Nene exhaled slowly, still feeling the lingering effects of the dominance exercise.
Her body was tense but steady, her instincts still buzzing slightly.
But she had passed.
And now?
She was going home.
She grabbed her bag, heading toward the campus exit.
The second she stepped outside, she spotted it.
A sleek, blacked-out luxury car idling near the curb.
Windows tinted too dark to see inside.
But she knew who was in there.
Zhao Alexander.
Nene sighed, rolling her shoulders.
Why wasn't he getting out?
Most Alphas especially one as territorial as Alexander; would have marched inside to get her.
To see who she had been with.
To make his presence known.
But not him.
No, Alexander didn't need to step out to make an impression.
The message was already clear.
You come to me.
Nene huffed, tightening her grip on her bag.
Fine.
She headed toward the car, opened the door, and slid inside.
And the moment she did the air shifted.
Because inside, waiting; Alexander was calm, collected, and watching her with unreadable golden eyes.
Like he already knew exactly what kind of day she'd had.
Nene exhaled, leaning back against the seat.
"Not coming inside?" she muttered.
Alexander tilted his head slightly.
"I didn't need to," he said smoothly. "You came to me."
Nene rolled her eyes, looking out the window.
Possessive bastard.
But she didn't argue.
Because annoyingly, frustratingly. He was right.
The car had barely started moving when Nene felt it.
A warning.
And before she could react. Strong hands gripped her waist, pulling her effortlessly into his lap. Nene gasped, hands flying up to brace against his chest.
"Alexander—!"
"Quiet," he murmured.
His tone was calm. Unbothered.
But his grip was firm.
Possessive.
Like he had been waiting all day to do this.
Nene stiffened, instincts immediately kicking up.
Because he was holding her down.
Because he wasn't asking.
And worst of all?
Because her wolf didn't hate it.
Her body betrayed her, relaxing just slightly.
Alexander's golden eyes darkened, catching the reaction immediately.
"Good," he murmured, voice dropping lower. "Now stay still."
Nene's jaw clenched.
"Oh, I'm sorry." she snapped. "Did I miss the part where I asked for this?"
Alexander tilted his head slightly, completely unfazed.
"You're mine," he said simply. "And I didn't like the way you smelled when you walked out of that building."
Nene froze.
Wait, what?
She stared at him.
"You." she paused. "You're doing this because of my scent?"
Alexander's grip on her waist tightened.
"You smelled like him."
Nene blinked.
Then realization hit.
Ji Cheng.
Alexander could smell his presence on her.
And he hated it.
Nene's stomach twisted.
Because of course.
Of course he wouldn't say anything directly.
Of course he wouldn't throw a tantrum like a lesser Alpha.
No.
Zhao Alexander didn't need to fight for dominance.
He would just correct the issue.
By holding her exactly where he wanted her.
By reminding her, silently, who she belonged to.
Nene's wolf bristled slightly half in irritation, half in something else.
Something she refused to name.
She exhaled sharply, looking away.
"This is ridiculous," she muttered.
Alexander's lips quirked slightly.
"Then stop fighting it."
Nene exhaled sharply, still stuck in Alexander's lap, his arms locked around her waist.
This was ridiculous.
She had just survived hours of dominance training, and now here he was, proving a point in the most Alpha way possible.
She huffed, tilting her head back against his shoulder.
"You're being possessive," she muttered.
Alexander didn't deny it.
He just adjusted his grip slightly, settling her more comfortably against him.
"Tell me about your class," he said smoothly.
Nene sighed.
"Which part?"
Alexander's golden eyes flickered.
"All of it."
Nene rolled her eyes.
Of course.
She tapped her fingers against his arm, thinking.
"I did well," she admitted. "I passed all the exercises."
Alexander tilted his head slightly.
"But?"
Nene huffed.
"But," she muttered, "I didn't enjoy it."
A pause.
Then soft, knowingly.
"You don't like being tested," Alexander murmured.
Nene narrowed her eyes.
"Who does?"
Alexander chuckled, low and amused.
"Alphas do," he said simply. "You just don't like being tested by people you don't respect."
Nene stiffened slightly.
He wasn't wrong.
