TOMORROW, I'D ACT LIKE ACE DOESN'T EXIST.

Chapter 9

Max

I couldn’t sleep. My brain wouldn’t shut off, stuck on a loop of Ace’s face, his sharp eyes cutting through me like he could see something I didn’t even know was there.

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw him in the hallway, leaning against the wall, watching me with that look. Like he was sizing me up, deciding if I was worth his time or a problem he needed to deal with.

It wasn’t just his stare that got under my skin; it was the way my body reacted, heart speeding up, palms sweaty, like I was waiting for something to happen. I didn’t know what, and that was the worst part.

After hours of tossing and turning, I gave up. The dorm room felt too small, the walls closing in, and I needed to move.

I pulled on my sneakers, grabbed my hoodie, and headed out for a jog. The campus was quiet, the kind of late-night stillness that made every sound sharper, the hum of streetlights, the rustle of leaves, my own breathing.

I figured the rhythm of running would clear my head, shake loose whatever was keeping me awake.

I stuck to my usual route, looping around the edge of campus where the sidewalks gave way to gravel paths and the lights got dimmer.

The air was cool, sharp against my face, and for a while, it worked. My thoughts settled, my legs found a steady pace, and I could almost pretend I wasn’t wound so tight.

But as I neared the far side of the loop, where the path curved past a cluster of trees, something felt off.

That’s when I saw them. Three figures near the trees, moving in a way that didn’t feel right, too quiet, too deliberate, like they didn’t want to be seen.

I slowed my pace, squinting into the shadows. Ace was there, his broad shoulders unmistakable even in the dim light.

The other two were guys I’d seen with him before, always trailing him like shadows. They were doing something, but I couldn’t tell what—handing something off, maybe, or checking the area. It looked sneaky, and my gut twisted.

Not again, why do I need to see him wherever I go to. Why can't I just have my peace for one day? Why?

One of them spotted me. His head snapped up, and he nudged the other guy, who turned and stared.

I was maybe twenty feet away, close enough to see their faces but far enough to keep my distance.

The first guy jerked his chin, a clear signal to get lost. I didn’t move. Part of me wanted to turn around, go back to my dorm, and forget I’d seen anything.

This isn’t my business, I told myself. Ace and whatever he’s up to—it’s got nothing to do with me. But my feet stayed planted, and I kept watching, trying to piece together what they were doing.

I was about to turn away, convincing myself to let it go, when the two guys appeared in front of me. I blinked, startled.

They’d been across the clearing a second ago—how the hell did they move that fast? One of them, a stocky guy with a buzzcut, stepped forward, his shoulders squared like he was trying to look bigger.

“You know what happened to the curious cat?” he asked, his voice low and rough, like he was used to people listening.

I didn’t back up. My eyes stayed locked on his, and I felt a strange calm settle over me. “I’m just jogging,” I said, keeping my tone even. “Didn’t hear a thing you were saying, and whatever you’re doing doesn’t involve me. Let me pass.”

I leaned back slightly, a smirk tugging at my lips. I don’t know why, but I felt steady, almost like I was enjoying the standoff.

My heart was pounding, sure, but it wasn’t fear, it was something else, like my body was ready for whatever came next. The second guy, taller with a scar across his eyebrow, stepped closer, trying to crowd me. I didn’t budge.

“Guys, come on,” I said, raising my hands like I was bored. “I don’t have time for this. I’ve got work to do. Let’s not make this a thing.”

They froze, like they hadn’t expected me to push back. Most people would’ve flinched or backed off, but I didn’t.

I could feel my muscles tensing, ready to move if they tried anything. These two? I could handle them.

I wasn’t so sure about Ace, though. He was different, unpredictable, like a storm you could feel coming but couldn’t prepare for. I wasn’t about to mess with him.

Then Ace was there, stepping out from the shadows like he’d been waiting for his cue. His voice was calm but firm, cutting through the tension. “Boydy, Taz, back off. He isn't worth your time. Go.”

The two guys shot me one last hard look, but I just stared back, unflinching. They hesitated, then turned and walked off, disappearing into the trees. I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding, but before I could move, Ace stepped in front of me, blocking my path.

