Welcome to Winterbourne

I was carrying a massive backpack and dragging a suitcase through the snow-covered path leading to my dad's military base. Of course, I could have called him to pick me up from the train station, but I had a feeling he would have come up with something embarrassing, like taking a few of his squads with him and preparing an official welcoming ceremony. This way, at least, I could enter the base without becoming an obligatory entertainment for everyone stationed here. I was going to show my pass at the entrance and sneak into the main building nearly unnoticed… or not.

“There you are, my little Pumpkin!” My father strode toward the gate with a wide grin stretched across his face.

Two soldiers hurriedly opened the doors before all but throwing themselves on my luggage, while my father pulled me into a hug. Chuckling, I wrapped my arms around him and rested my cheek on his chest. “I missed you, Dad.”

More than two dozen soldiers had already gathered behind him, witnessing our reunion with their eyes wide open. Their terrifying commander was gently stroking my hair, looking at me as if I were the most precious gift the Moon Goddess could have granted him. Yep, that sight must have been more than just a little shocking.

Gamma Dastan Ashford, known as the Iron Beast, had rarely expressed emotions… unless it was rage. He was nearly six-foot-ten of muscled body, and his wolf was larger than most Alphas' beasts. That made him quite intimidating… to say it lightly. But now, he wasn't the bloodthirsty commander, protecting our lands from the vicious Lycans; he was my dad, an overgrown bear ready to spoil his daughter.

Before Alpha Lucien had sent him away, he had lived with me in Auroris. I still remembered how Lance had sworn to protect me whenever my father was away. Well, Lance had kept his word… for the first two years, but as soon as he'd left for Evermore, my life in the pack quickly became unbearable.

I had never told Dad about any of the “incidents.” At first, I hadn't wanted to worry him. Then, I'd thought I would handle it myself. And after a while, I realized that telling him about anything would result in bloodshed and my father going to jail for murdering more than several pack members.

Now, I knew I had to choose my words even more carefully. My father had nearly left the pack once, right after my mom had died. I couldn't even begin to imagine what he might do knowing the truth about the Blood Moon ball.

“So, Winterbourne, huh? What made you change your mind?” he asked when we were finally alone in his study. He calmly sat behind his mahogany desk and handed me a plate of hand-made chocolate pralines.

I looked at him and smiled. I wished I could be more like him. Surely, we shared the same hair and eye color, but our similarities ended there. Countless times had I dreamed of having an ounce of his strength. My life certainly would have been simpler then. Clearly, when gods designed my body, they'd decided that muscles had been an unnecessary detail worth skipping.

I shoved one of pralines into my mouth, savoring its sweetness. I couldn't recall the last time I'd eaten anything that delicious. Dad studied me in silence for a longer moment before he blurted, “Was it because of that Thornfield boy?”

I almost choked. Dad quickly handed me a glass of water, and I greedily drank it to the last drop. Only then did I meet his gaze. “Well… um… partially, yes.”

His expression darkened. “What did he do?”

I swallowed. “N-nothing… He just… He's with Delphina now…” At least I told him some part of the truth.

Dad's eyes flared up with a golden glow. “He dared break up with you?” His voice seemed calm, but the promise of violence hidden beneath was more than obvious.

The breath I drew next went nowhere. He was ready to tear Lance to shreds even knowing nothing about his rejection. A wicked voice inside me whispered I should let him, but I feared how dreadfully this might have ended, and I couldn't lose my father…

So I said the only words that could justify Lance's actions. “He and Delphina… are mates.” Those words felt like razor blades cutting my throat.

The golden glow in my dad's eyes faded. “I'm… so sorry, Pumpkin.”

I forced myself to smile. “It's OK,” I choked out.

He shook his head. “No, it's not. I know you're heartbroken… And your snake-like cousin is certainly not Luna material.”

Well, he wasn't wrong about that last part. Delphina was probably the least compassionate person I'd known. Then again, the more I thought about it, the more I began to believe that she and Lance deserved each other.

“I will heal,” I stated, straightening in my seat.

“That's my girl.” He nodded in approval. “Your school begins in six weeks. Until then, you will train with one of my deputies. You need to be in shape before your classes start.”

A nervous laugh escaped me. “So… you think it's going to be that hard in Winterbourne?”

A sly grin stretched his lips. “Harder than you could have ever imagined.”

***

The first day of school came way too quickly. Eric and Tanith, trainers assigned by my father, had assured me I was ready, but I didn't share their opinion. I passed the Winterbourne Academy's gate, surrounded by other freshmen. They were all taller and more muscled than me. Their radiating strength was almost overwhelming. Beside them, I felt like a little girl who had gotten here by accident.

