Chapter 4: The First Test (Cassian's POV)

The training grounds were alive with tension. Everybody seemed uneasy on the field. 

They were about to be introduced to something they've never undertaken so their worry was expected. But weakness was not tolerated.

Dominance challenges weren’t just a tradition at Dominion Academy—they were law. If you didn’t prove your strength, you didn’t belong. It was that simple.

I stood at the edge of the training pit, arms crossed, watching the fresh meat get sorted. Ronan leaned beside me, his usual smirk in place.

He was enjoying this as much as I was. I wanted to see what the new recruits had. 

"Ten seconds," he said, nodding toward a bulky alpha in the ring. "That scrawny Alpha won’t last longer than that."

I didn’t bother responding. I already knew how this would play out. The weak got crushed, the strong survived, and nothing ever changed.

But then, a name I didn’t expect to hear was called.

"Val Rhen. Step forward."

Ronan stiffened. His gaze snapped to mine, amusement flickering in his golden eyes.

"Your roommate? Oh, this is gonna be good."

I didn’t react, but my wolf shifted uneasily beneath my skin. I still wasn’t sure what to make of Val. He was small for an alpha—too small. There was something about him that didn’t add up.

I've been asking myself what could be off about him but nothing really ever came to mind. It probably was because of his size that I felt something was wrong with him.

But then I knew it was more than that. I hoped this fight might tell me what.

He stepped into the pit.

The guy Val was up against was twice his size. Muscles stacked on muscles. He sneered at Val, rolling his shoulders like he was already celebrating.

Seeing a small alpha like Val, the guy must be feeling this must be an easy kill.

The crowd snickered as they all saw the obvious difference in size. Someone muttered, "He won’t last a minute."

Val didn’t look nervous to his credit, and that caught my attention. Anybody in his situation would already have prepared for the knock out punch but he just stood.

“Your roomie has balls, I will give him that” Ronan stated not tearing his eyes from the pit.

I grunted my reply but didn't add anything to his deduction. There was no need.

The instructor didn’t waste time. "Fight!"

The alpha lunged and Val barely dodged, slipping sideways, fast as hell. Even for me, I was a little impressed by his reaction speed.

Ronan let out a low whistle. "He’s quick."

Too quick. Seems Val was built for running. But no one bows to an alpha who runs.

I narrowed my eyes as he darted away from another strike, keeping just out of reach. He wasn’t fighting, he was avoiding.

How long does he plan to dodge the blows? In the face of overwhelming strength, tricks meant nothing. They always failed.

The larger alpha growled, irritated. He swung again, faster, trying to trap Val, but he dropped low, twisting out of his grip at the last second.

Ronan chuckled. "Val is making him work for it."

But I saw beyond that. It may seem that way but I knew he was playing a different game. He was buying time.

The realization clicked into place. He wasn’t attacking because he couldn’t overpower him.

So he was stalling, Waiting for the right moment to strike. He wasn't fighting like an alpha. Alphas fought to overwhelm their opponent but this, this was different. 

Something sharp twisted in my chest as I understood the kind of person I had for a roommate. He was cunning.

The fight escalated. The guy got desperate, throwing himself forward, overextending and that to me, was a stupid mistake.

And he took advantage.

His fist snapped up, catching him right under the ribs. Not strong enough to do real damage, but placed perfectly to look intentional.

He stumbled back, winded.

He didn’t follow up. Didn’t try to finish him. Just stood there, watching as the instructor called the match.

The crowd murmured, unsure whether to be impressed or suspicious. The whole thing seemed off.

“Well, that was one way of ending a fight.” Ronan commented leaning back against the wall. “I didn't expect the fight to go the way it did, but I guess the rules saved Val. At least this time.”

“I agree.” I sighed. “He might have gotten lucky this time, but it may not be the case next time.”

Ronan nodded. “I can't help but be curious on how Val intends to survive in this academy.”

“I'm not so keen, but he is my roommate. So I guess I have no option but to be on the lookout if he is going to be sharing my room."

Any other alpha would have finished him off but Val just left him. But I had a feeling he was worried that the bulky guy would take him down.

I guess this was Val playing smart. But one thing is for sure, if he didn't up his game, he won't last long in this place.

For now, I preferred to say nothing, my wolf coiled tight beneath my skin. He too was not sure what to make of this. I really don't know why my wolf had picked an interest in him.

Then, as he turned to leave, his gaze lifted. And locked onto mine. A bolt of something sharp slammed into my chest.

There was something certainly off about Val. And it irritated me that it was getting on my nerves.

What are all these strange feelings that Val is bringing out of me. Curiosity. Frustration. Recognition. They all seemed to come together moving from one to the other.

My wolf perked up and my heart skittered at the sudden attention. I didn't like the way I was reacting to all this.

But, I couldn't help notice for the first time in a long while, that I wasn’t sure whether I was watching a liar or a secret waiting to be uncovered.

But I had every intention of finding out.