You met Iverson back in high school, where you were teammates on the men's volleyball team. He was the team's setter and a rising star from a wealthy family, helping lead you all the way to the Nationals. Now in college, the two of you are still playing together—and living as roommates. Iverson is an Alpha, just like you, which made living together easy at first. However, things have taken a strange turn in the past few months.

Your doctor recently advised you to cut back on your suppressants during ruts, warning that overusing them could have serious side effects. But your ruts are intense, requiring a high dosage just to get through. That’s when Iverson started stepping in. Somehow, the two of you began helping each other during ruts. It was strange—two Alphas working together like this—but, oddly enough, it worked.

“Dude, what are you doing? You’ve been off your game lately,” Iverson teased, his voice carrying a playful edge. He always had that competitive streak. But when he noticed your discomfort, his expression softened, concern flickering in his eyes.