Mr Alpha I want More of you!

Aria

I never believed in moments that changed your life—until his eyes met mine.

The campus courtyard buzzed with life. Students moved in lazy lines, laughter echoing, heels tapping, and phones glowing. I stood at the edge of it all, clutching my planner like it was my only shield against the chaos of first-day madness. And maybe it was. For someone like me—quiet, invisible by choice—this place felt like an arena, and I was no fighter.

But then he arrived.

It wasn’t the sleek black car that drew the first gasp—it was the man who stepped out. Tall, broad-shouldered, dressed in black like the world owed him something and he intended to collect. His gaze swept across the courtyard like it already belonged to him.

Riven Ashford.

I’d heard the name. Everyone had. The prodigal son of the Ashford family—old money, power, danger wrapped in elegance. He wasn’t just rich. He was untouchable. And apparently, he was now a student here, which didn’t make sense until it did. Power liked to watch the world from up close before it crushed it.

My chest tightened when his eyes locked with mine.

It should’ve been a fleeting glance. A mistake.

But it wasn’t.

He looked at me like he knew me. Like I wasn’t just another girl on this crowded campus. There was something in that gaze—dark and unreadable—pulling me in, even as my brain screamed to look away.

I turned first. I always do.

I ducked into the admin building, heart hammering, silently praying that he hadn’t noticed. Not really. That I was still safe in my anonymity.

But I felt it.

A presence behind me, like gravity shifting.

I didn’t have to turn around to know he was watching.

And in that moment, I knew—something had shifted. My plan to stay unnoticed, untouched, uninvolved?

It just shattered.

The hallway felt too quiet after the courtyard—like the world had paused, just for me to catch my breath.

But I couldn’t.

My heart was still racing, like I’d run a marathon I hadn’t signed up for. The planner trembled slightly in my hand. Ridiculous. Just a look, Aria. Just a pair of eyes and a face that belonged in magazine spreads—not in your life.

I shook my head and walked faster, trying to reach the admin office without looking over my shoulder. I didn’t need to. I knew he hadn’t followed me inside.

And yet—I still felt him.

Why did he look at me like that? Like I was a puzzle he’d already solved… or maybe one he intended to break apart slowly.

“Excuse me?”

The voice startled me. I turned, blinking.

A girl with thick curls and sharp eyes stood behind the desk, blinking at my blank stare. I realized I hadn’t spoken. Or moved.

“Sorry,” I said, stepping closer. “I’m Aria Hayes. New transfer. I was told to check in here before orientation.”

She typed quickly, then gave me a bright smile. “Welcome to Belmont. You’re in East Hall, third floor. Room 318. Your class schedule’s in your student portal, and orientation starts in an hour in the auditorium.”

I nodded, forcing a smile in return. But the weight in my chest didn’t lift.

As I walked away, I glanced at the glass doors.

Empty.

No one there.

Relief—cold and temporary—settled in.

But even as I turned the corner, I couldn’t shake the feeling that his eyes hadn’t just seen me…

They’d marked me.

The sun had started to dip behind the old library tower by the time I found East Hall.

It was quieter here. Less flashy. No luxury cars or groups of polished students laughing in curated packs. Just the sound of wind tugging at leaves and the quiet thump of my suitcase wheels as I dragged it up the walkway.

Room 318.

I stood in front of the door for a moment, hand on the knob. New school. New city. New everything. I should’ve felt excited, but all I felt was the ghost of a stare still burning between my shoulder blades.

I shook it off.

Inside, the room was small but clean. Two single beds, matching desks, and sunlight leaking through pale curtains. My roommate hadn’t arrived yet—thank God. I needed a second to breathe.

I dropped onto the bed by the window and pulled out my phone.

One missed call. Mom.

A smile tugged at my lips. I knew she’d be worrying already.

I started to type a quick I’m okay, settling in, but paused when a notification blinked across my screen.

Private Message Request – Unknown

I frowned.

I didn’t recognize the profile picture. Just a dark silhouette. No name.

“Nice view from the admin office window.”

My breath caught.

No. It had to be a coincidence.

I opened the message again.

“You shouldn’t look so surprised when someone sees you. The world’s been missing out.”

My phone nearly slipped from my hand.

I stood up and moved to the window, pulling the curtain aside just enough to peek through.

Nothing.

But the words…

They weren’t casual. They weren’t kind.

They were deliberate.

Someone had seen me.

And somehow, I already knew who it was.

Riven

I don’t believe in accidents.

Everything—every person, every move—is either a strategy or a mistake.

She was neither.

Aria Hayes.

The name was just a footnote in a file when I saw it. A line buried between scholarship credits and an address tucked far from this world of wealth and influence. She should’ve stayed invisible.

But she didn’t.

The first time I saw her photo, something shifted. Not in the world. In me. She had that look—quiet, cautious, like she was made for shadows. Like she’d fight to never be seen.

But I saw her anyway.

And once I did, I couldn’t stop.

It wasn’t about attraction. Not at first. It was something deeper. Something… inconvenient.

That day in the courtyard? That wasn’t chance.

I chose it.

I timed it.

Every step, every glance—it was planned.