~Chapter 3~
You'll have a surprise at the end. I'm bringing someone from the first story into this story.
Back to story now...
-------------------------
I wake up when the noise is heard and I mumble against my will like a child who slept a maximum of 5 hours last night.
I get up and stretch out, but a ray of sunlight hits my eyes and I lie back down in bed.
When I open my eyes again, I remember that there is no one in the room and I am pleased.
I turn my head and look at the room more closely for the first time.
It is not very big, but not small either.
The walls are simple, painted a light gray, and the furniture is made of dark wood.
A fairly large bed, a desk by the window, a wardrobe and a small shelf.
It is not luxurious, but it is… comfortable.
And most importantly: it is only mine.
“Ok… this is really not bad,” I mutter.
I get out of bed and run my hand through my hair, still dizzy from sleep.
A few voices can be heard in the hallway, doors slamming, hurried footsteps.
It seems like the rest of them are already awake.
I look at the small door in the corner of the room and open it.
The bathroom.
It’s small, but it has everything you need: sink, mirror, shower, and toilet.
Nothing spectacular, but for an academy full of Alphas…
not having to share a bathroom with ten people already feels like a victory.
“Thank the universe for that,” I mutter.
I lean against the sink and look in the mirror.
My hair is completely disheveled, my eyes still a little puffy from sleep, and my expression clearly says I’m not ready for what’s coming.
I take a deep breath.
“Good morning, Idris,” I say wryly to my reflection.
“First day among the Alphas.”
I splash my face with cold water and almost wince as the temperature hits my skin.
But it wakes me up instantly.
When I step out of the bathroom, the room already seems brighter.
The sun is streaming in through the window, illuminating the wooden floor.
I walk over to the window and look out.
The academy courtyard is already bustling with activity.
A few boys are running around the large field to the side, others are standing in groups talking, and a few already seem to be in the middle of a workout.
All of them… Alphas.
I swallow hard.
“Perfect,” I mutter softly.
Then I look at my bag tossed by the bed.
“Let’s see how long I can survive here. ”
I grab some loose gray pants with a black tank top. It’s too hot for the end of May and a Sunday.
I run a hand through my hair and hope my hair looks a little better.
I leave the room and lock the door with the key I received in the form of a necklace so there’s little chance of losing it.
So far, I’m really enjoying this academy.
I walk through girls and boys and arrive at some cafeteria that I think is the size of our entire school in Graypine Pack.
I enter it and go to what looks like a buffet, I get a bowl and put some yogurt with some fruit and a bottle of water.
Something light, I don't plan on eating beef for the first meal like yesterday.
I sit down at a random table and start eating so I can get out of here faster.
2 Trays of hell are slammed on my hand Rowan and Otis sit down at the table.
Not saying anything to her so I don't say anything either.
"And..what do you think Idris?" Otis asks, the blond one.
"Are you that interested?" I affirm and he rolls his eyes.
"Look...we're trying to make new friends and you seem like our kind of friend but you're cold" Rowan says a little harshly and my hair gets electrified.
I slowly look up from my bowl.
My hair is still a little stiff on the back of my neck, and I feel like it’s not just the dry air in the cafeteria. Alpha. Too many Alphas too close.
Rowan stares at me, his elbows resting on the table, and Otis plays absently with a spoon.
I swallow a mouthful of yogurt before answering.
"I'm not cold," I say calmly. "I'm..
. cautious."
"Cautious?" Otis raises an eyebrow
I shrug.
"I'am a fucking beta in an Alpha academy.
If I start making friends with everyone on the first day, I'm either very brave.
.. or very stupid." I say a little more softly
There's silence for a second.
Then Otis snorts a short laugh.
"Okay, that was honest."
Rowan, however, is still studying me.
"You know we don't want to eat you, right?
"
I shrug slightly.
"I don't know that yet.
"
Otis rests his chin on his hand and looks at me curiously.
"Graypine Pack, right?"
I pause for a split second.
"Yeah." I say simply and take another bite of my food
"Small, he says.
Very small."
"Thanks for the analysis," I mutter.
Otis smiles.
Rowan runs his hand through his hair.
“Look, Idris… he says more calmly. This academy is a shitty place if you don’t have people around you.
”
I look up at him.
“And you guys decided I was your social project?”
Otis laughs again.
“Not really. But you seem interesting.”
“Interesting?”
“A beta coming to Alpha academy? he says. You’re either crazy…
or you know something we don’t.”
