The Instructor announced the next trial at dawn, voice booming across the bamboo resort like a vengeful gong.
"ENDURANCE HIKE. HALF-MOON HEIGHT. NO CAMPS. NO COMFORTS. ONLY THE EARTH, YOUR WILL, AND THE BROTHER BESIDE YOU."
Jason's eyes lit up like Christmas morning. He slammed his chest with both fists. "Finally! This is *real*."
Jeremiah stretched in his silk pajama set and yawned. "Yes, well, I suppose walking is tolerable. Models do it all the time. How difficult can it be?"
The other alphas strapped on their minimalist backpacks—nothing but a water bottle, protein powder packets, and the faint smell of desperation. Jason carried even less: a single pouch tied with rope and a hunk of dried meat dangling from it like a barbaric charm.
Jeremiah, however, had stuffed his backpack with essentials: face mist, sunscreen, a travel-size satin pillowcase ("for skin health"), and a pouch of candied nuts. It jingled softly as he walked, like an aristocrat's purse.
---
At first, Jeremiah was radiant. He strolled along the forest path, hair gleaming, posture upright like he was strutting down a runway.
"See, Jason? Easy. Hiking is simply walking uphill with worse lighting."
Jason grunted happily, scaling rocks two at a time. "Pain builds character."
But twenty minutes later, Jeremiah's strut devolved into a slow, theatrical shuffle. He clutched his chest like a tragic hero. "This… is barbaric. My calves are shrieking. My soul is wilting. My manicure is *gone*."
Jason barely broke a sweat. "Breathe through the burn, brother. The burn is love."
The other alphas echoed like a choir. "The burn is love."
Jeremiah groaned. "The burn is death."
---
The trail steepened, roots twisting like malicious hands across the dirt. Jeremiah tried to step over one but snagged his ankle. He toppled with all the grace of a fainting duchess, collapsing dramatically onto the ground.
"Agh! I've been *martyred*," he gasped, clutching his ankle. "This is it. Tell my skincare routine… I loved it."
Jason crouched immediately, scanning him with soldierly intensity. "You twisted it."
Jeremiah sniffled. "Truly, life is cruel. I'll just roll back down and rejoin civilization. Leave me here, Jason. Save yourself."
Jason narrowed his eyes. "We finish together."
Jeremiah blinked. "…Pardon?"
Before he could protest, Jason scooped him up—bridal style, broad arms steady, jaw clenched like a knight on a holy quest. Jeremiah gave a startled little squeak.
The Instructor barked, "NO CARRYING. EVERY MAN ENDURES HIS OWN BURDEN."
Jason growled, "My brother's burden is my burden."
The alphas froze. The forest went silent except for the buzzing of cicadas.
Alpha Bro #1 scratched his beard. "…Isn't that… gay?"
The alpha girl—lean, muscled, perpetually unimpressed—crossed her arms. "Yeah. That looks pretty gay to me."
Alpha Bro #2 shook his head firmly. "No. That's brotherhood. That's sacrifice. That's beyond alpha."
A chorus of agreement rippled. "Yeah, that's primal." "That's lion-pack loyalty." "Betas wouldn't understand."
Jason didn't hear them. He adjusted Jeremiah in his arms, muscles flexing as he ascended the trail.
---
Jeremiah, for once, was quiet. His dramatic protests softened into small huffs of breath, then sighs. His arms looped around Jason's neck, not out of mischief but necessity.
"You didn't have to…" he murmured.
Jason's jaw tightened. "Yes, I did."
Jeremiah's lips parted, a soft little "oh."
Minutes passed. The trail grew steeper, rocks crumbling underfoot, but Jason didn't falter. He carried Jeremiah like he weighed nothing, even as sweat slicked his temples.
Jeremiah's head gradually dropped to his shoulder. His breath evened. He fell asleep—on Jason, of all places.
Jason nearly stumbled. His chest pounded, but not from exertion. The warmth of Jeremiah's cheek pressed against his neck was more overwhelming than the climb. Every inhale carried Jeremiah's faint cologne—citrus and something floral—and it tangled in Jason's head like a curse.
He muttered under his breath, "Protein powder. It's just the protein powder."
---
By the time they reached the half-moon height, the others were wheezing, bent double. Jason strode in last, Jeremiah asleep in his arms like some delicate prize.
The alphas erupted in howls of approval. "Alpha beast!" "Carried his brother all the way!" "Legendary!"
Even the Instructor's iron frown cracked into something like respect. "Unorthodox. But… alpha."
Jason lowered Jeremiah carefully onto a boulder at the viewpoint. The sun was bleeding gold across the treetops, clouds curling like painted smoke.
Jeremiah stirred awake, blinking up at Jason. His voice was soft, unguarded. "We made it?"
Jason nodded once. "We made it."