Dominic's POV
I watched him leave, his back straight, steps measured. Too controlled.
He didn't run. But I could smell it. The tension. The restraint. The fight.
Good.
I exhaled, running a hand through my hair, trying to push down the frustration curling hot in my chest.
What the hell is it about him?
Something about Ashen set my instincts on fire. The way he held himself, the way he defied me even as his body fought against it—it was intoxicating.
I should have let it go.
I should have turned around and dismissed it as nothing.
But I couldn't.
Because the moment he turned to face me back there, the moment those cold, stubborn eyes locked onto mine,something clicked.
Something primal. Something undeniable.
And then there was his scent or rather, the lack of it.
It was wrong. Muted. Deliberately suppressed.
Why?
Why would a warrior do that?
I narrowed my eyes, my fingers twitching at my side.
Ashen Wolfe wasn't just strong. He was unnaturally strong. And now that I was paying attention, it was starting to piss me off.
What the hell was he hiding?
And why did my wolf snarl to claim him?
A sharp growl vibrated in my chest, frustration mixing with something darker, something possessive.
I turned, heading back toward my quarters, but my body was still on edge.
My mind was clouded with images I didn't ask for.
The way he looked at me. The sharp set of his jaw, the stubborn lift of his chin. The defiance.
If he were mine, I'd break him of that.
The thought sent heat rushing straight to my gut, my jaw tightening.
I needed to get him out of my head.
Now.
The next day
The training field was alive with the sounds of fists meeting flesh, the crack of bodies hitting the dirt, and the sharp bark of commands.
I stood at the edge, arms crossed, scanning the warriors. My gaze naturally found him.
Ashen.
He was sparring, moving like a damn shadow, his attacks too sharp, too calculated for a mere warrior
Lies.
Everything about him screamed falsehood. The way he masked his scent, the way he threw himself into fights like he had something to prove.
And I was done ignoring it.
I stepped forward.
"You fight like a rabid animal."
The moment the words left my mouth, Ashen stilled. His latest opponent scrambled away, sensing the shift in the air.
Slowly, Ashen turned to face me, sweat dripping down his brow. His eyes were blazing.
"Excuse me?" His voice was deceptively calm, but his hands clenched into fists at his sides.
"You heard me." I took another step forward, closing the space between us. Testing him. "You rely too much on brute strength. No technique. No control. Just wild aggression."
A muscle in his jaw ticked.
"Maybe that's because I actually train instead of just barking orders."
A few warriors nearby inhaled sharply.
I smirked.
He wanted a reaction.
"Careful, boy." My voice dropped lower, a warning. "You might think you're strong, but you're not untouchable."
Ashen laughed.
Mocking. Defiant.
"Then why don't you show me, Alpha?"
Silence.
The air in the training field thickened.
A challenge.
And I never turned down a challenge.
"Fine," I said smoothly, rolling my shoulders. "Let's see if that mouth of yours is as fast as your fists."
I didn't wait for an answer. I attacked.
Ashen moved fast, blocking, countering, his movements sharp and precise. Too good for a beta.
I pressed harder.
A strike to his ribs. A quick sweep of his leg. He recovered too quickly.
He was strong. Stronger than he should be.
But I was stronger.
A well-placed blow sent him stumbling. I surged forward, slamming him into the dirt, pinning him down with ease.
He snarled, body tense beneath me, breath ragged.
I leaned in, my grip tightening.
"Still think you can challenge me?" I growled, voice low.
Ashen's chest rose and fell rapidly. His lips parted slightly, eyes burning with something fierce.
Something dangerous.
But he didn't answer.
Interesting.
Ashen squirmed beneath me, his body tense, his breathing sharp. His eyes burned with something wild, defiant.
I should have let him up. The fight was over. But I didn't.
Why?
Because something about him,something undeniable,kept pulling me in.
I leaned in slightly, pressing my weight down, just to remind him who had won. His muscles coiled, his jaw clenched, and his breath hitched.
Then—he snarled.
His knee came up fast, aiming for my ribs. I twisted, avoiding the worst of it, but his movements were too fast. Too strong.
I growled, grabbing his wrists and pinning them above his head.
A ripple of silence spread through the warriors watching.
Because this wasn't just a fight anymore. This was something else.
"Yield," I commanded, my voice low, almost a whisper against his ear.
His chest heaved, his body rigid beneath mine.
But he refused.
His lips parted slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but instead, he glared, his golden-brown eyes flashing.
I narrowed my gaze.
Why won't he submit?
He was strong, but not stronger than me. He should have given in by now. Any other warrior would have.
But Ashen Wolfe wasn't just any warrior.
There's something off about him.
Slowly, deliberately, I loosened my grip. His body tensed as if expecting a trick.
"Don't ever challenge me like that again," I murmured, my voice laced with warning.
His throat bobbed, and for a second,just a second,I swore I saw something flicker in his gaze. Something vulnerable.
But then it was gone.
I pushed myself off him and stepped back.
I stalked off the training grounds, my muscles still coiled with tension. Damn him.
Ashen Wolfe was going to be a problem.
A small, defiant, unnaturally strong problem.
I should have been satisfied after beating him down, after making him yield—except he hadn't. Not truly. His body had given out, but his spirit still burned, refusing to bend.
And I hated how much that intrigued me.
"That was interesting," a voice drawled beside me.
I didn't have to look to know it was Ryker, my Beta.
I exhaled sharply, rolling my shoulders as we walked. "If you're about to start, don't."
Ryker smirked, his sharp blue eyes gleaming with amusement. "Who? Me? Never."
I shot him a glare.
He grinned wider. "But you have to admit, pinning him down like that? Getting all up close and personal? You looked like you were enjoying yourself a little too much."
A low growl rumbled in my chest. "Careful, Ryker."
He laughed. "Relax, Alpha. I just think it's funny. He's been avoiding you for weeks, and now, suddenly, he's throwing himself at you—"
"He was challenging my authority," I snapped. "I put him in his place. That's all."
Ryker hummed, unconvinced. "Sure. And that's why you looked like you wanted to sink your teeth into him."
I stopped walking.
Ryker nearly bumped into my side before stepping back, raising his hands. "Alright, alright. No need to kill the messenger."
I ran a hand through my hair, aggravated.
He was wrong. I didn't want Ashen.
I wanted to break him.
To unravel the secrets he was keeping.
To understand why the hell I couldn't stop thinking about him.
"Drop it," I muttered, continuing toward my office.
But Ryker only chuckled behind me, shaking his head. "Whatever you say, Dom. Whatever you say."