s's

aze still felt like a weight between my shoulder blades, but I didn't look b

mixed with detergent. Voices echoed from the training arena beyond the glass partition; shouts, thuds, the i

someone

, tall and lean with dark eyes and an easy swagger that made people forget h

from a nearby rack. "What happened? Oversleep? Or did y

busy,"

asn't. His gaze flicked briefly to my wrist, the hand

ing his line of sight. "Don't wait for m

I'd hate to apply

but he stepped beside

rankings posted thi

ond. That did

aused long enough to glance at me. "Everyone's talking about

ped wa

oo, one br

only he knew ho

onan had entered the training arena. His reflection drifted into view, broad sh

d followed my line of si

few top ranks, instructors, and admirers circling like plane

don't get how you two have

re civiliz

reath. "No one at this

't dis

from across the room. He clappe

efore heading into

lights cast everything in a stark white glow that made it impossible to hide shadows. Alphas trained

locating exits automaticall

on. No one spoke to me unless

ars across his jaw, strode into the cent

sment drills start now

shifted

tter of it and changed course. Another from Rank 6 he

d alone.

e air c

t need

the kind of confidence that didn't need to be spoken or proven

y peripheral vision

. Just a choice made, s

eacted bef

rose li

re pai

wa

ly gonna fig

kill

kept my face blank, but ever

sed. His gaze flicked from Ronan to

ed," h

. He didn't posture. He didn't smirk. He just watched me wit

int of suffocation. Most Alphas projected without effort. Ronan c

e mat without spe

enter circle. The noises in

he suppressant already thinning in my blood. I couldn't aff

ore me," Rona

t. But they cut through the

thout flinching.

ed through his eyes. Interest? Amu

or Vale

atch

moved

d and precision I'd only seen from three people in my life. His rest

He dodged effortlessly. Our movements were quiet,

ered in their matches, eyes

ped his ankle and nearly swept him down, bu

ssed or ma

it ha

sl

ovement.

st enough for a trace of something el

mach d

But his eyes;his damned eyes sharpened l

e stopped fightin

atching like

, but the impact jolted through his arm. I used the moment to increase distance, forcing my body

thudded o

lightly, not out of su

rby whisper

t know wha

d

dn't

n't ex

ike the clock between

aiting for i