"Good morning, everyone," came another voice..Blonde’s, though it was hoarse and strained. Everyone turned their heads toward her, offering smiles as she approached. Her steps were slightly uneven, her walk disoriented, as if her body was still in discomfort.
"What’s wrong with you?" Victoria was the first to ask, concern etched into her features. "Are you okay? You look pale."
"Oh, I’m good," Blonde said with a small, forced smile. "I slipped off the edge of the swimming pool while cleaning. Got a leg cramp too hence I couldn’t swim out but just continue to scream hoping that someone would come by. That’s why my voice is like this. But thank goodness... my mother and brother happened to come by at the time. They don’t like me much, but even they wouldn’t just let me die."
She swallowed hard, eyes briefly darting downward before she looked back up.
"Anyway, I’m fine now. I already took some medicine."
Victoria, Joe, Jamaila, Dickson, and Rose all nodded in response, though concern lingered in their expressions.
"Sorry to hear that, girl," Rose said sympathetically. "And thank you for yesterday. That party was exactly what I needed. Ever since I joined this pack and started at this school, I hadn’t had a chance to unwind like that. Even though I couldn’t sell drugs, I still had a good time."
Blonde gave her a polite nod, the edges of her lips twitching upward.
Rose then glanced over at Jamaila, who sat quietly at her desk, her face buried in her book.
"You missed a lot of fun, Jamaila but then I understand. The holy girl vibe. You shouldn’t hang around us though as you’re too holy."
"Just leave her alone please." Joe voiced out with a light chuckle.
"I didn’t miss anything," Jamaila soon replied without looking up, her tone sharp with irritation. "I already said I wasn’t going. I’m glad you all had fun, though."
With that, she stood abruptly, gathered her things, and walked out of the classroom, leaving the others in stunned silence.
"What’s wrong with her now?" Rose muttered, raising a brow and scoffing under her breath.
"Maybe if you had kept your mouth shut, learnt how to kind your business then she wouldn’t have walked away angrily." Joe replied as he rolled his eyes away in anger. "We don’t care about anyone being too holy here. Everyone is free to be what they want."
"Oh please I didn’t send her away. I’m just telling her fact and she took it personal." Rise voiced out, her tone etched with slight anger.
I....
Just then, a loud metallic clang echoed across the school grounds, reverberating through the building like a warning bell. It was the signal for all students to exit and gather at the field.
"I guess it’s about to start," Rose said with a small sigh. "Anyway, see you all later." She slung her bag over her shoulder and made her way out of the classroom along with the other students. Victoria, Dickson, and Joe followed closely behind her.
~
Outside, the school grounds were already bustling. Several students had gathered, most dressed in elegant uniforms or customized versions of the school’s attire, their bodies adorned with expensive jewelry and badges of their status. In contrast, the scholarship students stood out...less polished, their clothing simpler, worn with quiet humility.
At the far end of the field, a tall podium had been set up. Upon it stood the four heirs, Alpha Darius, Zephyr, Auren, and Damien. Each of them was dressed in the same tailored uniform...white shirts, black jackets, and black trousers but they had each accessorized differently, hinting at their individual personalities. Rings, chains, jeweled pins....each touch calculated and deliberate.
Flanking them were several burly men, clearly not students. Their expressions were stoic, but the weapons they held....whips, guns, and swords spoke volumes. Their presence alone was a silent warning to anyone thinking of causing trouble.
Meanwhile, older students....those who had already survived their first year paid little attention to the assembly. They stood further back, conversing in hushed tones or pretending to be preoccupied. They already knew the rules, watching the heirs too closely, or drawing unwanted attention, could cost you everything.
"Greetings, Alphas," the students from Victoria’s class, along with those from the merged classes, chorused in unison, their heads slightly bowed in deference.
Auren stepped forward first, his tone deep and commanding. "Welcome to the Elite Lycan Academy. The academy where you learn everything you need to become a proper werewolf. Here, you awaken your wolf, find your mate, get bonded. This is the place where the next Alpha and Luna who will rule the four corners of the pack shall emerge."
He let his words linger in the air before stepping back.
Zephyr took his place, his voice a little more casual but no less sharp. "You’ve probably heard that you’ll be training under the four Alpha heirs for a period. And that you’ll only gain access to real instructors after you pass your first evaluation."
He paused, allowing the students to absorb that information.
"You’ve also heard that you get to pick the heir you want to train under. That you have a choice. But I’m afraid that rule... has been changed. You all no longer have a choice."
A ripple of confusion spread through the crowd.
"Huh?"
"What?"
Murmurs filled the air as students looked around, puzzled and anxious.
"What the heck? Why would the rule be changed?" Rose muttered aloud, her brows drawn together in clear disbelief.
Victoria’s eyes, however, were drawn elsewhere....toward the side of the field, where three familiar figures were strolling past the gathering.
Callum, Theo and Lucian.
Her heart sank slightly as she had a bad feeling about the wide smirk on their faces.
They’re responsible.
"Oh, yeah, they are." Leo’s voice was casual in her ear, his ethereal form hovering close naked, as usual, and visible only to her.
"They think you’ve gone crazy, Victoria. Wanting to train under Darius when you could’ve just trained under your elder brother? They won’t let that happen."
Victoria clenched her jaw slightly, eyes narrowing.
"What is the new rule then?" she asked, her words directed to Leo. "Do the Alphas choose us now, or what?"