I put down my spoon.
“Trust me… if I knew anything useful, I wouldn’t be here. ”
Rowan taps his fingers lightly on the table.
“So…” he says. “Friends?”
I look at my bowl.
Then at them. Then back at the bowl.
I inhale slowly.
“Not yet,” I say.
Otis sighs dramatically.
“Really?” I shrug.
"But..." I add. They both stop.
"But we can start with.
.. diners."
For a second they look at each other.
Then Otis reaches across the table.
"We accept the offer, diner.
"
I shake his hand.
Rowan nods slightly, one corner of his mouth lifting in a small smile.
After a while, people with different badges appear in front of the cafeteria and the people who were about to get their food are pushed aside to let those with gold badges enter.
"Do you have any idea who they are?" I ask, turning my back.
"Those with gold badges are the ones who have to become Alphas for the packs, meaning the next in command.
The silver ones are something with a lower rank than them and the new ones, meaning you, are with a gray badge and a different shape ," Otis mentions and looks at me bored by their entrance.
"Me too... you mean you didn't come now?
" I ask and roll my eyes
"No. You were the last shift, we were the third so we've been here for 4 days.
We're in a completely different department, the fighting department" Rowan continues and I pretend to be interested but just then my eyes dart to a specific person.
He has a gold badge so I can only say that he is a true Alpha, he is brunette with green eyes and I think he is 10 or more centimeters taller than me.
"Oh'...who are you looking at.." Otis starts but stops and that makes me take my eyes off the person who is now looking at me too.
I immediately put my eyes on someone else so he doesn't think I am staring at him.
"Who is it?" I ask in a whisper, now completely facing the Vale brothers.
Rowan turns around so it won't be obvious but he does, and then tries to grin at the table.
"Cedric Loxley" he says and looks back again.
I want to get into the floor
"Should I be scared.
.?" I ask but Otis is drowning in water.
"Absolutely yes" he starts still coughing, drawing our attention "he's the young adult if you get me" and I look at him confused and so does Rowan.
"What's that description dude" he asks and laughs softly, he gets a warning in his stomach but he laughs anyway.
"Anyway. The thing is that once he becomes the new Alpha, and he's related to the one who owns the academy.
..here he's king so to speak" he whispers but his whisper is louder than a normal whisper.
I lean back and look again but he's not there.
Jesus
"If you're a beta and you have sex with an Alpha, aren't you 50% likely to get pregnant?
" Otis asks and it seems like he's in a trance.
I stay silent for a few seconds, my eyes still on the table where I was sitting, and my mind races to Otis' last words.
"Yeah..." I mutter more to myself
"I feel sorry for you Idris, use Otis's sheet technique and you'll leave without a child, I tell you" Rowan says and my eyes widen, disgusted, and he laughs.
"Dude" his brother says loudly but he's still laughing.
"Should I be offended that you think I'm going to have sex here?
" I ask and put my hand to my temple because why did I bring this up.
"You can't resist. Not when it's Saturday and the academy lets us party in some big cabin in the woods," Otis says.
"Not when Alphas are the hotties," Rowan says and I regret listening to this now.
I frown and glare at them.
"Are you saying that from personal experience?" I ask, but now I'm laughing and he's quiet.
"Ha! He deserves it, bro," Otis says and gets up from the table. And then I get up too.
---
I'm in a gym that I stumbled upon by chance, I took a break from exploring and started working on my human physique, because the werewolf one is for everyone.
The gym is almost empty.
Exactly how I like it.
The smell of rubber, metal, and a little dust hangs in the air. Sunlight streams in through the large windows and falls on the exercise machines.
I wipe my forehead with my forearm after another set of push-ups.
My breathing is a little labored, but in a good way. My muscles are burning, and it helps clear my mind.
Much better than the cafeteria.
Much better than Otis talking about… kids.
“Seriously…” I mutter to myself. First day and I’m already talking about it.
I get up from the floor and shake my arms. Then I approach a pull-up bar mounted on the wall.
I grab the bar and pull myself up.
One.
Two.
Three.
I try to focus on the movement, on my breathing.
In Graypine, I had to train constantly to keep up with everyone else.
Just because I’m a beta doesn’t mean I’m weak.
On the eighth… I hear the gym door open.
I don’t stop.
Nine.
Ten.
I get out and shake my arms, then turn to face the entrance.
And I freeze for a split second.
Cedric Loxley.
He stands in the doorway, his hands in the pockets of his training pants.
