Chapter 6: The Broken Lock

The sky suddenly split open. Giant drops of icy rain slammed down through the thick pine trees, soaking both boys in seconds.

The freezing downpour washed away the sweat on Zade’s face. It gave him a few extra seconds to step away from Xander's intense stare.

"Look," Zade gasped out, pointing through the heavy rain. "There’s a shelter."

A short distance away sat an old, abandoned stone watchtower. Its heavy wooden door hung loosely on rusty hinges, but the thick stone walls were still strong enough to keep out the storm.

Zade did not wait for a reply. He ran straight toward the tower, shoving the heavy door open and ducking inside. Xander followed right behind him, slamming the thick door shut to block out the howling wind.

Inside, the air was pitch-black, dry, and freezing cold. The only sound was the loud thunder rumbling outside and the heavy rain drumming against the stone roof.

Zade slid down the cold wall, dropping to his hands and knees on the dusty floor.

His vision was spinning completely out of control. The sudden run through the rain had accelerated his circulation, causing his body to completely reject the stolen chemical suppressants.

Inside his blood, the artificial locks snapped in two.

A sudden, wave of intense heat burst through Zade’s body. Every muscle in his back locked up as his fever spiked to a dangerous level.

With his artificial Alpha mask shattered, his biology panicked. His body began releasing its true, raw Omega heat scent into the small, closed room.

The air inside the dark tower transformed instantly.

It was no longer cold and dusty. It became thick, sweet, and suffocating. A rich scent of sweet honey, soft vanilla, and blooming jasmine filled every corner of the small room.

Xander froze near the door.

He had spent his whole life around standard Alpha women, and he had never cared much for soft things. He was strictly attracted to women, and his elite bloodline demanded a traditional Alpha match.

He had always viewed Zade as a annoying male rival—a cold, ruthless guy he wanted to crush in the mud.

But the moment those sweet pheromones hit Xander’s lungs, his brain short-circuited.

Xander’s eyes widened in the dark, turning a deep, dangerous shade of wild blue.

A terrifying, explosive sensation ripped through his chest. It was not gentle. It was a violent, possessive instinct that hit him like a physical blow.

His heart hammered like a war drum against his ribs. His mind screamed that this scent belonged to a male classmate he hated, but his Alpha biology did not care. It wanted to claim the owner of that scent immediately.

"What... what is this?" Xander growled out, his voice turning low, rough, and shaky.

He took a heavy step forward into the dark. He felt intoxicated, confused, and deeply unsettled by the intense reaction stirring in his blood.

Zade pulled his knees tightly to his chest, trembling violently against the stone wall. "Stay back, Vale," Zade choked out, his voice weak and completely stripped of his usual cold pride. "Don't... don't come near me."

Xander did not listen. He couldn't.

Driven by raw, possessive confusion, Xander crossed the small room in three fast strides. He dropped to his knees in front of Zade, grabbing Zade’s wrists with one powerful, warm hand and pinning them high above Zade's head against the cold stone.

Zade gasped as Xander pressed his heavy body forward, trapping Zade completely between his muscular frame and the wall.

Xander leaned down, burying his face directly into the warm curve of Zade’s neck. He took a deep, desperate breath of the sweet, burning scent radiating from Zade's skin.

"You're an Omega," Xander whispered, his breath hot against Zade's shivering collarbone. His voice was filled with shock, anger, and a terrifying, dark need. "You lied to everyone. You lied to me."

Zade bit his lower lip hard enough to taste blood, trying desperately to push Xander away. "Turn me in, then," Zade spat out, his eyes flashing with stubborn defiance. "Go tell Reyne. Execute me."

Xander lifted his head slowly. His sharp blue eyes were locked onto Zade’s flushed face in the dim light.

He had the power to destroy Zade with a single word. He could end their rivalry right now and hand Zade over to the academy guards for execution.

Instead, Xander tightened his iron grip on Zade’s wrists.

"Turn you in?" Xander sneered softly, a dangerous, dark obsession gleaming in his eyes. "And let someone else have you? Not a chance, Varyn."

The rain continued to roar outside, but inside the dark stone tower, the rules of their war had changed forever.