THE HUNT BEGINS

MAELIS’S HOUSE

“Are you set?” Maelis asked Elysia as she finished packing her bags.

“Almost,” Elysia replied.

“Okay, but be quick. You have to leave early so you can get there before dawn tomorrow and settle in,” Maelis told her.

“Okay, I’ll make it quick.”

The sun had just risen when Elysia finished packing and prepared to leave. They stood in front of the house.

“Maelis,” Elysia called.

“Yes, pretty wolf,” Maelis teased.

“Can I ask you something?” Elysia’s voice turned serious.

“Sure. What is it?” Maelis replied.

“Have you ever heard of any strange form of light?” Elysia asked.

“Strange form of light?” Maelis repeated questioningly.

“Yes,” Elysia replied, slowly nodding.

“Why do you ask?” Maelis inquired.

“Well… it’s nothing,” Elysia hesitated.

“You know, you can tell me anything, daughter,” Maelis assured her.

“The thing is… while I was in the woods…” Elysia stopped, her eyes locked with Maelis’s. She felt a calm wave of comfort wash over her, and she relaxed.

“You can tell me anything,” Maelis whispered, their gazes still locked.

“When I was in the woods, the abductors tried to rape me. And just as he was about to get down with me, a light came from nowhere…” She paused.

Maelis’s gaze never left her, and her expression remained enigmatic.

“A blinding light came from my direction and spread across the room. The wolves went blind and eventually, mysteriously, choked… to… to… to death,” Elysia stuttered, fear evident in her voice.

“My dear,” Maelis said gently, patting her. “I have never heard of such a light, but I do believe it is a powerful one.”

Elysia sighed, looking down at the ground and tilting the soil with her feet.

“But I do not think it is something you should fear, Elysia. I believe going to the academy will strengthen you, and you’ll be able to make do with whatever it is.”

“I think you are right, Maelis,” Elysia said, breathing in deeply and nodding.

“You should get going now. You need to get there early enough.”

“I know. I am ready.”

“Make sure you take breaks as you superspeed so you won’t be exhausted by the time you get there.”

“Sure.”

“And use this.” Maelis handed her a map. “It will guide you there and prevent you from getting lost.”

“Okay, thanks, Maelis. I’m indebted to you,” Elysia said, tears gathering in her eyes.

Maelis gently pulled her into a hug. Elysia sobbed softly on her shoulder.

“Now go, before you cause an old woman to weep,” Maelis joked, causing Elysia to let out a small chuckle.

“Goodbye, Maelis,” Elysia said, turning to leave with her travel bag slung over her shoulder.

Maelis nodded.

She watched Elysia morph into her wolf form and superspeed out of town.

“Journey mercies, Vaelmor,” she whispered before making her way back into the house.

THE ROYAL COUNCIL CHAMBER

The room was as elegant as every other room in the palace, with a large central table surrounded by chairs. There was a small stage where two thrones stood. The Alpha King, Aurelian, and his Luna, Seraphina, were already seated. The other chairs were occupied by the Beta, the Gamma, and four other Alphas.

“I called for this summit because of the abnormal incidents. We couldn’t come to a conclusion last night because the cause has not yet been established,” he paused. “The wolves who were examined were found to be dying of starvation…”

Murmurs erupted around the room.

“And… they were identified as coming from Tripa Pack.”

All eyes fell on one of the Alphas.

“Alpha of Tripa Pack, would you like to clear the air?” Seraphina asked.

“What? With all due respect, Your Majesties, I know nothing of such happenings in my pack. It is a famine, not starvation,” the Alpha of Tripa Pack said.

“Do you hear yourself?” Aurelian raised an eyebrow.

“Yes, Your Majesty. There is famine in the land, but the Royal Palace of Tripa has provided food for all the wolves in the pack, day in and day out,” the Alpha said.

“Oh, really?” Aurelian asked.

“Yes, Your Majesty.” He bowed.

“Then why haven’t you informed Astralis?” Seraphina asked.

“Your Majesty, we were planning to… last night,” he replied.

“And what stopped you from informing the town crier, who went to Tripa some time ago to pass information about the academy’s admission?” Seraphina shot back.

“Your Majesty… We were trying to take care of the situation ourselves so that…”

“Now it’s taking the lives of your wolves,” Aurelian interrupted him.

“I apologise, Your Majesty,” the Alpha pleaded.

“Soldiers from Astralis will be sent to Tripa to investigate. Until then, this meeting is adjourned,” Aurelian commanded.

“You’re dismissed,” Seraphina added.

Everyone else stood up and slowly left the room, leaving only Aurelian, Seraphina, and two other men.

“Severin, the Gamma of Astralis,” Seraphina called. “Go and gather the soldiers to embark on the journey to Tripa. Meet me at the gates, and we’ll discuss the plan.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Severin bowed and exited.

“Sometimes, she scares me,” Aurelian chuckled, turning to the other man.

“Oh, please!” The man chuckled.

“She’s domineering…” Aurelian joked.

