
Leo gasped and scrambled backward on the bed until his head collided with the frame. "Ouch," he winced.
"Loud little thing and clumsy, too," Veyr chuckled.
Sylas, who had remained silent until now, also moved closer, his intense glare making Leo wish he could vanish.
"What are you doing?" Leo demanded. "I—"
"For an omega, you seem outspoken than expected," Sylas interrupted. "Did your time within the runes make you forget your place in the hierarchy?"
Leo's jaw clenched. He had no idea what Sylas was talking about. "I don't understand what you're saying! I got electrocuted and woke up in some fantasy DLC!" he yelled, groaning as he inhaled their pheromones again.
They were toying with him, making him dizzy.
He hissed and gripped the bedframe, fighting the urge to leave the room. "What are you to me? What is this place?" He glanced around and spotted a mirror to his left. Letting out a gasp, he placed a hand on his face.
The reflection wasn't him. A silver-haired boy with violet eyes stared back—a fragile, pale figure. "My muscles," he muttered, touching his arm. "What happened to me?" he screamed.
There was no way he'd lost the muscles he'd spent months building, only to appear so small.
No wonder the alphas seemed so intimidating; this body couldn't compete with them in size or height.
The boy in the mirror couldn't be more than 5'5" tall, a far cry from Leo's real 6'1" frame. "I've shrunk!" His hands roamed his body. Turning back to the alphas, he demanded, "What have you done to me?"
The men exchanged glances.
Veyr stepped closer again and sat beside Leo on the bed. Leo tried to shift away, but Veyr grabbed his hand and pulled him into his chest. The moment their bodies made contact, electric shocks surged through Leo, but unlike the lightning strike, this sensation was exhilarating.
It left him craving more.
"Wha—what are you doing?" he stammered as Veyr's hand gently caressed his face.
Kael growled and swiftly moved toward them, yanking Veyr's hand away from Leo. "Oh," Veyr chuckled, "the yandere doesn't want to share, but this is our mate, Kael. I can touch him if I want."
Kael growled again, clenching his fists before turning away. "I don't care about the omega," he said, his tone dripping with condescension. "If not for those stupid marks, I wouldn't be here."
Leo noticed Kael's disdainful tone, which had been consistent since his arrival. "Where am I?" he asked again.
Sylas spoke up. "I see the time near the rune stone has muddled your mind."
Leo sighed.
He knew it wasn't runes that had messed with his head but something far stranger. He was supposed to be dead, not inhabiting someone else's body. "What is this place?" he pressed.
"You're in the Draconic Academy, in the kingdom of Tianlong," Sylas explained. "Those marks you saw earlier are rune marks. You are now a rune bearer."
"Why do we all have them?" Leo asked.
"Because, darling," Veyr answered with a chuckle, "we are fated to one another. You're our omega, and we are your alphas. Now we protect you and—"
"Protect?" Leo's voice cracked as he cut him off. "I have no idea what you're talking about. I was grabbing tacos, not signing up for this!" Mates, omegas, alpha. The terms were foreign to him, despite his extensive gaming experience. And now, he was trapped in the body of a frail-looking boy.
Kael growled again. "You do not speak to your alphas like that," he warned, silencing Leo. "Your name is Ryn. The aether chose you as a rune bearer, binding you to its power and to us through the pact of the dragon. This bond, as much as I despise it, is eternal—whether you like it or not."
Veyr nodded, leaning forward to show the glowing marks on his hand. "You're ours now, little omega. In the Draconic Academy, being fated to three alphas—the most popular alphas—is a jackpot. Most would kill for this."
"Jackpot?" Leo snapped, standing from the bed, though his omega body yearned to linger near Veyr. He groaned, clenching his fists, and stepped away before his body betrayed him further and submitted to Veyr's touch. "Whatever this is, I don't want any part of it. My name is Leo, and I don't belong here." Bound to strangers and trapped in a body he didn't want, he added, "I have to find a way out of here." Ignoring Veyr's calls, he rushed toward the door.
This place wasn't his home, and he'd do anything to return to his own world.