Axel Blackwood

At Hollow brook High, power wasn’t about grades or popularity—it was about fear. And nobody inspired more fear than Axel Blackwood.

He wasn’t the loudest. He wasn’t the biggest. But when Axel walked down the halls, people moved. The freshmen knew better than to make eye contact, the jocks didn’t dare bump into him, and even the teachers had learned to look the other way.

One afternoon, in the dimly lit back lot behind the gym, Tanner Briggs—the school’s so-called “toughest guy”—was waiting with his crew. Word had gotten around that Axel had embarrassed him in front of Mia Carter, the girl Tanner swore was his.

Axel wasn’t interested in drama. But Tanner? He wanted a fight.

“Blackwood,” Tanner sneered, cracking his knuckles. “You think you run this school?”

Axel tilted his head, smirking. “I don’t think. I know.”

Tanner lunged. Bad idea.

Axel dodged effortlessly, sending a sharp elbow into Tanner’s ribs. The air left his lungs in a single, painful gasp. Another step—Axel grabbed his collar and slammed him against the fence.

Silence.

Tanner’s crew? They just watched, frozen. They weren’t about to help him.

Axel leaned in. “Next time, think before you step to me.”

He let Tanner drop, turning to walk away. Behind him, whispers started spreading through the crowd.

Axel Blackwood wasn’t just another student at Hollow brook High.

He was the king.