He doesn’t have the gold badge on now, but he doesn’t need it to know who he is.
His presence fills the room.
His green eyes look at me calmly, unhurriedly.
As if… studying me.
I straighten my back slightly.
“The gym is free,” I say simply.
Cedric takes a few steps inside.
“I notice.”
His voice is low. Calm. Controlled.
I stare at him for a few seconds.
"If you want the machines..." I say and gesture vaguely towards the gym.
"No." He stops a few feet away from me.
"I was looking."
I raise an eyebrow.
"What?" I say
His gaze drops to my arms for a moment, then back to my face.
"Workout."
I don't know why.
.. but this makes me a little uncomfortable.
I grab my water bottle from the bench and take a sip.
"It's not that great"
Cedric tilts his head a little.
"For an Alpha... it's below average"
Ok.
That sounds a bit like a challenge.
I put the bottle down.
"Thanks. .. I think so"
He walks over to the pull-up bar where I was earlier.
He stops under it.
"How many did you do?"
"Ten."
Cedric grabs the bar easily.
Then he begins.
One.
Two.
Three.
His movements are slow, controlled. The muscles in his arms tense under his black T-shirt.
When he reaches ten… he doesn’t stop.
Eleven.
Twelve.
Fifteen.
He steps off the bar as if nothing had happened.
I cross my arms.
"Do you want a medal?
"
For a few seconds… one corner of his mouth lifts slightly.
"No."
He looks at me again.
"I wanted to see something.
"
"What?"
Cedric pauses.
"If this Alpha is really worth the attention.
"
I raise an eyebrow.
"And the verdict?
"
His green eyes remain fixed on mine for a few seconds.
"I haven't decided yet."
Silence falls between us.
The room is completely quiet.
Then Cedric says calmly:
"Walden, right?"
I swallow slowly.
"Yeah.." I say, confused as to how he knows that
"Interesting that you ended up here."
"Me too."
Cedric looks at me for another second.
Then he turns to leave.
"Be careful at the party on Saturday.
"
I blink.
"Why?"
He stops in the doorway, not turning around completely.
"Because..." he says quietly, "This academy gets a lot more.
.. chaotic at night."
Then he leaves.
I stand in the middle of the gym, staring at the door.
After a few seconds you sigh.
"Perfect..." I murmur.
I take my position under the bar again.
"First day and I've already attracted the attention of the most dangerous Alpha in this place."
I grab the bar.
"Brilliant, Idris."
And start doing pull-ups again.
---
It seems I overdid it with the time in the gym.
It's not my fault that I said I'd be there for an hour but I stayed for three.
I enter my room and go straight to the bathroom so I can take a long shower, the one I always look forward to after training.
~
After the shower, I left the bathroom and went to my closet, which is small to be honest but it's good too.
I get dressed and when I get up someone knocks on the door.
Not having any name come to mind, I walk towards the door and open it but I still don't know who it is.
"In the main hall, for the principal's information" a young lady says and I nod.
After she leaves, I leave the room and close the door, going where I see the others heading.
I get there and it really is a big room, about the size of 4 high school classrooms if you use the eye-tracking method.
I see Rowan so I walk over to him, hoping he already knows what I'm saying so I can leave.
"Hello again" he says and I nod.
"Otis?
" I ask when I don't see his brother next to him.
"That doesn't mean that if we're brothers we have to sit next to each other" he says and I raise my hands in the air from teaching.
It really is.
A microphone is heard and after the voice of Principal Tricia Wenny comes on:
"Good morning, today I'm also giving you the other briefings that you didn't hear last night.
" She starts and smiles. "The schedule is Monday through Friday and on the weekend you are free to do whatever you want.
Usually Monday through Wednesday you have classes and Thursday and Friday we focus on activities, wolf transformations and antennae" she continues and lists more activities.
"So, our wish is that every Alpha here becomes a respected Alpha and gives respect to others, including the Alpha girls and those in the fighting compartment, please!
" She said and laughs a little at the end "you have a uniform but it is not mandatory, but the badge that each person must wear from tomorrow onwards is mandatory.
This will be delivered today at the latest by tonight before the curfew which is 9 pm" she says and says more words but Rowan hits me a little.
"What?" I ask and look at him annoyed that he interrupted me.
"What room do you have? Single, double or VIP?
" He says and I remain more confused than I was.
"I think so. Now I'm finding out about the others" I whisper and it seems that the others are already starting to disperse from here so the speech is over.
