The morning sun barely pierced the clouds over Qingzhou, leaving Heilong Dominion Academy bathed in a soft, diffused light. Lin Yuexin adjusted the strap of her bag as she stepped into the courtyard. The air was cool, damp from last night's rain, and carried the scent of polished stone, wet leaves, and something intangible—power. Every Alpha walking the paths seemed to hum with it, a subtle vibration she could feel in her chest, even through the suppressant she still wore under her uniform.
Today felt different. There was an edge to the air, a tension she couldn't name. As Yuexin moved toward the main building, she sensed eyes on her. Not the casual, passing glances of yesterday. These were deliberate, measuring, weighing her like she was prey… or a challenge.
She tried to calm herself with careful, slow breaths. Observe. Don't react. Blend.
The first class was Advanced Strategy, a subject where Alphas displayed their intellect and hierarchy subtly, through tone, posture, and dominance. Yuexin kept her head low, her notebook open, pretending to take notes while listening carefully. She didn't need to understand every word, only to understand how the dynamics in this room worked.
From the corner of her vision, she noticed Yichen leaning lazily against a pillar, his eyes tracing her movements with a smirk. Not openly menacing yet, just… there, like a shadow she could sense but not touch. She felt her pulse quicken, not from fear, but from an unfamiliar, uncomfortable awareness of his presence.
Zhenyu, sitting near the front, was quieter than usual. His gaze wasn't fixed on her constantly, but Yuexin could feel the pressure of his attention. It was subtle—like gravity pulling at her shoulder—but enough to make her straighten instinctively. She had survived the first day, but this morning reminded her that she was far from safe.
During the break, Yuexin made her way to the courtyard. A few students passed, their murmurs sharp:
"There she is again…""Human or not, she moves like she's part of us.""She thinks she can hide."
She ignored them, though every word made her stomach tighten. The suppressant did its work, but it couldn't hide the tension in her muscles, the way her heart fluttered against her ribs.
Then Yichen appeared, casually stepping out from behind a fountain. "I was wondering where you'd disappear to," he said, his voice low and teasing. "Trying to find a quiet corner before the predators come sniffing again?"
Yuexin swallowed. She had anticipated attention, but not his kind of playful proximity. "I… just wanted some air," she replied softly, keeping her tone neutral.
He leaned slightly closer, close enough for her to feel the subtle warmth radiating from his body, but not so close as to be invasive. His smirk was infuriatingly casual. "Air, huh? Funny. Most humans don't survive here long enough to enjoy it."
Her chest tightened, and for a moment she felt the faintest tremor in the suppressant beneath her uniform. She forced herself to breathe evenly, counting silently to ten. Observation. Patience. Survival.
It wasn't just the Mo brothers. Yuexin felt other students' attention too, subtle glances, whispers, the faint brush of energy like static in the air. Then she noticed Meilin walking toward her, flanked by a couple of her followers. Her Crimson Phoenix mark caught the sunlight, almost gleaming, as if daring Yuexin to look.
"Well, well," Meilin said, tilting her head, voice sweet but sharp. "The little human. I hope you're settling in." She reached out to lightly brush Yuexin's shoulder, a touch that was both casual and threatening. "I hear you're quiet. Let's see how long that lasts."
Yuexin's hands tightened around her bag strap. She forced her face into neutrality. "I'm fine," she said calmly. The words were simple, but her tone carried just enough firmness to hint at a backbone Meilin hadn't expected.
Meilin's lips curved into a sharper smile. "We'll see," she whispered, turning away with a flick of her hair. Her followers giggled, and Yuexin could feel the social weight of their scrutiny pressing down. Every step she took was being judged, every breath noted.
Class resumed, but Yuexin's mind was half on strategy, half on survival. She observed patterns: which students dominated conversations, who whispered to whom, whose eyes flicked toward her or the brothers, subtle shifts in posture. It was exhausting, but also necessary. One misstep could make her visible, vulnerable.
During a particularly heated discussion, Yichen's voice cut through the room, teasingly low, but directed at her. "You don't say much, huh? Quiet, careful… I like that. But careful only gets you so far." He leaned slightly in her direction, just enough for her to notice the faint scent of his Alpha dominance—rich, intoxicating, dangerous. She swallowed, focusing on her notebook, pretending not to notice.
From the corner, Zhenyu's hand rested lightly on the edge of his desk. The air around him seemed heavier, cooler, a subtle warning. His gaze flicked toward her, brief but intense, as if he could feel Yichen's playfulness and was quietly asserting his own silent claim.
Yuexin's heart hammered. She was human. She was fragile. And yet, somehow, she already felt the pull of their dominance, the unspoken tension between them.
The afternoon passed slowly. Yuexin navigated small social traps set by classmates and Meilin, avoiding traps, answering questions, keeping her movements and expressions neutral. Every time Yichen approached, even lightly, she could feel the teasing dominance brushing against her, the way he measured her reaction with interest.
Zhenyu remained a shadow of presence, silent but potent, his attention subtle, protective. It wasn't obvious yet—no hand on her shoulder, no public interference—but Yuexin felt it, an invisible shield she hadn't asked for.
At the end of the day, the academy's courtyard glimmered under the fading sun, slick from the morning rain. Yuexin walked slowly, keeping her gaze low, sensing the subtle currents of power flowing around her. Two brothers were present, but neither overtly approached; still, their energy pressed on her, claiming her in small, silent ways.
As she climbed the steps to her dormitory, she allowed herself a quiet exhale. Today had been hard, but she had survived. She had walked through another day in a world that didn't tolerate human weakness—and had remained unseen enough to survive.
Yet, even as she reached her room, her pulse still spiked at memories of Yichen's teasing closeness and Zhenyu's cold, silent presence. She realized that in this school, survival wasn't just about avoiding harm. It was about navigating desire, dominance, and attention—both wanted and unwanted.
And the two Mo brothers had already begun claiming her.
Tomorrow, she would learn more. Not in obvious attacks, but in subtle tests, in whispers, in glances. And Yuexin knew she had to be ready. Because even without realizing it, she was no longer invisible.
Her reflection in the mirror that night stared back at her, pale but alert, her hands trembling slightly from exhaustion and adrenaline. She had survived today. But tomorrow, the shadows would be closer, sharper, and waiting.
And the predators in the shadows would watch, always.