The shift assessment went brutally.
They called us forward in groups of twenty. One by one, students dropped into their wolves like it was the most natural thing in the world. Because for them, it was. Alphas and Betas went fastest. An Alpha male ahead of me from our neighbouring pack, the Red Wolf Pack, hit the ground in a massive form that was nearly as tall as I was in under six seconds. A Beta female did it in eight seconds.
I stood in my group, fidgeting as name after name was called. I reached down for my wolf who pushed uselessly against the surface inside me, like it could make a difference today.
It didn't.
My group was called. Regina was flawless, shifting into a cute red wolf. Jenny's was white. They both finished under ten seconds.
"Maisie Adams."
The hall went silent as I stood in the center, reaching shakily for my buttons. Every eye in the hall was on me. About two hundred and twenty of them. I tried not to cave under the weight of it, sweat breaking on my forehead as I pleaded with my wolf.
Please. If only for a moment.
But nothing happened. Not even a tinge of fur appeared.
Then the whispers began. "She can't shift." "Why is she even here?" "She isn't even fit to be called an Omega." "She doesn't belong here." "No wonder she got rejected." "How did she get into the Academy in the first place?"
"Back of the line, Ms. Adams. Do not waste our time any further if you have nothing to offer," Instructor Warren said irritably.
***
Cole's partner was Derek Holt, Alpha heir of the Red Wolf Pack. He didn't need to shift. The fight was over before it ever started.
Cole wasn't fighting to spar. He fought like he had an enemy and was trying to kill it. It left Derek's lips split in three places, one eye swollen completely shut, nose broken, arm broken, ribs broken.
And he did it all in one minute.
"What a jerk," Jenny whispered. "The instruction was to tackle successfully. Derek's not going to be able to walk on that leg for days."
Cole walked out of the ring with a bounce in his step. He was shirtless, torso gleaming with sweat and blood, and even I hated to admit it but it was a beautifully ripped body. He dragged a hand through his hair and scanned the room.
His eyes found mine immediately.
He winked, tongue flicking out to lick his canines suggestively.
Clearly, my wolf found that attractive, because my chest tightened instantly with want. I made a disgusted face. "Gross."
I didn't miss every girl in the room eyeing him with that lost, wistful look on their faces. And though I wanted nothing to do with him, it didn't stop my wolf from purring with jealousy and territoriality.
Goddess knew my wolf needed professional help.
The rest of the drill moved quickly.
With every pair called, my heart tightened a little more. Regina went against Claire and came out clean on top with Nick hollering proudly. Jenny caught a roundhouse kick to the temple in the first ten seconds and went down like a sack of flour. Cole watched the whole thing from the sidelines with his thick arms folded, and every time his gaze drifted back to me I could feel it like a hand at the back of my neck.
Lana was laughing at something Claire said, but I could feel her eyes droning holes into me.
The atmosphere grew tenser by the second, anticipation and danger lurking in the air.
"Maisie Adams. Lana Braxton. Go."
My lips went dry. The walk to the centre of the hall felt very long. Excitement brewed amongst my peers, bets flying on how long I'd last.
Ten seconds was the highest bet.
Lana stretched in front of me, hands high above her head, body supple and graceful. Her legs squared off in a solid stance and she cocked her head at me. "Come on, May. I'll let you off easy." Her cherry lipstick was untainted. Her hair was unruffled. "I know how much these marks mean to you. You already failed the first test. I'll let you win this, to keep your pretty scholarship, if you stay away from Cole."
I hesitated.
I wanted to tell her I didn't want Cole. I wanted to tell her the bond wasn't something I chose and I would undo it in a heartbeat if I could and I didn't want to win this if it meant being dishonest.
But that hesitation cost me.
Lana launched herself at me without warning.
And backhanded me.
The crack of it echoed in the hall.
I hit the ground before I knew I was falling. The taste of blood flooded my mouth instantly. I sat there on the stone floor for one stunned, blinking second, ears ringing, and looked up at my twin sister.
I barely got my feet under me before she grabbed my ponytail.
Her grip was a vice. She wrenched it sideways, kicked my legs out from under me in one clean motion, and tackled me face-down on the stone floor with her knee in my back and her lips pressed against my ear. "How did it feel seducing my boyfriend, slut? Did you enjoy the attention he gave you? Was it worth betraying me for?"
"Lana, I didn't—"
"You have no idea," she breathed, "how much I hate you."
She slammed my face into the floor.
The world whited out.
"How much I want to wipe whatever resemblance we share off you." Her free hand gripped my hair tighter. "You think he'll still look at you if you aren't pretty anymore?"
My body acted on instinct and I slammed my elbow back, catching her hard in the rib. She grunted and her grip loosened for half a second.
That was enough.
I scrambled free, putting distance between us, chest heaving, blood running freely from my lip and my nose and above my eye. The crowd was electric. Feral. They chanted her name, fueling her rage and blood lust.
Lana shook out her hand.
Then she lunged.