Chapter 10: Rising Tensions of Success

The Basketball Alpha King Jaxon sat in the gym lost in contemplation early the morning after the team's most recent victory. Long shadows across the court emerged as the light passed through the high windows. Even after the win, he felt uncomfortable.

The demands of success were growing, and Jaxon's own team's strife—as well as his own—was harder to overlook. The Cooker under Pressure With the playoffs swiftly here, everyone felt the weight of what was at risk. But Jaxon felt the strain was heightened. He had put in a lot of effort to establish himself as the team's Alpha, the man everyone turned to in crucial seconds.

That title now seemed more like a weight than a badge of pride. Liam's coming had just made things worse. Every drill, every game Liam was always there, trying Jaxon, waiting for him to break.

Jaxon wasn't sure how much more he could put up the front of calm and control; it was a full-fledged power war now. Jaxon saw the team chemistry changing subtly throughout exercis