Students, including Wyatt and Penelope, scrambled to get into the first sleigh. She quickly covered herself in a blanket, and I was glad she would be warm. I stayed back, watching. Waiting. Would my father want to speak to me? It seemed appropriate. I was his only child. Surely, he had to care at least a little bit. All I knew about wolves said that families stayed in their own pack. What had happened to fracture mine?
Is this really my life?
I left behind my best friend to be here. Trying to explain to Ember that I would attend a private school was challenging, to say the least. We both cried. Ember wanted to know how it was possible since my mom and I weren’t wealthy. I had to lie, though it was a good question. Who was fronting my tuition for the Academy? Or was that even a thing with wolves? I had no idea.
According to mom, my dad, the dean of the Academy, would take care of the bill. Yay him, I thought darkly as I studied him intently.
In the end, I had to sell to Ember that I wanted to go. That after what happened in the forest, I needed a break from Wildwood. We cried some more, but she grudgingly said she understood and wished me well as long as I promised to text often.
Ha!
From the looks of things, I wasn’t even getting a place to stay until this initiation process was over. I didn’t know how long it would take. Would there be sleeping or eating in between tests?
So many questions.
“Diana, are you coming or what?” That was Penelope. She indicated the seat beside her in the final sleigh, keeping her body buried under the thick blanket.
Without meaning to, I scanned for Wyatt. Somehow he was in the first sleigh. As though he knew my eyes were on him, he turned, giving me a look I couldn’t understand.
Blowing out a big breath, I ran over and climbed into the spot beside Penelope. She threw some of her blanket over my legs. I tucked my arms beneath and felt immediately warmer. “Thanks,” I said.
She smiled. “No problem.”
I turned to see what my dad was doing. He was still on the stairs, a mild expression on his face as he nodded and spoke with anyone who got close enough to hear him.
Then his eyes landed on mine. They seemed to pierce into my soul.
Don’t fail me, daughter.
I flinched, blinking several times. Had that come from him? Or was that just what I imagined he would say? His gaze had already moved on, and then he turned and went back up the stairs, disappearing behind the red double doors.
Our sleigh lurched forward, and we were off. The horses stayed on the driveway a few seconds before the handlers veered the sleighs off and across the lawn. In front of us was a vast field followed by what looked like a coliseum. It was circular and rose up on the sides. I hoped that was where we were headed and not beyond to the Shade Rasa. The past few days had given me all of the forest I wanted.
When our sleigh slid to a stop, Penelope took my hand. She was afraid.
“What do you think we’re going to have to do?” she asked, biting her bottom lip.
“I have no idea, but it’ll be okay.” I patted her hand, hoping I was right.
A grizzly man with long dark hair and a matching beard shouted that we were to step off the sleighs and form a straight line before entering the facility. We were told to do so in a calm and orderly fashion. I hopped down and stood off to the side, waiting for Penelope and the other four students to get into line. That I was the last in line seemed appropriate. As the line moved, no one spoke. Anticipation charged the air all around us.
At the entrance, our one line broke into two. Penelope was instructed to go left, and I was told to go right. She gave me a hurried, imploring glance before heading through her door.
I went through the door on the right. It clicked shut behind me. In the low lights, I saw that I was in a sort of hallway. On the left were enormous concrete walls interspersed with open areas allowing me to see out onto the field. It was covered in grass, not snow. In the center of the field was a giant circle. Above it hung a circular cage. All around the field were bleachers filled with spectators.
“Are we going to play a game?” I heard the guy next to me ask.
If we were, it wouldn’t be like any game I’d seen or heard.
“Stop here,” a young man in uniform said. I halted as he indicated where I was to go.
On the right were stalls divided by metal and grates. Mine was the last in a long line of them and closest to the door. Across the top of the opening hung a neon green sign. It said ENTER, flashed my name, and then the number twenty-two. At that moment, I felt less like a wolf blood and more like a prize pig in the county fair. My breath hitched. I wasn’t an animal. At least not all of me. Yet they wanted to put me in a cage.
It reminded me of an animal carrier—only made of steel instead of plastic. The back and side walls were painted cream. The bottom half was solid metal, while the top had octagonal holes reminding me of a prison cell, except smaller.
The guy next to me grimaced.
I was sure my face reflected exactly what he seemed to be feeling.
“Change into your uniforms,” the man in uniform barked as he walked the line like a drill sergeant shouting at the new recruits.
On the bench against the back wall was a folded black uniform. Underneath were a set of black trainers. It was one thing to get a one size fits all uniform—quite another to select the right size shoe.
“There’s no privacy,” someone hollered from farther down.
That was precisely what I was thinking.
“When you shift, your clothes will be ripped to shreds anyway,” the guy began, a sour look on his face. “Might as well set aside any prudishness you have now. Getting naked is part of a wolf’s life. Get used to it.”
