Every muscle in her body was stiff, as if stricken with an indescribable fear. Relax, he'd said. Stop worrying. My ass. Who the hell did he think he was? It was one thing to push this little con of his on her, but another entirely when it involved touching her. This was Alec, for Chrissakes. The somewhat lovable X5 rogue she was sure she'd rather kick in the jewels again than share a bunk with, even platonically. No, this was wrong. This was a ploy of his. A scheme. He was trying to play her somehow with his boyish charm and apparent wit, all tailor-made by Manticore's finest and brightest lab techs.

Still rigid, she took in the smallest of breaths, noticing the weight of his arm draped across her, not quite precarious in position ut against her waist all the same. She cringed, grinding her teeth, baring them in preparation to snap. How dare he? What right did he, Alec, have over her? She was Max, she was strong. She didn't need to fucking sleep. "I can't relax, Alec. I can't relax when you're watching me, I can't relax when you're touching-" She was cut off by a whisper by the back of her ear, the hairs on the back of her barcoded neck standing to perfect attention.

"Stop talking."

Taken aback, she shut her mouth. His tone was serious, not very much like Alec at all. Just moments earlier he'd been joking, eyes dancing as she shot him daggers with her own. Now was different. She stayed quiet, unsure. His heart beat against her back, slow and steady, just faster than the ordinaries. Ordinaries.. her own heart leapt. What would Logan think of this? The way it must look. Alec was spooning her. He held her flush against his chest with one strong arm, and he wasn't letting up. His breathing slowed, his face buried against the back of her neck. Great. Now he was relaxing. Practicing what he preached. But she could never..

"Alec, c'mon.. this isn't fair." She uttered quietly, licking full lips and keeping her body perfectly still. What would happen if she moved? Where would his hands venture? Maybe this was a con after all..

"Please, Maxie.." He was sighing, the tone of his voice now not serious but pleading. "If you're not gonna sleep, at least let me try?"

"Let me go, then?"

"Nah.." There was just the hint of a chuckle in this words, his head shaking a little. She could feel blond hair tickling at her barcode, just as his arm tightened. "I'm comfy like this. You agreed to stay here for the entire night, so I win. You have to stay here. And I'm gonna sleep. Like this. Goodnight, Maxie."

Her eyes widened, dark. Vivid and vicious, angry. This wasn't right. He was just being selfish now. If she wasn't going to sleep, she could at least use her time productively, not serve as a security blanket for his inner child. In the distance, she could practically hear her Ninja sitting in silence, unused. Alec was a selfish bastard. If not for her, what about her motorcycle? That thing was practically a part of her. She'd swear that baby had more life than most ordinaries did..

"Alec!"

"Shut up.."

"I can't! Let me go.." She squirmed, wriggled. Few opponents had the strength or training that she did, few could contain her. Alec could. He held her tightly against his body, barely moved by her actions. An Alpha himself, he could handle whatever she threw his way. She sighed. "This isn't fair."

"No, Max, you know what isn't fair?" He let her go just a little, to shift, look directly at her. Green eyes pierced into hers, and she felt the angry part of her cringe, shrink away. "You screaming at everyone. You pushing every person in this compound further than we can be pushed. I mean, Alphas, sure, we can handle it, but the other guys? Like Joshua? They can't take your crap." Her mouth hung open, dry, before she responded in the only way she could. The only way she knew how.

"It's not my fault! You know, maybe they just need a little bit of discipline. Maybe you need it more than I thought.." Argumentative, insulting. He didn't back down, though. Not even a little.

"Stop, Max! Just stop. I know you think I'm just out to get you, and that I was made to put you through hell, but it's not true. I'm trying to help you. And now, I'm fucking tired. So, you know what? We are going to sleep now. You're gonna lay down, and you're gonna go to sleep. I catch you sneaking out, or trying to, and I will hold you even further against your will. We clear?"

His arm draped over her again, holding her back down, and he pressed his nose against her hair. His eyes fluttered closed. It was the end of the discussion, that was for sure. He was not going to let her argue her point, only stew in what he'd said. Usually, she disregarded it. Whatever he said, usually there was a way to ignore it. Lately, though, she'd really tried to make an effort. Giving him a job as her second-in-command had been easy given his background, but listening to his yabbering was not one of her own strong suits. His yabbering was his only real downfall. This was not a joke, though, or a glorious story of conquest. This was serious. This got her attention, and it stung. He was the one taking charge. He was knocking her off of her pedestal, and he was giving it to her raw. She was at fault, and he was fixing it. She was just going to have to learn to deal. She gave no answer to him, not one he wanted anyway. Only silence. He'd actually raised his voice to her, and at close range. This was not the lovable X5 rogue. This was a genetically engineered man who meant business.