ALPHA UNIVERSE #5: DESIROUS

CHAPTER 29

"Where were you?"

Harin jumped at the sudden voice, her wide eyes snapping to the source of the sound. She hadn't even heard him come in. Confusion and shock colored her expression as she faced Jeno, leaning casually against the wall, a faint smirk playing on his lips.

He pushed himself off the wall and sauntered toward her, his presence filling the room with an intensity she couldn't quite place.

"So?" he prodded.

"I'm with Jaemin," she replied, trying to keep her tone even.

"Mhm. Why?"

Her brows furrowed at his question. "Why? What do you mean, why?" she shot back, irritation lacing her voice. "And why are you in my unit, anyway?"

Jeno held up a spare key, twirling it briefly before her. Her lips pursed as she nodded in reluctant acknowledgment.

"Right, I forgot. But that doesn't explain why you're interrogating me," she muttered, brushing past him. But Jeno wasn't one to let things drop.

He moved quickly, closing the distance between them. Bending slightly, he aligned their gazes, his dark eyes glinting with something unreadable.

"Harin," he started with an edge of amusement, "we're friends, aren't we?"

"Obviously," she replied, her tone dry.

"So, where were you two?" he pressed again, voice low but insistent.

"We just ate and visited a light museum. What's with all the questions, Jen? Why are you acting so—" She paused, searching for the right word.

"Snappy?" he offered with a chuckle that didn't reach his eyes. His smirk widened as he leaned in closer, his voice dropping an octave. "Kwon Harin," he murmured, his breath grazing her skin, "you're confusing as fuck."

Harin gasped softly as he pressed her against the wall, one hand settling firmly on her waist, the other trailing a slow, deliberate path along her arm. His proximity was intoxicating, and she found herself trembling—not from fear but from the sheer weight of his presence.

"What do you really want me to do, huh?" His tone turned soft, almost a hum. "Stay away from you? Or... own you?" The last words were a whispered promise, heavy with meaning. "Let's get this straight, alpha. Not later, not soon—now."

Her breath hitched at the sudden shift in his demeanor, her pulse quickening as his teeth grazed her shoulder. His bite wasn't harsh enough to leave a permanent claim, but the mark would linger for days—a constant reminder of his touch.

Harin's thoughts spiraled, a mix of resistance and exhilaration coiling within her. Owned by him? The idea wasn't horrifying—it was thrilling. Her body betrayed her, trembling in response to the unspoken promise in his actions.

Jeno's lips brushed her shoulder, trailing kisses upward to her neck, each press of his mouth igniting her senses. When he paused just inches from her lips, his dark gaze bore into hers.