Zoe Pierce took a couple of steps forward before hearing Erin Xavier’s voice from behind her. "Zoe Pierce, you’re so childish."

’This ungrateful brat.’

Zoe Pierce spun around, glaring, but instead of the mocking face she expected, she saw one that couldn’t hold back a smile.

The corners of Erin Xavier’s mouth were trying their best to suppress a grin but failing. His eyes were curved into crescents, and anyone could see his laughter was genuine.

Zoe Pierce had been about to say something, but looking at his face, she found herself at a loss for words.

’This damn kid.’

’So stubborn.’

’Who’s the childish one here?’ Zoe Pierce huffed softly and decided to ignore him. If she kept looking, things would just get stranger.

It was as if she, too, was losing control.

A part of her wanted to laugh along with him.

An unspoken understanding had inexplicably bloomed between them. Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the government personnel waiting outside to escort them couldn’t help but smile fondly. ’Is this what youth is like?’

The atmosphere was just too perfect.

But the moment their gazes fell upon the expressions of Nathan Lockwood, Chase Shaw, and the others, that feeling of shipping a sweet romance vanished completely.

Why did they all look so sour?

It was like they’d each swallowed a fly.

The Hovercar temporarily separated the group. They would still need to remain isolated from the outside world for a period before they could go home.

The location for their isolation was easily decided. The school took its own students back, housing them in the same dorms they had left, which had simply been cleaned.

This time, however, they weren’t restricted to separate groups and could meet freely.

But Zoe Pierce noticed that for three consecutive days, Miles Sherman and the others hadn’t contacted her at all.

The Alpha dorm was now completely empty.

Inside the Psionic Training Room, however, all four of them stood.

In the training room, so quiet you could hear a pin drop, Nathan Lockwood’s gaze was the coldest of all. Seeing that no one was speaking, he turned around. "If there’s nothing to say, I’m leaving."

This staring contest of a gathering was pointless.

But a carefree voice piped up. "Nathan, want to know what Zoe Pierce looks for in a boyfriend?"

His words successfully halted Nathan Lockwood’s steps.

Nathan Lockwood turned to face Erin Xavier. Erin’s eyes were crinkled in a smile, but his words had been audacious.

He first let out a soft chuckle. "So that’s how it is."

"Is that what you talked about that day?"

Nathan Lockwood stood ramrod straight. "If you really knew, you wouldn’t have apologized that day."

This could only mean that Zoe Pierce might have said something, but she definitely didn’t get to the heart of the matter. Otherwise, why would there be a need to apologize?

’Dealing with smart people is such a pain.’ Erin Xavier had to admit, Nathan Lockwood was a cunning fox; he’d guessed the core of the issue in one go.

"I was wondering why they were so unfazed. Turns out, everyone’s already laid their cards on the table." Chase Shaw and Miles Sherman were also standing by. It was clear they all understood each other’s feelings now.

He had long suspected this day would come.

The more time he spent with Zoe Pierce, the more he felt it. Emotions weren’t like commands that could be started and stopped at will.

The longer one stayed by her side, the easier it was to lose control.

But this day had arrived a little earlier than he had expected.

Nathan Lockwood slowly walked up to Erin Xavier, a sudden smile tugging at his lips. His fingers clenched into a fist, and he swiftly punched Erin in the left cheek.

Erin Xavier never imagined Nathan Lockwood would hit him. Caught off guard, he took the full force of the punch. A sharp pain bloomed on his cheek as his head snapped to the side.

His brow furrowed sharply, and he rubbed his cheek with the back of his hand.

Turning his head back to Nathan Lockwood, he heard him say, "An Alpha who can’t even resist an Omega’s pheromones. What kind of pathetic creature are you?"

"I’ve been wanting to punch you for a long time."

"Back then, you took plenty of advantage of Zoe Pierce, didn’t you? And now you’re acting like a good guy. Erin Xavier, what makes you think you’re any better?"

"Savage. Vulgar."

He let out a low, cold laugh. "You’ve really reinforced my stereotype of Alphas."

"Oh, and you’re an S-Class Alpha, too. How embarrassing." The smile didn’t reach his eyes.

He was finally venting all his fury about Erin Xavier marking Zoe Pierce.

Erin Xavier touched his already broken skin. He remained silent for a few seconds after hearing this. If Nathan Lockwood was going to punch him for that reason, he had nothing to say in his defense.

Nathan Lockwood turned to Chase Shaw and Miles Sherman. "What? Isn’t this why you called everyone here today? What are you two still pretending for?"

Miles Sherman took a step forward. "Nathan."

Nathan Lockwood stared at him coldly. "Miles Sherman, are you still going to play the nice guy at a time like this? Or are you going to admit, with your own mouth, that you really have no feelings for Zoe Pierce whatsoever?"

The corner of his mouth curved into a smirk. "Fine. As long as you admit it, you can leave this training room right now."

Miles Sherman’s expression remained calm and unchanged, but he didn’t speak, nor did he move to leave.

Chase Shaw couldn’t help but admit that Nathan Lockwood really knew how to stir up trouble.

And now, he had successfully been provoked.

Even though he was standing next to Miles Sherman, the image of Miles leaning down to mark Zoe Pierce was now crystal clear in his mind.

The two of them, in an intimate moment under a tree, were almost wrapped in an embrace from behind.

He fell silent for a moment. "Miles Sherman, let’s fight."

His gray eyes were now as sharp as a razor’s edge. "The one we didn’t finish that night."

Miles Sherman understood. If Zoe Pierce hadn’t forcefully stopped them that night on Siren Star, the two of them would have come to blows right then and there. This was just bringing up an old score.

"Use your spiritual power or don’t, I don’t care," Chase Shaw said as he launched a sudden attack at Miles Sherman. Unlike Erin Xavier, Miles didn’t just stand there and take the hit; he sidestepped, dodging the punch.

Miles Sherman’s jaw tightened. "Chase! Calm down."

Chase Shaw loosened his shoulders and neck. "Sometimes, Nathan Lockwood’s mouth is venomous, but he’s not wrong."

"Miles Sherman, are you a hypocrite?"

"Do you dare admit you have no feelings for Zoe Pierce at all?"

"Just say you don’t, and I’ll let you hit me back. I won’t even fight back."

He saw that Miles Sherman still wore the same expression. "See? You care about her. So what? Could you really bless her choice to be with someone else?"

Miles Sherman dodged another one of his sweeping kicks. "I will respect her choice, even if she doesn’t choose me."

At this, Chase Shaw felt that Miles Sherman really was the most sanctimonious one on the team. "But then why did you reject what Zoe Pierce proposed?"

"If she really found someone she likes, as team captain, you have the right to decide if someone can join or not. Why did you refuse?"

"Miles Sherman, you have to admit it. You made your choice a long time ago." 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

"You don’t actually think any other Alpha is worthy of her. The only thing you can tolerate is her choosing one of us."

"You’ve always been fiercely protective of your own, and you’re even doing it now. Sometimes, even I have to admire it."