Max's POV
Alpha Mateo was watching too closely for my comfort. His calculating gaze swept between the fighters and back to me. I forced my expression into neutral territory and kept my mouth shut.
The dynamic on the training ground shifted completely.
Jasmin abandoned her defensive stance and went on the offensive.
Gone was the careful strategist. She struck with lethal precision, her blade whistling past Swift's throat close enough to draw a bead of sweat. He staggered backward, his confident smirk finally cracking.
She was actually fighting him. Not playing games.
Swift's arrogance evaporated like morning mist.
"Well, I'll be damned," Mateo murmured under his breath, his attention locked on the fierce exchange between Jasmin and Swift. "I figured Evan Clemens would be eating dirt within minutes against Alpha Swift. But look at that." His voice carried genuine admiration now. "The kid's not just surviving. He's driving Swift backward."