We had gathered in the main square, where a large, round podium was. Fortunately, I had been pushed to the front. Otherwise, I doubted I would have seen what was happening. I looked to my right and was almost relieved when I spotted someone as short as I was. She had beautiful, smooth black hair I was instantly jealous of. Her face was like porcelain, and her almond eyes resembled two onyx stones. She must have felt me staring at her because she turned around and fixed her eyes on mine. “I'm Sora Inari.” She extended her hand.

I shook it, offering her a nervous smile. “Kara Ashford.”

Her eyes lit up with an odd emerald glow. “Your room is next to mine.”

“Really?” An awkward laugh escaped me. “I didn't even start unpacking. How did you—”

“I saw your name on the list in the dean's office and happened to memorize it.” A faint smirk curved her lips. “You seem… honest. Let's be friends.”

I blinked. “Not that I mind the idea, but… you don't even know—”

“You have a powerful spirit, and yes, I can sense that.” She winked. “You're also not wearing a mask like most of those lying bitches around us, and you're not pretending you're someone you're clearly not. Surely, you could use some good physical training to handle your spirit better. When that happens, you'll be unstoppable like me. More than forty percent of our physical tests require having a reliable partner, and I sense you don't have a habit of stabbing someone in the back.” She inched closer, grinning. “So, friends?”

I swallowed. She surely was… intense. “Friends,” I muttered.

“Perfect.” She chuckled, linking my arm with hers. “I can be your personal tour guide. I know all the most important things about this academy and its students.”

“Noted.” I smiled at her. Sora surely didn't smell like a wolf, and she wasn't a Lycan either. The aura around her was both fascinating and a little terrifying.

“I'm a Kitsune, by the way,” she tossed, finally shifting her attention to the podium where the professors began to appear.

“A fox shifter,” I murmured. I had never met any fox shifters. Some nobles in our pack claimed that foxes should be beneath the werewolf kind, but I'd never understood why. Not to mention that I had heard that an average Kitsune could be more powerful than a well-trained wolf.

A white-haired man dressed in an elegant sand-colored suit stepped toward the lectern. His pale-blue eyes scanned the crowd, his thin lips curving into a smirk.

“That's Supreme Commander Winslow,” Sora explained. “He took this position recently. The board decided that someone like him, an excellent warrior with battlefield experience, would be best suited to rule the academy.”

I nodded, noting a long scar on his left cheek. “What happened to the previous Supreme Commander?”

“He was assassinated.”

Chills rushed down my spine. “Assassinated… h-here?”

Sora nodded. “Yep. Lycans attacked the eastern wing. They were all killed, but before that, they managed to shoot a few silver bullets. One of them happened to hit the previous Commander in the head.”

“Great,” I muttered dryly. “That was comforting.”

Sora snorted. “Don't worry. The freshmen's dormitory is the farthest from the border, so the guards would most likely kill all attackers before they get anywhere near us.”

I wanted to say something, but then the Supreme Commander began to speak. “I'd like to welcome the new students to the Winterbourne Academy, the place where you will be taught how to fight and how to survive.” His deep voice filled the square, silencing all conversations. “Those who will make it until graduation shall become respectable officers and leaders in the kingdom's army…”

I drew a deep breath through my nostrils, and my body tensed. The Supreme Commander continued, but I could no longer focus on his words. The scent I felt… it belonged to that strange man I'd seen on my way home from the harbor.

I inhaled again, and suddenly, the mountain's cold air and lavender were all I felt. My heart began to hammer. He was here. That man was here, among the students…

Shivers rushed through me, filling me with an odd kind of thrill. I breathed in once more and slowly turned left, searching for the source of his scent. I scanned the first-year students gathered on the square, then the second- and third-year students sitting on the steps surrounding it. I met a pair of golden eyes, and my mouth opened.

Black hair, tawny skin, full lips, sharp jaw, broad shoulders, and strong arms. He looked like the most deadly predator, like someone your parents would have warned you about, but you would have still gambled your life just to be near him. A wave of heat rushed to my core, making me clench my thighs. And the worst part? He was looking straight at me… Or perhaps I just imagined it.

Fine. Whether he was looking at me or not, I should have probably stopped gaping at him… but I couldn't. We stood several yards apart, but it felt as if he were right next to me. My body began to shiver, satiating me with a dangerous need. His lips slowly curved into a wicked smirk, then those lips moved.

I didn't hear his voice, but the movement was suggestive enough for me to understand the message.

“You're mine.”