: No Friends, No Drama

Nene dragged herself to the next class, already feeling done with the day.

She had barely been here an hour, and people were already staring at her.

The dominance test?

Yeah. That didn't exactly help her stay unnoticed.

Now, the students around her were whispering, sneaking glances, avoiding direct eye contact.

She didn't come here to make friends.

She found a seat in the back of the classroom, dropped into it, and let out a slow exhale.

Instinct Control was the next lesson.

Great. Perfect. Exactly what she needed.

Because if there was one thing she actually wanted to learn, it was how to not lose her temper every time Alexander pulled his Alpha nonsense.

Or every time her father played his political games.

Or every time her sister acted like life was some romance drama.

She just wanted to get through one day without feeling like she was two seconds away from committing murder.

The instructor, a Beta woman with sharp features, stepped up to the front of the class.

"Welcome," she said. "Instinct Control is about recognizing and managing your natural reactions in a structured environment. Whether you are an Alpha, Beta, or Omega, your instincts shape how you interact with others."

Nene crossed her arms, listening. Trying not to look as uninterested as she felt.

The instructor, still annoyingly calm, continued:

"Instinct control isn't about suppression," she said. "It's about awareness. The more you recognize your triggers, the more control you have over them."

Nene exhaled slowly.

Great. A therapy session.

Exactly what she needed.

The instructor tapped the screen behind her, bringing up a list of common instinct triggers.

Triggers for Alphas, Betas, and Omegas

For Alphas:

- Challenges to authority Threats to their mate or territory

- Being disrespected in public

- Loss of control in high-pressure situations

For Betas:

- Conflicts between pack members

- Failure to fulfill responsibilities

- Unclear leadership dynamics

For Omegas:

- Emotional distress within the pack

- Overstimulation in crowded spaces

- Being isolated from pack bonds

Nene's eye twitched.

Because, yeah.

Every single Alpha trigger on that list?

She had hit all of them in the last two days alone.

Exhibit A: Alexander being a possessive control freak.

Exhibit B: Her father using her as a political chess piece.

Exhibit C: Literally every single family gathering she had attended.

Nene gritted her teeth.

No wonder she was always pissed off.

The instructor smiled slightly, glancing around the room.

"Everyone's goal here is different," she continued. "Some of you need to manage aggression. Others need to strengthen their presence. Either way, instinct is a tool. You control it. It does not control you."

Nene huffed under her breath.

That sounded fake, but okay.

Because right now?

Her instincts felt very much in control.

And at this rate?

She was going to need a miracle to survive three months without strangling someone.

The instructor clapped her hands, signaling the start of the next exercise.

"Now that we've covered the theory," she said, "it's time to test your instincts."

Nene groaned internally.

Because of course they weren't just going to sit through a boring lecture.

No.

They had to experience it firsthand.

The instructor motioned toward the training mats.

"Pair up," she instructed. "We'll be testing dominance, submission, and reaction control."

Nene sighed, standing up.

She wasn't here to prove anything.

She just wanted to learn how to not snap at Alexander every time he acted like a smug bastard.

She got paired with a Beta male, who looked mildly nervous but determined.

The instructor nodded. "First, eye contact. No physical moves—just hold dominance pressure and observe your natural instinctive reaction."

Nene raised an eyebrow.

That was easy.

She met her opponent's gaze, keeping her stance relaxed.

The Beta held for a second—then immediately buckled.

His shoulders dropped, his gaze skittered away, and he took an instinctive step back.

Nene frowned.

That was fast.

The instructor nodded. "Not surprising. Next, let's see your response when dominance is applied to you."

A Beta female stepped forward, more confident than the last.

She squared up, meeting Nene's gaze, attempting to apply her own pressure.

Nene didn't even flinch.

If anything, her body automatically pushed back, her instincts flaring before she even thought about it.

The Beta stepped back immediately, breaking eye contact.

The instructor raised an eyebrow.

"Your reaction is too automatic," she mused. "You don't even think before you push back, do you?"

Nene crossed her arms. "I wasn't aware I was supposed to."

The instructor smirked. "That's the problem. Your instincts are running the show."

Nene scowled.

She didn't like the way that sounded.

The instructor gestured toward another group.

"Alright, final test," she said. "We'll simulate a challenge scenario. Try to hold your response."

Nene sighed.

How hard could it be?

She took her stance—

And then, before she could prepare, a male Beta stepped forward and growled.

A fake challenge. A controlled test.

But her instincts?

Didn't care.

