The Alpha Who Wants Me Back

Chapter 6

Krista’s POV:

After the draining back-to-back lectures, I found myself wandering near the ground, dragging my feet around the open field where some students were playing baseball.

I wasn’t even watching the game properly, just letting my thoughts spiral the usual way. Aizal was still busy in her classes. So here I was, alone, jumbled up in my last conversation with Selena, letting the wind mess up with my hair.

“Prof. Zevaric…Ugh”, I screamed through my head. The same quiet intensity in the class, the unblinking gaze, like he was trying to decode something, or dismantle me.

And ever since Selena brought up the gossip, I felt exposed. Every time someone laughed behind me, I assumed it was about me.

They say fresh air cleans your mind. What they don’t tell is that, it also clears your defenses.

And just within an instant, a shout pulled me out of my thoughts, “Heads up!”

My eyes darted towards the sound to see a ball flying at me like a meteor. I froze, eyes snapped open with fear and shock. My brain shot off. It was really stupid of me to stand there like a statue. It felt like my body got locked, and my limbs refused to move even an inch.

But then, like a flash, a hand shot out of nowhere and caught the ball mid-air. And the other hand gripped my arm and yanked me back. I stumbled two steps, heart racing, lungs empty. “What the hell are you doing just standing there?”, a voice growled over me.

I didn’t have to look up to know. It was him. For one brief blinking second, everything around me disappeared.

My back burned. I felt an electric jolt on my birthmark. Like the exact nudge I felt in the club that night, when he caught me.

I ignored it back then, assuming that it was just a hunch between those rushed turn of events, but it happened again.

It was real. It was buzzing. I could feel it. Like a hibernating beast awakening under my skin.

He let go immediately, and tossed the ball aside.

Maybe he felt it too. But why wasn’t he reacting? Why wasn’t he saying anything?

Barely registering the crowd of baseball players coming towards us, apologizing profusely, “Are you okay?”, one of them asked.

I nodded silently, eyes still locked on him. He didn’t look at me.

“Pay attention next time”, he muttered to the players. Then he took a quick glance over me, turned around and walked back to the

main building.

Quickly regaining my senses, I ran to the girl’s washroom and locked the door. I pulled up my shirt, and twisted awkwardly in front of the mirror. There it was. My birthmark felt hot. I touched it gently. There wasn’t pain. It was just…kind of…tingling.

“What’s happening to me?”, I asked myself looking in the mirror.

This had never happened before. Not in my entire childhood. Not even when I bruised my back while playing around. Not even during high fevers.

It was only after I met him. Only when he touched me.

My mind drifted back to the club events. Back then too, I felt…strange.

And now? It’s the second time. Coincidence? Doesn’t seem so.

Later that night, I sat on my bed cross-legged, trying to google every possibility, “Birthmarks react when someone touches you? Feeling a zinging shock at skin contact? Why does the body react to a specific person? Is it some medical condition?”

But none of the search results helped much. I closed the laptop with a sigh and flopped back on the pillow.

Started questioning again, “Did he feel it too?” But he looked calm every time it happened.

“Maybe he’s pretending? Or he doesn’t bother? Or he doesn’t wanna get involved?”

After so much self-inquiry, I picked up the phone and hit Aizal’s name.

“Yo! What’s the news?”, she picked up on the second ring, “It’s crisis O’clock. Isn’t it?”

I groaned, “I’m being serious, Aizal.” She paused, “Okayyy…spill it.” And I actually spilled the whole tea on her command.

“Birthmark…Reacted? How?”, she tried to understand, “Like glowing? Harry Potter style?”

Oh God. I made an effort to reason with her again, “Not exactly. It was like…buzzing…or maybe…a pull.”

“Ok. I’m gonna say it”, she remained quiet for a second, then said, “You have a crush on him.”

“Wait…what?”, I snapped, “It’s not a crush.”

She carried on, “Just saying…sometimes the body reacts to hot men grabbing your back or your arm…it’s called having butterflies, by the way.”

“Oh Aizal!”, I sighed, “I know I sound crazy, but…”

I didn’t have words anymore.

Aizal responded softly, “Listen! Promise me one thing. Whatever it is, don’t let it consume you. Ok? I need you sane.”

I smiled faintly and hung up, knowing fully that it was already consuming me. It wasn’t about crush or some butterflies.

It was something else. Something…primal.