"Deux? Are you okay?" Champ tilted his head. "You look... frozen. If you don't have anything else to say, I'm leaving."

  "Ahh... ummm..." I stammered.

  Wait. Why was my brain short-circuiting?!

  What is this?!

  Was this some new kind of sickness?!

  A completely unexplored side effect of Alpha interactions?!

  Champ sighed and turned to leave.

  No. Wait. No, no, no!

  "Wait," I blurted out.

  "Hmm?"

  He gnced back at me, curious.

  I swallowed hard. Then, in one swift motion, I shoved a bag of supplements into his hands.

  "What's this?" He blinked at me.

  "Medicine. Specifically, supplements," I muttered.

  "Huh? For what?"

  "For your severe condition," I said dryly.

  "My condition?" He looked genuinely confused.

  "Are you seriously forgetting? You have AEDS, you idiot!"

  "Oh... right!" He ughed, as if he had just remembered.

  HE LAUGHED?!

  What the hell is so funny about this?!

  "Those supplements—I didn't buy them because I was worried about you." I scowled. "I bought them so you can recover quickly, so I can fight you at full strength. I want to settle this once and for all—to see who is truly the stronger Alpha."

  Champ, then, opened the bag I gave him.

  He pulled out a pack, examining it.

  "Alpha Energy Supplement... enhances testosterone levels..." he read aloud.

  "There are various types in there," I added, crossing my arms. "Take them all. And don't you dare forget. Because I'm not waiting forever for our rematch. Also—" I looked away, frowning, "I haven't told anyone about your condition. No one knows except me. So your secret is safe."

  I kept my gaze fixed elsewhere, my face set in its usual scowl.

  "Be grateful to me again."

  And then—

  He ughed.

  AGAIN.

  He tucked the supplement pack back into the bag, grabbed his other shopping bags, and grinned at me.

  "Thanks again, Deux. You really didn't have to do all this, but I appreciate it."

  What the hell?!

  "What's so funny?!" I snapped.

  Why was he ughing at me?!

  "Are you ughing because I care?!" I growled. "I don't! Never! High ranking Alpha like me never cared!"

  "I know, I know," he smirked. "You totally don't care."

  "Exactly!" I huffed.

  "You just worry about me." He smirked even harder.

  My eye twitched.

  "I DO NOT worry about you!" I snapped. "An Alpha worrying about another Alpha?! HA! You must be dreaming, Champ!"

  "Is that so?" He teased, gncing at the coat I had thrown over him earlier.

  "That's just—so you don't look weak and seducing in front of other Alphas!" I argued. "That coat is a symbol of strength! And it has my scent on it, so other Alphas will back off!"

  "Oh, I definitely smell it," he smirked.

  I scowled.

  "Anyway, I don't care what you do anymore! I'm leaving!" I spun on my heel, ready to walk away.

  "Deux."

  I stopped.

  (Huh? Why did I stop? Why am I still listening to him?!)

  I turned back, irritated.

  "What now?"

  Champ rubbed the back of his neck.

  "As a thank-you for everything you've done," he said, "I know just saying it isn't enough. So, if you're not too busy..."

  He met my gaze.

  "I'm inviting you to my pce."

  I blinked.

  "What?"

  "We're having a small gathering—Jiggs and the others," he expined. "If you want to come, you're welcome. I'll handle the food."

  My right eyebrow twitched.

  "You?" I repeated. "Are inviting me to your house?"

  "Yes."

  "You're allowing another Alpha into your territory?"

  "Let's just say I'm doing this out of gratitude." He shrugged. "Let's put aside the Alpha pride for once, okay?"

  I stared at him.

  "Your territory is your domain." I narrowed my eyes. "If I enter it, we'll have to fight over it. Have you even considered that?"

  Champ looked completely unbothered.

  "I don't care," he said casually. "I invited you, and it's up to you whether you show up or not. There will be food, drinks, and everything else. You can keep overthinking all your territory nonsense, but in my house, everyone is equal."

  Then, without waiting for my response, he turned and walked off.

  I watched him go, still processing.

  Me?

  Going to Champ's house?

  Tch.

  What a ridiculous idea.

  An Alpha stepping into another Alpha's home?

  That was just asking for trouble.

  And even worse—

  He's the one cooking?!

  He didn't even let me know where his house is! Idiot!

  (Sniff.)

  Champ was gone now, but...

  (Sniff.)

  His scent still lingered.

  Hmm...

  ...

  ...

  ...

  Champ's POV

  "WOOH! I haven't partied like this in so long! Good thing we don't have csses today, and you invited us, Champ!" Jiggs yelled as he danced on top of the table, completely drunk out of his mind.

