Chapter 43

Eve's body jerked, and a gasp escaped his lips as a glass of water splashed onto his face. Blinking his eyes open and wiping his face to shake off his daze, he was met with a stunning sight—Alpha standing right in front of him.

"Oh, did I wake you up?" An amused voice murmured.

Eve's mind was agitated in confusion for a while, unable to differentiate whether it was real or if he was still hallucinating, just like how he had dreamed numerous times while stuck in that room. Every time he dreamed of Alpha coming to save him.

So, seeing Alpha standing there, he instantly left his bed and pounced on him while crying out. Not realizing that this Alpha was real. "Please don't disappear again!"

Alpha chuckled and wrapped a hand around Eve's nape. His fingers brushed gently against Eve's hair. "Missed me that much, huh, fat cheeks?"

Eve's eyes widened in realization when he felt the coldness of Alpha's touch, a touch he missed, or probably a touch he had starved for.

He slowly pulled back, and his wide eyes locked with a mischievous gaze. His cheeks burned up, and he slowly let go of Alpha, but lost his balance as dizziness hit him due to how weak he was. A hand quickly snaked around his waist, and he was pulled into that cold chest before he could fall.

"Are you...real?" He managed to ask through shallow breaths.

He felt the hand at the back of his neck clutching his hair, but the pressure only seemed to calm down his nerves. Alpha put him back on the bed and playfully flicked his forehead, eliciting a soft yelp.

"I know your head is messed up, but stop acting like a freak." Eve looked up at him in surprise while rubbing his forehead.

He watched as Alpha disappeared into the small kitchen of their dorm, leaving Eve feeling curious. But he soon returned with a bowl of porridge and two authoritative words. "Eat it."

Eve stared at the bowl settled in front of him in disbelief. "Did you really make this?"

He scrunched his nose because it didn't smell good, but Eve hadn't seen the face of food in the last six days, so he was starving. Instead of questioning Alpha about it, he decided to dig in. With cautious optimism, he picked up the spoon and took a bite. Instantly, he cringed and coughed it out.

"Ugh, what did you put in this?! Is it poison?" He glared at Alpha with a pained expression and a bitter taste on his tongue.

Alpha laughed, rolling his eyes. "Don't worry, it's not poisoned, fat cheeks. Dead bodies are not warm, so I'm not planning on killing you. But the ingredients might have been gathering dust in that kitchen for who knows how long."

Eve's eyebrows shot up in shock. "Do you even know how to cook?"

Alpha shrugged, a bored and unapologetic smile on his face. "Well, I don't, but I thought I should give it a shot. A little experimentation, you know? So, how is it?"

Inedible, unappetizing, un-chewable. Eve wanted to scream those words in his face for using him to taste the utter garbage he had made. But he decided not to be arrogant and managed a weak smile between coughs since he should be grateful for the person who made him food. "Well, it's...um...unique. I have never tasted something like this before."

Alpha leaned back, a playful smirk playing on his lips. He knew very well that Eve was lying, but he was enjoying those baffling reactions of Eve, so he added on.

"So, did you like it?"

Eve resisted throwing up, looking down at the flavor-failure of a masterpiece before looking up with a hesitant expression. He didn't want Alpha to feel bad about his cooking.

"Let's just say...it's a meal I'll never forget."

"You should eat more then," Eve felt a current of disgust even thinking about putting this garbage in his mouth again. Alpha fought back a laugh, his eyes fixed on those flushing cheeks. He crossed his arms instead, with a stern expression. "Don't make that face. Just put it away. You don't have to finish it. But mind explaining what you were doing in that room?"

Eve's stomach twisted in nervousness, feeling embarrassed to tell Alpha that he was missing him, and that's why he went there. 

Eve's cheeks flushed, and he shuffled his feet nervously, unable to give an answer. He thought Alpha would scold him for going there without his permission, but his next words stunned Eve.

"You should have waited for me to return. I would have taken you there again if you were so desperate. The door could only be unlocked with a key," a sly smile tugged at the corner of Alpha's lips.

It was evil, but for some reason, it made Eve's heart skip a beat.

Eve's brow furrowed. "I thought you'd be furious if I went in without asking."

Alpha's grin widened, and he raised a crooked brow. "Furious? Why would I?"

I don't know, ask your bipolar ass. He stayed silent since he was too afraid to say those words out loud.

