ALPHA UNIVERSE #6: CRAVING YOU

CHAPTER 39

Greeting the morning light had never been this difficult for Danielle.

Before, the warmth of the sun filtering through her window used to be a source of comfort—a quiet reassurance that no matter how exhausting life got, she had something to hold on to. Now, it brought nothing but an unbearable emptiness.

Her room was cold and dark, void of the scent that once wrapped around her like a second skin. Mark's scent.

It used to linger even when he wasn't physically there, a subtle yet powerful reminder that he was always hers, always close. But here, in the dorm she had returned to, there was nothing. Only her own scent clinging to the sheets, to the pillows, to the walls. And it wasn't enough.

The deprivation of not having her mate beside her was growing worse with each passing day. She thought she could handle it—that time apart would give them the space they both needed to breathe—but her body and soul ached for him in ways she hadn't anticipated.

She felt restless, suffocated. As if the walls of her dorm room were closing in on her, despite the sun shining brightly outside. Even breathing felt heavier.

Sometimes, she would pick up her phone, staring at Mark's name on the screen for minutes—if not hours—her thumb hovering over the call button.

She never pressed it.

And yet, her omega stirred beneath the surface, restless and desperate, urging her to find him, to close the unbearable distance between them. It clawed at her resolve, whispering that he was near, that he was just within reach.

It was torture.

Seeing him in class made it even worse. Maybe the universe was testing them, forcing them into close proximity just to see how much they could endure.

Whenever they sensed each other's presence, a sharp awareness crackled in the air between them, sending an undeniable pull through their bond. Their bodies recognized each other before their minds could fight against it.

And when their eyes met—just for a moment—it became impossible to ignore.

There, in his tired gaze, was the same longing, the same sadness. A silent question neither of them had the courage to voice.

And then—

"Do you have your water with you?"

Danielle's eyes snapped up, startled by the quiet question.

Mark was standing a few feet away, his expression unreadable, but his voice was laced with concern.

He looked exhausted. Worn down.

Her omega whimpered at the sight of him. She clenched her fists to suppress the instinct to reach out.

Instead, she shifted her gaze away and gave him a small nod.

Mark hesitated. Then, "Do you have snacks? Are you hungry?" His voice was softer this time, as if he was grasping at any excuse to keep talking to her.

"We already ate," Danielle replied, her tone neutral. "I assume you have too."

"Oh... okay. That's good."

The awkward silence that followed was suffocating.

For a second, it seemed like Mark wanted to say more. His fingers twitched at his sides, his lips parted slightly, but no words came.