Chapter 2

RONAN

Trial by fire

The sun wasn't even up in the sky.

when the horns screeched through the dorms.

It was sharp enough to split my skull.

I jolt upright, my heart hammering, sleep still clinging to my eyelids.

For a second I forget where I am, then the pain of the suppressant patch comes back.

Then it all crashes back into my head.

Eldenridge.

And an annoying,grating voice bleeds through the speakers.

" Cadets,up! You've got sixty seconds before I drag you out myself,"

The head Alpha shouts out.

Sixty seconds.of course Alphas don't need rest just commands.

I jump up from by bed, still dazed from the suppressant patch burning under my arm.

I dressed up in silence while the aggression from all the other alpha who didn't care who they stepped on rang through the air.

Day one and I already don't like it here.

By the time I stumbled groggily into the yard, my breath fogging up the air.

My head still hurts from the loud horns,and I still need to sleep, this is pure torture.

Kieran was already there, tall and composed with his hands behind his back.

Commanding the space like it belonged to him.

"You're not Alphas yet you're strays dogs and I'll see which one of you deserves to stay at Eldenridge."

The head Alpha yells his voice smooth and dangerous.

"That's General Nightshade weak alpha son,"

A voice whispered just loud enough for others to hear.

"one might peg him to be a beta or even an Omega."

The air around me seemed to thin, my chest tightened , heat rising under the patch on my skin.

I didn't turn. And I also didn't flinch

I just straightened my shoulders, pretending their words slid right off, even though they didn't.

I shake their comment of my shoulders I catch Kieran looking directly at me, not mocking, not amused just watching.

" We are going to be running 2 laps round the school, so Alphas get prepared."

The first lap was easy, but by the second it was fire, each breath heavier than the last.

One by one other Alphas start to run past me, their laughter sharp and cruel, the scent I've fought to hide all morning, threatening to let lose.

I hear across the field, " come on, Nightshade, I thought generals raised good Alphas," someone jeers.

I might start perfuming here, the patch feels heavier and lose under my sleeve.

The sound and jeers from other Alphas finally get to me and I slip hard, into the mud, someone laughs.

but Kieran doesn't move. He just stands there his eyes on me.

His voice then booms from the watchtower.

"Get up Nightshade Jr., if the ground wants you for itself, you better make it fight to get you."

I spit out the dirt, push myself up and continue running to the finish line, my body heavy with mud.

I don't stop until, I cross the finish line,covered in mud and my skin burning.

As we finish up,I rush to get to the Locker room to freshen up, the locker room smells of sweat and metal and little to no pheromones.

I keep my head down to get my breathing in check, my heart hasn't stopped racing since the run.

The suppressant patch had already worn off from being worn too long, I peel it off slowly.

For a moment, I feel relief.

my faint omega scent , subtle ,light and clean escapes.

An unmistakable omega scent. The kind that doesn't belong to an Alpha.

I wave my hand in the air, as if that would do anything to it.

That's when the door opens

Kieran walks in with flanked by 3 other Alphas.

Then his head turns slightly, as if he caught something in the air.

His eyes find me and I freeze.

" What's that hell is that...... ?" The first Alpha exclaims

" Smells like, no it can't be," Another mutters..

The room goes silent and Kieran steps in.

In a low, and dangerous voice he says

" Everyone get out,"

His voice cuts through the room like a blade.

I hear feets moving as the locker room emptys out.

I don't move, my pulse is hammering against my throat.

He is standing between me and my locker, the place I need to be.

My suppressant is inside.

" Your scent," Kieran says slowly, his eyes on me. " It has changed, it's different now."

My throat goes dry.

I stumble through my words

" Or maybe your just smelling your own ego."

I manage to say.

He takes a step closer, I feel the space shrink between us.

"Funny, I didn't see you as the kind who snoops around others business," I say in an effort to get him to drop the subject.

" I didn't peg you as the kind who hides from others," he counters softly

"Ronan," he heart stutters from the way he said my name.

The way it falls from his lips makes my stomach twist, heat curls low in my chest.

Our eyes meet, heat brews , still not anger something we are both unwilling to confront.

As I grab at his shirt trying to push him back, but he doesn't budge.

My hands trembles more than I want them to.

"Move," I hiss at him.

He leans in enough for his breath to touch my cheek.

"you hide, whatever it is you're hiding,"

he says quietly.

" but don't let me find out."

and he walks out of the room.

I grab my suppressant and leave the room with his threat hanging over my head.

++++++++++++++++++

I sit by the balcony, bandaging the raw skin where the suppressant patch burned through.

As the campus glows with lamps and the patrol officers match around rhythmically.

Then I feel a prickle long my neck

I look up.

Across the cross yard, on the opposite balcony, Kieran stands hands on the railing, shirtless, with his body lit from the glow in his room.

I freeze I don't move, I stare back not dropping my stare.

"Great, just great," I mutter to under my breath, trying to break the tension

"Now the king of Eldenridge has decided to stalk me himself,"

I turn and head back to my room shutting the balcony door a bit harder than I mean to.

A faint sound, and I see a paper sliding against the floor from under my door with the words

" you hide it well, little Omega,"

written on them and all the blood drains down from my face, the world turns woozy for a bit

Someone knows.