"If you ever want to go back in, just let me know. I'll take you,"

Eve's heart was in ecstasy. He couldn't believe he was really hearing those words. Is this guy even real? "Can...can I really go in there again?"

Alpha's smirk grew more devilish. "Sure. You're free to explore whenever you please."

Eve found himself staring at Alpha's smiling face. He thought, what's going on with this guy? He's not acting like himself. He didn't kill him for trespassing, made that inedible food for him, and now he's allowing him to enter the room?

Something's different.

This wasn't the same Alpha he had known. No scowl, no hostility. Just..smiles. But why? What's changed? Did something happen to him while he was away? 

Why is this guy smiling more than usual? It's giving me chills.

Before he could respond, his stomach made a loud noise. He closed his mouth with an embarrassed and shy blush.

Alpha chuckled. "Let's go to the cafeteria."

Eve took a shower, and it was heaven. He freshened up and changed into clean clothes before he left the dorm with Alpha.

As they entered the cafeteria, it suddenly became silent, a hush falling over the students. The atmosphere turned tense as soon as they noticed Alpha's presence after so many days. Even the sounds of conversations, controversial jokes, and poking each other with forks ceased instantly.

Eve felt a bit nervous, and his nerves heightened when Alpha's firm hand grabbed his hand and intertwined with his own in a tight, reassuring yet possessive grip. Whispers started, which didn't do any good for Eve's anxiety. Without being fazed, Alpha guided him to a table where River was sitting alone, gulping down his food without any care for the surroundings.

River only noticed them when Alpha smacked his head.

"Which motherfucker wants to die—-oh, wow, you're really back!" A grin stretched across his face.

Alpha's muscular frame settled into the chair, but just as Eve prepared to take his own seat, he found himself roughly pulled onto Alpha's lap.

"Ah…!" A sharp gasp filled with shock and embarrassment left his lips as he landed on those thick thighs.

He heard a collective inhale from nearby students, which tenfolded the heat on his face as well as his whole body. He could feel the students giving side glances.

"Pft–haha! Looks like you have finally decided to claim someone after all those years of me pestering you," River laughed, his eyes filled with amusement as he watched Eve struggling in Alpha's lap. "I was wondering when that would happen."

Eve turned as red as a tomato. He could barely look up, trembling timidly. "I...can sit on the chair, you know."

He squeezed his eyes when Alpha pinched his sides. "But I don't want you to sit anywhere else," he said, or more like declared, in a deep and clear voice that wouldn't take any rejection.

And it wasn't just for Eve; it was for everyone to understand Alpha's ownership of him. 

River snickered, enjoying his friend torturing a bewildered Eve.

He tried again. "I should go get the food."

A groan filled with frustration made him flinch, and an arm coiled around his waist like a poisonous snake, a possessive gesture that sent a shiver down his spine. Alpha pulled him closer.

"No need to move. Just tell me what you want, and I'll take care of it," he whispered in Eve's ear, making his cheeks burn hotter.

Eve didn't understand until two men who appeared to be chefs came rushing over, their faces full of nerves. They stood before Alpha and exchanged nervous glances.

"We had no idea you would be here. We'll prepare your menu right away," they stuttered out.

But Eve's stomach was not having their words as it growled. He unconsciously shrank into Alpha and wanted to disappear from the face of the earth.

"Just bring whatever you got ready for him to munch on because this little lamb is starving here," he laughed.

"Sure, sir," they said in unison.

"River!" Just then, as the chefs left, a baffling and pained voice pierced through the air. Eve perked up at the noise, excited to meet Sage, who, to his surprise, was huffing and out of breath.

Sage didn't even glance at them and rushed over to River. "Seriously? You couldn't wait for me? I have been looking for you everywhere!"

And to make things even more perplexing, River's smile vanished, and his face turned serious. He didn't even spare Sage a glance, just pushed his chair back and got up from the table.

"I'm done with my food. I'll leave. Enjoy your meal," he said coldly and walked away.

"River, come on! Don't be like this! Please stop!" Sage ran after him with a broken heart and tears in his eyes. He just doesn't understand why River is suddenly ignoring him for the past few days.

What just happened? Eve thought to himself. He suddenly got worried about those two, especially for Sage.

"What happened between them? It's weird, they never fought, and River would never treat Sage like that. Should we go and check if Sage is alright?" He let out without realizing that his concern was irking a certain maniac.

Alpha pinched his cheek, glaring at him before grumbling. "Why are you being concerned about another guy? Did you fuck him while I was away?"