Say My Name, Alpha
The academy’s hum vibrated faintly through the walls, a reminder that nothing here ever truly slept.
“I wasn’t supposed to care,” Xander said suddenly.
Zade’s breath caught.
“I was raised to dominate,” Xander continued, voice low and controlled. “To crush weakness. To win. That’s all Ironclad ever valued in me. And then you showed up—cold, sharp, untouchable—and I hated you for it.”
Zade didn’t move.
“I hated that you stood between me and others,” Xander said. “That you protected Alphas who didn’t deserve it. That you looked at me like I was a problem instead of a god.”