Qiu Sui’s heart skipped half a beat, his legs instinctively freezing in place.
He paused for several seconds before slowly lowering his head to check his phone. No new text messages.
It was a WeChat from Qiao Keren in their three-person group chat.
Qiu Sui let out an inexplicable sigh of relief and tapped it open.
Qiao Keren: Fuck! The Alpha model show was so hot, I nearly shouted my throat raw.
Qiao Keren: You guys thirsty? Want some milk tea?
Qiao Keren: I saw someone buying milk tea and coming back. They said it’s on the first floor of the building right across from the Sports Center.
Qiao Keren: Wanna go grab some together?
Qiu Sui was at the restroom entrance on the left side of the Sports Center. He walked to the front of the building and peeked toward the right. The building Qiao Keren mentioned was several hundred meters away, separated by a small plaza, a landscaped garden, and a road.
He could vaguely see scattered people running that way—probably heading for milk tea too. He quickly searched for the shop, shared the mini-program link in the group.
Qiu Sui: I’m right by the Sports Center. What do you want? I’ll order for us, and grab it on the way.
The group lit up with quick replies.
Qiao Keren: Woo-hoo!
Qiao Keren: Mint milk green, less sugar for me.
Qiu Shun: Same as you.
Qiu Sui placed the order in the mini-program first, then strolled toward the building. Midway, another message from Qiao Keren popped up, like he’d just realized: Why are you at the Sports Center?
Qiu Sui typed back that he was heading to the restroom since it was less crowded there.
Qiao Keren replied that it was too far, and with the indoor areas closed for now, the dim lighting kept people away.
Qiu Sui smiled, about to type a reply, when his eyelashes twitched sensitively. He snapped his head to the left with swift precision.
The next instant, a gust of wind whistled past his earlobe. A large hand with prominent knuckles swiped at empty air where his head had been!
At the same time, Qiu Sui shoved his phone into his pocket with lightning speed.
His free left hand shot up steadily, blocking the other hand snaking toward his left waist. His slender fingertips clamped down on the intruder’s wrist. Before the person behind him could react, Qiu Sui’s shoulder rammed backward into a solid wall of chest muscle. In one fluid motion, without a hint of hesitation, he flipped the Alpha—who was a full size larger—straight onto the ground!
Finally caught you, Qiu Sui thought, breathing hard.
He raised his hand to pin the guy down, but a powerful pull yanked at his grip, still locked on the wrist, dragging him off balance downward.
Qiu Sui pressed his lips tight. His planted legs kicked off fiercely, his waist twisting as he launched into the air like a nimble leopard flipping mid-stride. He bent his knee and slammed it viciously along the line of that pull.
At 1.84 meters with lean muscle, Qiu Sui’s weight matched an average Alpha’s. This knee carried pure grudge.
The dull thud of flesh colliding drew a muffled grunt from the masked, hooded Alpha.
In the dim, tree-lined path, neither could make out the other’s face clearly—except for Qiu Sui’s bright eyes gleaming with triumphant spite.
Qiu Sui pinned the Alpha with his knee, peering through the gloom at the massive frame. Just as big as Shen Zhixiao’s—an S-Rank Alpha for sure.
He smirked, reaching to yank off the mask and reveal the face beneath. But in the next moment, the seemingly winded Alpha surged up, grabbing his hand. Qiu Sui’s instincts screamed danger, a chill racing up his spine.
He pressed his knee harder into the Alpha’s chest and abdomen as a warning, struggling to wrench his hand free—but it was too late.
The Alpha’s other hand cradled the back of Qiu Sui’s head, his leg hooking Qiu Sui’s waist. With a fierce shove, he flipped the Beta beneath him. Grass by the stone path rustled under the crush.
The Alpha’s breathing came ragged from that knee strike, a mix of pain and thrill throbbing in his lower abdomen. He narrowed his eyes, looming over the writhing Beta below, and rasped a rough chuckle: “Damn, you hit hard, baby. Feeling better now?”
Qiu Sui’s legs were pinned solid, his hands pinned overhead by one massive grip. He glared ahead, seething with rage and hate. Before the Alpha could lean closer, he steadied his voice into a cold scoff: “Looks like you know you can’t show your face to me properly, can’t earn my attention fair and square. So you wrap yourself up like this, pitifully scraping for my notice.”
The Alpha’s towering shadow stuttered for a split second. Qiu Sui latched onto it, twisting the knife: “Must suck watching everyone chat and laugh with me out in the open. No standing, no legit claim to stop us getting close—so you rage alone in the shadows, powerless.”
