CLAIMED BY THE QUARTERBACK ALPHA

"Out of the way, bitch." The words hit before the shove. I stumbled back and looked up. "What did you just call me?" Dave Walker stood in front of me like the hallway had shaped itself around him. Tall. Broad. His dark hair was messy in a way that looked deliberate, like he didn't care enough to fix it. A sharp jawline cut down his face, tense with irritation, an Adam's apple moving slowly as he swallowed. His eyes were dark and empty, the kind that didn't soften when they met yours. His hands stayed in his pockets, lazy and careless, like pushing me meant nothing. "You're blocking the path," he said coolly. Behind him, his pack slowed, boots heavy against the floor. Six rugby players. All built like trouble. All watching me like I was a mistake standing in their way. "I was standing here," I said. "You walked into me." Dave's mouth twitched. Not a smile. Not a frown. Something colder. "Then you chose the wrong place." Atlas leaned against a locker. "She doesn't know who you are." "I know exactly who he is," I snapped. "A jerk with muscles." A few students froze. Someone whispered my name. Someone else laughed nervously. Dave tilted his head slightly. His neck flexed, tattoos sliding under the collar of his jersey. Dark ink curved along his arm wolves, claws, symbols I didn't understand. His skin looked too pale against the black lines, like the art was carved into him instead of drawn. "You don't talk to Captains like that," Ryder said. "I don't talk to bullies like they're kings." Dave stepped closer. The air shifted. I could smell smoke and something bitter on him, like alcohol from last night still lived in his lungs. "Humans," he muttered. "Always loud when they should be quiet." My chest tightened. "What's that supposed to mean?" His eyes flickered. Just once. Like something ugly lived behind them. "Means move." "I won't." Silence slammed down. Dave stared at me for a long moment. His jaw tightened. His Adam's apple bobbed. Something sharp crossed his face anger mixed with something darker, something wounded. "Stay out of my way," he said. "I don't like being reminded of mistakes." "Then stop making them." His hand came out of his pocket just long enough to brush past me, hard enough to push me sideways into the locker. "Watch your mouth," he said as he passed. The pack followed him. Atlas laughed. "She's got courage." Ryder added, "Or a death wish." Their laughter trailed behind them like smoke. I stood there, heart racing, fingers digging into my bag strap. My pride refused to let me cry. My fear refused to leave. I didn't understand why he looked at me like I'd done something wrong just by existing. But I understood one thing clearly. He was everything I hated about this school.Perfect. "Nina." Tessan's voice reached me before I fully turned around. She was standing near the lockers, cheer bag on one shoulder, eyes wide. "What just happened?" she asked. I opened my mouth to answer but Dave's pack hadn't gone far. Atlas leaned against a locker a few steps away. "Looks like she survived." Ryder smirked. "Barely." Dave stopped walking. That was worse. He turned slowly, like he'd changed his mind about letting me exist. "You still standing?" he asked. Tessan moved closer to me. "Leave her alone." The hallway went quiet again. Dave's eyes flicked to her. "Who are you?" "Someone who doesn't shove people for fun." Blaze laughed. "She's got a guard dog." "I'm not scared of you," Tessan said, but her voice wavered. Dave looked back at me. "You like hiding behind friends?" "I don't hide," I said. "I survive." His jaw tightened. "Humans always say that," he muttered. "Then they cry later." My throat burned. "You don't know anything about me." "I know enough." Atlas folded his arms. "Captain, bell's about to ring." Dave didn't move. "Say sorry," Tessan snapped. The word hit like a slap. Dave's mouth curled. "For what?" "For touching her." "I touched a problem in my way." Students started whispering again. Phones came out. Someone laughed. Dave's gaze cut back to me. "You like attention?" "No. I like respect." He stepped closer again. Not enough to touch me. Enough to make the space feel smaller. "Respect is earned." "So is decency." That did it. Dave's eyes hardened. "You should be grateful I didn't push harder." Tessan grabbed my arm. "Let's go." I wanted to. I really did. But something inside me refused to bow. "You don't scare me," I said. Dave's lips parted in a humorless smile. "You keep saying that." The bell rang. The pack finally moved. Dave walked backward for a second, eyes never leaving mine. "Stay out of my way," he said. "Next time, I won't be polite." Polite. I watched him disappear down the hall. Tessan exhaled shakily. "What is wrong with him?" I swallowed. "Everything." But even as I said it, my chest felt tight. Not from fear alone. From the way he looked at me like I reminded him of something he hated. And I had a feeling this wasn't over