“She’s the perfect Luna, Aurelian.”

“Well, I guess,” Aurelian replied. “So, Cassian, the Beta of Astralis… We have an academy resumption to plan.” He tried to mimic Seraphina’s voice.

“Quit it!” Cassian laughed. “I’d better go and get Darian and Kael,” he said, leaving the room.

THE NEXT DAY — DAWN — THE ASTRALIS PACK — LYCORIA ACADEMY

Elysia made her way into the pack, looking at the map in her hands. She was very close to Lycoria Academy. Within a few minutes, she stood in front of the academy gates.

They were magnificent. Elysia looked up, visibly awestruck by their beauty. There were four grand pillars, arranged in two lines of two. They seemed to threaten to kiss the moon, and between them stood a grand gate with two able-bodied guards on each side. Crows perched around the building. Arcs were linking up in different sections.

She walked towards the building and nervously greeted the guards, who spared her no glance. She passed through the gates.

“Look where you’re going, bitch!”

A red-haired girl, chewing gum loudly, bumped into Elysia. Two other girls stood behind her. Their hair was raven-black with a purple tint, and they appeared to be her minions.

The red-haired girl eyed Elysia, scoffed, and walked away. Her minions followed. Elysia rolled her eyes and sighed.

She continued walking, climbed the stairs, and entered the main building through the door. Inside, she found a reception area where a beautiful woman sat behind the counter.

“Hello,” Elysia greeted nervously.

“Hi. How may I help you?”

“I am here for the admission.”

“Oh, okay. Please, are you a Monobreed or a Duobreed?”

“Uh… I am a Monobreed,” Elysia said, slowly pulling her hoodie to the side and exposing her shoulder. The green crescent mark came into view.

The receptionist nodded. “I see. Good. So, you need to know that you have to pass an entrance exam to get in here.”

“Uhm…”

“Anyway, turn left and walk straight, then open the first door on your right. That’s where the other Monobreed females are preparing for the exam. The other door is for the males, don’t go there. Good luck.”

Elysia simply stared at her, utterly confused.

“And oh! Make sure you keep your tuition money safe. I don’t trust those wolves not to steal from you,” she added.

Elysia proceeded as instructed, still genuinely confused.

“Tuition money? Examination? Why didn’t Maelis tell me any of this?” she muttered.

THE ROYAL PALACE — DARIAN’S CHAMBERS

Darian smoothed his hair to the side. He stood in front of his mirror, dressed for the day.

He wore the Lycoria Academy uniform, designed with military precision and royal elegance. The jacket was ash-grey, with a structured collar that framed his neck. Silver buttons ran in a straight line down the front, evenly spaced and identical in size. Beside the buttons was a narrow strip of black trim. The trim continued along the collar and cuffs, giving the jacket a more polished appearance. The sleeves were long and fitted, and the jacket extended slightly below the waist, reaching his hips. There was a slit at the side, and a black belt adorned his waist. His trousers were a deeper shade of grey, well-tailored, and black leather boots complemented the entire outfit.

A soft knock came at the door.

Darian turned towards it and waved his hand to the side, opening it with his telekinesis.

A lady dressed in a maid’s uniform entered.

“Good day, Your Highness,” she said, bowing.

Darian simply stared at her.

“Um… I came to ask what you’d like to have for breakfast,” she said.

“It’s okay, Isolde. I’m not hungry,” Darian replied, his voice neutral.

“But you haven’t…”

Darian stared at her, his expression cold.

“I’m sorry, Your Highness.” She bowed and exited.

Darian stared blankly into space.

Someone barged into the room. He didn’t need anyone to tell him it was either Kael or Lyssandra; no one else dared. He turned towards the door and saw that it was, in fact, both of them.

Kael was dressed just like Darian. Lyssandra, however, was wearing a red evening gown that was off-the-shoulder and hugged her hips tightly. It exposed the thick black crescent mark on her shoulder near her neckline.

“Hey, Groom,” Kael greeted.

“Hello, President of Lycoria Academy,” Lyssandra greeted, intentionally drawing Darian’s attention to her dress.

“What the hell are you wearing?” Darian asked.

“I told her,” Kael said, rolling his eyes.

“Oh, please! It’s just the admission programme. It’s not like school starts today,” Lyssandra said, arranging her hair.

Darian rolled his eyes.

“You are a Polybreed, Lyssandra. Act like one,” Kael said.

“Yeah, I know that. That’s why I’m using my privileges. I don’t feel like putting on my uniform. Is there any problem? It’s not my fault you both can’t make use of your Polybreed privileges.”

“Do you have a mate already?” Darian asked sarcastically.

“Of course not, but who knows? Tonight, I might…”

“Oh, please spare us the shenanigans,” Kael interrupted, shutting her up.

“You set?” he asked Darian.

“Yeah,” Darian replied.

Lyssandra went to Darian’s mirror to adjust her dress.

“Let’s go. The royal carriage is waiting outside. His Majesty and Her Majesty have already left,” Kael told Darian.

