Deux's POV

  "Champ..." His name left my lips in a whisper, the only thing I could say as I stared at him.

  But him—he was frozen. Eyes wide, body rigid, like he had seen something monstrous.

  I gnced around, and the creatures standing beside me... they were trembling.

  They looked at me as if I were a being of pure destruction.

  Even the Alpha I had just overpowered—his gaze was vacant, his breath ragged.

  "This isn't me..." I whispered to myself, stunned.

  A terrible realization cwed its way into my mind.

  What kind of creature had awakened within me to do this?

  For a moment, I didn't recognize myself.

  I had lost control—not just of my mind, but of something deeper, something primal. Something ruthless, wild, and insatiable.

  And worst of all—it had happened because of Champ.

  I turned to him, desperate. "I can expin, Champ. What you saw was—"

  "I've seen enough." His voice cut through my words like a bde. "Forgive me, but I must go."

  Then he turned his back on me and walked away, his friends following closely behind. I stood there, watching his retreating form, my chest tightening with something close to agony.

  Now, only I remained, along with the Alpha I had nearly strangled to death, his Beta guards cowering at my presence.

  "Please, Prince Deux! We won't cross you again!" One of them pleaded.

  I looked at the Alpha still gasping for breath, his hands clutching at his throat.

  Then, I looked down at my hands.

  And a dark thought took root in my mind.

  If it's for Champ, I could kill without hesitation.

  That's how much I feel him.

  That's how much I would protect him.

  But how far would this madness go?

  Doctor Henry was right—love is the strongest force of all.

  He just never warned me that its strength... could kill.

  ...

  ...

  ...

  I am in my private gym now, fists pounding relentlessly into the fresh punching bag. Every ounce of frustration, every twisted emotion, I buried into my strikes.

  "Who the hell am I, really?" I growled, driving my fist harder.

  (SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!—)

  "Seems like something's eating you up again, cousin."

  I stilled for a second before resuming my punches.

  "Not now, Silver. I don't have the patience for your games."

  "Oh, but I'm not here to py," he said smoothly, his voice dripping with amusement. "I came to check on you. See if you're still sane. After all, who else can watch your back if not family?"

  He stepped beside me, his presence slithering into my space.

  "I'm fine. Now leave before I lose control and hit you instead."

  I raised my fist, ready to strike again.

  But Silver's next words stopped me cold.

  "Is it that Alpha that's tormenting you again? That... peculiar Alpha?" he murmured.

  "Leave Champ out of this, Silver." My voice was sharp, edged with warning.

  He smirked. "Champ, huh? What did he do to you this time? Did he twist your mind again?"

  "Silver," I said dangerously, "walk away now, or I swear, I won't hold back."

  His smile didn't waver. If anything, it grew wider, eyes gleaming with something dark. "Amazing... That Alpha has done a real number on you. Imagine, you're even willing to attack your own family because of him?"

  "SILVER!" My patience snapped. My fist shot forward, but before it could connect—

  "Deux!"

  A voice—powerful, commanding—rang through the room.

  I froze. My clenched fist hovered in midair before I slowly lowered it.

  My father, the Alpha King, approached us, his eyes sharp with disapproval.

  "What is happening here?" he demanded.

  Silver, ever the master of deception, turned to him with an easy grin. "Oh, nothing much, Alpha King. Just some harmless teasing between cousins, like old times."

  My father scowled. "Harmless? You're both past the age of pying games. You are men now—soon to lead our world. And yet, you act like reckless pups!"

  "Forgive me, Father," I said, bowing slightly.

  He exhaled sharply before turning to both of us. "I came here for a reason. Since Silver is here as well, I will say this to you both—prepare for the Alpha Territory Treasure Hunt Competition."

  A heavy silence fell.

  "The territory at stake is vast, rich in undiscovered wealth. But Deux, as the Alpha Prince, you are my choice for victory."

  "And what if I win, Alpha King?" Silver asked, an arrogant tilt to his head.