"Otis and I are staying in a double room, in field B, you are in field A and the other older ones are on the floors" he says and I nod and start walking.
"And... why are you asking what room I have?
", I ask and we go out into the academy hallway.
"Come to our place tonight, we're playing something and we need one more person.
It'll be me, you, Otis and a girl, Emy. Super cool girl"
"We'll see" I say and walk faster to lose track of him.
---
After dinner, the cafeteria slowly begins to empty. Groups of students spill out into the hallways, some laughing, others discussing tomorrow's practice.
I finish my water and get up from the table.
"Okay..." I mutter to myself. "Let's see what kind of silly game these guys are playing."
Rowan and Otis tell me where they're staying: Field B.
It's not far from my building, but you can clearly see the difference between the areas.
Their building seems a little bigger and noisier.
Laughter, doors slamming, and music blaring from a room somewhere in the hallway can be heard.
"Yeah... this is definitely not the place for quiet," I say quietly.
I reach the door marked B-14.
I knock twice.
Immediately, Otis's voice is heard from inside:
"If it's Rowan, I told you you were cheating! "
The door suddenly opens.
Otis appears in front of me with a big smile.
"Ah! My favorite beta!" Otis whispers too loudly
I give him a neutral look.
"You didn't have another backup?"
"No," he says immediately. "Come in."
Their room is clearly a double, but quite large.
Two beds on opposite sides, a long desk, a few chairs, and a small table in the middle where some playing cards and a large bag of chips are already spread out.
Rowan sits on one of the beds, propped up on his elbows.
"You came," he says with a small grin.
"Don't get used to it," I reply.
In the corner of the room sits another girl with dark hair tied in a high ponytail.
She turns to me and smiles relaxedly.
"You must be Idris," she says.
"I'm Emy. Emy Galli"
I nod.
"Hello. "
Otis closes the door and plops down on the floor by the table.
“Perfect! Now there are four of us.”
“What are we playing?” I ask.
Rowan picks up the deck of cards.
“Truth or Dare… the card version.”
I stare at him for a few seconds.
“Sounds suspicious already.”
Emy laughs.
“It’s not that bad. Usually.”
“Usually?” I repeat.
Otis rubs his hands together.
“Everyone draws a card. Some are questions, some are challenges. If you say no… drink.”
“Drink what?” I ask.
Rowan picks up a bottle of soda.
“Relax. We don’t have alcohol…
yet.”
I sit down in the chair by the table.
“Okay,” I say. “But if you ask me to jump out the window, I’m leaving. ”
“Noted,” Otis says.
Rowan shuffles the deck and places the cards in the middle.
“Okay. First round.”
We all hold out our hands.
I pull out a book.
I turn it over.
Otis immediately leans over the table to read.
And starts laughing.
“Oh, that’s good.
”
“What is it?” I ask.
Rowan reads aloud:
“Name the person in the academy who you find most… dangerous.”
I raise an eyebrow.
“Really?”
Emy smiles.
“The first round is easy.”
Otis leans forward, curious.
“So, Idris Walden…”
He rests his chin on his hand.
“Who scares you the most here?”
I think for a second.
Then I simply say:
“Cedric Loxley.”
The room goes quiet for a split second.
Then Rowan bursts into a short laugh.
“Right.”
Otis slams his hand on the table.
“Exactly what I expected!”
Emy raises an interested eyebrow.
“You’ve met him already?”
I shrug.
“Twice today.”
“Twice?” Otis says.
“Man, that guy doesn’t even talk to most of the students.
”
“Perfect,” I mutter.
Rowan rubs his chin.
“So… he’s already noticed you.”
“I don’t think that’s a good thing,” I say.
Emy leans over the table a little.
“Or maybe he is.”
Just then…
footsteps are heard in the hallway.
The footsteps stop right in front of the door.
All four of us instinctively look toward her.
Otis raises his eyebrows.
“Are you waiting for someone?”
Rowan nods.
“No.”
There’s a short knock on the door.
Three knocks.
Silence.
Otis stands up.
“If it’s the neighbor complaining about the noise.
.”
He opens the door.
And freezes.
I can’t see the person in the doorway, but Otis’s expression changes immediately.
“Uh…”
Rowan rises a little from the bed.
“Who is it?”
Otis answers quietly:
“I think… you invited the wrong person to the game.”
My heart beats a little faster.
I turn to the door.
And I see Cedric Loxley standing in the doorway.
