Nene woke up slowly, feeling warm, heavy, and… strangely comfortable.
For once, there was no tension buzzing under her skin.
No irritation.
No overwhelming frustration.
Just calm.
And Alexander's body heat.
She blinked against his chest, realization hitting all at once.
They were still tangled together.
His arm was still locked around her waist.
His breathing was slow, steady, completely at ease.
And worst of all?
She had slept through the night.
Her face burned.
Slowly—carefully—she tilted her head slightly, her voice low and scratchy from sleep.
"...Alexander?"
A slow inhale.
Then—calm, deep, completely awake—
"Hmm?"
Nene hesitated.
She wasn't even sure why she was asking.
But after everything he had said last night—
After hearing that he had been worse than her, that he had been locked in a facility for months—
She couldn't get it out of her head.
She swallowed, staring at his shoulder.
"...What were you like?"
Alexander stilled slightly.
Then, after a long pause—
"Brutal."
Nene's stomach twisted.
She gripped the fabric of his shirt, waiting.
Alexander exhaled, his voice steady, calm, but with something unreadable beneath it.
"I had no control," he murmured. "I fought everything. Everyone. The training facility wasn't to help me adjust—it was to contain me."
Nene's breath caught.
Because this wasn't just him saying 'I had it worse.'
This was him telling her something real. Something personal.
He tilted his head slightly, resting his chin against the top of her head.
"It took six months before I could go back into society without causing problems," he said smoothly. "Another year before I was considered stable."
A pause.
Then—lower, softer—
"You're handling it much better than I did."
Nene stiffened.
Because of course he would say that like it wasn't a big deal.
Like it didn't mean anything.
But it did.
She swallowed, exhaling slowly.
"So… what fixed it?" she muttered.
Alexander's fingers absently traced along her spine, slow and absentminded.
"Time," he murmured. "Control. And the right person managing it."
Nene froze.
"The right person?"
Alexander smirked slightly against her hair.
"You need someone to regulate your instincts," he said smoothly. "Someone strong enough to keep you in check."
Nene's heart pounded.
Because she already knew what he was implying.
She swallowed, voice dry and flat.
"And let me guess," she muttered. "That's you?"
Alexander chuckled, completely unbothered.
"Of course."
Her fingers curled into the sheets.
She tilted her head up slightly, meeting his gaze.
"Who regulates you, then?" she muttered.
Alexander paused.
For the first time, he actually looked like he was considering the question.
Then—smooth, effortless, but with something heavier beneath it—
"Ever wonder why I'm number two?"
Nene blinked.
Wait.
What?
Alexander leaned back slightly, watching her reaction.
"The number one ranked Alpha in the world is my great-uncle," he continued. "The only person who has ever outranked me. The only person who has ever put me in my place."
Nene stared.
Because that wasn't common knowledge.
Most people knew Alexander was second.
Most people knew he had never challenged for first place.
But no one knew why.
She swallowed.
"You… grew up with him?"
Alexander nodded.
"I was taken in as his kid," he said smoothly. "My parents divorced when I was young."
Nene raised an eyebrow.
That was rare.
Alphas rarely divorced.
Mates, once bonded, were almost impossible to separate.
She tilted her head slightly.
"Why?"
Alexander's lips quirked slightly, like the answer was obvious.
"They were too dominant to be together," he said simply. "They couldn't make it work."
Nene blinked.
"Oh."
That… actually made sense.
If they were both like him—
If they were both Alphas of the highest rank, constantly clashing, neither willing to yield—
Yeah.
That would be a disaster.
Alexander continued, his voice lighter now.
"My great-uncle and his mate, though? Different story."
Nene tilted her head.
"His mate?"
Alexander nodded.
"A male Beta," he said. "With a very complex history. Their pairing may be rare, but it works."
Nene processed that slowly.
A Beta.
With the strongest Alpha in the world.
That wasn't just rare—it was unheard of.
But the way Alexander said it—
He wasn't mocking it.
He wasn't questioning it.
If anything, he respected it.
Nene swallowed, staring at him.
"You need to work through last night," he murmured.
Nene frowned.
"I already did," she muttered. "I got angry. I got over it. End of story."
Alexander tilted his head slightly, unimpressed.
"That's not how this works," he said smoothly. "Your instincts don't let go just because you tell them to. If you don't break it down, it's just going to keep building until you snap again."
Nene exhaled sharply, pressing her fingers against her temple.
"I don't want to talk about it."
"I don't care."
She glared at him.
Alexander met her gaze evenly, completely unbothered.
"Piece by piece," he said. "What made you angry first?"
Nene huffed, turning her face away.
"You," she muttered.
Alexander chuckled softly.
"Of course," he said, amused. "But be specific."
Nene gritted her teeth, her voice sharper.
"You left."
Alexander raised an eyebrow.
"You were asleep."
"You didn't tell me."
A pause.
Then—thoughtful, considering—
"Would you have let me go if I had?"
Nene stiffened.
Because of course she wouldn't have.
She swallowed, gripping the blanket.
"That's not the point."
"It is," Alexander said simply. "Your anger wasn't just about me leaving—it was about feeling like you had no control over it."
Nene's stomach twisted.
Because damn it.
He was right.
Again.
Alexander watched her carefully.
"Next," he murmured. "What else?"
Nene exhaled sharply, her jaw tight.
"You came back covered in blood," she muttered.
Alexander nodded slightly.
"And that made you angry because…?"
Nene's eye twitched.
"Because it's disgusting?" she muttered. "Because you don't even tell me what you're doing?"
Alexander's lips quirked slightly.
"And because you care."
Nene immediately stiffened.
Her face burned.
"I didn't say that."
"You didn't have to."
She scowled, smacking his arm.
Alexander chuckled softly, completely unaffected.
But then—just slightly—
His grip on her waist tightened.
"You need to process things as they come," he murmured, his voice quieter now. "If you don't, your instincts will take over for you."
Nene swallowed, exhaling slowly.
She knew he was right.
She just hated that he was right.
"...Fine," she muttered. "I'll work through it."
Alexander smirked.
"Good."
Then—leaning back against the pillows, pulling her comfortably against him—
"You can start tomorrow."
Nene huffed against his chest, too exhausted to argue.
Because, for now…
She was too damn tired to keep fighting him