Lamionpa University has four pillars who hold all the school’s “heat” in their hands. The captain of the basketball team, Athena Mulleris. The captain of the rugby team, Rander Maliansion. The captain of the football team, Lorena Schuett. And lastly, the captain of the cheerleading squad, Natsha Taechamongkalapiwat.

All of them are top-tier Alphas, blessed with talent, strength, and powerful family backgrounds. All except one. The cheerleading captain, Natsha Taechamongkalapiwat, is the only Beta among the elite captains.

The opening match of the city-level intercollegiate tournament was officially underway.

The pre-game cheer performance had long since become a tradition. An unspoken rule among universities.

Lamionpa’s cheer captain opened the performance with a fleeting wink that set the entire stadium ablaze. Natsha’s fame had long surpassed the boundaries of Lamionpa, spreading even to neighboring areas. So even as a Beta, with her talent and striking beauty, Natsha Taechamongkalapiwat had never once escaped the center of attention and discussion.

Her light brown hair was softly curled, her delicate makeup meticulously done. Natsha moved with graceful precision, her skirt fluttering deliberately with every motion.

She was tossed high into the air, executing each move with practiced mastery. She spun midair before landing steadily in the waiting arms below.

The performance ended. The camera zoomed in on Natsha’s face, slightly flushed from exertion. She winked again and blew a kiss toward the lens.

The stadium screens replayed a close up of her performance. The entire team roared at her blown kiss.

“Oh my God! She’s so adorable!” A male Alpha shouted, his grin stretched impossibly wide.

“We can’t let Natsha’s cheer go to waste!” A female Alpha declared, staring at the screen with infatuation.

“Teammates! We must win! We absolutely cannot disappoint the beauty!!!” Another one yelled, and the whole team erupted in response.

Bang!

A locker door slammed shut. Everyone turned sharply toward the sound. Then instantly fell silent.

“Well done, all of you!” Lorena gritted out. “Training to compete, in the end not for yourselves, not for your teammates, not for the school.”

She exhaled sharply.

“But for a ‘beauty’? Huh?”

Everyone knew that the football team captain, Lorena Schuett, and the cheer captain, Natsha Taechamongkalapiwat, were sworn enemies.

“It’s… still a form of motivation, Captain…” someone muttered timidly.

“What did you say?” Lorena barked.

The one who had spoken quickly shrank back, as if wishing to disappear into thin air.

Lorena swept her gaze across each of them, let out a breath, then turned and left.

Only then did the team finally dare to breathe again.

“What on earth happened between those two?” A male Alpha asked. “Every time someone mentions the cheer captain, Captain just bristles.”

“Who knows? Natsha is so adorable. Everyone likes her. Why is the captain the only exception?” The female Alpha scratched her head and said.

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

Lorena had always been an outstanding forward for Lamionpa. The whole team worked in perfect sync, and they had scored quite a number of goals. But Trample had never been a “lightweight” opponent.

The score was tied at 2–2, and only a few minutes remained before the final whistle. Every member of the team felt as though their bodies were literally lying on burning coals.

She broke past Trample’s defensive line, closing in on the goal. The ball was passed to her by a teammate, and Lorena fired a shot before landing on both hands as her body hit the ground. The player who had slid in to steal the ball failed to stop her.

Lorena rolled onto the grass.

The crowd erupted.

“GOAL!!!!!!” The commentator burst out at the last minute strike.

The entire Lamionpa team rushed toward her, lifting their captain into the air in celebration.

Her body was drenched in sweat. The match had drained every ounce of her strength. But Lorena was still beaming, wearing a triumphant smile.

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

The locker room was left with only Lorena. She was always the one who took the longest to wash up.

Lorena had a white bathrobe draped over her body, her hair still slightly damp. She rummaged through her locker for the things she needed, tidying up a little.

Just as the locker door closed, a figure appearing behind it made her flinch.

Lorena glanced at the person, then looked away, searching through her bag for a change of clothes.

“Congratulations, Captain!” The voice that many considered sweet rang out.

Lorena shuddered.

“If you can’t speak properly, then it’s better to stay quiet!”

“That hurts, you know! Everyone loves my voice!” The girl in a simple T-shirt and light gray sweatpants put on a pitiful act that would melt anyone’s heart.

But the “anyone” mentioned here did not include Lorena Schuett.

“Then go talk to them.” Lorena tugged at the corner of her lips. “Don’t talk to me!”

“What would I talk to them for?” The cotton candy sweetness vanished in an instant, leaving behind a deep, dangerous tone. “I only need you to listen.”

At some point, the other girl had already stepped closer. Warm breath brushed against Lorena’s ear, making her shiver halfway. Not because of the fake sweetness, but because of the familiarity that stirred up memories she always tried to deny.

“W... what are you standing so close for?” She stammered.

“What do you think?” The girl moved even closer, caging her within arms Lorena had once thought weren’t that strong. “Hmm?”

A refreshing scent of sea breeze flooded Lorena’s senses. She immediately covered her nose and glared at the other girl.

“What are you doing?”

The girl’s lips hovered just in front of hers.

“Do you know that you reek of other Alphas?” She narrowed her eyes. The innocent, adorable face she wore every day now seemed unexpectedly sharp. “I don’t like my Alpha carrying someone else’s scent.”

Lorena’s body trembled lightly as the scent thickened in the air.

“I just finished showering. What scent could there possibly be?” She swallowed hard. “And even if there is, what does that have to do with you? And who said I’m your Alpha?”

The other girl raised an eyebrow, a smile curling on her lips.

The sea breeze scent in the air grew stronger, and Lorena’s cheeks flushed visibly.

“D... Damn it...” Lorena grabbed the other girl’s collar, clutching it tightly.

The powerful Alpha captain, one of the four pillars of the entire school, who always carried herself with strength and charisma, now struggled to form complete sentences under the overwhelming pressure of that aura.

She knew very well that the person in front of her only responded to softness, never force. If she continued being stubborn, she would only end up being pushed into an early heat.

“Natsha.” The call carried a reluctant note of compromise, soft as a mosquito’s buzz.

“Yes?” The one being called narrowed her eyes with a smile, dimples appearing on her cheeks.

“I’m uncomfortable…” Lorena murmured. She truly hated this person. As one of the strongest Alphas in the school, her pride was high. But she was being cornered to the brink by this very person.

“You’re uncomfortable?” Natsha replied in a seemingly innocent tone.

“Then let me help you.”

The second sentence shifted instantly in tone.

The aura she released only intensified. Natsha pressed her lips against Lorena’s. Lorena wanted to resist, but her limbs had no strength. All her power seemed to vanish. Her legs weakened, almost giving out, but Natsha wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her flush against her body.

“Mmm…” Lorena let out a soft sound, her mind growing hazy from the kiss.

Lorena knew that if this continued, things wouldn’t stop here. She could only summon the remaining strength of an Alpha to create distance between them.

“Go home first.” Lorena panted.

Natsha didn’t push her too far. She obediently let her go. If they kept meeting force with force, she would end up suffering too.

An Alpha might be an Alpha, but even they couldn’t avoid catching a cold. For now, it was better to let Lorena change her clothes first.