"Father, I told you—I have this under control," Xavier said in a low, commanding tone, each word wrapped in cold steel. He didn't blink, his intense gaze fixed on his father, Alpha Sam, who sat silently across from him, watching him with those same calculating eyes Xavier had inherited.
"I'm not doubting you," Sam finally replied, voice deep and tight with concern. "But you do understand what this means for us now, right? How much more complicated this just became?"
Xavier didn't answer. He only tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable.
"The Alpha heirs are going to be transferred over to the academy," Sam continued, "to intensify the Alpha Rank competition. And…"—his voice dropped a notch—"an application for an additional member is now open."
Xavier's fingers twitched on the armrest of his chair, but his face stayed calm—collected. Dangerous. "So what, Dad?" he said casually, brushing his fingers through his dark hair in that arrogant, effortless way of his. "It's actually better this way. The closer they are, the easier it is for me to keep tabs on them. They weren't threats before. They aren't threats now."
Sam narrowed his eyes. "Uh huh," he murmured. "Then what about the last one I mentioned? They're bringing someone in. And depending on who had that idea... it's either someone strong enough to actually win or someone sent to spy on you. Report directly to the Supreme Alpha. Either way, it's a threat to your claim as Supreme Alpha."
Xavier's eyes flashed with a dark gleam. He leaned forward, voice sharp and low. "Humans, Dad. They're looking for a human to be the new addition. You know what that means."
Sam stayed quiet, listening.
"Whatever plan they think they're cooking up, we'll beat them to it," Xavier said with a low, deadly smirk. "We just have to make sure we choose who gets in first. Someone we can control. Someone we can bend until they break. And thankfully, the spot is open to only humans." He chuckled darkly, his tone twisted with amusement. "And humans? They're the easiest to deceive. The easiest to break."
A long pause stretched between them. Then finally, Sam stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, his expression neutral but filled with quiet trust. "I'll leave it all to you, then."
"Yeah," Xavier said, standing and walking away without another word. "I'll handle it."
---
The academy grounds were buzzing with late afternoon activity when Xavier arrived. His pace was smooth, unhurried, like a predator walking through a crowd of prey. Everyone who noticed him stepped aside instantly. No one dared meet his eyes. He moved through the building like a ghost wearing power as his cloak—until he reached the overhead office.
Without knocking, he pushed the door open, stepped in, and sat down behind the desk like it was made for him—which it was.
His fingers moved leisurely over the computer screen as he scrolled through the list of human applications. His expression remained unimpressed. One after another, names and faces flashed past the screen, none of them catching his attention. Each applicant tried too hard—listing glowing qualities, achievements, ambitions.
Useless.
Xavier didn't want ambition. He didn't want strength.
He wanted someone desperate.
Someone weak. Someone who could offer nothing.
Someone who would have no choice but to follow his lead.
His finger paused suddenly.
There.
A new application blinked on the screen.
He clicked it.
A photo loaded slowly—and then she appeared.
Blonde. Pretty. Too pretty. Her name lit up on the screen: Mira Dravell.
His eyes narrowed with interest as he scrolled. Her basic details passed by like wind, but when he got to the "About Me" section and her answer to "Why I Want to Attend Lycanridge Academy"—something changed.
His lips curled slowly into a darker, crueler grin.
The audacity of this girl.
Her answers were raw. Honest. Wounded. They reeked of desperation but also defiance. He could practically smell the struggle in her words, the fractured pride. This was exactly what he was looking for. She had fire, but not the kind that would burn him—the kind that would flicker and die if he stepped on it.
She was perfect.
Just as his finger hovered to click ACCEPT, his werewolf hearing picked up the sound of approaching footsteps and loud chatter echoing down the hallway. He leaned back in the chair, completely unbothered. The door swung open.
Silence.
The group that walked in went deathly quiet the moment they saw who was in the room.
"A–Alpha Xavier?" one of the men stammered, eyes wide, heart racing. The scent of fear filled the air.
Xavier didn't move. He tilted his head slowly and let a dangerous smirk rise on his face. "So you mean… you can be here—but I can't?"
Lucas, the man who spoke, froze. "No—I mean—I was just surprised to see you, that's all. Doing what we were... actually coming to handle."
Xavier turned fully in his chair to face them. His dark gaze cut straight through Lucas like a blade. "No need for that. I'm already handling it."
Lucas hesitated. "Umm, Alpha… we can't let you handle it."
The room froze.
Lucas's words hung in the air like smoke.
Xavier's eyes narrowed. The light in them dimmed until it was nothing but shadows. His voice dropped to a whisper laced with steel.
"So you dare defy my order?"
Lucas swallowed hard.
Shit.
What kind of situation had he just put himself in?
He couldn't disobey Xavier—but he also couldn't disobey the one who sent him.
He looked like he was about to pass out.
"I—I dare not, Alpha," Lucas whispered, head bowed in submission, voice cracking. "It's just... it's an order from above."