  My father's eyes darkened, his silence making it clear—he did not entertain such thoughts.

  Silver smirked but bowed his head. "Understood."

  My father turned back to me. "Ensure victory, Deux. That nd must belong to our bloodline."

  "Yes, Father."

  With that, he left.

  As soon as the door closed behind him, Silver let out a chuckle.

  "Wealth yet to be discovered... If you win, the Alpha King's power will be immeasurable." His smirk widened. "But if I win... I wonder who he'll punish—me, or you?"

  I gred at him. "You won't win against me, Silver."

  "Don't be so sure. I know your weakness." His voice dropped into a whisper.

  "What the hell do you mean by that?" I snapped.

  Silver leaned in, his voice as smooth as silk. "I see everything, cousin. I observe. I read between the lines."

  Our eyes locked.

  We spoke no words—but in that silence, a war was waged.

  Because the truth was undeniable—we were enemies in every sense.

  Power. Status. Dominion.

  Blood may have made us family, but ambition made us rivals.

  "I'll see you at the competition, Alpha Prince." Silver turned, walking away.

  Just as he reached the door, he paused.

  "Oh... and perhaps I'll find a different kind of treasure too. One that, once I cim, will break you completely."

  My stomach twisted. "What are you talking about?"

  Silver only grinned, his steps pyful, like a child skipping through a garden.

  "La ... figure it out, dear cousin."

  And with that, he was gone.

  My fists clenched. My vision blurred with rage.

  Without thinking, I struck the punching bag one final time—

  (CRACK!—BOOM!)

  It exploded, its contents scattering across the floor.

  I stood there, panting.

  "Whatever Silver is pnning... I will make sure he fails."

  ...

  ...

  ...

  Days passed.

  And nothing was the same.

  My world had colpsed in on itself, folding into a cold, suffocating silence.

  No warmth. No color. No light. Just the dull, aching throb of an emptiness I couldn't fill.

  Every morning, I woke up, and every day, Champ drifted further away.

  It was like watching a star burn out, the glow dimming, the distance stretching until I could no longer reach him.

  He wouldn't look at me.

  Wouldn't acknowledge me.

  Wouldn't even stand close enough to catch my scent.

  Since that day, since whatever I had done to break us, he had severed the connection between us so ruthlessly that it left me gasping for air.

  And I missed him. God, I missed him.

  I missed the way we cshed like fire and ice, how his exasperation with me always ended in ughter, how his sharp tongue never failed to ignite something fierce in my chest.

  I missed the way he cared—his cooking, his scolding, his infuriating concern that both irritated me and made my world feel safe.

  I missed the way he saw me.

  But now... he didn't.

  It was as if I no longer existed, as if I were nothing more than a ghost haunting the edges of his life, watching as he ughed with his friends, carried on as if I were just a chapter he had already closed.

  And the worst part?

  The moment our eyes met, when—just for a second—I saw something flicker behind his walls, something that might have been regret, might have been hurt...

  He would look away.

  Like I was nothing.

  It crushed me.

  It tore me apart.

  And I didn't know how to fix it.

  What do I have to do, Champ?

  What do I have to do to make you look at me again?

  To bring back what we had?

  Would you ever forgive me?

  Would you ever—

  Today, I found him.

  In his cssroom. Alone with Jiggs.

  Their voices were low, serious.

  I stayed hidden behind the wall, barely breathing, my pulse hammering in my throat.

  He couldn't see me.

  But he had to know I was there.

  He had to feel me.

  My scent was unmistakable—I was close enough that it should have stirred something in him, should have made him turn.

  But he didn't.

  "Champ, I've noticed you've been avoiding Deux ever since that day," Jiggs murmured. "Do you really think he would ever hurt you?"

  I swallowed hard.

  I waited.

  Say something, Champ.

  Please.

  Tell him I wouldn't hurt you. Tell him you know me. Tell him you don't really hate me.

  The silence stretched.