His gaze sweeps calmly across the room.
He stops at me.
Then he says simply:
"I hope I'm not interrupting."
Cedric stands in the doorway for a few seconds, not saying anything.
He just stares into the room, and the silence suddenly becomes…
oppressive.
Otis still has his hand on the doorknob.
“I hope I’m not interrupting,” Cedric repeats calmly.
Rowan crosses his arms.
“It depends,” he replies.
“Are you here to play or to scare us?”
For a moment it seems like Cedric is actually considering the question.
Then he says simply,
“To play.”
We all fall silent.
Otis blinks twice.
“Wait… what?”
Emy leans back in her chair a little, smiling.
“Okay, I didn’t expect that.”
I look at Cedric for a few seconds.
“Really?”
He raises an eyebrow slightly.
“Do you have a problem with that?”
“No,” I say.
“It’s just… you don’t seem like the type.
”
Cedric takes a step into the room.
“Neither do you.”
Rowan sighs softly.
“Okay, since you’re in… close the door. ”
Otis still looks a little shocked, but he closes the door and turns around.
“So… the ultimate Alpha is coming to play truth or dare with us?”
Cedric looks at the table.
“Is that what you’re playing?”
“Yes,” Emy says.
“If you’re not afraid.”
For a second, Cedric looks straight at her.
Then he says calmly,
“No.”
He looks around the room.
“Is there another chair?”
Rowan kicks one over to the table.
Cedric sits down.
The atmosphere changes instantly.
Otis rubs the back of his head.
“Okay… this is getting a lot more interesting.”
Rowan shuffles the cards again.
“The rules are simple. You draw a card. Truth or dare. If you refuse… you drink.”
Cedric nods once.
“Okay.”
Otis smiles broadly.
“Perfect! Then… round two.”
We all reach out.
I pull a card.
Rowan one.
Emy one.
Otis one.
Cedric takes the last one.
We all turn over the cards.
Rowan reads the first one.
“Challenge: tell me your biggest secret from the academy.”
“Easy,” he says.
“I don’t have any.”
“You’re lying,” Otis says immediately.
“Shut up.”
Emy reads her card and laughs.
“Okay… truth: who would you like to kiss in the room.”
Otis almost falls off his chair.
“This is getting good!”
Emy looks at each of us…
overly theatrically.
Then she says,
“No one. I already have a girlfriend.”
“Hey!” Otis says.
“Realistic,” Rowan says.
Otis turns over his card.
“Challenge… dance for 10 seconds.”
Rowan is already starting to laugh.
“Come on.”
Otis sighs dramatically, stands up, and does an absolutely ridiculous dance in the middle of the room.
Emy is laughing so hard.
I try not to laugh.
Cedric… just watches.
After 10 seconds, Otis collapses into his chair.
“It’s worth it.”
Rowan turns to me.
“Idris.”
I turn my book over.
“True.”
Rowan reads.
“Who was the first Alpha you noticed in the academy?”
Otis is already laughing.
“Oh, I know that.”
Emy looks between us.
“Really?”
I sigh.
“Yeah.”
“Who?” Rowan asks.
I look up.
Cedric is already looking at me.
Perfect.
“Him,” I say.
Otis slams his hand on the table.
“I knew it!”
Emy smiles broadly.
“Interesting.”
Cedric says nothing.
He just looks at me for a few seconds.
Then Rowan turns to him.
“Loxley. Your turn.”
Cedric turns the book over.
We all lean over the table a little.
Otis reads and almost shouts:
“True: the person who caught your attention the most”
The room goes completely quiet.
Rowan raises his eyebrows.
Emy bites his lip to keep from laughing.
Otis seems to be living for this moment.
Cedric doesn’t answer right away.
His gaze sweeps over Rowan.
Over Otis.
Over Emy.
Then he stops at me.
And he says simply:
“someone.”
Three seconds of silence.
Then Otis slams the table.
“I KNEW YOU’D SAY THAT!
”
Emy bursts out laughing.
Rowan looks between us.
And I… I stand still for a few seconds.
“Perfect,” I murmur.
Cedric tilts his head slightly.
"That was the question"
I get up from my chair and the first one to comment is Otis.
"Where are you going?" He asks and Cedric looks at me more than he should and becomes uncomfortable.
"In my room. Bye" I say simply and close the door, literally running to my room.
––—————————————
Sorry!!!!I forgot that I had to post today, that's why I was late and posted in the evening (at my place)