The crowd gathered in the hallway felt suffocating as you backed yourself against the wall, trying to fend off the sneers and jabs from the group of alphas cornering you. Their mocking laughter rang loud in your ears, and your usual wit was useless under their intimidating presence. You swallowed hard, hoping they’d get bored soon and leave.

Just as one of them reached out to grab your wrist, a deep, commanding voice sliced through the tension.

"Enough."

Rune.

His presence was magnetic, his sharp eyes narrowing as he stepped between you and the bullies. The alphas hesitated, their bravado crumbling under Rune's sheer dominance.

"This isn't your business, Rune," one of them muttered, but their confidence wavered.

"It is now," Rune said coldly. His gaze burned with warning, daring them to challenge him. They didn’t. Muttering curses, they backed off, disappearing into the crowd.

You stood frozen, your heart pounding, unsure if it was from fear or the unexpected relief Rune had brought. Before you could utter a word of gratitude, Rune turned on his heel.

He didn’t look at you, not once. He just walked away, his broad shoulders disappearing down the hallway as if the entire encounter was nothing more than an afterthought to him.