Chapter four– The Scent Test

Elior’s POV

Sleep never came that night.

The dorm was quiet, but my mind was chaos. I sat on the floor beside my desk, surrounded by open vials and half-empty bottles, the faint scent of chemicals mixing with the sharp, metallic tang of fear. My fingers shook as I measured drops into a flask, praying the ratio was right this time. One mistake and the suppressant could backfire — too strong, and it would shut my system down; and too weak, my scent would leak.

The clock ticked past midnight and it just occurred to me that I hadn’t eaten. My reflection in the glass window looked ghostly pale, the dark circles under my eyes almost bruised. I tried to ignore the dull ache behind my temples and the trembling in my hands.

“This has to hold,” I muttered under my breath, tightening the strap around my arm as I prepared the injection. “Just one more day.”

I thought of my sister- her smile and her small hands clutching mine the day I left. “Stay safe, Elior,” she’d whispered. “Don’t let anyone find out.”

The needle slid beneath my skin. The burn came immediately, spreading through my veins like liquid fire. I clenched my jaw, trying not to make a sound. Every nerve screamed and for a moment, I thought I’d faint, but I forced myself to breathe through it. When it was over, I wiped the sweat from my brow and leaned against the desk with my chest heaving.

You know, I’d done this so many times that it should’ve felt routine, but it didn’t. Each dose hurt more than the last. Each time, I could feel my body rejecting it a little more.

And in a few hours, I’d be standing in a hall full of Alphas, asked to prove something I wasn’t.

*****

Morning arrived too soon.

The corridors of Silvercross were filled with anticipation as students whispered about the upcoming scent calibration like it was a tournament, let's say another chance to prove who ranked higher and who was stronger.

I walked through them quietly, eyes down, keeping my breathing even. The suppressant pulsed faintly in my system, but it felt unstable, like a thread about to snap.

Halfway to the hall, a familiar voice stopped me.

“Elior.”

I turned. Rylan stood at the end of the corridor, his attire neat as always and his expression unreadable. He didn’t move, but his gaze swept over me as it lasted too long on my hands, which still shook slightly.

“You look terrible,” he said flatly.

I forced a smirk. “Thanks for the compliment.”

“Don’t do that.”

“Do what?”

“Pretend you’re fine.”

Something in his tone made me pause. It wasn’t mockery this time. It was… concern that felt real and unguarded.

“I said I’m fine,” I repeated, brushing past him.

But he caught my wrist, his grip firm but not rough. “If something’s wrong, tell me before someone else finds out.”

The air between us shifted that it was all warm and thick, almost suffocating. Just then, my heartbeat stumbled. I pulled back quickly, forcing my voice to stay cold. “Stay out of my business.”

His jaw tightened. For a second, I thought he’d argue, but he just exhaled sharply and stepped aside. “You’re making it harder for yourself.”

“Maybe that’s the point.”

I walked away before I could see his reaction. I didn’t trust myself to stay any longer, of course, not with his scent curling faintly in the air, steady and grounding, making me ache in a way I didn’t have words for.

*****

The evaluation hall was enormous with its rows of polished floors, tall glass panels, and that constant hum of authority. The Chancellor sat at the front with several instructors, their eyes sharp and calculating.

We lined up in groups, each Alpha waiting to be called. The process was simple: release controlled pheromones into the sensors for ranking calibration. The machine measured intensity, control, and purity. Nothing complicated, unless your entire existence depended on pretending to be something you weren’t.

I kept my breathing shallow, praying the suppressant would hold and make me go through this. And I couldn't help my palms that were slick with sweat.

Rylan stood a few places ahead of me. His presence drew whispers — the top Alpha of the academy, flawless control, unmatched dominance. When his name was called, the air itself seemed to shift. His pheromones rolled through the room, heavy and magnetic, a mix of cedar and rain that made my knees weak.

The sensors beeped almost instantly. “Rank S,” the instructor announced.

Of course.

Rylan stepped back into line, but instead of looking straight ahead like everyone else, his gaze found me. There was no arrogance in it this time but only that same quiet awareness that made me feel seen, maybe too much.

Then my name was called.

I moved to the center. The room felt smaller somehow, the weight of a hundred eyes pressing against my skin.

“Elior Vane,” the instructor said. “Begin.”

I exhaled slowly and reached for that fake Alpha energy- the one I’d practiced countless times. I pushed a small, steady breath into the sensors, praying it would read as neutral.

For a few seconds, nothing happened. Then the suppressant faltered.

It wasn’t gradual. It was violent, more like a sudden rush of heat exploding in my chest, racing down my spine. The smell of chemicals burned away, replaced by something softer and sweeter and it began making sense to me that this was a scent I’d spent my whole life hiding. I knew at the point that I was done for.