My heart hammered against my ribs. We were going to shift already? I didn’t know how. I couldn’t. It felt like I might start hyperventilating. I swallowed back my need to scream or run from the building. I had to do this. Otherwise, they intended to hurt my mom. With my dad as the dean, I couldn’t believe they were serious, but Mom promised the threat was real. I was tired of being threatened and even more sick of people using my mom against me. Just thinking such thoughts had me angry. When I stepped inside my room, the door automatically closed and clicked shut. I turned, and the sergeant was smiling. “Go on, Diana. Strip down to your skivvies. Show me what you’ve got.”
He crossed his arms and settled in as though he intended to watch.
Further down, there was a commotion, and the guy rolled his eyes. “Why is there always a runner.” He flashed me a gritty smile and took off.
I sighed and glanced over at the guy next to me. He already had his shirt off, his body facing the back wall. That seemed like the least revealing way to get dressed. I copied him, pulling off my boots, jeans, and shirt, then quickly slid on the one-piece jumpsuit that zipped in the front. A stretchy belt hung at each side of my waist. I brought them together and hooked them with the silver clasp, then put on the cross-trainers. They fit, and that surprised me.
I stood and moved around, lifting one knee and then other. The outfit wasn’t awful. I glanced over at the guy who was standing near the door, looking out. I did the same.
“I guess we wait our turn,” I said, lightly.
“Looks like.” He made a face and then turned his body so I could see him fully. He looked to be fifteen or sixteen and had short bleach-blond hair. A piece stood up at the back, giving him a nerdy appeal. His eyes were a warm brown shade, as was his skin. “The name’s Fallon, and you’re Diana?”
“Yeah,” I said, praying he didn’t know my last name.
“Good to meet you,” he said.
“You too.” I tilted my head to the side and tried to act casual. “Any tips on how to shift for the first time?”
His mouth fell open, and he leaned in, grabbing hold of the metal to get a closer look. “You haven’t done it before?”
I tried to act natural, but that was impossible. “No,” I said. “Does it hur
t?”
“The first time is the worst because you aren’t used to it, but it isn’t like what the movies portray.” He paused as though thinking about how best to describe it. “Yes, your bones shift and realign, but it’s more like getting stung by a hundred bees at once than all the drama in the movies.” He rolled his eyes. “After a few times, you barely notice the pain.”
I didn’t think I believed him. As a kid, I’d been stung by a bee. It hurt. And he was saying it felt like getting stung a hundred times all at once? Pass. From where I stood near the door, I could see out onto the field. Above the bleachers were large TV screens. At the moment, it flashed ads for buying Wolf Blood Academy swag.
Choose Your House
Legacy
Claw
Familiar
As each of the house names flashed on the screen, underneath were tee shirts, sweatshirts, sweaters, ball caps, and even mugs with one of the three pictures I’d seen on the side of the sleigh. Turned out Legacy was the wolf head. Claw was the easy one—the clawed paws, and Familiar was the moon.
Where would I wind up? Which house?
According to my mom, I came from a long line of Legacy wolves. Dad was a Legacy. Mom wasn’t. She said she could’ve been, but she chose Familiar house. She hadn’t wanted the pressures. There had to be more behind her decision, but I didn’t say anything. Because I didn’t know enough to judge.
A loud howl rang over the loudspeaker. Those in the stands stopped talking, sending an eerie hush over the coliseum.
My father’s face appeared on the TV screen, replacing the swag ads.
“Friends. Family. Welcome to the initiation phase of the Wolf Blood Academy.” He paused, smiling as the crowd erupted with clapping and cheering. Was my mom out there watching? Probably not. I wasn’t sure whether that brought me sadness or comfort. It was bad enough my father—a man I barely knew and basically despised—would be judging me. I had a lot to live up to. Especially once everyone figured out I was the dean’s daughter.
I shuddered.
My father went on. “Tonight, for our initiates first test, they will face Duel of Wolves. It will reveal submissiveness versus dominance. Points will be given for courage, tenacity, strength, agility, and speed. The challengers have been chosen at random. Are we ready?” he shouted.
The crowd cheered and began chanting.
“Duel!”
“Wolves!”
“Duel!”
“Wolves!”
“Let’s bring out our first challengers.”
On the screen flashed a guy and a girl I didn’t know but had seen on the grassy knoll. Above their photos were their names. Vivian Anders and Cohen Timpkins. My heart sank that they used the student's first and last name. As soon as my name went up there, everyone would know. I was a Valene, the dean’s daughter. I crossed my arms and began to pace, wishing there was a way out of this. Couldn’t my mom and I run? Leave Wildwood and go someplace else. A town far from the Shade Rasa and wolves and anything to do with shifting into a wolf. Why would my dad want me here? When I got out onto the field, I wasn’t just going to embarrass myself, I would embarrass him. He couldn't want that.
I clung to the door, desperate to go back to my boring life where my mom laid on the couch all day while I went to school and worked, where the bills piled up, and my biggest worry was whether the lawn would get too full of weeds before someone called the city or the last time I kissed a boy.
“Hey, Diana?” Fallon called.
I didn’t respond, but closed my eyes, hoping the ground would open up and swallow me whole. At least if I went out like that, no one could hurt my mom.
