Evaline:
The moment Alpha Kieran announced Alpha Oscar’s name, gasps filled the otherwise silent air.
Everyone knew just how powerful these rogue Alpha brothers were. Anyone fighting against them never held a chance of winning. Not even the strongest of the Alphas of the shifter world, let alone an applicant... especially a wolfless one like me.
My fate in this test was not only clear to me, but to every person present in this arena. They all knew that I was going to lose.
My fingers tightened around the slip that Alpha Kieran had handed me back.
Oscar Thorne.
Of all the instructors... of all the names... it had to be his.
And while my entire being was having a hard time processing what just happened, I knew that I couldn’t falter. I couldn’t afford it.This was my chance. My only chance. If I passed the test, I would become a student at Silver Moon. That meant safety. Stability. Future.
So I took a breath and forced my shaking heart to calm down. I needed to create a plan to get through this.
"You can do it."
I looked up and found Alpha Kieran watching me. His expression was soft, but there was nothing special about how he was looking and talking to me. It was a professor motivating a possible future student.
"You have done exceptionally well in the previous two tests, applicant. Don’t let the name of Oscar Thorne affect your plan of passing the final test. If you want it, then you can do it. Good luck."
He kept his voice loud enough to be heard by those nearby. He gave me one last soft smile of encouragement before stepping away as if nothing had happened.
I didn’t dare to look at Alpha Oscar. I just kept my head low and searched for a possible good enough plan that could help me turn the tide.
The remaining three applicants also picked their partners, and then, the matches finally began soon after.
Selene was the one to start the test. And she was a force to watch. Fast, efficient, and brutal. She won in less than two minutes, earning 18 out of 20 points and a round of applause from the crowd.
Two more rounds later, it was finally Mallory and Noah’s turn. I straightened in my seat, hoping for the former to win. I liked Noah too as he had been nothing but a nice person to me, but he still was far from Mallory who had been a constant source of warmth in my life during the past week.
I pushed my own worries to the back for a moment and focused on their fight. Looking at Noah, I was having a hard time manifesting Mallory’s win, but I still did it.
They shook hands before the round officially began. They fought fiercely, neither of them holding back. And despite her soft looks and a normal wolf, Mallory was actually well trained in combat. She was smaller, leaner, and had a weaker wolf compared to Noah, but she knew how to use her shortcomings to her advantage.
Their fight continued for about seven minutes where each second was filled with thrill and a good combat performance. But then, Mallory lost.
My heart dropped for a moment before the instructor announced that Mallory got extra points for how well she did in the test despite losing.
With these new points added to her points from previous two tests, she made it through the required points for passing the entrance exam.
As she returned to our section flushed and panting, she had a proud smile playing on her lips. And I was happy for her, she deserved to be a student at Silver Moon.
"You better make it," she whispered while bumping her shoulder against mine. "Let’s all get in together."
I nodded as my gaze returned to the center of arena where a new pair was getting ready to take the test.
About twelve more rounds later, it was finally Kyros turn.
"All the best."
Both me and Mallory said as he stood up. He gave us a nod before heading down.
His battle with Senior Instructor Mara was nothing short of epic. Dust swirled. Blows landed sharp and loud. He pushed her harder than most students probably had, and for a few heart-stopping seconds, I thought he might actually win.
But a single misstep cost him.
Senior Instructor Mara saw the chance and struck with a swift and merciless blow, knocking him flat on his back.
Still, he earned fifteen points for how long he lasted and how well he did in the combat. When combined with his previous scores, that was more than enough to pass.
So far, a total of five applicants had been able to make it through the test despite losing, and it gave me hope. But that didn’t mean I was planning to lose.
At the same time, looking at how brutally everyone was fighting, I was starting to get worried. I was still in my first trimester and one single wrong move could cost me a lot.
The last thing I wanted was to end up bleeding in the middle of the test. That sure was going to cost me my only chance to be a student at Silver Moon.
No, I needed to play not only smart, but also safe.
Two more rounds later, it was finally my turn. Fortunately, Alpha Kieran was there to once again save the day as he took over the job of calling names.
"Final match," he called. "Applicant 151... and Instructor Oscar Thorne."
The crowd hushed as I stepped forward and walked into the arena. Every step I took echoed in my ears like a drumbeat. I had a plan, but I wasn’t sure how well it was going to work.
Instructor Oscar was standing at the other end, rolling his shoulders with practiced ease. He looked relaxed, but there was a sharpness in his eyes that hadn’t been there before.
He was watching me.
Assessing me.