  I could only shake my head while watching him, while the four Beta Males enthusiastically joined in his drunken chaos.

  Well, I was a little tipsy myself—after all, we had started drinking in the afternoon.

  And judging by the empty bottles piling up, we had easily downed eight per person.

  I couldn't help but smile, seeing them having so much fun. You know that feeling? Like a proud mother watching her children py?

  Wait.

  That sounded... very Omega-like.

  Haha. Ridiculous.

  "Jiggs! Get down from there before you fall! You're completely wasted!" I scolded.

  Jiggs only grinned and ughed. "Wow, Champ, you always sound just like a mom."

  "Seriously, Master Champ," Marsh chimed in. "If I didn't know you were an Alpha, I'd totally think you were an Omega. You're way too... caring."

  The other three Beta Males nodded in agreement.

  "Yeah, Master Champ!"

  I gawked at them. "Are you guys insane?! Me? An Omega?! You all need to get your heads checked!"

  I grabbed my bottle of liquor and took a long swig.

  But then—

  "Hey, imagine this," Jiggs smirked, "what if you actually were an Omega? And you've just been pretending to be an Alpha this whole time?"

  And then he ughed and took another sip of his drink.

  ...

  I nearly choked.

  "What?! Me?! An Omega?!" I let out a nervous ugh, but my heart skipped a beat.

  That was a joke, right?

  It was just a joke.

  And yet, all four Beta Males suddenly stared at me.

  Like they were examining me.

  Like they were putting pieces together.

  My eyes widened. I started sweating.

  "Stop looking at me like that!" I yelled and quickly downed the rest of my drink.

  But my bottle was already empty.

  Damn it.

  "I—I'm grabbing another drink!" I decred. "Also, I already ordered pizza! Jiggs, if it arrives while I'm gone, go get it!"

  I stormed toward the kitchen, needing an excuse to escape their suspicious gazes.

  Damn those idiots.

  I wasn't getting exposed today!

  As I opened the chiller to grab another bottle of cold liquor, my eyes nded on a bag sitting on the kitchen counter.

  It was the supplements Deux gave me.

  Right.

  I had invited him earlier...

  But—

  HAHAHAHA!

  I FORGOT TO GIVE HIM MY ADDRESS!

  I burst out ughing.

  What a stupid mistake.

  Not that it mattered—there was no way Deux was actually going to come.

  That guy had too much pride. He'd never step into my territory, especially since he thinks that we are both Alphas.

  It was honestly hirious to think about.

  Honestly, I just wanted to thank him properly for everything he had done for me.

  Also...

  If he did show up, maybe I could ask him for some tips on how to expand an Alpha Cn's territory.

  That is—if he was willing to share.

  Anyway, I grabbed my drink and headed back to the living room—

  Where my friends were now in a full-blown, drunken dance battle.

  (Snap!)

  I popped open my drink, ready to take a sip—

  When I suddenly froze.

  (Sniff.)

  Wait a second.

  Vanil?

  Deux's scent?!

  I sniffed again.

  Maybe it was just the coat he lent me earlier?

  Yeah. That had to be it.

  His scent was all over that thing—it made sense that I was still picking up traces of it.

  But seriously.

  What the hell was going through that guy's mind when he wrapped me in his coat like that?

  Was he losing his mind?

  And then there were those supplements.

  Sigh.

  What the hell was I supposed to do with those? I wasn't even going to take them! They'd just go to waste.

  "Jiggs, did the pizza arrive yet?" I asked.

  Jiggs didn't respond.

  Because Jiggs was now twirling on top of the table like a ballerina.

  ...Right.

  I wasn't getting a normal answer out of him.

  Same for the four Beta Males.

  Completely lost in the alcohol.

  (Doorbell!)

  "Oh, thank god! The pizza's here!" I sighed in relief.

  I wanted to order one of them to get it, but judging by the state of things...

  Yeah. That wasn't happening.

  So, I went myself.

  (Doorbell!)

  "Coming! Hold on!" I called out, holding my drink as I made my way to the door.

  (Doorbell!)

  "Geez, chill! I'm almost there!"

  I finally swung the door open, expecting to see the pizza guy.

  But—

  It wasn't.

  It wasn't the pizza guy.

  It was—

  "Deux?!"

  He stood at my doorstep, arms crossed, looking as grumpy as ever. His eyebrow twitched in mild annoyance, and he was glowering at me like I owed him money.

  Why did he look like he was in a bad mood?!

  "How the hell did you even find my house?!" I blurted out.

  Deux just scoffed, looking unimpressed.

  "You think you can hide from me, idiot?"

  End of Chapter 13