It was as if ten thousand different scents surged at him all at once, forcing him to inhale, so intense it was almost suffocating, yet he couldn’t even tell what exactly he was smelling. His chest felt tight and stifled, his heartbeat sped up, his limbs grew weaker and weaker, as if something was draining all his strength, trying to make him submit right then and there.

His head hurt so much it felt like it was about to explode, and the pain came with a dizzy, muddled sense of confusion.

His complexion was terrible, and in a split second, Edward Parker caught a hint of possibility.

He suddenly and deliberately released his own pheromones, the heavy, oppressive scent of whiskey instantly flooding into every cell of Ethan Brooks.

Just as Ethan Brooks had lifted his leg to kick over a burly man, his pupils contracted slightly.

Receiving Edward Parker’s signal, all the Alphas on their side also released their oppressive pheromones at the same time. William Turner and the others, not understanding what was going on, didn’t even think before releasing their own pheromones to counter.

The ranks of these Alphas weren’t that different, so there was no absolute suppression. With more than a dozen scents tangled together, it was a back-and-forth struggle. The Omegas watching wanted to run, but their legs had already gone completely weak, so all they could do was keep spraying blockers and suppressants to ease their instinctive urge to submit.

In the vortex of pheromones, Ethan Brooks felt like he was about to be torn apart, but he still managed to intercept the opponent’s swift attack with precision. With an over-the-shoulder throw, he slammed Edward Parker to the ground, and almost simultaneously, he spun around and delivered a high, sweeping back kick to knock down another person.

His movements were clean and sharp, fierce and decisive, seemingly unaffected in the slightest.

Ethan Brooks thought to himself, even if it kills me, I’ll teach these bastards what it means to be the boss, or else they’ll never know how to act like decent people.

-

Sitting in the classroom, Henry Clark was separated by the outer edge of the sports field, a flower bed, and a shrub-lined path, so he couldn’t see clearly. Plus, he assumed Ethan Brooks was still completely unaffected by pheromones like before, so he didn’t think much of it—just stared, dumbfounded.

“Mr. Ethan is badass! Those moves are so cool. If I were an Omega, I’d probably be ovulating on the spot, right, Bai—”

Ethan Grant propped himself on the windowsill with one hand and climbed out.

“Master Grant? What are you doing?! How can you climb out the window?! You’ll get points deducted for conduct! Don’t go picking up bad habits from Mr. Ethan! Master Grant!”

Ethan Grant didn’t even look back.

He’d never interfered before because he thought there was no need—after all, the young master was pretty tough.

But just now, he’d caught a fleeting trace of confusion in Ethan Brooks’s eyes amid those fierce moves.

He realized it instantly.

Ethan Brooks must have officially entered differentiation. This period could last anywhere from seven days to a month. Under the influence of hormones, the whole body’s condition would hit rock bottom, and regardless of whether one would become an Alpha or Omega, they’d be especially sensitive and unaccustomed to the sudden appearance of pheromones in the world. If not properly guided, it could trigger a rejection reaction.

He knew Ethan Brooks could definitely tough it out, but even so, it must hurt like hell.

-

People near the court had no idea what was happening. In a certain instant, it was as if a blizzard had swept down from the sky, crushing and covering all the chaos, leaving only the cold, clean scent of accumulated snow. Occasionally, a breeze would bring the fresh, tranquil aroma of pine.

The snow in the mountains was cold, thick, and heavy, pressing down on everything else so hard that nothing could even struggle for a breath.

The Alphas who had been so aggressive just moments ago all looked a bit pale in an instant. Even though they forced themselves to hold on for the sake of pride, they couldn’t help but furrow their brows and gasp for breath—some even squatted down and clutched their heads.

The Omegas, who had been suffering from the onslaught of a dozen different pheromones, still felt powerless due to their innate urge to submit to Alphas, but at least things weren’t so chaotic anymore. They were willing to submit, longing to find a trace of comfort in this powerful pheromone, but all they touched was the icy cold of snow.

He only meant to suppress these Alphas, with no intention of offering the Omegas any comfort.

Only Ethan Brooks felt especially comfortable, as if something had embraced him, then seeped into him bit by bit through his skin, soothing every inch of his blood and veins, calming all that unfamiliar anxiety and pain.

I’m alive again.

So he immediately gave Edward Parker another reverse over-the-shoulder throw.

Edward Parker felt like he was going to die.

Ethan Brooks felt fucking fantastic.

He squatted down and knocked on his head. “Does it hurt?”

Edward Parker was stubborn and didn’t answer.

Ethan Brooks cracked his knuckles. “I’m generous—my over-the-shoulder throws usually come with a buy-two-get-three-free deal. Want to try again?”

Edward Parker gritted his teeth.

Ethan Brooks smiled. “Do you know why I hit you?”

Edward Parker rolled his eyes.

Ethan Brooks lost patience. “Third time’s the charm. This is the third time. If there’s a next time, all your applications and offers will probably only be good for wiping your ass. Got it?”

Edward Parker suddenly realized how serious this was.

He’d always relied on his family background and the fact that his college admission was basically set, so he dared to act recklessly. But he’d forgotten that in South City, hardly anyone would go out of their way to mess with the The Brooks Family, including his own high-ranking father.

Not to mention, standing with the The Brooks Family was always the The Grant Family, and no matter how high his father’s position was, it couldn’t compare to the The Grant Family.