Champ's POV

  "Am I not allowed to py? Your training looks fun," the menacing Alpha before me said, his voice dripping with amusement. "We could even make it a challenge—both of us blindfolded. Sounds hirious, doesn't it?"

  I wanted to speak, but I couldn't.

  Before me, the four Beta males stood firm, their eyes locked onto the Alpha like sentinels guarding their post. They weren't the best fighters—not yet—but they knew what they were up against. Even so, they refused to back down.

  "We won't let you down, Master Champ," Daryl whispered.

  "Even if we're not in the best condition, we won't let him see our weakness," Marsh added.

  "If you could face someone like Deux without flinching, we'll do the same with him, Master Champ," Gem said with quiet determination.

  "We'll be your shield, Master Champ," Martin assured me.

  The Alpha chuckled, his tone ced with mockery. "How touching," he sneered. "This is the first time I've seen such a heartwarming dispy of loyalty between Betas and their Alpha leader. It's almost... theatrical."

  His amusement wasn't just for show—he was toying with us, savoring our reactions like a predator cornering its prey.

  My hands trembled. I clenched my fists, hoping he wouldn't notice. Thankfully, the Betas in front of me blocked his view.

  Then, with a sickening smile, he leaned forward. "Have you ever seen blood spill like a river?" His eyes widened as he locked his gaze onto mine.

  There was no doubt—this man could kill without hesitation.

  I said nothing. I just stared right back at him, unwilling to look away.

  His grin faltered. "Why aren't you answering me? Why am I the only one talking?!" His sudden outburst sent a jolt of unease through the air. But just as quickly, his anger turned into ughter, his hand brushing against his forehead.

  "Oh, right! You don't know who I am yet. You've never seen me before, have you?"

  Who is he?

  And why can he smell my scent?

  Does it mean he's not an average Alpha with the same calibre as Deux?

  Like him, his presence exuded an overwhelming power—a suffocating aura that made the air feel heavy.

  Are they reted?

  "I was only gone for two years," he mused. "Suspended from this university for the smallest of infractions."

  His eyes darkened, and his smile twisted into something sinister.

  "All I did was kill an instructor who refused to obey me."

  The world around us seemed to still.

  "I had a headache that day, and I told him to stop the css. But what did he do? He tried to kick me out instead! Me! An Alpha with the strongest bloodline!" His voice rose with incredulity, as if he truly believed he had been wronged. "Tell me, was that fair? A mere Beta daring to defy someone like me? I don't think so."

  I watched him carefully. There was no doubt about it—this Alpha's mind is unstable.

  He grinned again. "I suppose that was quite the introduction, wasn't it?"

  Then, with a single step forward—swift, sudden, threatening—the four Betas before me instinctively flinched.

  The Alpha ughed. "I haven't even done anything yet! Why are you stepping back?" His voice was full of amusement, as if this was nothing more than a game.

  But then, his tone dropped, his smile sharpening like a knife.

  "Don't blink."

  The air grew colder.

  "Don't look away."

  Silence engulfed us.

  "And whatever you do... don't take your eyes off me."

  None of us moved. None of us dared to breathe.

  In an instant, his gaze lifted to the sky.

  "Looks like it's going to rain," he mused.

  And just like that, the four Beta males instinctively tilted their heads upward.

  What happened next was so fast, so seamless, that it was almost unreal.

  (Smack!)

  Before a second could even pass, the Alpha struck them down with a single, devastating kick.

  The impact sent the four crashing to the ground, writhing in pain, unable to move. They clutched at their sides, their bodies trembling from the sheer force.

  "I told you not to take your eyes off me," he said with an almost zy amusement. His gaze flickered back to me. "But you... you were listening, weren't you, little Alpha? You did not dare to take your eyes off of me. That's good.."

  Then, with deliberate ease, he took a step toward me.

  My breath hitched.

  Without thinking, my foot moved back.

  A mistake.

  His smirk widened.

  "Where are you going? Are you backing away?" He tilted his head, voice dripping with mockery. "Alpha males should not show any fear."

  He took another step.

  Then another.

  And yet, I couldn't move. My body refused to obey me.

  Fear.

  I couldn't let him see it. I couldn't let him know.

  Then, he was there—right in front of me.

  Close.

  Too close.

  His face lowered, inching toward my neck.

  I froze.

  Then, I felt it.

  The faintest brush of his nose against the skin of my right colrbone.

  He inhaled deeply, the sound slow, deliberate—hungry.

  "Your scent is... different," he murmured, his breath warm against my skin. "He was right... it's intoxicating, addictive... confusing."

  My pulse pounded violently in my ears.

  At any moment, he could strike.

  Mark me.

  Take control.

  But instead...

  He straightened.

  And ughed.

  "How amusing..." he said, his sharp eyes tracing over my features, studying me as if I were some rare specimen.

  Then, with a deliberate slowness, he reached out.

  The cool tips of his fingers ghosted over my cheek, sliding down until his thumb and forefinger gripped my chin.

  He tilted my face up slightly.

  A silent cim. A test.

  "An Alpha," he whispered, almost to himself. "And yet, why do I feel something... different?"

