Chapter 2 – His Dangerous Eyes

The rain hadn’t stopped by morning. It bled down the glass in sheets, blurring the world outside Ironclad into gray smears. Inside, the academy pulsed with restless energy—boots thudding, doors slamming, orders shouted.

I’d barely slept. The suppressant still burned cold in my veins, but the calm it brought was brittle, thin as glass.

By the time I reached the training arena, my head was pounding. The metallic smell of sweat and disinfectant hit me like a wall. Alphas moved in pairs across the mats, sparring, growling, dominance filling the air like static.

Instructor Reyne’s voice cut through the noise. “Partnered matches today. Find your assignments and don’t waste my time.”

I scanned the board.

Zade Varyn — Partner: Xander Vale.

Perfect.

He was already waiting for me on the mat, arms folded, mouth curved in that infuriating smirk.

“Scared?” he asked.

“Of you?” I pulled my gloves tighter. “I’d have to care first.”

He chuckled. “Keep talking, second place. I’ll enjoy shutting you up.”

The whistle blew.

He attacked first—fast, vicious. I blocked, countered, every muscle moving on instinct. We’d fought a hundred times before, always circling the same storm. He had strength; I had control. But today, his strikes hit harder.

Each collision sent a jolt through me. His scent—sharp, powerful—seeped past the suppressant’s fading barrier. My body reacted before my mind could stop it, heat pooling low in my stomach.

I shoved the feeling down. Hard.

He lunged again. I twisted, caught his arm, used his momentum to send him sprawling—but he rolled, fluid as ever, and came up behind me. In one swift move, he caught my wrist and slammed me onto the mat.

The impact knocked the air from my lungs.

He leaned over me, hand braced beside my head, breath rough against my ear. “Got you,” he said, voice low.

Around us, the room buzzed with whispers. The great Zade Varyn—pinned.

I forced my face blank, though every nerve screamed. “Enjoy it while it lasts.”

He didn’t move. His gaze searched mine, sharp and questioning, like he could feel the lie humming beneath my skin.

The whistle blew again. He let go, straightening, and the weight of him vanished. I rose without a word. But the way he looked at me—like I was a puzzle he couldn’t quite solve—burned through me long after I left the mat.

*****

By night, the academy was silent again. Rain beat the windows. I sat in the locker room, the smell of soap and metal thick in the air, staring at the silver injector in my hand.

The suppressant shimmered faintly in the dim light. My last full dose.

I pressed the needle to my wrist. The hiss filled the quiet, and cold fire spread through me. The faint tremor under my skin dulled. Relief washed in—brief, fragile.

Then the door opened.

“Didn’t know you took midnight showers.”

His voice froze me.

Xander.

He leaned in the doorway, damp hair clinging to his forehead, uniform collar open. “Can’t sleep?”

“Get out.”

He didn’t move. “That thing in your hand. What is it?”

“None of your business.”

“Oh, I think it is.”

He stepped closer, his boots echoing on the tiles. My pulse spiked. I hid the injector behind me, but his eyes caught the motion. Too late.

In one fluid motion, he closed the distance, caught my wrist, and pulled the injector free. His grip was firm—hot. The blue liquid glowed faintly between us.

“What’s this for, Varyn?”

“Training injury,” I lied.

“Don’t insult me.” His tone was soft but sharp as a knife. “Alphas don’t need this. So why do you?”

I tried to pull away, but his body blocked mine against the lockers. His scent was everywhere—strong, intoxicating. My control faltered, just for a heartbeat.

That was all it took.

His expression changed. His eyes darkened. “...Your scent,” he said slowly. “It’s not—”

I shoved him, panic clawing at my throat. “Move.”

He didn’t. His fingers curled around my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze. “Say it.”

“Let me go.”

“Say what you are.”

My body betrayed me. The suppressant was already failing, and the air between us filled with the faint, telltale sweetness I’d spent years hiding.

Xander’s breath caught. Then, very quietly, he murmured against my ear, “Stop pretending, Omega. Your body already gave you away.”

The world tilted.

I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. Every muscle screamed fight—but my instincts, those traitorous Omega instincts, whispered submit.

I forced the words out through clenched teeth. “If you tell anyone, I’ll kill you.”

His smirk returned, softer this time, but more dangerous. “Relax, Varyn. I’m not going to tell.”

My heartbeat thundered. “Why?”

He leaned close, his lips brushing the edge of my jaw. “Because I want to see how long you can keep pretending.”

Then he stepped back, calm and infuriating, and left.

The door closed.

I stood there, shaking, the injector lying broken at my feet, its blue contents spreading across the floor.

Outside, the storm raged on—but inside, something far more dangerous had begun.

Because now he knew.

And I had no idea what he’d do with that secret.