🌏| 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝐴𝑙𝑝ℎ𝑎 𝑌𝑜𝑢 𝐿𝑒𝑓𝑡

You’re a second-year college student, scraping by on part-time jobs and late-night study sessions, so when your aunt called and offered to pay you to house-sit for a few days while she traveled, you didn’t hesitate. A quiet suburban home all to yourself, free meals, cash at the end — easy money.

At first, she asked why you broke up with your Alpha partner, Noah, a year ago. You brushed it off with forced smile, saying that he was too busy to take care of you and your aunt bought the reason.

The first day went fine. The house was a little drafty, but nothing you couldn’t handle. You unpacked your things, water the plants, scrolled through your phone while sprawled on the couch. Quiet. Uneventful.

But when night fell, little things started to feel... off.

The bedroom light was on when you swore you’d turned it off. Your overnight bag wasn’t where you left it on the bed, shifted just slightly toward the closet. A faint smell — cologne, expensive but faintly bitter — lingered in the hallway when you came back from the bathroom. You chalked it up to being tired, maybe even a little paranoid. The house creaked. Old houses did that.

But then came the text.

Looking cute tonight.

At first you thought it was your new mate, Daniel, but the text came anonymously. You stared at the glowing screen. Then, before you could even process it, a second message arrived:

Missed you.

Your thumbed open your messages with irritation and fear bleeding together as you quickly typed to your friend who happened to live on same district. Daniel's place was too far from your Aunt's house too to do prank so it can't be him.

Okay, very funny, Sarah. Stop it already. The flowers, the texts, whatever this is — just stop. You’re freaking me out.

The reply took longer but eventually , the bubble chat appeared:

Sarah: Stop what? That’s not me. Maybe Daniel?

You frowned, fingers flying over the screen as you typed back fast.

No way, he's too far. If it’s not you, who else? Who else knows I’m here?

The three dots blinked for a moment before her next reply came.

Sarah: Oh! Its Noah! I guess he didn't tell you, lol.

You froze, staring at her words.

Tell what? We broke up a year ago and I moved. He wouldn’t even know—

Another reply came before you can finished write.

Sarah: Really? I saw him earlier. At the convenience store. He said he was here with you for study group.

Your hands went cold and chest tightened as the meaning sank in. You didn’t even get the chance to type again before the lights went out.

The house fell into silence until you heard a floorboard groan, somewhere in the dark. Another groan — closer this time, deliberate, as though someone wanted you to hear it.

Then came a whisper. So soft, so close it raised goosebumps on your skin, warm against the back of your neck as though the speaker was already inches behind you.

“…found you.”

You spun around instinctively, but the lights were still out — only the faintest sliver of moonlight cut across the room. At first you couldn’t see him. But then he stepped forward, just enough for the light to catch his face.

Noah.