“Anger can help you change, but it’s actually easier if you’re calm. Know any yoga?”
I snorted. “Karate count?” I whispered.
“Just focus on shifting. Use all of your resolve to will your wolf from your body. She wants to come out, especially if you’ve been holding her back this long. Let her have her way.”
I glanced over at Fallon. His eyes were warm and intent. He really was trying to help. “Thanks, I’ll try to remember that.”
There was a howl over the loudspeaker, and the crowd silenced as the first two challengers walked onto the field. A two-person camera crew followed each student, tracking their moves and their facial expressions. When they reached the center of the field, they stepped inside the cage. I wondered why the pen was even necessary. Until the girl started to cry and tried to get out. “I don’t want to fight. Let me out,” she shouted.
The guy laughed and shifted into an enormous brown wolf. He growled and nipped at the girl’s flank, causing her to scream. Then she turned around, lifting her hands above her head. At the same moment, she shifted. Her colors were gray and brown. She was slightly smaller than the guy, but her wolf was maniacal, going after the guy so quickly, he wasn’t prepared. Before he could even fight, she had him on his back, her teeth at his throat.
“She was playing him,” Fallon said to himself.
But I had to agree. “Cunning,” I responded.
“We have our first winner. Vivian Anders. Well done,” my dad said, and Vivian’s picture was flashed up on the screen. The cage opened, and the two of them exited. Vivian barking and leaping into the air, celebrating with the cheering crowd while Cohen held his head low as he exited the field.
It went like that for a while. Two people entered the cage in human form. They shifted into their wolves and fought until dominance was established. One came out a winner while the other came out with its tail between its legs.
I watched intently, hoping to feel more comfortable with what I had to do.
Penelope Smythe went against Jasper Milligan. He was so much bigger than her, and I worried about my new friend. But where he was bigger, she was faster, and their duel ended in a draw.
On all fours again, Jasper, whose wolf was brown with russet spots, nudged Penelope’s wolf, which was tan with brown paws under the chin. She nuzzled him back, and I got the feeling their wolves liked each other.
Next was Fallon and another guy named Caleb Bosch. Where Fallon was wiry, the other guy was big with a frizzy beard. He looked like he was twenty-five instead of a teenager. That seemed so unfair.
When they shifted into their wolves, I noted that their wolves looked very similar. Both were gray. The difference was that Fallon had black spots, and Caleb had black paws. They were pretty evenly matched throughout their fight too. It didn’t matter that Fallon still looked like he hadn’t gone through puberty yet. His wolf was full-grown and fought valiantly against Caleb. I even thought he would win, except at the last second, Caleb flicked some grass and dirt into Fallon’s face making it so he couldn’t see, and that was when Caleb went in for the kill shot.
“Winner is Caleb Bosch,” my father announced.
When Fallon came back, his wolf looked angry. He slammed into the sides of the cage and growled like he would attack at any second. His reaction scared me, but more than that, it hit home what I was… what we all were.
I was an animal, or at least I could shift into one.
The idea hurt my head, and I sank to my knees.
“Tonight’s final contest will be between Wyatt Wright and Moonlight Valene,” my father said and sounded like the announcer at a boxing match.
Chapter Seven
“Super,” I mumbled as my picture, as well as Wyatt’s, appeared on the giant TV screens. My heart pounded against my ribs, and I felt light-headed. A panic attack. It was my first, but then why not? Probably about time after everything I’d been through lately.
I clamped my teeth together to keep from screaming out. Wyatt was massive. His stats rated his height at nearly a foot taller than my five foot two inches, not to mention his weight. I weighed a buck ten soaking wet. Wyatt was one-ninety pounds of what looked like solid muscle. It was like my father wanted me to fail.
The door to my cage or enclosure or whatever it was called, flicked open, and I slowly walked out. My hands c
lenched into fists at my sides, each step bringing me that much closer to humiliation. Maybe if it was human me against human Wyatt, I might have stood a chance, but the point of this duel was shifting into our wolf and fighting that way. I blew out my breath, causing a puff of cold air to blow around my face. Not that I was chilly. In fact, since entering the coliseum, I’d forgotten about the snow outside. Inside, there was none of that. The only hint that the outside was cold was the crispy air filtering in from the opening above.
A quick glance at the sky revealed it was close to mid-day and lunchtime. At the thought of food, my stomach turned.
I stepped into the cage first. The door clanged shut behind me. I gritted my teeth, working to fight my nerves, and wishing the test didn’t cage us like wild animals.
Wyatt sauntered over and entered from the opposite side. “We meet again,” he said, his eyes never leaving my face.
I shivered at the look on his face. No anger evident. Only desire, like he wanted to claim me more than he wanted to fight. I wanted him too. Or did I? Again, my insides were at war, and I didn’t get why. Clearing my throat, I decided just to speak my mind. “You might as well shift and show everyone you’re the dominant wolf. I don’t know how to make myself transform into a wolf.”
Initiation (Wolf Blood Academy Book 1) Page 6