“What about the Beta?” Darian asked.

“He’s staying to ensure nothing goes wrong in the palace,” Kael replied.

“Cool. Let’s go, then,” Darian said, heading out. Kael followed him.

“You guys, wait up!” Lyssandra called, running to catch up with them.

LYCORIA ACADEMY — PREPARATION HALL

Elysia entered the room, where several tables and chairs were scattered everywhere, with people sitting and talking to one another. The room was noisy. Some candidates were exercising, others were doing exaggerated rehearsals, some were chatting, and a few sat alone.

She took a step inside but lost her balance and dropped her map on the ground. She attempted to pick it up, but she tripped and fell onto her side, causing a loud bang.

The noise in the room suddenly died down.

“What the hell?”

“Such a clumsy girl.”

“Does she even fit in here?”

She heard the murmurs.

“Here.”

Elysia looked up when she heard a voice. A blonde girl was stretching out her hand towards her.

Elysia took the hand and stood up.

“Thank you,” Elysia said appreciatively.

“Come,” the girl said, leading Elysia to where she had been sitting and offering her a seat.

They both sat facing each other.

“Thank you so much,” Elysia said.

“No worries,” the girl replied.

Elysia nodded gratefully.

“I’m Vesper,” the girl said, extending her hand for a handshake.

Elysia took it. “Elysia,” she said.

“You look naive. Is this your first time?” Vesper asked.

“Uhm… yes,” Elysia replied.

“Wow. I hope you get in. This is my third time trying to get in here,” Vesper said.

“Really?”

“Yeah. It’s not so easy to pass the challenge.”

“It is very difficult.”

“Oh well, yeah.”

“Goodness…” Elysia rubbed her temples.

“You could be luckier than other first-timers, though.”

“I admire your determination,” Elysia said.

“Well, my mate is here, so…” Vesper smiled, showing off her mate mark.

“Nice,” Elysia said with a smile.

“Be careful, though. These wolves may steal your money,” Vesper warned.

“Well… I do not have any money with me,” Elysia admitted with a sigh.

“What? Are you planning to get the gold crystal?” Vesper asked.

“What gold crystal?” Elysia asked, genuinely puzzled.

“Huh?” Vesper exclaimed, hitting her forehead with her palm.

“How naive are you? You don’t even know the rules of the game?” she groaned.

“Please, do tell me,” Elysia pleaded.

“Well, we’re going to be taking part in a challenge in the woods to fetch crystals. There are thirty-nine silver crystals and one gold crystal…”

“So?” Elysia asked.

“Well, the person who gets the gold crystal gets to attend Lycoria for free.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, so forty people get admitted.”

“But most times, only thirty-nine people are admitted. It’s rather rare for anyone to get the gold crystal, so it’s almost impossible.”

“Oh.”

“Okay, just stay focused and don’t get distracted.”

“Sure, thanks… but who then retrieves the gold crystal?” Elysia asked.

“His Highness Darian, the Future Alpha King,” Vesper replied. “In previous years, when the candidates have been unable to retrieve the gold crystal themselves, His Highness Darian has usually gone into the woods to retrieve it.”

“Oh…”

“Get prepared. The royal family is here, and your examination starts soon.”

They were interrupted by the voice of a female guard calling from the doorway.

A FEW HOURS LATER — THE EXAMINATION GROUNDS

The examination was finally about to commence. There were a total of 193 Monobreeds competing.

The royal family—Aurelian, Seraphina, Darian, Lyssandra, and Kael— and others were seated at the front of the academy, beside the grand pillars. The contestants were arranged in an assembly as the Academy Rector addressed them. Other members of the academy staff were also present.

“I welcome you all to the admission challenge for Lycoria Academy. I am Evren Ashbourne, the Rector, and I’d like to explain what you are required to do…”

He paused, staring keenly at them.

“You will be provided with maps to guide you to the woods,” he announced, raising his hand to signal the attendants.

Some maidens came forward and began handing maps to the candidates.

Elysia sighed as she stood behind Vesper, obviously unsure of what the outcome would be.

“In the woods, there are forty crystals, which means we need only forty candidates. You are to hunt for the crystals. Thirty-nine crystals are silver, and there is one gold crystal.”

“The gold crystal grants its finder a scholarship to study here for free.”

By then, the maps had been distributed, and everyone had one.

“Therefore, after the head start, you are expected to morph into your wolf forms and hunt for the crystals to secure your admission here.”

“Any questions?” Evren asked.

No one made any attempt to speak. Elysia had questions bubbling in her head, but she couldn’t dare to ask. Many of the candidates seemed to have attempted the challenge more than once, so they understood the rules well enough.

“In the absence of any questions…”

Elysia squeezed the map tightly in her hands.

“Candidates of Lycoria, your trial begins now!”

Evren raised his hand.

“May the Moon Goddess favour the worthy.”

His hand dropped.

The candidates morphed into their wolf forms, and Elysia tensed up.

“HUNT!”