At the academy.
SIENNA POV
FLASHBACK
The arrow whizzed past me, scraping my neck and I winced cursing inwardly.
“Why the hell didn't you dodge the arrow? As an Alpha, you should be ready at all times for an attack!” The guard warned, looking at me with rage like he have been teaching for way too long.
I blinked profusely, my eyes darting from my bloody hand to the morbid looking scar on his face.
“I'm sorry."
“You add sir. Whenever you are out of here,we will address you as an alpha. Your rank ends here!"
And he walked away with his strides fast like he was in a hurry to get away from my presence.
That was my abrupt introduction in the harsh Garrick academy, I knew then that I needed to be on my feet or I would be eliminated as soon as I had been brought in.
“Don't mind them for too long. Else you would give up faster than Ronan. Legend had it that he ran faster than a pesky vampire."
I turned abruptly with a friend on my face, yeah new hated werewolf.
His face morphed into that of shock as he looked awdy ashamed at his choice of words.
“I'm so sorry, I didn't know you came back. Oh man….”
I ignored him walking away with my head held high, despite the painful sting of the arrow bruise.
I wasn't here to be trained a for the position of an alpha. I wanted the fucking damn position of the Alpha king!
I walked into the hall, filled with men. Different species of men, ugly, handsome and cocky.
I felt anxiety running through my veins, I couldn't change in the presence of hundreds of men.
I haven't even finished thinking when the voice boomed through the gramophone.
“Be down in the next five minutes. Lateness wyld attract fifty strokes of whips.”
I gasped, the men laughed like it was some sort of funny jokes. I ran to my bed, dropping my bag.
I couldn't take those whips, the arrow was enough. Rushing out and I dashed into the hidden hallway.
Pulling my clothes over my head, and I emerged feeling much better that those playful things haven't open the door blocking my body from view.
“3 minutes remaining. The guards are ready with the whips again. Gerald don't be late, they are tired.”
The men erupted into laughter, I chuckled a bit. But I brushed it away running towards the field.
I looked around the field, I was barely seeing the green grass.
Wow, so many Alphas, but half would give up. Second half would fight with their brother for the throne and the last…Alphas.
Leaving a total of not less than fifty. But I might be too ambitious because I wasn't interested in that.
My thirst for vengeance might be too much because I wanted the alpha king throne.
“Five lines formation."
“Good, the rules simple. In the Garrick Academy, there’s an Annual competition done every four years, which means you all are lucky.
In the competition, Alphas are to challenge their strengths and given different Alpha Assignments, the best three Alphs usually are coronated as Alpha kings.” The men cheered, blocking out the words of the instructor.
Gunshots and they stopped, quiet and still. Useful because my ears were about getting useless to me from the loud noise and booming yells.
“Yeah, that's more like it. And as Alpha king, they get to choose seven packs to govern. So be the best or die trying.”
I chuckled, and of course her father’s pack is going to be the first I would not usurped.
“Ronan's back. Might run away, we can't tell."
I smiled, maintaining an eye contact with the instructor. I would make sure I step on her back once I become the Alpha king.
“Be careful," I replied, smiling and she scoffed. Walking away with her firm ass in the tight trousers, bitch.
“Don't listen to her. She's a jerk, too strong and smart for her own good. And it's messing with her head, don't give her such power or she would make your life way more easy."
I turned towards the source of the voice, a well built tall man looking at me with his eyes twinkling with amusement.
“I didn't ask for words of encouragement."
“Easy there. Being rude won't help you, rather you would get more enemies." He whispered, his voice void of the merriment it had earlier.
Yep, I had officially gotten someone's dislike when I should be gathering more allies.
“I'm sorry….”
"Keep it,” he replied, changing his spot in the line without giving me another glance.
“I'm really…..”
“Now's not the time for chit chatting, this is war, this is what determines your position in this world,” a bulky man by the corner yelled, his voice loud enough to shake the building.
Everywhere was quiet now.
“Everyone to the pit!” the instructor yelled. “Strength and speed drills. Let’s see what garbage the wind threw in.”
The pit wasn’t made to kill, it was made to humiliate.
Chains, ropes, everything that could kill and torture a man. Nothing here was right.
“This is your first assessment,” the instructor announced. “No one’s getting eliminated but know this your performance decides where you rank. And believe me, you want to rank well.”
Murmurs passed through the crowd like static.
“First ten! Step up!”
We were split into batches. I ended up in the third. Just enough time to watch others stumble and give me false confidence.
The first Alpha crushed it ran the course like he was born for it.
The second stumbled at the beginning but finished up strong. The third twisted his ankle jumping the trench and had to be helped off the field.
Laughter roared across the room.
“Next batch! Move!”
I stepped forward, jaw tight.
“Ronan,” the instructor read from his clipboard. “Let’s see if you won't run to your daddy this time.”
The course started with a short sprint to the wooden wall. I ran hard and jumped, catching the edge.
My arm muscles screamed, the bruise from the earlier arrow sting lighting up again. I managed to pull myself up, slipping once, but didn’t fall. So far, so good.
I dropped down on the other side straight into a shallow mud pool. I cursed, swimming through it slower than I wanted.
Then the trench. I misjudged the leap. My left foot caught the edge and I tumbled in, scraping my arm on a jagged stone.
Laughter followed me like a chorus.
Everything was going wrong. Not what I expected.
“I thought Alphas were supposed to have coordination!”
“Someone get him a leash before he hurts himself!”
I gritted my teeth and climbed out.
Next the iron post punched it until it rang.
I swung, weakly at first. My arms ached from the wall. It took five tries before it finally made the faintest clang. Barely audible.
Last run sprint to the finish line under low-hanging wires meant to simulate battlefield dodging.
I was slow, too slow.
By the time I crossed the line, panting and muddy, the laughter was full-on.
“Damn. If you’re aiming for Alpha King, you’ll need a miracle.”
“She’s just here to fill numbers.”
The instructor scribbled something on his clipboard and gave me a nonchalant glance. “Below average. Tough luck.”
I stared at the ground, fists clenched, mud dripping from my elbows. My lungs burned, my pride stung, but I didn’t break.
This wasn’t my final score.
It was just my first.
I raised my head, met the instructor’s gaze.
“I’ll do better.”
He blinked once, then looked away, already calling the next batch forward.
Let them laugh…. Let them rank me low.
They weren’t going to see me coming.