Beau felt like a kid in a candy store. He was particularly interested in the looks the various Alphas were giving the Omega.

He couldn’t gauge their actual skill levels without seeing them in action.

It was much more interesting to focus on other things.

Suddenly, his gaze met Nathan Lockwood’s cold eyes.

He raised an eyebrow and grinned at the man.

Nathan Lockwood didn’t smile back, only offering a slight nod.

Beau felt a flicker of disappointment. He’d been caught, so he couldn’t just openly stare at them anymore.

Still, the feelings he saw in their eyes all seemed to be directed at Zoe Pierce.

’Three Alphas all falling for the same Omega?’ 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

Beau glanced at the captain of the Federal Squad, the man chatting amiably with their Third Prince. He was the only one Beau couldn’t get a read on, as he’d been talking with the Prince the whole time.

’If all four Alphas are in love with their team’s Omega, now that would be truly fascinating.’

’Does the Omega herself have any idea?’

An elbow to his side snapped Beau out of his reverie. He looked over and met Anna’s warning glare.

"May we all perform at our best," Bader said, raising his glass. Beau raised his in turn and took a small sip.

After Zoe Pierce and her teammates had left, Anna finally spoke. "What were you staring at just now? You were completely absorbed."

Beau couldn’t resist. He wrapped an arm around her waist, leaned down, and whispered in her ear, "I’ve discovered something. I think the Alphas on the Federal team are all in love with their Omega."

Anna paused, giving him an odd look. "How could you tell?"

Beau swirled the drink in his glass. "Just a gut feeling."

"I’m thinking, later on, we could probably use Zoe Pierce as a way to eliminate the others."

Just like how he couldn’t bear to let anything happen to his own Omega.

Anna set her glass aside. "She’s my opponent."

They were both Omegas. What was the point of competing if she was just going to be eliminated by an Alpha?

Her dark brows furrowed slightly, and she cast him a cool sidelong glance. The sight stirred something in Beau. "I know. We’ll play it by ear."

Anna’s expression softened slightly. Seeing this, Beau leaned in even closer, his voice dropping to a low murmur. "Baby, I’ve missed you."

...

After finishing her obligatory socializing with the Imperial Squad, Zoe Pierce went on to meet many other people.

She lost count of how many promotional photos were taken.

When she finally had some free time, she went to the restroom first. As she walked out of an exquisitely decorated stall, she immediately spotted Erin Xavier standing off to the side, waiting for her.

Spotting her, Erin Xavier immediately walked over with a wide grin.

Zoe Pierce glanced around. "Are you alone?"

Erin Xavier stood no more than a few inches away from her. "Mhm, I was waiting for you."

He was her official boyfriend now; he had every right to be at her side.

Besides, now that he was out of the main hall, he had no desire to go back so soon.

"How about a walk in the garden?" Erin Xavier suggested. After a moment’s thought, Zoe Pierce agreed.

She could use the fresh air anyway.

Erin Xavier didn’t even need Zoe Pierce to use her spiritual power; he automatically began walking toward a more deserted area.

He gestured for Zoe Pierce to follow him.

As the two of them walked from the banquet hall to the garden, Erin Xavier didn’t forget to fill her in. "This place was built back when the peace treaty was signed. It’s been decades, but it’s well-maintained."

’No wonder,’ Zoe Pierce thought. She’d been surprised that this Frontier Star was even more developed than Siren Star.

Neither the hotel nor this banquet hall looked like they had been built just for this friendship competition.

The specially trimmed garden was overflowing with clusters of flowers, resembling a giant maze.

Erin Xavier led Zoe Pierce on a stroll through it.

The specially bred flowers exuded a faint, sweet fragrance in the dead of night.

They came to a fork in the path, where Erin Xavier stopped and looked at her. "Which way?"

His own sense of direction wasn’t great in places like this, but Zoe Pierce could use her spiritual power to get a feel for the area.

She used her spiritual power to scan the area. Her expression flickered for a moment, and then she pointed somewhat unnaturally in the other direction.

Erin Xavier had been staring at her face, so he couldn’t miss the unnaturalness in her gesture.

"What is it?"

Zoe Pierce said in a low voice, "There are people over there."

He thought, ’The mere presence of people shouldn’t cause a reaction like that.’

He suddenly asked, "Two people?"

Zoe Pierce nodded.

Erin Xavier asked again, "Do we know them?"

Zoe Pierce had only sensed their presence before pulling her spiritual power back, so she hadn’t actually paid attention to who it was. She decided to check again. This time, her expression became even more complicated.

’Looks like they’re acquaintances,’ Erin Xavier thought.

’Who could it be?’

He didn’t even have to ask. Zoe Pierce said, "The Omega from the Imperial Squad and that Beau from their team."

Late at night, in a dark, secluded part of the garden... Erin Xavier didn’t even need to think to know what they were doing.

Zoe Pierce was already turning to walk down the empty path when Erin Xavier suddenly grabbed her by the wrist.

Erin Xavier suddenly smiled. "Let’s go over and have a look, shall we?"

Zoe Pierce froze for a moment. He continued, "I’m a little curious. They’re teammates, right? What are they doing here? Let me see, hm?"

"You use your spiritual power to conceal us, and if they discover us, I’ll get you away immediately. Okay?"

Sometimes, when Erin Xavier got into one of his manic moods, Zoe Pierce had a hard time reining him in.

She didn’t believe for a second that Erin Xavier hadn’t seen her hesitance, or that he couldn’t guess what an Alpha and an Omega would be doing after sneaking away to a private corner.

He was doing it on purpose.

Looking at the smile in his eyes, she couldn’t lie to herself and say it was normal.

"They’re a couple and teammates, right?" Erin Xavier recalled the background check on the Imperial Squad; Anna and Beau had never tried to hide their relationship, so everyone knew.

Zoe Pierce finally understood why Erin Xavier was so insistent.

He was drawing a parallel to the two of them, and it was a perfect fit.

Ultimately unable to fend off Erin Xavier’s curiosity, Zoe Pierce used her spiritual power to conceal them both as they silently drew near.

The maze-like flowerbeds served as a natural screen, obscuring the view from the outside.

After winding through a few turns, Erin Xavier and Zoe Pierce saw the intimate couple in a small pavilion deep in the garden.

The Omega was sitting on the Alpha’s lap, the fabric of her starry-sky-like dress draped on either side. The Alpha was braced on the pavilion’s bench, his head tilted back and his Adam’s apple bobbing as the Omega stroked his neck and kissed him.

His arms were hidden beneath her skirt, caressing her leg and waist.

It was an intimate, passionate scene.

A single glance was enough to make both of the hidden onlookers’ throats tighten.

Completely concealed by spiritual power, they hadn’t been discovered by the passionately kissing couple at all.

The Omega even undid the Alpha’s top two buttons, exposing a stretch of his collarbone.

’They wouldn’t be bold enough to actually do something here, would they...?’

Zoe Pierce’s cheeks flushed with heat. She pulled her gaze away, not daring to look any longer.

She was just about to grab Erin Xavier’s hand to signal that they should leave, but when she lifted her eyes, she realized that at some point, his gaze had left the couple from The Empire and was now fixed on her.

Her heartbeat suddenly quickened.

His eyes were now staring directly at her lips, causing her to press them together unconsciously.