The voice didn’t stop there and simply continued.
"Go on. My seat is getting cold. I need someone to warm it."
Noah didn’t need a fortune teller to tell him that he was completely screwed.
From a distance, he could see almost everyone staring at the person who had just spoken. If he was being honest, he was staring too. For a moment, it seemed like nobody had heard him speak before. The entire cafeteria had gone silent, as though they were witnessing a miracle.
Then Noah finally realized who it was.
The hair gave him away.
Just like the other three had different hair colors, this one had his own unique shade—a deep green that immediately stood out. And don’t even get him started on those eyes.
Bright emerald green.
Seriously, how could someone’s eyes be that green?
They were almost hypnotizing.
Still, Noah wasn’t stupid enough to accept that invitation.
Doing that would be the equivalent of digging his own grave with both hands.
He had only just gotten thrown into a strange body, didn’t fully understand how this world worked, and now one of the loner princes who never involved himself with the heroine suddenly wanted him sitting beside him?
Yeah.
That sounded less like kindness and more like the beginning of a war.
And there was one detail from the novel Noah hadn’t forgotten.
Killian.
That was his name.
Killian was the absolute favorite among the Moonlight Alphas.
More importantly, he was the one Sylvia was obsessed with.
She tolerated the others, sure.
But Killian?
That was her weakness.
Unfortunately for her, she was destined to marry all four of them, so she stuck close to every one of them.
Whether the novel’s theory was true or not, Noah could already see it happening.
The jealous looks.
The way Sylvia’s gaze lingered on him.
The way it lingered on Killian.
The possessiveness hidden beneath her sweet smiles.
Noah wasn’t blind.
Something told him Killian was only doing this to make Sylvia jealous.
Because honestly?
What exactly would someone like Killian want with a useless person like Ashton?
Nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
So this whole thing smelled like trouble.
Pretending he hadn’t heard a thing, Noah completely ignored the invitation and continued toward the serving area.
If Killian wanted attention, he was barking up the wrong tree.
Without hesitation, Noah collected his food and headed straight toward the Omega section.
The poor section.
The place where students like Ashton belonged.
Sure, Killian had invited him to sit at the wealthy tables, but Noah knew exactly how games like this worked.
Back in his old world, he’d seen it happen countless times.
People pretended to like you.
They welcomed you into their circle.
Made you feel special.
Then the moment you got comfortable?
Boom.
They tossed you aside so brutally that recovering became impossible.
No thanks.
Been there.
Seen that.
Not interested.
"He is demanding your presence, and you’re walking away? Ashton, who the hell do you think you are?"
Noah didn’t even need to look up.
That annoying voice belonged to Eugene.
Honestly, wasn’t he supposed to be following Sylvia around like a loyal puppy?
Why was he constantly involving himself in Noah’s business?
Noah didn’t bother answering.
After all, the best response to a fool was silence.
So he kept walking.
Still, he could feel the eyes on him.
People were staring.
Judging.
Whispering.
Some looked shocked that a powerless omega had rejected an invitation most students would kill for.
Others looked offended on Killian’s behalf.
Among the omega tables, Noah noticed several students staring at him with longing.
To them, the opportunity he had just rejected was pure gold.
Some silently called him a fool.
Others probably wished they could switch places with him.
But Noah knew better.
After discovering that the four male leads might have been connected to his death, he wasn’t taking any chances.
Better safe than sorry.
Finding an empty seat, Noah sat down.
The difference between the two dining sections was laughable.
The chair beneath him was simple wood.
Meanwhile, the wealthy students sat on polished lavender chairs carved from expensive timber.
Even from where he sat, Noah could smell the rich scent coming from the wood.
Having been wealthy in his previous life, he immediately recognized the material.
Rare.
Expensive.
And completely unnecessary.
Meanwhile, Eugene looked ready to explode.
His fists clenched tightly as he glared at Noah.
For a second, it looked like he might actually march over and drag him to Killian’s table.
But after glancing toward Killian, he swallowed his anger and obediently returned to Sylvia’s side.
Like a trained dog.
The moment he left, the cafeteria slowly returned to normal.
Conversations resumed.
Students began eating again.
But Noah could still feel attention lingering on him.
"That boy is really growing wings."
A girl wearing braces sneered.
"Shouldn’t we teach him a lesson? Nobody disrespects the Moonlight Alphas and gets away with it."
Noah nearly rolled his eyes into another dimension.
Teach him a lesson?
Really?
Looking at her braces, he couldn’t stop the thought that popped into his head.
One good smile and she could probably rake an entire field.
Still, he wisely kept that comment to himself.
Barely.
Great.
Now he had to deal with obsessive fans too.
Just what he needed.
"Like I have the energy for this nonsense."
Ignoring them, Noah turned his attention to the meal in front of him.
And suddenly, all his complaints vanished.
Oh.
Now that looked good.
White rice covered in rich sauce.
Chunks of meat.
Seasonings he couldn’t identify but definitely appreciated.
The aroma alone was enough to make his stomach cry tears of joy.
Noah looked around and froze.
The omega students were eating with their hands.
All of them.
"What the actual hell are they doing?"
he muttered.
The moment they noticed him looking, several of them visibly flinched.
Fear flashed across their faces.
For some reason, they were terrified of him.
Then Noah remembered.
Right.
Villain.
People were supposed to be scared of Ashton.
At this point, it didn’t even seem like Ashton had any real friends.
Which made Rose’s behavior even more confusing.
How exactly had she become attached to him?
The girl refused to leave him alone.
Not that he minded.
Well... most of the time.
Even now she was sitting among the wealthy students, yet she kept glancing in his direction every few seconds.
Honestly, it was getting a little creepy.
Sighing, Noah searched for cutlery.
Nothing.
No spoons.
No forks.
Nothing.
Eventually, he turned toward the trembling boy sitting beside him.
The poor guy looked like he wanted to merge with his plate and disappear from existence.
"Do you know where I can get cutlery?"
The boy nearly jumped.
Apparently, he hadn’t expected Noah to speak to him.
Slowly, he raised his head.
His eyes were red.
Not normal red.
The kind of red that looked unsettling at first glance.
Still, Noah remained calm.
"We aren’t allowed to use them," the boy answered quietly.
"It’s a rule. Only the wealthy and middle-class students get cutlery."
Noah immediately rolled his eyes.
Here we go again.
Another stupid hierarchy rule.
Unfortunately for them, Noah didn’t care.
There was absolutely no universe where he was eating rice with his bare hands.
Not happening.
Then suddenly he felt it.
Eyes.
Dozens of them.
Focused directly behind him.
Footsteps approached.
Before Noah could even turn around, a pair of cold hands gently settled onto his shoulders.
The unexpected contact made him freeze.
"Careful, dear."
A smooth voice whispered beside his ear.
"I told you to come to my seat, but it seems you enjoy sitting here."
The voice carried amusement.
"So why don’t we sit together and have a little chat?"
A pause.
Then—
"And by the way, you look absolutely gorgeous today."
Noah’s entire face exploded with heat.
Before he could stop himself, both hands flew up to cover his cheeks.
Around them, students gasped.
Honestly, at this rate he was going to be responsible for half the cafeteria losing the ability to breathe.
Then Killian moved.
And sat directly beside him.
Now Noah could see everything clearly.
The green hair.
The boyish glasses.
The flawless features.
The emerald eyes that seemed to shimmer under the cafeteria lights.
Up close, the man looked even more ridiculous.
Ridiculously handsome.
Noah swallowed.
Hard.
And unfortunately, he understood Ashton a little better now.
Because dear Lord...
They were all unbelievably attractive.
And Killian?
Killian was downright dangerous.