Lucien waited until Kaiden left.
Then he sighed.
"I don't like this."
"You don't like him," I corrected.
Lucien smirked slightly. "Also true."
I leaned against the stone railing.
"What if he's right?"
Lucien didn't answer immediately.
That told me everything.
"He is right about one thing," Lucien admitted.
"You are not ready for full Alpha war politics yet."
I crossed my arms.
"Then make me ready."
That made him smile.
"Good answer."
Training started immediately.
Combat.
Mental resistance.
Power control.
Political awareness.
Lucien pushed hard.
But something else was happening too.
Kaiden started visiting daily.
Always with updates.
Always watching me train.
Always saying little.
But watching everything.
One afternoon I lost focus during power control training.
My mark flared suddenly.
Energy burst outward.
Lucien blocked most of it.
But Kaiden stepped forward instantly.
Grabbing my wrist.
"Breathe."
My body reacted instantly.
His voice.
His Alpha command.
My power stabilized.
Lucien noticed.
So did I.
So did Kaiden.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Lucien crossed his arms.
"I had it handled."
Kaiden replied calmly:
"You took three seconds too long."
Tension.
Male ego.
Dominance.
I stepped between them.
"I am not a territory dispute."
Kaiden looked down slightly.
"No."
Lucien added quietly:
"You are the reason for one."
That silence felt heavier than any fight.
Later that night I realized something dangerous:
My power reacted differently around Kaiden.
Stronger.
More unstable.
More alive.
And that scared me.
Because it meant the bond might not be fully broken.