Nene slumped into the car seat, exhausted and irritated.
Alexander, of course, was completely unbothered, already checking his phone, handling whatever high-stakes business war he had going on.
She pulled out her own phone, fingers flying over the screen.
[Text to Jiho:]
Nene:"Just had dinner with my father. He tried to sell Meiling to the Russians."
[Text from Jiho:]
Jiho:"Classic. Anything else?"
[Text to Jiho:]
Nene:"Yeah. Some guy, Nikolai showed up. Old marriage contract nonsense. Alexander shut it down."
[Text from Jiho:]
Jiho:"Of course he did. You sound grumpy. Have you been sleeping?"
Nene blinked.
[Text to Jiho:]
Nene:"What does that have to do with anything?"
[Text from Jiho:]
Jiho:"Answer the question."
Nene sighed.
Fine.
[Text to Jiho:]
Nene:"Not really. I fall asleep fine, but I wake up a lot. And sometimes I just… end up in Alexander's bed."
A long pause.
Then—
[Text from Jiho:]
Jiho:"…Nene."
[Text to Jiho:]
Nene:"What?"
[Text from Jiho:]
Jiho:"How mated are you?"
Nene frowned.
[Text to Jiho:]
Nene:"Not at all?"
[Text from Jiho:]
Jiho:"Uh-huh. Let's go over the symptoms, shall we?"
A new message popped up.
[Jiho's List: 'You Might Be More Mated Than You Think']
✔ Restlessness & Sleep Disturbance (check)
✔ Heightened scent sensitivity to their presence (…double check)
✔ Mood shifts when they leave for long periods (oh…)
✔ Involuntary physical responses to dominance displays (…damn it.)
Nene stared at the screen, stomach twisting.
[Text to Jiho:]
Nene:"This is a coincidence."
[Text from Jiho:]
Jiho:"Sure. And I'm a Beta."
Nene exhaled sharply, rubbing her temple.
Because if Jiho was right—
And if this wasn't just stress—
Then she had a much, much bigger problem.
Nene stared at her phone, Jiho's messages still burning in her mind.
But her body?
Her body wasn't listening.
The exhaustion finally caught up to her, heavier than before.
Her muscles felt sluggish, her mind hazy.
The hum of the car engine, the quiet sound of Alexander typing beside her—it all blurred together.
Her eyelids grew heavy.
She barely registered the way her body instinctively leaned slightly toward him.
Barely noticed the way his warmth anchored her.
And before she could even try to fight it. She was asleep.
Alexander glanced down at Nene's sleeping form, her breathing slow and even.
She hadn't stirred once.
Which meant she was completely exhausted.
Without a word, he reached down, lifting her effortlessly.
She barely reacted, her body instinctively curling closer to his warmth.
A small, traitorous part of him was satisfied by that.
He carried her into their bedroom, pulling back the sheets and tucking her in.
For a moment, he watched her.
Then—smooth, controlled—he turned and walked out. It was just a moment that he was gone that Nene move. She slowly woke up, she knowing that something was wrong.
Her body was tense, restless, irritated for no reason.
The sheets were too cold.
The room felt too empty.
And worst of all—Alexander was gone.
She scowled, kicking off the blankets.
He didn't even wake her before leaving?
Didn't even say anything?
After dragging her back to bed like she was some misbehaving pup?
Her wolf bristled, instincts flaring.
Unacceptable.
She shoved herself out of bed, pacing the room, aggression simmering under her skin.
Her fingers twitched, her movements sharper than usual.
She needed to hit something.
Or yell.
The door opened.
And Alexander stepped in.
Nene froze.
Because he was covered in blood.
Dark, splattered across his hands, staining his sleeves, a smear across his jaw like he hadn't even bothered to clean it all off.
His golden eyes locked onto hers immediately.
Assessing. Measuring.
Like he could already sense her mood.
Nene's breathing was sharp, uneven.
Her instincts immediately warred between two reactions.
One: Demand answers. Now.
Two: Get closer.
Because despite everything screaming at her to be furious.
Something else, something much deeper, was whispering;
He came back.
Alexander tilted his head slightly, watching her reaction.
"You're upset."
Nene bared her teeth.
"No. I'm pissed."
Alexander chuckled softly, completely unfazed.
"Good."
Then calm, smooth, entirely unbothered.
"Hold that thought. I need a shower."
He started undoing his bloody cuffs, moving toward the bathroom.
Like this was just another day.
The moment Alexander disappeared into the bathroom, Nene felt it.
The frustration.
The overwhelming, unshakable weight of everything she had been trying to push down.
Her father. The Russians. The marriage contract. The dinner. The fact that she woke up alone.
The fact that he came back covered in blood like it was nothing.
Like she was just supposed to accept it.
Her breathing hitched, sharp and uneven.
Her chest felt tight, too tight.
Her instincts were screaming.
Move. Fight. Destroy something.
But she couldn't.
So she slid down into the corner of the room, gripping her hair, pressing her back against the wall as everything inside her spiraled.
It wasn't just anger anymore.
It was everything.
The exhaustion. The pressure. The confusion.