My pulse spiked.

My eyes darted around, checking for anyone else, but it was just us now.

“Why are you following me?” he asked, his voice sharp, like a blade slicing through the air. “I told you to stay away, Max. Why do you keep sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong?”

I forced myself to stay calm, even though my heart was hammering. “It’s got nothing to do with you,” I said, meeting his eyes. “I don’t care what you’re doing, Ace. I care about Freya. Whatever you’re mixed up in, it affects her. That’s it.”

He took a step closer, and my body went on high alert. My skin prickled, like every nerve was tuned to him. I opened my mouth to say something, anything, to keep him from closing the distance. “What… what are you doing?”

Ace didn't answer, he just looked at me like he was looking through me and his gaze held something I couldn't place.

Something that made my stomach twist with an emotion I didn't recognize, my heart started pounding and my chest tightening in a way I hadn't expected.

He came closer and I felt my mind shaking with disbelief and thinking no this isn't possible.

What was going through mind?

But the way he was moving toward me was deliberate and purposeful, there was an intensity in his eyes that made me forget how to breathe properly.

Then I realized my own thoughts betrayed me because he was looking at me the way someone might look before before... a kiss.

My breath hitched and I felt heat rise in my face. I couldn't understand why my body was reacting this way to someone who clearly hated me.

I froze unsure if my body was betraying me or if Ace's intentions were something I wasn't ready to understand, there was this moment where time seemed suspended and all I could hear was my own heartbeat thundering in my ears.

He came close enough that his breath brushed my earlobe, the sensation sent a shiver down my spine that I tried desperately to suppress.

Then he spoke with spite and disgust in his voice saying “Stay the fuck away from me, Beta,” he said, the word sharp and bitter, like it was an insult he’d been waiting to spit out. “You don’t belong here, and you never will.”

The word Beta hit me the same intensity it always does, even though I didn't understand what it meant.

There was something in the way he always said it, that felt like an insult designed to cut deep and hurt in ways I couldn't explain.

And it always had the same effect.

He pulled back, his eyes cold now, all the intensity replaced with something close to disgust. “Have a good night’s sleep, Max,” he said, his voice mocking as he turned and walked away, leaving me standing there, my heart still racing.

What the hell just happened, I thought and ran my hands through my hair. Because nothing about that interaction made sense and yet every cell in my body was still humming with awareness of his presence, even though he was already disappearing into the shadows.

I shook my head, trying to clear it, but my body wouldn’t calm down.

My hands were shaking, not from fear, but from something I didn’t want to name.

I started walking back toward campus but my legs felt unsteady and my mind was spinning with questions I couldn't answer.

The way he'd looked at me kept replaying in my head like a movie I couldn't turn off.

There had been something in his eyes that wasn't just hatred and it was something deeper and more complex.

It made me feel things I'd never felt before and didn't know how to process and the worst part was that part of me wanted to understand what it meant.

I thought about Freya and how different she was from her brother, and how when she looked at me there was warmth and affection.

Not this confusing intensity that left me feeling like I'd been turned inside out and exposed in ways I didn't know were possible.

But Ace was different and there was something about him that bypassed all my usual defenses and made me feel vulnerable in ways that scared and excited me at the same time.

And I hated that I was even thinking these thoughts.

By the time I got back to my dorm I was no closer to understanding what had happened and my roommate was already asleep.

So I sat on my bed in the dark and tried to make sense of the way my body had responded to Ace's proximity.

I'd never felt anything like that before and the closest thing I could compare it to was, the way I felt sometimes during really intense workouts when my body was pushed to its limits and every nerve was firing at once. But this was different because it wasn't just physical.

I lay down and stared at the ceiling trying to push the memory of his breath against my ear out of my mind, but it wouldn't leave and neither would the way his voice had sounded when he called me Beta and the disgust that had been so clear in his tone.

This endless back and forth needs to come to an end.

Tomorrow, I'd act like Ace doesn't exist.

He wants me to stay away, that's exactly what I'll do.