The members of the football team weren’t wrong. Natsha Taechamongkalapiwat’s pure, sweet appearance truly had the ability to draw every gaze. Even Lorena Schuett’s, back in those early days.

The freshman welcome party was noisy and bustling. Of course, as seniors, they had to join in the fun as well.

Natsha’s undeniable radiance always stood out in the crowd. The very moment she set foot in Tamionpa, the first thing she did laid the foundation for her reputation.

The cheer performance she presented in front of the outstanding upperclassmen was so impressive that she was directly admitted into the cheerleading squad. Stepping one foot into Tamionpa’s cheer team meant getting closer to the school’s “sources of heat.” With her lively personality and pleasing appearance, she quickly won over quite a number of students.

Lorena had noticed this junior more than once. Members of the cheer squad revealed that they couldn’t smell Natsha’s pheromones. Because of that, they assumed she was a Beta.

But that did nothing to affect her reputation.

Natsha was wearing a short dress, slightly more daring than her usual style. She chatted animatedly with everyone around her. Most people were already pleasantly tipsy.

“Hi, junior!” A low female voice sounded behind her.

Natsha turned around. Their lips brushed past each other.

“S… Senior?” she stammered softly, her cheeks flushed. There was a hint of purity and adorableness in her expression that stirred something in the other woman’s eyes.

Lorena, dressed in a white T-shirt and fitted jeans, gently shook the red cup in her hand.

“May I offer you a drink?” Lorena held out a cup toward her. Inside was a thick, dark red liquid.

“Ah, yes! Of course!” Natsha took the cup from her hand.

The corner of Lorena’s lips curved slightly. She had already won this bet for sure.

She lifted her own cup and took a sip, her eyes never leaving Natsha’s pale neck.

They chatted for quite a while. Natsha began to feel a little dizzy.

“Senior… I feel a bit lightheaded. I can’t drink with you anymore!” Natsha smiled sweetly, her voice hazy.

“Is that so?” Lorena lowered her voice as she asked.

“Y… yes…” Natsha tried to leave, but lost her balance and fell into Lorena’s arms.

“Let me help you go rest.” Lorena whispered close to her ear.

And just like that, in a daze, Natsha let herself be supported away by Lorena.

////////////////////

The bedroom door closed. Lorena laid Natsha down on the bed, the air thick with the powerful scent of red wine.

That sharp, slightly bitter aroma with a sweet aftertaste wrapped tightly around her lungs.

Natsha’s lashes were half-closed, half-open as she looked at Lorena. Slowly, Lorena pressed her body down over hers.

“It doesn’t matter if you can’t smell my pheromones.” She said, lifting Natsha’s chin. “As long as others can.”

She lowered her head, about to claim those lips.

When suddenly, a rush of ocean breeze filled the air.

Lorena jerked upright, quickly covering her nose. It wasn’t the seductive pheromone of an omega, nor the aggressive, forceful pheromone of an alpha.

She was clearly a Beta. So how could she be releasing pheromones? Not to mention, this wave carried an oppressive pressure that, even standing as an Alpha, she had never experienced before.

“Who said I can’t smell them?” The usual cotton-candy sweetness in Natsha’s voice vanished. What remained was something strangely sharp.

Natsha slowly sat up. The girl who had been dazed and barely conscious moments ago now looked frighteningly sober.

She leaned close to Lorena’s cheek, closing her eyes as she inhaled deeply.

“Red wine?” She murmured through her nose.

Lorena trembled. She wanted to leap out of the room immediately. But Natsha had already gripped her waist. Lorena was currently sitting astride her lap, legs spread.

“What’s wrong?” Natsha tilted her head. “You were the one who started it. Why are you running now?”

“W... what… what exactly are you?” Lorena forced the words out with difficulty. Sweat slid down her temple. She had never experienced such suffocating pressure before.

“What am I?” Natsha let out a soft laugh.

She shifted, laying Lorena back onto the bed. Lorena’s wrists were caught and pinned above her head.

“What I am…” Natsha’s fingers traced along the side of her face. “…you’ll be satisfied either way.”

Lorena’s cheeks flushed bright red.

“Damn it.” She cursed inwardly. Why had her heat suddenly flared up like this?

Her breath burned hot as it brushed against Natsha’s cool skin. The scent of red wine spiraled out of control, occupying every inch of the room.

Natsha looked down at the woman beneath her with an indifferent gaze.

“What should we do now?”

Her voice teased, lingering by Lorena’s ear. When had Lorena ever needed to endure her own heat like this?

Suddenly, her wrists were released. Lorena was no longer lucid enough to analyze the situation. She only knew that the person before her perfectly suited her taste.

Lorena slid a hand behind Natsha’s neck, pulled her down and captured her in a deep kiss.

/////////////////////

Sunlight streamed into her eyes, making her frown in protest. The moment consciousness returned, Lorena shifted slightly.

“Ahhhh!” She cried out. It felt as if she had lifted weights for an entire day to earn this soreness.

More than that, the strange ache in a certain place left her stunned. Lorena turned her head.

Natsha was propping her head up with one hand, wearing that same pure smile as she looked at her.

Fragments of memory flickered before her eyes. Lorena gritted her teeth, instinctively wanting to kick the person beside her away.

But she forgot that the pain was still raging through her body.

“Ahhh!” Another miserable cry escaped her. Lorena had never felt so powerless in her life.

She couldn’t even leave on her own, only able to turn her face away. She didn’t want to see that damned face.

A hand settled on her waist, rubbing gently. Lorena wanted to pry it off. But she could only stare helplessly at the reality that her strength meant absolutely nothing compared to the other’s.

It felt as if her entire worldview had collapsed. A high-quality Alpha like her. How had she ended up being bullied by a brat two years younger?!!!

“Does it still hurt?” Natsha asked.

Lorena turned and glared at her.

“You really are… a liar.” Her anger had reached its peak.

“Huh?” Natsha blinked, confused. When had she ever lied?

“You said you were a Beta!” Lorena demanded. “If I had known w... what you really are… none of this would’ve happened!”

Lorena felt truly wronged. If she had known, she definitely wouldn’t have joined that bet.

“When did I ever say I was a Beta?” Natsha replied innocently.

Lorena bit her lip. She wasn’t wrong. It had only been rumors spread by the cheer squad; the truth had never been confirmed.

Lorena huffed irritably, letting the other continue rubbing her waist. After all, she couldn’t push her away even if she wanted to. And the consequences were caused by that person in the first place. Doing this much was the bare minimum she owed!