  Champ didn't answer.

  He didn't defend me.

  Didn't deny it.

  Didn't say anything at all.

  Something inside me caved, caving so hard and fast that I nearly staggered.

  Disappointment cwed at my chest, but beneath it was something worse.

  Finality.

  He wasn't ready to answer.

  Or maybe... he didn't want to.

  Maybe... he really didn't care anymore.

  Maybe he had already decided—

  That I wasn't worth it.

  I felt the weight of that realization settle in my bones, pressing down like the full force of an ocean, stealing the air from my lungs.

  I should stop.

  I should stop trying.

  I should stop chasing after someone who had already turned his back on me.

  Maybe the best thing I could do for him was to let him go.

  To watch him from a distance.

  Maybe he'd be happier that way.

  So I turned away.

  Step by step, I walked down the hall, each footfall heavier than the st, dragging something vital from me with every step.

  I felt it.

  The slow, aching unraveling of myself.

  Like every day he ignored me, a piece of me withered, and I was vanishing right in front of him, and he didn't even notice.

  Was this love?

  Not strength—but weakness?

  Is this why the Alphas warned us?

  Because love, when unbanced, when unreturned, when unwanted—

  Didn't just hurt.

  It destroyed you.

  From the inside out.

  ...

  ...

  ...

  Champ's POV

  "Champ, you've been avoiding Deux these past few days since that incident. Do you really think he would hurt you?"

  Jiggs' voice was steady, curious, yet ced with concern.

  I took a deep breath, about to answer. But as I inhaled—

  A scent.

  Vanil.

  Deux.

  He was here.

  Listening.

  For a moment, I felt his presence—strong, overwhelming. But then, just as suddenly, it began to fade. His scent grew weaker until it was gone completely.

  He had left.

  And only then did I speak.

  "It's not that I think he would hurt me... but something inside him—it was too much. Jiggs, it was terrifying. I can't expin it."

  Jiggs nodded, thoughtful.

  "I've never seen him like that before, Jiggs. I never imagined that was his true nature. When I looked into his eyes while he had that Alpha pinned down, I didn't see the Deux I knew. I only saw a predator. Eyes that wanted to kill."

  "I think that moment... was triggered by something," Jiggs mused. "A powerful emotion must have pushed him over the edge."

  I frowned. "What do you mean?"

  "Alphas are naturally aggressive and dominant," he expined. "But there are rare instances when their emotions trigger something... deeper. A force so primal and overwhelming that they completely lose control."

  I clenched my fists. "Then what do you think triggered Deux? Because when we found him... he wasn't himself anymore."

  "That's the mystery," Jiggs admitted. "But one thing is certain—Deux wouldn't just attack an Alpha for no reason. You and I both know that. He wouldn't waste his energy on someone insignificant. He's proven that time and time again."

  I thought back to all the times I had cshed with Deux. He had never once physically hurt me. He teased me, sure. Threatened me, even. But never... harm.

  "So, maybe that Alpha provoked him?" I asked.

  "Possibly. But there might be a deeper reason. I've done some research—on Alphas with powerful bloodlines like Deux. They're different from the average Alpha."

  Jiggs' voice lowered. "When they have something—or someone—they want to protect... they will do anything. Even kill. And when they reach that state, they become more terrifying than any ordinary Alpha."

  A shiver ran down my spine.

  "Do you remember what we all felt that day?" he continued. "The way the air around us grew heavy? How we could barely move, barely breathe? That was Deux's aura."

  I swallowed hard.

  I had felt it.

  Even though Deux hadn't been looking at me, I had been paralyzed with fear. My knees had nearly buckled, my body instinctively wanting to submit, to kneel before the sheer weight of his presence.

  "And you know what's worse?" Jiggs continued, his voice grave.

  I hesitated before answering. "What?"

  "If it ever gets worse... Deux won't even need to touch someone to kill them."

  My breath hitched. "What do you mean?"