She could tolerate challenges. She could handle fights.
But she hated when people tried to control her, measure her, make judgments about her strength like she was some kind of project.
And Ji Cheng?
She still wasn't sure what to think about him.
She sighed, tilting her head against Alexander's shoulder again.
"It was exhausting," she muttered.
Alexander hummed thoughtfully.
Then soft, casual, completely unreadable.
"And your partner?"
Nene stiffened.
Oh, he was asking about Ji Cheng.
Carefully. Casually.
Like he wasn't already calculating exactly how much of a problem this was going to be.
Nene swallowed.
He was waiting.
For her answer.
She exhaled slowly, choosing her words carefully.
"He hasn't done anything to cross the line," she admitted.
A pause.
Then low, unreadable.
"But?"
Nene tilted her head slightly, staring out the car window.
"I don't like him."
Alexander's fingers tapped against her waist, slow, thoughtful.
Nene knew that meant he was processing. Calculating.
Ji Cheng hadn't made a move.
Hadn't challenged her in a way that could be called disrespectful.
But she still didn't trust him.
Didn't like the way he tested boundaries without breaking them.
Didn't like the way he seemed entertained by her reactions.
Alexander was quiet for a long moment.
Then smooth, calm, final.
"Then I don't like him either."
Nene snorted.
"You were never going to like him."
Alexander tilted his head slightly, amused.
"True," he murmured. "But now I have a reason."
Nene sighed, pressing her fingers against her temple.
"He's not a threat," she muttered.
Alexander didn't respond immediately.
Then soft, dangerous.
"Not yet."
Nene stiffened slightly that perticular word was starting to get annoying.
"Your father and sister want to have a meal with you," Alexander murmured.
Nene's eye twitched.
Of course, they did.
Her father who barely acknowledged her existence unless it benefited him.
Her sister who was sweet, but hopelessly naïve.
Nene dragged a hand down her face.
"Do I have to go?" she muttered.
Alexander tilted his head slightly, considering.
"That depends," he said smoothly. "Do you want me to handle it for you?"
Nene narrowed her eyes.
"Handle it how?"
Alexander's lips quirked slightly.
"I have unfinished business with your father," he admitted. "I could make things... difficult for him."
Nene stiffened.
Oh, that sounded dangerous.
She glanced up at him, suspicious.
"What kind of unfinished business?"
Alexander's gaze was unreadable.
"Trade deals. Territory negotiations. Power plays."
Nene huffed.
"That sounds like an Alpha way of saying 'I plan to ruin him.'"
Alexander chuckled, low and deep.
"Only if he makes it necessary."
Nene rolled her eyes.
Great.
So now she had to sit through a family meal while Alexander and her father played politics.
She sighed sharply.
"Fine," she muttered. "I'll go."
Alexander smirked.
"Good choice," he murmured.
Nene grumbled, crossing her arms as she stared out the car window.
She did not want to sit through a meal with her father.
She did not want to deal with whatever political games Alexander had planned.
And most of all she did not want to be involved in any more unnecessary drama.
Her instincts were already on edge.
Her wolf bristling at the thought of seeing her father again.
Then slow, steady pressure.
Fingers dragging gently through her hair.
Nene froze.
Alexander's hand moved in slow, deliberate strokes, combing through her hair with a calm, practiced ease.
Like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Like he wasn't even thinking about it.
Nene stiffened immediately, turning her head.
"What," she demanded, "are you doing?"
Alexander's golden eyes flickered, entirely unbothered.
"Calming you down."
Nene blinked.
"You're petting me?"
"Yes."
Nene's eye twitched.
She opened her mouth ready to argue, ready to shove him away, ready to call him insane. But then his fingers moved again, slow and steady, brushing against her scalp.
And her wolf traitorous, betraying, easily soothed; immediately relaxed.
The tension in her shoulders loosened just slightly.
Her instincts settled.
And Alexander?
His smirk deepened.
"See?" he murmured, still petting her."It's working."
Nene huffed, turning her face away.
"Shut up," she muttered.
Alexander chuckled, continuing his slow, measured touches.
And no matter how much Nene wanted to protest. But it felt good so much so that she didn't push him away.