  Then, as if a puzzle piece clicked into pce, his lips curled.

  "Deux was right about you... No wonder he refuses to let anyone else touch you. He wants to keep you for himself. To own you. That's why he's so possessive of you."

  His words sank into my bones, but my mind felt bnk.

  Numb.

  I didn't know what to feel anymore.

  I just knew that whatever was happening right now—whatever this was—it wasn't over.

  Not yet.

  ...

  ...

  ...

  Deux's POV

  The meeting had been long and tedious. My father, the Alpha King, had gathered the highest-ranking officials of the government—figures who ran this world with ruthless precision. I was expected to sit through it, to learn, to observe, so that when the time comes for me to take the throne, I would know how to lead.

  But right now, none of that mattered.

  I wasted no time heading straight to the university, not even bothering to change out of my formal suit. The moment I arrived, I made my way to Champ's cssroom. But when I opened the door—

  Nothing.

  No one was there.

  "Where is he?" A sharp pang of unease stabbed through my chest.

  I took a deep breath, trying to catch his scent.

  But... nothing.

  My hands clenched into fists.

  He wasn't here.

  Next, I headed for the cafeteria, knowing that he often spent time there with his cn.

  ...

  As soon as I pushed the cafeteria doors open, I caught sight of someone who could lead me straight to him.

  "Master Deux?!" Jiggs stammered, nearly dropping the bag of food and water he was carrying.

  "Where is Champ?" I demanded.

  "H-he's... he's..." The Beta could barely speak, his fear rolling off him in waves.

  My patience snapped.

  "WHERE?!" My voice echoed through the cafeteria, making him recoil.

  "H-he's... h-he's..."

  Useless.

  I exhaled sharply. "This is getting us nowhere." I stepped closer, lowering my voice just enough to make it dangerous. "You're coming with me. Take me to him. Now."

  "B-but—"

  "NOW."

  His mouth cmped shut. He had no choice.

  Jiggs' legs trembled as he began walking, but his slow pace only grated on my nerves.

  "Why are you alone in the cafeteria? Why aren't you with Champ?" I questioned as we walked.

  "I- I bought food for them! We-we're training!" he stuttered.

  "With who? Just you and the four Betas?"

  "Y-yes! Just us! No one else!"

  I exhaled slowly. That meant Silver hadn't found him yet.

  Good.

  Because if Silver had already id his eyes on Champ...

  No. I couldn't let that happen.

  Jiggs was still shaking, slowing our pace even more. Annoyance curled in my chest.

  "I won't hurt you," I said, voice eerily calm, "as long as you stop wasting my time and get me to Champ faster."

  He looked at me cautiously, as if unsure whether to believe me.

  "A-are you sure?"

  "Mm." My response was clipped. "You're not worth my energy, Beta."

  He let out a shaky breath, seeming slightly relieved.

  If only he knew.

  If I didn't need him right now, I would have put him in his pce a long time ago.

  Still, I couldn't sense Champ's vender scent anywhere. That unsettled me more than I cared to admit.

  For now, I had to rely on this trembling Beta.

  "I have a question for you," I said.

  "W-what is it?"

  I took a deep breath before speaking.

  "Do you know if Champ has a... condition?"

  Jiggs blinked, confusion flickering in his eyes.

  "Condition?" he echoed, then turned to look at me directly for the first time.

  Finally, he was speaking properly.

  "Yes. Do you know anything about it?"

  "What do you mean? What condition?"

  So, he had no idea.

  That made sense.

  Champ wouldn't tell anyone if he was suffering. Just like me, he would never admit to weakness.

  "Forget it," I dismissed. "But tell me—have you heard of AEDS? Alpha Energy Depletion Syndrome?"

  Jiggs furrowed his brows, his mind visibly searching for information.

  "AEDS... hmm?" Then his face lit up with recognition. "I read about it in a book once! It's a rare condition that affects newly developed Alphas. It disrupts their energy flow and causes anomalies in their bodies."

  So, he was useful after all.

  "Good. Do you know if there's a cure?"

  "W-wait a second..." He paused, deep in thought, as if flipping through the pages of his memory.

  But before he could answer—

  I smelled it.

  A scent I hated.

  A scent that made my blood boil.

  Silver.

  That filthy scent polluted the air like poison.

  But mixed with it...

  Lavender.

  Champ.

  My stomach twisted. We are close.

  "Ah! I remember the cure—" Jiggs started, but I wasn't listening anymore.

  Because the moment I turned the corner—

  I saw it.

  And the sight sent a violent storm raging inside me.

  Champ.

  Standing there.

  His hands shaking. His legs unsteady.

  And before him—Silver.

  Too close.

  Far too close.

  My vision blurred with red.

  Rage.

  I didn't think.

  I moved.

  "Silver!" My voice rang out, sharp and commanding.

  Both of them turned toward me.

  Champ's reaction was immediate—his eyes wide with shock, fear flickering in their depths. His breathing quickened, chest rising and falling in short, panicked bursts. The moment he saw me—truly saw me—he ran.

  "Champ!" Jiggs called after him, his head snapping to follow his Alpha's retreating figure.

  "Go after him," I ordered.

