Too Late, Alpha: I Choose Your Rival

Ch 10: Running Away So Soon?

Elisa’s POV:

That sudden, violent yank that pulled me aside almost stole the air straight from my lungs, as I shut my eyes in fright. My sneakers skidded on the polished floor, pitching me backward into the shadows of the narrow alleyway.

A frightened gasp hitched in my throat, but before I was about to scream with panic, a broad, calloused palm clamped down over my mouth before the sound could escape my lips.

The moment that palm covered my mouth, I almost thrashed against the iron grip with the remaining strength left in my body, forcing my eyes open, ready to bite down on that bastard who had caught me.

But then I froze…

Staring down at me through the dim light rustling in the alleyway stood Kael Blackthorn.

His emerald eyes gleamed, a mischievous smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. He raised his other free hand, pressing a single finger to his lips, whispering to me, “Shh.”

The moment I locked my eyes with him again, my heart hammered frantically against my ribs, but the terror that had gushed in my veins until a second ago instantly transformed into an unsettling feeling.

What was he doing here?

This was the first time we had been facing each other so close since the kiss at the welcome party.

The tingling sensation in my lips that I had felt last night surged back into my mind like a scorching memory…making me forcibly remember the suffocating heat of his mouth, the strong grip of his hands on my waist, the terrifying realization of what I had initiated.

With every second, my mind was getting twisted into a restless, chaotic knot.

Every rational instinct left in me screamed at me to shove him away or lash out at him, demanding what the hell he was doing by dragging me here.

But my body betrayed me.

Slowly, Kael lowered his hand from my mouth and, to my surprise, he didn't step back.

"Running away so soon, little wolf?"

Kael’s deep whisper vibrated against my ear, while his emerald eyes burned down into mine.

His breath falling on my face harbored such an intense, intoxicating heat that left me completely breathless.

He leaned half an inch closer, his voice dropping lower than usual. "You came into my territory, sneaked glances at me, and then expected me to just let you walk out? Were you looking for trouble, Elisa? Or perhaps…looking for me?"

"Neither," I snapped. My voice trembled slightly before I forcibly planted my palms against his broad chest, trying to push him back.

"I have things to do, and I took a wrong turn while walking around the building. Besides, what's with this deranged behavior? Why did you pull me into the alley? Let me pass."

I tried to find a gap to walk past where he had cornered me, but, startling me, Kael moved with blindingly fast speed.

THUD.

In the split of a second, he slammed both his hands against the wall on either side of my head, effectively pinning me so that I could not attempt to flee anymore.

He loomed over me, his massive frame completely shadowing the dim light behind, and almost cast me within darkness.

The sudden physical proximity was suffocating for me…but just being around him, I could feel an absurd primal tension that made the air feel thin between us.

He leaned down until his breath brushed against my earlobe, while he was gawking at me with such high intensity without even blinking his lashes properly.

"You took a wrong turn? That’s a pretty clumsy excuse. But anyway... I was hoping we'd meet again."

My breath hitched at his sudden declaration, making me quiver. "What?"

A brief, intense pause prevailed between us for a few seconds before Kael held an ominous, slow smirk that made my pulse race for all the wrong reasons.

"I have certain things to talk about from yesterday. Be honest, Elisa. Why would you pick Blood Fang as your cheer team?"

His unexpected question almost made cold sweat break out on the back of my neck as I stood numb for a second.

However, I refused to show the emotional palpitation running down my veins, as I forced my expression to mask it with pure innocence.

Keeping my eyes wide and clueless even as my pulse raced a mile a minute, I shook my head in denial.

"I didn't pick anything," I lied smoothly, furrowing my brows with confusion. "I had chosen the Ice Moon team as I should. But as you all saw…there had to be some glitch last night.

“The lottery system assigned me as the leader of the cheer team. It was completely random, Kael. I had nothing to do with it. How can you even accuse me of choosing your team?"

But to my surprise, Kael let out a soft, mocking chuckle that sent a shiver straight down my spine.

"Strong denial. If I didn't have proof, I almost would've believed you."

"W-What do you mean–”

Before I could finish my murmur, Kael pulled back just enough to retrieve the phone from his jacket. Then, he tapped the screen and turned the display toward my face.

For a second, my body stiffened in shock.

On the screen played clear CCTV footage… the exact moment when I was reborn in my second life!

To my surprise, the security footage was captured from an overhead angle I hadn't accounted for.

And despite my denial, the video clearly showed my fingers deftly sliding past the other cards, intentionally selecting the Blood Fang card when I was asked to pick a team.

At that moment, my stomach dropped into a bottomless pit.