Krishna wasn't planning to stop by this café.
Really.
She'd only come down this street because the bakery next door had a sale on her favorite cream puffs.
But fate, sweet, delicious, drama-filled fate, had other plans.
There he was.
Mr. Station Alpha.
Sitting near the window, dressed like he'd actually put effort into looking presentable.
Collared shirt. Rolled sleeves.
That expensive watch peeking just right from under his cuff, like he was flexing wealth as personality.
Across from him?
An Omega.
Female this time.
Pretty. Demure. Laughing at his every bad joke like it was the funniest thing on earth.
Krishna tilted her head, lips curling slow.
Interesting.
For a brief second, she considered letting him have his peace.
Then she remembered the phone call.
The envelope.
The air freshener she mailed him.
Yeah… no.
She sauntered in without hesitation, heels clacking on the tile floor loud enough to make people turn.
Half the café paused mid-conversation.
Including him.
Their eyes met.
And oh—
That subtle panic that flashed across his face?
Chef's kiss.
Krishna strode right up to their table, rested one hand on her hip, and gave the Omega woman her brightest, fakest customer-service smile.
"Oh wow. Small city, huh?" she said sweetly, like this was a coincidence and not a premeditated act of social terrorism.
The Omega blinked.
The Alpha stiffened.
Krishna's gaze dropped meaningfully to the Omega's bare neck - unclaimed.
Of course. A casual date.
Then back up to him.
"No leaking today?" she teased, tapping the table twice like she was giving him a gold star. "Proud of you."
The Omega frowned, confused.
"Leaking?"
Krishna clutched her imaginary pearls. "Oh, didn't he tell you? This man's pheromone control is… let's say… questionable in public spaces."
His jaw flexed, tight enough she almost felt bad for him.
Almost.
Krishna leaned in close - too close - letting her voice drop low enough only he could hear.
"Relax. I'm not here to ruin your date," she whispered, lips nearly brushing his ear. "Not today anyway. Consider this… community service. You're welcome."
She straightened, winked at the bewildered Omega, and sauntered right back out like she hadn't just set his entire afternoon on fire.
Outside, she popped a cream puff into her mouth and grinned.
Life was good.
And Alphas?
They stayed predictable.
She didn't make it three steps down the sidewalk before she heard it.
The scrape of a chair.
The sudden burst of heavy footsteps.
Then—
"Krishna!"
Oh. There it was. The snap.
She barely turned her head before his hand caught her wrist, yanking her back with enough force to spin her halfway around.
Gasps echoed from inside the café. Silverware clattered. Someone said something that sounded like "Call security—"
But Krishna?
Krishna just blinked down at his grip on her arm like it was some pathetic joke.
"Seriously?" she said, her voice low, amused, and just this side of lethality. "You're going for force now? Big bad Alpha, trying to manhandle the one person in this city who couldn't care less about your rank?"
His nostrils flared. That cocky, barely-contained rage simmering right under his skin.
"You think you can just humiliate me in front of people again?" he growled, dragging her closer. "Keep pushing and I won't hold back this time."
His pheromones flared, habitual, useless.
Krishna didn't flinch. Not even a blink.
"Aw," she cooed, voice syrupy and sharp. "Are you trying to intimidate me, sweetheart? That's adorable."
And then, before he could blink—
Her boot met his shin.
Hard.
Sharp enough to buckle his knee halfway down on instinct.
Before he could recover, she twisted her wrist free with practiced ease - spun - then drove the heel of her palm straight under his chin with enough snap to make his teeth clack together.
The force of it sent him stumbling back two full steps, crashing into a table and knocking over someone's half-drunk latte.
More gasps. Someone shrieked.
Krishna dusted her hands off like she'd just taken out the trash.
"Let me make this real simple for you," she said, stepping over the knocked-over chair like it was just part of the scenery.
"I don't care how many stripes you wear, how much money you make, or how many clueless Omegas you parade around to puff up your ego."
Her eyes narrowed, voice dipping darker.
"You put your hands on me again?"
One more step forward, close enough for him to smell the faintest hint of her perfume, something sharp and citrus and entirely hers.
"I'll break more than your pride next time."
With that, she turned on her heel and walked off - cool, steady, untouchable.
The bystanders stared like she was a natural disaster in human form.
Behind her, Mr. Station Alpha sat there, stunned, hand pressed to his chin, pride cracked wide open across a dirty sidewalk.
And Krishna?
She popped another cream puff into her mouth, pulled out her phone, and sent one simple text to her gossip group chat:
"Update: Still undefeated."