  "His aura—his mere presence—can kill," Jiggs expined. "When Alphas like him reach that level, their power shes out at everything around them. It triggers a biological response in weaker beings—shortness of breath, heart palpitations, paralysis. The longer they're exposed, the more their body starts to shut down."

  I felt my stomach drop.

  "If someone is weaker than him, they won't survive it. Their heart won't withstand the pressure, their lungs will colpse, their nervous system will overload. If you hadn't stopped Deux that day, Champ, I'm certain—everyone around him would have died. Including us..."

  A cold, suffocating dread filled my chest.

  That... was Deux's true power?

  It was beyond terrifying.

  It was deadly.

  I felt my hands tremble slightly as I processed his words.

  "But you know what, Champ?" Jiggs added suddenly, his tone shifting.

  I looked at him.

  "You're the only one who can stop him."

  I blinked. "Me? Why me?"

  Jiggs smiled faintly.

  He reached out, pcing a firm hand on my shoulder.

  "Because when you're around, Deux is... normal. In all the years I've known him, you're the only one who can match him, joke with him, push his buttons without getting hurt. No one else—not even us—can do that."

  His words struck something deep inside me.

  "But why me?" I whispered. "I'm just... me. I'm nothing compared to him. I am a normal and ordinary being, he is a royalty."

  Jiggs sighed, leaning back in his chair, gazing up at the ceiling.

  "I don't know what it is exactly. But Deux feels something for you, Champ. There's no doubt about it. And whatever that feeling is... it will save him. It will save us. If this happens again, you're the only one who can bring him back."

  I stared at Jiggs.

  This was the same man who usually cracked jokes, who never took things seriously.

  But now?

  His face held no trace of mischief.

  Only certainty.

  "Jiggs..."

  "You're not just some ordinary being, Champ," he said with a grin. "You're something rare. Something... extraordinary. And I'm lucky to have a friend like you."

  My chest tightened.

  I felt my vision blur slightly.

  I feel like I am about to cry.

  I squeezed my eyes shut and suddenly ughed.

  "Who are you and what have you done to the real Jiggs?!" I accused, my voice shaking between ughter and unshed tears. "Did Deux's aura break you? Is this a side effect?! Tell me! Give me back the real Jiggs who never takes anything seriously!"

  Jiggs chuckled and lightly punched my arm.

  "I'm your best friend, idiot. And I meant what I said. No matter what happens, I'll always have your back."

  I bit my lip.

  I couldn't hold it in anymore.

  I started crying...

  "I'm sorry, Jiggs. There are things... things I'm not ready to say yet." My voice cracked. "But please... please don't stop being my friend."

  Without waiting for a response, I threw my arms around him, hugging him tightly.

  Jiggs hesitated for a second before patting my back.

  "It's okay, Champ. You don't have to rush. Just... when you're ready, I'll be here. I'll listen."

  Then—

  More arms.

  Not just one. Not two.

  But four more bodies suddenly tackled us in a tight, suffocating embrace.

  "Master Champ, don't cry!" Marsh sniffled.

  "If you cry, we'll cry too!" Gem wailed.

  "Who made you cry?! Tell us, and we'll take them down!" Daryl decred.

  "We're always here for you, Master Champ," Martin added softly.

  I pulled back, wiping my eyes, before bursting into ughter.

  "When did the four of you... get off me, all of you!" I shouted, but my voice was still shaky from the overwhelming emotions.

  The group reluctantly pulled away, each of them grinning despite their teary eyes.

  I inhaled deeply.

  Then exhaled.

  Calm.

  Focused.

  Determined.

  "Alright, enough of this emotional nonsense!" I decred. "We need to start training! We can't waste a single day! Even if it's just the six of us, we're going to fight. And we're going to win!"

  A chorus of cheers erupted from my friends.

  At that moment, I felt it—

  Strength.

  Because as long as I had them... as long as there were people who believed in me...

  I would keep going.

  I would fight.

  I would win.

  ...

  ...

  ...