The second the Beta bared his teeth at her, something in her snapped.

Before she even thought about it, her body moved.

A deep, low growl tore from her throat, her weight shifting forward, muscles tensing.

Her opponent flinched immediately, backing away.

The entire class stared.

The instructor tilted her head, intrigued.

"Hmm," she said. "That was… aggressive."

Nene's stomach dropped.

Because she hadn't meant to react like that.

She wasn't supposed to lose control.

She clenched her fists, forcing herself to breathe.

The instructor clasped her hands together, looking entirely too pleased.

"Alright, class dismissed," she announced. "Except for Lin Nara."

Nene froze mid-step.

…Excuse me?

The other students glanced at her, whispering amongst themselves as they packed up their things and left the training hall.

Nene groaned internally.

Great.

Just great.

She slumped her shoulders, turning back to the instructor. "What now?"

The instructor smirked. "You need special training."

Nene huffed. "Why? Because I didn't roll over and submit like a Beta?"

The instructor chuckled. "Because you're too reactive. Your instincts are running ahead of your logic, and if you don't learn how to slow down, you'll act before thinking every time."

Nene scowled. "Sounds like an Alpha problem."

"Exactly," the instructor said smoothly. "That's why you're getting Alpha-specific training."

Nene blinked.

Hold on.

"Wait—there's a different training program for aggressive Alphas?"

The instructor tilted her head. "Of course. Some Alphas learn control naturally. Others? Need structure."

Nene bristled. "I don't need structure."

The instructor smiled knowingly. "Then prove it."

She motioned for Nene to step back onto the mat.

"We're going to run a controlled response test," she explained. "This time, your job is to do nothing."

Nene frowned. "Do nothing?"

The instructor nodded. "You will be challenged again. But instead of reacting, you will remain completely still. No movement, no flinching, no instinctive pushback. Just silence."

Nene stiffened.

That… sounded impossible.

Her entire body was built to react.

Her instincts were wired to fight.

And now they expected her to just stand there and take it?

The instructor nodded to a tall, dominant Beta male, signaling him to step forward.

"Go ahead," she instructed. "Challenge her."

The Beta squared up, stepping into Nene's space.

And then, with full intent, he growled.

A clear, dominant, aggressive challenge.

Nene's wolf snapped to attention instantly.

Her body tensed.

Her heart pounded.

Her muscles screamed to push back—

But she forced herself still.

Tight fists. Clenched jaw.

The Beta stepped closer, still pushing dominance.

Nene's fingers twitched.

She wanted to move. Respond. React.

Her instincts were suffocating her.

But she stayed silent.

Stayed still.

The tension stretched, unbearable.

And then—

"Enough," the instructor finally said.

The Beta stepped back.

Nene let out a sharp breath, realizing she had been holding it.

The instructor smirked. "Difficult, isn't it?"

Nene scowled. "That was hell."

The instructor nodded approvingly. "Exactly. But you lasted longer than expected."

Nene rolled her shoulders, still buzzing with the urge to fight.

"So, what now?" she muttered.

The instructor grinned.

"Now?" she said. "Now we slow down your training. Instead of sparring, you're going to learn how to manage your instinct responses first."

Nene frowned. "Meaning?"

"Meaning," the instructor said, "for the next few weeks, you won't fight. You'll learn how to sit with your instincts instead of giving in to them."

Nene stared.

That sounded way worse than actual combat.

And somehow, she had the sinking feeling that this was going to be even harder than she thought.

Nene was already exhausted when the instructor clapped her hands together, looking way too enthusiastic.

"Before you leave," she said, "one last thing!"

She pulled up another screen.

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT LOADED.

Nene's eye twitched.

"You've got to be kidding me," she muttered.

The instructor smiled sweetly. "I never kid about homework."

Homework Assignment: Instinct Log

For the next week, track your instinct responses in daily situations.

Note when your instincts flare up and why. Document any moments of self-control or loss of control. Be honest—no one else will see your notes.

Nene stared.

This was basically "journal about how feral you are."

Fantastic.

The instructor handed out the assignment files.

"Bring your logs next class," she said cheerfully. "Let's see if you can improve."

Nene gritted her teeth.

Because she already knew exactly how this was going to go.

Her entire instinct log was just going to be:

Husband pissed me off. Almost murdered him. Didn't. Progress? Family is exhausting. Didn't flip a table. That's something. Held back the urge to strangle a Beta for being stupid. Improvement?

She sighed, stuffing her tablet into her bag.

"Great," she muttered. "Can't wait."