Her instincts were out of control, and no one was telling her why.
She pressed her forehead against her knees, trying to breathe, trying to control the shaking in her hands.
Trying to pretend like she wasn't completely falling apart.
Because if she let it take over.
She wasn't sure if she'd be able to put herself back together.
Alexander stepped out of the bathroom, hair damp, steam curling behind him—and immediately saw her.
Nene.
Curled up in the corner, shaking, breathing uneven.
His wolf bristled instantly.
Because this?
This wasn't just anger.
This was instinct unraveling.
He crossed the room in three steps, crouching in front of her.
Nene flinched slightly, but she didn't look up.
Didn't say anything.
Didn't even acknowledge him.
Alexander exhaled slowly.
And then calm, steady, low.
"You're not broken."
Nene's shoulders tensed.
She didn't respond.
Alexander didn't push.
Instead, he reached out, slow and careful, brushing his fingers against the side of her face.
Nene finally looked up.
Her eyes were sharp, conflicted, brimming with too much emotion.
Frustration.
Confusion.
Rage.
She looked like she didn't know whether to fight him or lean into him.
Alexander sighed, tilting his head slightly.
"I was worse when my hormones hit," he admitted.
Nene blinked.
She stared at him, startled out of her spiral for just a second.
"What?" she muttered, hoarse.
Alexander smirked slightly, but it wasn't mocking.
It was something else.
Something calm.
Something reassuring.
"I was worse," he repeated. "Aggressive. Unstable. Constantly fighting the urge to rip apart anything that pissed me off."
Nene swallowed, still watching him warily.
"You?" she muttered. "You were worse?"
Alexander chuckled softly.
"Oh, much worse," he said smoothly. "I had to be locked in a training facility for six months."
Nene stared.
Alexander tilted his head slightly, voice softer.
"You're not broken, Lin Nara," he murmured. "You're just growing into what you are."
Nene's throat tightened.
Because deep down, she already knew.
She wasn't just stressed.
She wasn't just tired.
This was biological.
This was instinct.
This was something she had never been prepared for.
And Alexander?
He was the only one who actually understood.
She exhaled sharply, pressing her forehead against his shoulder, letting herself breathe.
Just for a second.
Just long enough to stop shaking.
Nene was still pressed against him, her breathing slowing, but her body wasn't fully relaxed.
Her instincts were still raw, still restless, still searching for something she couldn't name.
Alexander knew exactly what it was.
And he wasn't going to let her suffer through it alone.
He tilted his head slightly, brushing his fingers against her cheek, voice low and steady.
"Let's go to bed," he murmured.
Nene huffed against his shoulder.
"I'm not tired."
Alexander chuckled softly.
"You don't need to be."
Nene frowned, pulling back slightly to look at him.
Something in his gaze had shifted.
Something deep. Unshakable. Absolute.
"Skin to skin," he murmured. "It'll help."
Nene stiffened.
Her heart slammed against her ribs, her wolf immediately perking up at the suggestion.
It made sense.
Physical contact was one of the fastest ways to regulate an Alpha's instincts.
To calm. To settle.
To stop the downward spiral before it got worse.
But that didn't mean she was ready for it.
She licked her lips, searching for an argument.
"That's not necessary," she muttered.
Alexander raised an eyebrow.
"Your body disagrees," he murmured.
Nene scowled.
Annoyingly, he was right.
Her skin felt too tight, too hot.
Like she was seconds away from crawling out of it.
And the worst part?
The longer she sat here, pressed against his warmth.
The more she didn't want to pull away.
Alexander tilted his head slightly, waiting.
And after a long moment gritted teeth, reluctant, but knowing she had no real choice.
She muttered, "Fine."
Alexander smirked slightly, satisfied.
Then, smoothly, effortlessly he scooped her up into his arms.
Nene squeaked, smacking his shoulder.
"Put me down!"
Alexander chuckled, unbothered.
"No."
And just like that he carried her straight to bed.
The moment Alexander set her down on the bed, Nene instinctively tried to roll away.
Tried to pretend this wasn't happening.
But Alexander?
He wasn't having it.
With zero hesitation, zero struggle, he grabbed her waist and pulled her back—firm, unshakable, absolute.
Nene yelped, squirming.
"Alexander!"
"Stop moving," he murmured. "Let me position you properly."
Nene's eye twitched.
"Position me?" she repeated, half insulted, half mortified. "I'm not furniture!"
Alexander huffed a soft laugh, completely unfazed.
"You're worse," he muttered. "Furniture doesn't fight me."
Before she could snap back, he shifted, adjusting their bodies like it was second nature.
One of his arms slipped under her waist, pulling her closer.
His other hand rested against the small of her back, keeping her in place.
Her head was tucked under his chin.
Her legs tangled with his.
And worst of all?
Her body responded immediately.
Her breathing evened out.
And the tension that had been coiling in her chest all night finally, finally started to unwind.
Nene exhaled sharply, scowling against his skin.
"...I still don't like this."
Alexander smirked against her hair.
"Your body disagrees."
Nene opened her mouth to argue. Then realized she was already falling asleep.