In the dim light, he swore he saw fury flash under the hat brim. Satisfaction surged as he enunciated: “Betas can’t be marked. You can’t mark me. Even the Pheromones you leave fade in under an hour. You can’t be with me day and night, so I can still get close to anyone I want. Your posturing’s useless…”
Qiu Sui leaned in slow and clear, spitting four words at the Alpha’s face: “How. Truly. Pitiful.“
The Alpha’s chest heaved like a bellows cranked to max, body rigid as he stared down, brewing a silent storm.
Those words had burned through Qiu Sui’s every brain cell to buy time for escape, but the Alpha held him iron-tight. As the guy dipped his head closer, Qiu Sui’s waist clenched in panic, head twisting to dodge.
But the Alpha’s arm locked his skull in place. He could only feel the heavy press of lips through the mask on his cheek—the rough, alien touch sending horror prickling through him, breath hitching wildly.
Unfazed, the Alpha’s tone stayed that lazy, intimate drawl: “Does that mean my baby wants to date me out in the open?”
Qiu Sui’s only reply was ragged, silent resistance—but to the Alpha, it sounded like assent. He started fantasizing: life with his Beta, wedding, kids… A crazed, happy low laugh escaped him.
Yes, he thought. He needed a legit identity to claim his Beta openly, keep every schemer at bay.
Qiu Sui shivered at the eerie laugh. Objectively, the Alpha on him was a straight-up lunatic.
His nerves frayed to the breaking point, no clue what came next. He desperately sought any opening.
But every twitch was mastered by the Alpha. The hand slid from his nape to his fevered cheek, stroking down intimately to his slender neck. Rough fingertips made Qiu Sui’s scalp crawl.
He thrashed his fingers, knees battering the Alpha’s shins—futile—until a white flash streaked from behind the Alpha.
A sudden heavy blow landed on the Alpha’s back. His grip on Qiu Sui slackened half a beat, but he clung stubborn until a swift, fierce gust forced him to release, rolling off. Not before pinching Qiu Sui’s cheek.
Qiu Sui’s pupils dilated. In the light, his eyes met Qiu Shun’s—he who arrived just in time. His heart slammed back into place.
Without pause, he sprang up. As the Alpha dodged Qiu Shun’s kick, Qiu Sui seized the back of his collar, planted a foot on a nearby trunk for leverage, and hurled him five or six meters into another tree.
The Alpha’s back slammed into the trunk with a thick thud. Sturdy branches shook violently, leaves raining down.
Qiu Shun halted, eyeing his brother with concern.
No time to react—the burly Alpha staggered up, gaze flicking between them. Without hesitation, he pivoted and bolted toward the unopened Sports Center.
Qiu Sui clenched his fists to chase, but Qiu Shun squinted at the fleeing back, tugging his hem and shaking his head: “Too late now.”
Qiu Sui knew it, but resentment burned. Sure, he’d vented some steam, but no capture meant harder next time—especially with the guy’s injuries making him easier now.
Qiu Shun shone his flashlight over Qiu Sui, worried: “He didn’t do anything, right?”
Qiu Sui wiped his cheek where it’d been touched, shaking his head. Aside from muscle ache from overexerting in the fight, he was fine.
Qiu Shun sensed something off. Only as they left the garden did it hit him: no Alpha Pheromones at all back there. Unheard of.
Qiao Keren had spammed the group. Qiu Shun typed replies while grilling his brother: “How long’s this Alpha thing been going on?”
Qiu Sui hadn’t spilled about the harassment texts yet. “Started around the beginning of term.”
Nearly a month since. Qiu Shun recalled the enrollment day Alphas—few matched that build…
Not none.
His typing paused. An idea struck; he glanced at Qiu Sui, fetching their milk tea order.
Qiu Sui felt the stare, guilt twisting his steps unnaturally. He feigned casual: “What?”
Qiu Shun hesitated: “You and Shen Zhixiao…”
Qiu Sui jolted at the name—especially from his brother.
Like a cat with its tail scorched, he stiffened, eyes wide and urgent: “I don’t like him.”
Qiu Shun’s voice cut off. At the odd reaction, his expression turned weird as he “oh”-ed, switching: “Seen him lately?”
The topic swerved from stalker Alpha to Shen Zhixiao. Plot twist?
Qiu Sui’s overtaxed brain churned. Yesterday’s fresh WeChat add flashed. He straightened warily, watching Qiu Shun’s face: “R-run into him, yeah, but not much. Twice tops. Added WeChat yesterday by chance…”
“But we haven’t even chatted! I can show you the records.” He thrust the chat screen at Qiu Shun, all innocence.
Qiu Shun glanced and pushed it back, seeming convinced, then fell silent.
Qiu Sui sneaked anxious peeks while walking, then pulled out his phone: “Want me to delete his WeChat?”
