Neville nearly jumped out of his skin and off the board but managed to keep his footing through sheer force of will.
He turned to find a tall, well-built stranger standing beside him. Blond hair, blue eyes, sharp jawline.
Classic alpha features, if Neville was being rough about the descriptions.
The man smiled, friendly and non-threatening. "Sorry, didn't mean to startle you. I just noticed you were struggling a bit."
"Oh. Uhh, thanks." Neville tried to process the sudden presence of a stranger. "It's my first time trying this."
"I could tell." The alpha's hand remained on Neville's shoulder, adjusting his posture slightly. "Bend your knees more. Yeah, like that. And try to keep your core loose—you're bracing like you're expecting to fall."
Neville followed the instructions, feeling his balance improve a little.
The stranger was right. He had been too tense.
"Better," the alpha said approvingly. "Now try shifting your weight forward. Slowly."
