001.

Mira’s POV

All I could see was darkness.

Like I’d died and gone to hell.

The smell of fresh blood filled the air, along with it was the deafening sound of thunder!

BOOM!

No, this wasn't hell. It was a test, a race to the finish.

Twenty of us from Westhill knelt in the forest clearing, all blindfolded and drenched by the rain.

The instructor's voice boomed from behind us. "The rule is simple. There are ten tags out there. Coated in sheep blood and covered in mud. Secure a tag and get a place in the Pre-Trial Camp at Ironridge."

I swallowed. This was going to be tough.

I was already at a disadvantage, because, unlike other contestants, I couldn't shift. They had a much stronger sense of smell. I would have to punch above my weight to qualify.

Water streamed down my face and soaked through my clothes.

The instructors had chosen the storm on purpose. They knew the heavy rain would dull our sense of smell, making it hard to find the tag. There was also the constant thunder, setting us all on edge.

They wanted to see who could still function when their strongest sense was impaired.

"Start!" The instructor's voice yelled.

I dug into the mud and started feeling around for the tags. No beast. No sharpened nose. The only thing I had was the raw determination to prove myself. Yes, I wasn't a beast shifter, but I was as good as any of them.

Someone to my left grunted and scrambled forward. I heard the wet slap of hands in the mud. Another crawling body barged into me from the right, sending me tumbling into the mud. The smell of blood choked me as I fell.

I shoved myself upright and kept moving.

“First tag found!” the instructor’s voice cut through the rain. “Nine remaining.”

What? So fast?

My stomach dropped. I needed to be quick.

I swept my hands through the mud in wide arcs, fingers spread, searching for a tag. The metallic tang of blood didn't go away with the heavy rain. It was so strong, it made me want to puke.

The rain got worse. My teeth chattered as I dug through the mud for a tag.

Behind me, I heard two people wrestling. One must have caught the tag and the other was trying to take it away.

“Second tag secured! Eight left.”

I pushed harder. My palms stung from the search.

Rain hit my shoulders like tiny needles. I crawled around in the mud, desperately searching for tags. My fingers closed around something smooth. Hope surged in me.

I yanked it free and hissed. It was only a flat stone.

I threw it aside and kept going.

Thunder boomed in the sky again. It was louder this time. The ground shook.

“Someone has the third tag! Seven remaining.”

Shit! People were finding tags and I didn't feel like I was getting any closer.

I realised I had to breathe deeply and ignore the puking sensation that came from the strong blood smell. That's the only way I can stand a chance.

I breathed in deeply. To my left, I got a hint of a tag close by. I turned towards it, crawling fast.

Water ran down my back as I crawled.

“Fourth tag found! Six left.”

The blood scent I was trailing suddenly disappeared. Fuck! Someone already found it.

Desperation clawed up my throat. Time was running out with every announcement. I breathed in again, looking for the closest tag.

My knees burned from crawling and my wrists ached, but I ignored the pains and focused on breathing.

Yes, I could smell it. Just behind me. . .

Someone slammed into me as I turned, knocking me into the mud. The scent I was trailing vanished as my face got buried in mud. A mix of mud and blood filled my mouth.

I scrambled up, spitting everything out.

“Fifth tag found! Five to go.”

Half was gone.

My arms trembled. I needed to be faster, to get one before it was too late.

"Oh, that was quick. Sixth tag found!"

Fuck! How could I even keep up?

I breathed in again, hoping no one would disturb me this time. I smelled another tag close by. I rapidly crawled towards it and then as I got close, I heard punches landing. Yeah, they were fighting over that tag.

I thought of joining the fight, of grappling around to snatch a tag. But I was an Omega. I couldn't contend with shifters. Especially when we were blindfolded.

“Seventh tag found! Three remaining.”

Just three.

I could feel the other students closing in, their movements growing more frantic. We were now thirteen left, contending for three tags.

I heard someone choking, like they were being strangled. My chest thumped hard.

I didn't come here to lose. I had to be fast.

My hands trembled as I kept digging.

The blood smell thickened suddenly to my right. Stronger than before.

I lunged toward it and my fingers closed around a small plastic object.

A tag! I found a tag!!

I yanked it free, my heart exploding with joy in my chest. I couldn't believe I actually did it!

A larger hand slammed down over mine and ripped the tag away in one brutal pull.

I lunged after the hand, trying to get it back. I missed. The person was already moving, already crawling out of the field.

“Eighth and ninth tag secured! One remaining.”

I stayed on my knees in the mud, stunned. I had the tag in my hand and someone just took it.

I was too weak to search for the last one. My eyes stung with tears.

It was unfair.

“Tenth tag found! All tags secured," the instructor announced. “Blindfolds off."

I reached up with muddy hands and pulled the cloth away. The sky was grey and still pouring rain. Around me were wet trees and muddy bodies.

The ten students who found the tags already had them on their necks. Josh was among them. Josh Calloway. My brother. Actually, he was my foster brother. . .

"Congratulations to the winning contestants. You have earned a shot at the Pre-Trial contest in Ironridge," the instructor said. "Now, line up. We have to head back to campus for the rest of the day’s work.”

Students headed to the bus. I was still stunned by how close I came. And now, there was nothing to show for my efforts.

Rain ran down my face and mixed with my tears.

Around me the winners were already talking and celebrating. Some of the losers stood with friends who offered them words of comfort. A girl near me was crying openly while her friend held her arm.

I blinked and more tears streamed down my face. I was so close to getting it. . .

Harry, one of the students who won a tag looked straight at me and laughed, then he turned to his friend. “Why is she crying? Did she actually think she stood a chance?”

His friend replied, "That's some crazy audacity."

"An Omega wants to compete in the Pre-Trials. What a joke," another voice joined in.

I clenched my fists as the winners mocked me, laughing at my loss.

My eyes clouded. They were mocking me for being an omega, for not having a beast. Like it was some kind of flaw.

Josh stepped closer. “Mira, calm down. . ."

He could tell my blood was boiling.

"Let's go," he dropped a hand on my shoulder. "The bus is waiting."

“We’re taking the train,” I said. “I don’t want to share the same space with the others.”

He looked at me for a second, then nodded.

Tears filled my eyes as I turned to leave.

I lost but I wouldn't stay down. This wasn't the end.