Zahra's POV
‘Stay calm, Z. You’ve got this, and I’m here with you.’ Zanthe’s voice is steady and reassuring. Honestly, where would I be without her?
“Morning, little one. Did you sleep well?” Tobias’s voice pulls me out of my thoughts. His tone is quiet, almost intimate, and I notice Jasper shooting him a look. What’s that about?
“Yeah, good, thanks,” I reply with a small smile.
Tobias gestures to the two massive men standing nearby. “I’d like you to meet Elite Trainers Eduardo,” he says, indicating the larger of the two, “and Blake.” The shorter one scowls slightly as he offers his hand. Great, he looks thrilled to be here.
“Eduardo, Blake, this is Zahra Larkin, Beta Female
Zahra's POV‘Stay calm, Z. You’ve got this, and I’m here with you.’Zanthe’s voice is steady and reassuring. Honestly, where would I be without her?“Morning, little one. Did you sleep well?” Tobias’s voice pulls me out of my thoughts. His tone is quiet, almost intimate, and I notice Jasper shooting him a look. What’s that about?“Yeah, good, thanks,” I reply with a small smile.Tobias gestures to the two massive men standing nearby. “I’d like you to meet Elite Trainers Eduardo,” he says, indicating the larger of the two, “and Blake.” The shorter one scowls slightly as he offers his hand. Great, he looks thrilled to be here.“Eduardo, Blake, this is Zahra Larkin, Beta Female
Zahra's POVI wake up to the warm sunlight streaming into my room, just as I’d expected. I knew I’d regret not drawing the curtains last night, but honestly, I don’t care. It’s a beautiful day, and excitement is bubbling under my skin.The thought of possibly seeing Zach and the others today adds to my anticipation. Even if I don’t run into them immediately, I know I will at some point, and that eases a little of my tension. But the dinner conversation from last night keeps playing in my head, stirring up fresh nerves. I know why I’m here—to be assessed and trained—but the thought of doing it in front of the entire Royal Ranked teams makes my stomach churn. I can’t shake the image of them watching my every move, silently judging whether I’m good enough to belong here. No pressure or anything.I push those thoughts aside and pull on my workout clothes—black cycling shorts, a hot pink sports bra, and a loose white sleeveless shirt. It’s functional and comfortable, which is all I need ri
Zahra's POVWhat the fuck is happening?!Zanthe is preening smugly in my head, practically crowing that this is where we belong.Conceited wolf.Meanwhile, I’m sweating enough to fill a small swimming pool.Everyone takes their seats. Tobias sits on my other side, with Queen Sophie directly opposite me. The rest of the ranked members and their families fill in around the table in a casual, relaxed way. There’s no rigid seating plan, which is refreshing given the grandeur of everything else here.“So, Zahra, how’s the Blood Moon gang getting on?” Felix asks once everyone is settled. “Did they arrive for camp today?”“They’re good, thanks,” I reply. “Yes, we all drove in convoy. I expect they’re settling in now.”“Excellent. I’ll go say hi tomorrow before everything kicks off.” He smiles at
Zahra's POVOh, my Goddess, I feel like my feet haven’t touched the floor since I arrived. Alice is like a bubbly tornado—funny, energetic, and seemingly incapable of pausing for breath. She hasn’t stopped talking since we entered my room, and I’m pretty sure she has a massive crush on Tobias. Her constant questions about him make me squirm a little, so I do my best to steer the conversation elsewhere whenever possible.Lunch was lively. The whole family was warm and welcoming, peppering me with questions that made me feel like they genuinely wanted to know more about me. It’s bittersweet, realizing what I’ve missed out on by not knowing them sooner. Just another lovely hand-me-down from thefucktard Beta.After lunch, Alice took me on a tour of the West Wing. The library left me speechless, though the gym—with its state-of-the-ar
Zarah's POVAfter a lovely evening giggling with Sienna and Abby, I barely slept. My excitement was through the roof. I can’t wait to see the palace, test myself against some truly skilled opponents, and experience the Alpha King’s training camp. At least, I hope I get to go. No one has explicitly said I’m allowed, but surely… right? If not, does that mean I won’t see the guys all summer? I suppose that wouldn’t be much different from every other summer. Still, I hope I’m included.As soon as the first rays of sunlight peek through my window, I give up on sleep. I get up, make my bed, and check through my wardrobe one last time to make sure I’ve packed everything. After a quick shower, I dress in a pair of white denim shorts and a light blue T-shirt with delicate, see-through lace detailing over the shoulders and neckline. It’s practical but also a little girly. I’ve been enjoying dressing more femininely now that I’m not stuck wearing all my brother’s hand-me-downs.I pull my hair in
Zahra's POVAt 2:15 p.m., perfect timing, I head out to find Alison. I already picked up my cap and gown yesterday—thankfully, they’re a dark royal blue, so nothing too hideous to contend with. I carefully navigate the stairs, avoiding a catastrophic tumble in my heels. When I step into the living room, Alpha Lucas is there waiting. His reaction stops me in my tracks—he literally gasps.“Zahra, you look wonderful!” he says, beaming.My face heats up instantly. “Thank you, Lucas,” I mumble, my voice barely above a whisper.He chuckles, clearly amused by my embarrassment. “Come on, let’s head off.”When we arrive at the auditorium doors, I say goodbye to Lucas and Alison and make my way inside. I donned the cap and gown in the car park, with Alison’s help ma