Axel’s Force stirred before he could even think. The instant Lucas spoke, his senses sharpened, locking onto the two men like a predator scenting blood.

  They were fast. They were already closing in.

  “New guy, acting all high and mighty, huh?” One of them sneered, his voice carrying just enough volume to draw attention.

  “Who the fuck told you you could eat alone?”

  “Time to teach you a lesson—so you know how things work in here.”

  They moved. Prisoners roared in approval, welcoming the chaos.

  “Finally! A fucking fight!” Plates crashed, juice spilled, and in a matter of seconds, the cafeteria transformed into a riot. The flickering lights overhead made it feel like a twisted, violent carnival.

  The two attackers, however, weren’t here for a show.

  One lunged from behind, locking an iron grip around Axel’s throat.

  The other pulled out a sharpened metal rod and drove it straight for Axel’s heart.

  Inside the dimly lit monitoring room, Cassia’s breath hitched as she watched the scene unfold on the screen. When the attack started, she couldn’t stop herself—

  “Axel!” Her scream barely left her lips before Lachlan’s men clamped a hand over her mouth, holding her down.

  Lachlan, standing beside her, leaned in close, his breath warm against her ear. “Remember this, Cassia. Every choice has a price. Learn from today so you don’t make the same mistake again—especially when you marry into the Moncrief family.”

  He expected her to tremble, maybe even cry. But when she remained unnervingly silent, he frowned. Turning back to the monitor, Lachlan’s eyes widened.

  A cold crack echoed through the speakers.

  Axel had flipped the script. The man who had him in a chokehold was now the one shackled—Axel had twisted his arms into the handcuffs and slammed him into the metal table. The sheer force of the impact left a deep dent in the iron, and the sound of bones snapping followed like a violent symphony.

  The other attacker, still clutching the iron rod, froze.

  They were first-level middle-grade Awakeners. Even with their abilities restrained, their raw physical strength should have been more than enough to kill a kid fresh out of high school.

  And yet— Axel had torn through them like they were nothing.

  His movements had been instinctive, ruthless. He had sensed their intent to kill, and so he didn’t hold back. His eyes glowed faintly red as he locked onto his second target.

  Before the man could react, Axel grabbed his arm and wrenched it backward—far beyond its natural limit. A sickening snap rang through the cafeteria.

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  The attacker howled, his arm bending at an unnatural angle, white bone jutting through torn flesh.

  The scream was cut short. Axel stomped down on his chest, and another crack split the air as ribs shattered beneath his heel.

  The cafeteria, which moments ago had been a chaotic mess of shouting and jeering, fell into an eerie silence. Every prisoner who had been eager for blood now stood frozen, their gazes locked on the young man at the center of it all.

  Axel hadn’t wasted a single word. No threats, no warnings—just brutal, surgical efficiency. And then there was the table. The dented metal told them everything they needed to know.

  This guy wasn’t prey. He was a goddamn wolf.

  A dangerous silence hung in the air. Those who had considered making a move on him earlier now found themselves taking quiet steps back, putting as much distance between themselves and Axel as possible.

  Axel’s cold gaze swept across the room, as if looking for his next target.

  Panic rippled through the prisoners. The tough ones tried to play it cool, but their instinctive retreat betrayed their fear.

  Back in the monitoring room, the silence was deafening.

  Lachlan stood frozen, his face pale. Callum swallowed hard, shifting uncomfortably beside him. Even Maxwell, who had been watching with amusement earlier, was speechless.

  Lachlan’s mind raced. Impossible. His men were elite—seasoned fighters, trained killers. If they had fought desperately, even a first-level upper-grade Awakener might have struggled to take them down.

  Yet Axel had torn through them in seconds. Seconds.

  Lachlan’s hands clenched into fists. This wasn’t just an anomaly—it was a fucking disaster. Cassia, still restrained, didn’t say a word. But the look in her eyes said enough.

  Lachlan had wanted to teach her a lesson. Instead, he was the one learning something new.

  The cafeteria remained eerily still. The chaos had drawn attention, and within moments, a flood of prison guards stormed in, weapons drawn.

  Lucas, who had been watching from the sidelines, took the opportunity to slip closer to the open iron gate. He had expected tonight to be eventful. But this?

  Axel had exceeded every expectation. For a moment, Lucas replayed their earlier conversation in his head—the quiet confidence in Axel’s voice when he had said, *You can try.*

  Looking at the blood-splattered scene now, Lucas realized something. If they had fought… He wasn’t sure who would’ve walked away. His lips curled into a smirk as he edged toward the exit. Interesting.

  Meanwhile, Axel stood in the center of the room, his breathing slow, controlled. Blood dripped from his hands, but his expression remained indifferent.

  A shame. He had been surrounded, yet only managed to kill one. The second one was still alive. What a pity.

  The guards formed a defensive circle around him, tense and ready—but not a single one moved first. Who would have thought that this handsome young man would kill people without making a sound!

  "Boss, one survived. The other… is dead."

  Lachlan listened to his subordinate’s report, his face darkening for a moment before settling into a cold calm. He was from a prestigious family—he knew better than to let emotions cloud his judgment.

  Axel’s strength had far exceeded his expectations. Killing one of his men wasn’t ideal, but it wasn’t exactly bad news either.

  Openly killing someone in prison… well, that solves my problem.

  Now, even if Bloodstone Warfare Academy investigated, they wouldn’t lift a finger to defend an awakened criminal.

  "Exactly. Now we have the perfect excuse to take this guy out." Callum wiped the sweat from his forehead, forcing a grin.

  "Despicable."

  Cassia’s voice cut through the air, sharp with disgust.

  Lachlan turned, amusement flickering in his eyes. "Despicable? No. This is power."

  He leaned back slightly, a slow realization dawning on him. Forcing Axel to kill might actually be a blessing in disguise.

  At that moment, the door to the room burst open with a thunderous crack.

  A voice, cold as ice, filled the room. "I’d love to see who’s so damn powerful that they think they can kill my people."

  All eyes snapped to the doorway.

  Four figures stepped inside, one after another.

  Leading them was a tall, stunning woman dressed in a sleek black gown, her expression as frigid as a glacier. The three figures behind her didn’t say a word, but the sheer pressure of their presence made Maxwell and the others instinctively tense up.