chapter three

ELORA'S pov

My eyes blurred, every blood felt like it was being drained from me, and I wished it was only because of what he just said, the assault he had just promised, but no, it was far from that.

Because one of the guys behind had just called him a name, one I knew, one every banished was terrified of. Valen.

The world only knew one Valen in the wolf realm, half because no one dared to name their offsprings that, and second because the only person who had Valen as a name was known to be the most ruthless and blood lust filled Alpha King in the world of werewolves. And his last name ended with Thorne.

My throat dried up instantly, my skin crawling like it was on fire, even Lyra shivered inside me. Because if the person before me right now was Valen Thorne, then it meant everything father and the banished had believed for years had been false.

When Father was thrown out, he was told the order came from the alpha, Valen Thorne. But then that was the problem, my eyes scanned through the man before me properly, he couldn’t be more than twenty three, so it only meant one thing, the alpha had not been the one that had banished us, his son had done it in his name. Anger rippled through my blood in hot, red waves, and for a second, I could feel my wolf sneer as my claws dug into the soft fur ground.

He was the villain all along, he was the alpha, and not alpha in waiting like everyone here was, but the actual Alpha King. How could someone this young be an Alpha King? How could someone this ethereal be so cruel?

“I will kill you.” I spat out, anger fueling each word, and for a second, I could swear an amused grin crossed his face.

“Making threats already I see.” He crossed his arms, squatting to meet my fallen form. He ignored the rage in my eyes but I knew he could see it; if he was actually the Alpha King, then I was sure as hell he could feel it too. “I’ll ask once more, and only once.” His eyes darkened. “What. Are. You.”

I kept my mouth shut, if he wanted the answer, he could peel it from my dead and rotting body! The banished woods flashed in my eyes and I instantly recalled why I had come, why I risked this, they were all depending on me, I had to remember that.

Closing my eyes, I forced myself to breathe, opening them again, I softened my gaze. “I’m no one, just a weak alpha, I was thrown away from my pack and sent here to train to be better.”

A snicker came from the guys behind. “I wouldn’t hold it against them, you look like you’d break and wet yourself if backed up against a wall.”

I ignored them, focusing on the man before me, his gaze on mine told me everything I needed to know, he didn’t believe me.

The sound of the bells jerked me up, and in this instant, I thanked the gods for it.

Valen stood, ticking his tongue and walking away from my line of sight. My breath fogged as I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding, not for once looking back to meet their gazes, I sprinted out from the room.

I had to speak to management, I couldn’t do this, I would never survive them.

First lesson to learn in Blackwood Alpha Institute, the management is useless when it comes to the three elites, Don’t bother.

Curfew had been announced three minutes ago, I knew that because a paper had appeared in my hand, signaling for curfew. I had no idea what type of magic that was; if I wasn’t spiraling on escape plans and survival plans, I would be amazed. But I didn’t come to this academy to be amazed, I came to save my people.

Sneaking back into the suite was easy, I had no idea when my fingerprint had been added to the electronic wall, but the second I placed my thumb on it, it clicked open.

I tiptoed in, an extra bed had been added, the room was dim, a half moon filtering into the dark room. I didn’t bother checking who was asleep and who wasn’t, I tiptoed to where I had seen my bags at the corner of an empty bed, scurrying through my things for a full bottle scent blocker.

A second later, I snuck into what looked like a bathroom. Unlike the room where the moonlight provided a little ounce of light, the bathroom was completely dark, my heart raced, my skin prickling, I hated the dark, it terrified me, it brought bad memories I didn’t want to recall.

My breath came in sharp gasps, for a second, I couldn't breathe.

My hands swapped to the wall, crawling up and down over and over searching for a switch, searching for the door, anything.

The feeling of being watched enveloped me, a scream lunged from my throat as a hand grabbed my wrist, tugging me backwards so hard I fell back against his chest, hard toned muscles poked at my back, my head to his lower chest showing just how small I was in comparison to him.

My eyes widened, my little hands rested on his abs, finding balance from the hard pull earlier. My skin broke out in goosebumps, my heart thrusting so hard I felt it might stop working.

I pushed at his chest, trying to pull away but he gripped my wrist tighter, spinning me around and smashing my back against his front. Every breath was knocked out of me, I couldn’t see his face but I didn’t need to. I knew what exact monster was behind me.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing! This is assau—”

His free hand clasped around my neck, jerking it backwards toward the darkness surrounding his face, “Complete that statement, Sunshine. I’m aching to show you what assault actually looks like.”