  Without hesitation, Jiggs obeyed, his hurried steps echoing against the stone floors as he chased after Champ.

  That left me and him.

  Silver.

  I turned my full attention to him, my gaze locked onto his with seething intensity.

  He simply smiled. A slow, calcuted curve of his lips—the kind that infuriated me. The kind that told me he was pying a game only he understood.

  "Oh! Rex, Deux! Why do you look so angry?" Silver drawled, tilting his head as if he were genuinely curious. "I haven't even done anything yet. I was just making friends with some unfamiliar faces."

  He gestured toward the four unconscious Beta males sprawled across the ground.

  My jaw clenched.

  "What did you do to them?" I asked, my voice dangerously low.

  "Oh? Since when did you care so much about mere Betas?" He taunted. "They're not even your subordinates, are they?"

  I took a deep breath, trying to suppress the burning anger threatening to explode. If I let my emotions take over now, I'd lose control.

  And I refused to lose control in front of him.

  Silver watched me, amused. His eyes glinted with something dark, something unreadable.

  "I was just wandering around the university, reminiscing, you know? It's been a while since I've set foot here," he said smoothly. "Then, I stumbled upon a little training session. Quite the impressive dispy, I must say. Their Alpha leader was exceptional—he even managed to knock them all down while blindfolded."

  His grin widened.

  "That Alpha leader... that was him, wasn't it? The one with that... condition?"

  I didn't answer. I simply watched him, waiting.

  Silver took my silence as an invitation to continue.

  "But he didn't seem weak at all," he mused. "In fact, he looked perfectly fine to me. Agile. Strong."

  Then, his smile turned into something even more insidious.

  "But you know what caught my attention the most?"

  "What?"

  He took a step closer.

  "You were right... that Alpha is different. So different."

  Slowly, he circled me, moving behind me like a predator toying with its prey.

  I didn't turn to face him. I stood still, listening.

  Then, his voice lowered into a whisper, right against my ear.

  "Now I understand why you don't want any other Alphas near him," Silver murmured. "Why you cimed that he's yours... that no one else can touch him."

  My fingers twitched.

  "What are you implying?" I asked, my voice ice-cold.

  Silver chuckled.

  "That Alpha... he's bewitching, Deux," he said, his words slow and deliberate. "From his scent... to his presence... and especially when I inhaled the fragrance of his neck—"

  I snapped.

  I turned in an instant, my hand crushing around his throat.

  Silver gasped—but even that was ced with amusement.

  "Oh? Are we resorting to violence now?" he rasped, still smiling. "I thought we were family, Deux. Is this how you treat your own blood? Over a single Alpha?"

  My grip tightened.

  I wanted to break him.

  I wanted to snap his neck right here, right now.

  But the logical part of my mind held me back.

  Killing Silver would bring consequences.

  The st thing I needed was to draw unnecessary attention to Champ.

  With great effort, I forced myself to release him.

  Silver stumbled back slightly, coughing—then let out a lighthearted ugh.

  "Oh, Deux," he chuckled. "How interesting you've become."

  I didn't respond.

  My entire body was still burning with rage, my blood screaming for violence.

  "Changing for an Alpha," he mused, wiping his neck as if to mock me. "Willing to harm your own kin... over him."

  Then, his eyes gleamed with something wicked.

  "What do you think the Alpha King would say if he found out his son was losing his mind over another Alpha?" He ughed.

  "Do whatever you want," I said darkly. "Report me if you like. I won't stop you."

  Silver let out a delighted hum.

  "Now that is the courage I love to see from my dear cousin," he teased. "But don't worry, Deux. I won't tell Uncle."

  I narrowed my eyes.

  He was toying with me.

  And worse—he was enjoying it.

  "Why?" I demanded.

  He smirked.

  "Because I'm just as interested in him as you are."

  My heart stopped.

  Silver stepped back, his eyes never leaving mine.

  "Consider this a warning, Deux," he murmured. "You're not the only one drawn to him. There's something about that Alpha... something irresistible. And I intend to find out exactly what it is."

  My fists clenched.

  "Stay away from him, Silver."

  Silver let out a short ugh.

  "Oh, rex! I won't follow him... not today, at least."

  He turned to leave, but paused.

  "But let's see how long you can keep him all to yourself, cousin." He threw a smirk over his shoulder. "Because something tells me... you won't be able to."

  And with that, he was gone.

  But the fury inside me remained, burning hotter than ever.

  I turned to the Beta males still unconscious on the ground.

  Silver had done this to them.

  If he had been serious... their bones would've been shattered.

  I exhaled, forcing myself to focus.

  I needed them taken care of.

  I called my subordinates and as soon as they got here, "Get them to the university clinic," I ordered my own Betas as they arrived. "Make sure they recover."

  As they carried the injured away, my mind spun with a single thought.

  Silver wasn't finished.

  And as long as he is lurking nearby, Champ is in danger.

  I wouldn't allow it.

  I will have to protect him.

  No matter what...

  I don't have the time to think about me as an Alpha protecting another Alpha. This is Champ we are dealing with now and he's mine!

  All mine!

  ...

  ...

  ...