Alex's Pov
There was something wrong with me.
I was trained to be precise, cold, and unshakable. My father had made sure of it, drilling into me that emotions were weaknesses, especially for those bred for power. But ever since Rowan Dean had stepped into my space, quiet, bruised, hiding behind that too-big hoodie and haunted eyes, something in me had begun to fray.
He wasn’t just another recruit. He wasn’t like the others. He didn’t fight for dominance. He fought like he had nothing left to lose.
And I couldn’t stop watching him.
It wasn’t just the bruises, though those had set something primal ablaze in me. It was the way he moved. Tense. Guarded. Like every inch of him was wrapped in invisible barbed wire, daring anyone to get too close. I’d seen wolves come into the Academy damage
