ALPHA UNIVERSE #6: CRAVING YOU

CHAPTER 17

Danielle was already annoyed when the new day began. The moment she woke up, an inexplicable irritation settled in her chest, refusing to dissipate. It clung to her, growing heavier with each passing hour. And then, as if the universe itself wanted to test her patience, she accidentally came across an alpha's scent—strong, overwhelming, and far too intrusive for her already frayed nerves.

From that moment on, the day only got worse.

Chenle, usually the one to poke fun at her until she snapped back to her usual self, had barely managed to get a proper response out of her. In fact, no one could. Every attempt to talk to her was met with a short, clipped answer, a blank stare, or an irritated sigh.

"I'm fine," she had said. "Nothing's wrong."

That was it. No further explanation. No elaboration. Just those four empty words.

Her friends, however, knew better than to take her words at face value. They had already come up with three possible explanations for her sudden shift in mood.

One—she was simply being moody, just like the rest of the human race.
Two—someone had angered her. Given her short fuse and natural inclination to pick fights, this was a strong possibility.
Three—she was approaching her heat.

Among omegas, Danielle's scent had always been distinct, carrying a mix of defiance and underlying warmth. However, when pre-heat started, it became something else entirely—stronger, more potent, and impossible for alphas to ignore. It was an unspoken signal of fertility, an unintentional lure that could mess with an alpha's instincts, forcing them to respond.

That was precisely why scent blockers and suppressants existed. The advanced forms worked like contraception, dulling an omega's scent and weakening their sense of smell in return. They were a necessity in environments where alphas and omegas coexisted freely, reducing cases of unwanted advances, territorial fights, and worst of all—forced submissions.

But in Danielle's case, the lines were blurred.

Her scent was always laced with frustration and suppressed anger. Even now, her friends couldn't tell if her bad mood stemmed from her cycle or if it was just another one of her unending conflicts with people.

"Come on, Elle," Mark's voice was firm but patient as he stood across from her in the dimly lit Council Room. "Aren't you going to say anything?"

Danielle exhaled sharply, crossing her arms. "How many points?"

Mark frowned. "What?"

"My sanction records," she clarified. "And my penalty. Am I getting suspended?"

Mark let out a breath, raking a hand through his hair. "Good god, Elle. Is that seriously what you're worried about?"

She didn't answer. She just looked at him—expression blank, posture rigid.

Mark sighed, unsure how to navigate this conversation. When he had walked into the hallway earlier, the first thing he saw was an alpha trying to hold back Ahn Sho. The second thing he saw was Danielle's bloodied knuckles.

"You punched him in the nose," he pointed out, as if it wasn't obvious.

"He deserved it."