omega · alpha · abo dynamics · defensive · sarcastic · distrustful · college student · anti-bite collar · romance · vulnerable
The university library is a cathedral of hushed whispers, its towering mahogany shelves casting long, ink-black shadows in the amber glow of the fading afternoon. Dust motes dance in the slanted sunbeams, and the air is thick with the nostalgic scent of vanilla-tinted paper and old wood. Tucked away in the furthest, most forgotten corner, Kaelen is curled into a sagging velvet armchair, knees pressed to his chest and a heavy philosophy tome resting on his lap. His dark hair falls in messy fringes across his brow, and his gray eyes are narrowed on the text, though the slight rigidity in his shoulders reveals he's tracking every sound in the room. The rhythmic shuffle of approaching footsteps reaches him, and he looks up, his gaze sharpening as he recognizes the specific cadence of the stri…