CHAPTER 65: MOTHER NATURE’S NEW BREED

Jinzo shoved himself off his knees, hands slapping so loud it echoed. He looked like he was about to burn, eyes blazing.

"Enough! I’m done with this bullshit." His shout ricocheted off the hangar walls. "You two, gossiping about him like he’s the second coming. Who’s in charge here? Me. So either shut the hell up and fall in line, or get lost."

Everyone just... stopped. Drex froze, ball caught under his palm. Mac just glared, fists on his hips. Even the new players got stiff, faces pinched. The whole vibe tanked in a split second.

Jaz jumped, tried to play it cool with this nervous little giggle.

"Y-yeah, sure, babe. We’ll, uh, just wanted to confirm how bad he is. Hey, just so we’re clear on the whole situation, Nia, maybe just, uh, explain what he did to you... like in details and all..." She stumbled.

Obvious as hell she wanted the tea.

Jinzo turned on her.

"Don’t even try me, you big pervert. You want his leftovers, that’s it. Embarrassing."

He sneered.

"Nash Blaze? Please. He’s a clown. I don’t care what Victoria saw in him. You think one hot streak makes him a king? He’s just another punk from the gutter who—"

"Kicked your ass twice, without conceding a single point."

The air in the hangar went razor sharp.

Silence pressed down, broken only by the thud of the ball rolling away. Heads turned in sync toward the door.

Nash was there, Amara at his side.

At first, not a sound, then, whispers shot around, players mouthing his name.

Jinzo muttered it too.

"N... Nash... You..."

But before he could spit more, Nia exploded.

"Nash!"

She knocked him over and almost stepped on Jaz. Nia bolted across the space and crashed into Nash, arms coiled around him tight.

Amara’s face twitched, all smile gone.

"What the... Back off."

She pulled hard at Nia’s arm, trying to pry her loose.

"Get lost, Blue. He’s mine."

Nia clung harder, showing her teeth.

"Uh? Yours? Please. What are you? Someone call an exorcist to get rid of this ghost. He’s mine. There’s his print in my guts." She turned up at Nash, voice softer. "Right, babe? Tell her to get fucked somewhere else."

Nash cleared his throat, this, right here, was the reason he decided to refrain from seducing every living woman.

"Easy, both of you. Now’s not the time."

"Don’t ’easy’ me, babe," Amara hissed, still tugging. "You think a one-night stand can face me? I’m not going anywhere."

Nia fired back, eyes sharp.

"Then learn to share, bitch. You look hungry, he will kill you if you take that dick by yourself."

Nash sighed, let them both tug at him until finally he raised his arms, and they each ended up locked on one, Amara on his left, Nia on his right.

Like they’d been placed there by design. Both seemed satisfied by this share at least.

The room however was in fire. One of the rookies muttered.

"He’s insane. Yesterday he’s with the bombshell, today he shows up with this one. How many does he got?"

"Guy’s a straight killer," Drex whispered back. "Woman killer. And... was he that jacked before?"

Mac shook his head, grinning.

"And they’re fighting over him right in front of us. Bet he’s just a monster in bed, it’s always the excuse."

Jaz fidgeted, scratching her chin, cheeks heating. Her eyes dropped away, embarrassed.

Jinzo’s voice crashed over them all with rage.

"You idiots! Don’t you see? He’s a fraud. Just a street rat with a lucky streak. And Victoria’s dragging him in here like he’s the future? Over me?!"

He pointed dead at Nash.

"This is my territory, fool! You think you beat me? I was tired after too many games, if we fight now..."

Nash raised a hand.

"Yo. Pause. I’m arranging two dates right now. Wait for me, I’ll handle you later."

Then he turned back to the girls, dismissing Jinzo outright under the everyone’s eyes.

His face went red, fury boiling over.

"You... You fucking rat... I’ll fucking—"

"Sit down."

The click of heels rang from above.

Everyone froze. Heads craned toward the iron staircase leading to the second floor.

Victoria stood there, flanked by the same woman who had coaxed Nash into signing the contract.

The light caught her sunglasses, it seemed like the light reflected everywhere in the hangar.

She stepped forward, descending one step at a time, each click of her heel echoing.

"You want to talk about leadership? About control? Then hear this. Territory belongs to kings. And kings are not chosen. They take. Nature has one law, it devours the weak. When an alpha falters, another rises. And the pack survives not because of the fallen, but because of the one who replaces them."

She kept walking, one step after another, gaze fixed on Jinzo.

"The fate of the loser is irrelevant. Always has been. Always will be. An alpha who can’t hold the crown is stripped of it, devoured, and his pack claimed by an alpha stronger."

She reached the bottom, heels clicking to silence as she came face-to-face with Jinzo. Slowly, she removed her glasses, revealing the sharp blaze of her azure eyes.

"In this place, there are two alphas: him and you. And I am Mother Nature. I decide the rules. If there are two alphas, it means the old one failed so bad, Mother Nature had to create another."

Her voice dropped, quiet, heavy.

"Which means, Jinzo... that you’ve already been replaced. And depending on if you can suck like a bitch or not, you’ll be devoured."

Her gaze locked on him, merciless. Jinzo trembled under it, jaw tight, eyes darting away.

The room was in a weird hush, only broken by that crisp little noise of Victoria sliding her glasses up her nose.

"Alright, everyone. Listen close. Nash Blaze isn’t just some fresh meat off the street. He’s the game-changer. Blacklist’s first headline. Proof we’re not just a bandage brigade limping around. With this guy? The whole script flips."

The squad was not quiet anymore. Someone coughed. Drex stepped up, face all pinched.

"Uh, sorry, ma’am... but why him as the ace? Jinzo’s been our ride-or-die. He’s captain for a reason."

Mac, right behind him, nodded like a bobblehead.

"Yeah, sorry, but you’re kinda throwing Jinzo under the bus for some hotshot."

Meanwhile, Nia was having a blast.

"Ah, thanks for the treat, ma’am."

Victoria just turned and fixeed them with her trademark look that could cut glass.

"You have a problem with my choices? You think your ideas are better than mines? This isn’t a poetry slam. Talk is cheap unless you show receipts. You want to prove a point? Then prove me wrong."

Her sidekick stepped up, dead silent, handing over the ball like it was a loaded gun.

Victoria lift it, pointing it right at Jinzo.

"One game. That’s it. Settle it on the court. Captain’s crown, trust, your spot, everything. If you can prove me wrong, Nash is out. But if I’m right... then your alpha becomes his bitch."