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He just thundered into the circle.

The pack’sThetawas barefoot.

No shirt, scarred like an old war god, chest rising and falling, arms easy at his side.

His body was massive, sun-bronzed, sinewed, with no spare inch between skin and muscle. Lethal asfokk.

He was the engineer and the builder, the reason theÚltima Sombrakept moving.

However, the man was hard to read.

Quiet as deep water, he was a shipwright who built death machines and cultivated gardens in equal measure.

Boaz never spoke of his past, never sought out women, but he always raised his mug to whatever sky, ceiling, or roof he was in, toasting a hidden soul, like he was waiting for his first love to rejoin him, one who never came.

Xander met him with force.

Boaz didn’t budge.

He caught Xander’s punch and twisted his wrist with mechanical precision. It was not cruel; it was measured.

Xander grunted, pivoted, and used the pain to drop down and knee Boaz in the gut.

They both remained locked together, neither willing to give in. It was a silent battle of two enormous forces, chests heaving, breath steaming.

Buzzer.

Xander surrendered, raising a hand. Boaz yielded.

They gave each other chin nods as they pulled apart, matched in mass.

Then came Kaal: the warrior and theGamma.

He was also Mak’s younger brother and a Sauvage scion.

A force of nature, Kaal was composed of myth, muscle, and aureate ink carved into his skin like war prayers.

He didn’t speak of women, though Xander knew he had lovers throughout the flotilla.

Still, Xander was sure he wanted more than just fleeting one-night stands.

Kaal often lingered on the observation deck most nights after chow.

Eyes canted towards Pegasi, perhaps waiting for his salvation and a chance at love on the other side of this long journey.

He stepped onto the ring like death on two legs, tall, golden-tattooed, eyes unreadable.

Rumor said he once killed a mafia prince with his bare hands.

Xander believed it.

He didn’t waste time with tough talk. Instead, he charged and collided with Kaal’s fists, blunt instruments of agony.

Xander moved faster, ducked, elbowed, and grabbed.

Kaal reversed the hold and tried to slam hiscapitánto the mat. Xander twisted and hooked his leg.

They both went down in a cloud of dust and blood and breath.