ALPHA UNIVERSE #6: CRAVING YOU

CHAPTER 16

Danielle woke up feeling... different.

Something was off.

Her brows knitted together as she lay still, trying to pinpoint what it was. There was no nightmare haunting her, no disturbance in her sleep—if anything, she remembered resting peacefully. But despite that, an unsettling weight pressed on her chest, a strange lethargy creeping into her bones.

The usual energy that greeted her mornings was missing. The enthusiasm, the mindless humming, the subconscious habit of stretching out her arms with a groggy grin—it was all absent. Instead, a dull, heavy sensation loomed over her, making her unwilling to move at all.

The blaring sound of her alarm clock finally forced her to budge. With a groan, she reached out with lazy limbs, slamming the snooze button harder than necessary.

"Ugh, shit," she muttered under her breath, slowly stretching her arms and legs before reluctantly sitting up.

Everything felt sluggish. Even the act of getting out of bed seemed like a task too great.

Danielle exhaled heavily before pulling on a thin sweatshirt and her most comfortable pair of joggers. She didn't bother tying her hair, letting it fall in messy waves past her shoulders. The idea of getting ready properly was exhausting.

As she stepped out of her room, she noticed Chenle at the dining table, already digging into his breakfast. His gaze flicked toward her immediately, assessing.

"You okay?" he asked, chewing on his toast.

"Mhm," she lazily hummed, walking over to grab a glass of water.

"Tired, or...?"

"Maybe."

Chenle raised a brow. "You weren't like this last night. Bad sleep?"

Danielle shook her head. "No. I think I'm just a little... down."

Chenle eyed her for a second longer before nodding. "Okay. We can be down then."

They didn't speak much after that.

The walk to the university was quiet, apart from Chenle's occasional greetings to friends and classmates. Danielle merely nodded in acknowledgment, offering little to no conversation.

Thankfully, no one questioned her mood. She wasn't in the state to pretend everything was fine, so she simply slumped into her seat as soon as she entered the classroom.

With a quiet sigh, she rested her head on her desk, hoping to steal a quick nap before class started.

But peace was never a luxury she could afford.

The moment Sho stepped into the room, the air shifted.

Chin up, shoulders squared, walking like he owned the place—his presence immediately caught everyone's attention.

Danielle, however, remained still, not bothering to acknowledge him.

Sho's sharp eyes found her instantly, his smirk widening at the sight of her quiet demeanor. That smirk alone was enough to put people on edge.

Chenle, sensing the impending trouble, quickly poked Danielle's arm.

She groaned, swatting his hand away and mumbling incoherently.