"Why did you choose Apex trial Academy and ehay do you want to gain from here?" Kieran asked Rowan who was still standing..
"I just want to be accepted the way I am. There should be a place for special she wolves like myself. If the Moon Goddess gives me a mate, fine. If not, I'm okay. I just want to stay with my mom in peace," Raine said. She had never felt this sure of anything before.
Ellie scoffed, "I knew it! There's no mate. He rejected me on purpose. What a jerk."
The class went quiet for a second, then some students started whispering and laughing.
"Did he really say that?" one girl whispered, nudging her friend.
"Wow, someone really thinks he's too good for a mate," a guy added, rolling his eyes.
"Maybe the Moon Goddess didn't give him a mate 'cause she knew no one would want him," a girl at the back said, loud enough to get more laughs.
Raine clenched her fists under the desk. Her nails dug into her palms, but she kept her face calm. She refused to show them how much it stung.
Ellie leaned closer, flipping her hair with a smirk. "What's the matter, Rowan? Thought acting like some sad loner would make you look cool? Please. You don't care about mates because no one worth anything would ever choose you."
"Ellie, you're next. Get ready," Alpha Kieran said sharply.
Ellie tucked some of her hair behind her ear, her cheeks turning red with excitement. After all, the hot Alpha just called her by name. Her dad probably pulled strings to protect her during the entrance test—maybe that's why she wasn't kicked out or killed.
"Rowan Vale," Alpha Kieran said, his voice calm but cutting, "Your reason is silly, but maybe you'll see things differently later. I thought you'd want to follow your father's legacy. He was a strong man. But it's also smart to want to live long. People who chase power too hard usually die early... and sometimes in shame. Just like your father."
Raine just nodded. She didn't care if he meant her real father or some guy called Alpha Vale. In her eyes, all fathers could go to hell. Maybe all men too.
"Can I sit now?"
"Not yet. Come up here and collect your question paper."
Raine stood, face blank, and walked to the front of the class. Everyone stared, but she ignored them. She'd learned a long time ago—if you show weakness, they'll crush you.
Alpha Kieran held out the paper but didn't hand it over right away. He smiled slightly. "Before I give you this, you have to answer a riddle."
The class buzzed with quiet surprise. This wasn't normal.
Raine raised an eyebrow. "Alright, sir."
His voice was cool and smooth. "Listen closely: I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with wind. What am I?"
The room went quiet again as everyone looked around.
Raine thought fast. That riddle reminded her of herself—how she used to feel like nothing but a shadow. But she was always good at riddles. That's how she kept herself busy when her mom left for work.
She lifted her chin. "An echo?"
A flash of surprise crossed Kieran's face before he nodded, a little smirk on his lips. "Not wrong."
Some students groaned, others whispered.
He handed her the exam paper. "Take your seat."
Raine grabbed it and walked back to her desk without saying a word—until she looked down at the paper.
"Ugh. Freaking math? Damn. Do I really have to pass this?"
Ellie scoffed from nearby. "Of course, the weirdo knows riddles but not real stuff."
Raine didn't answer. She knew her time would come.
Alpha Kieran looked up again. "You don't *have* to pass, but if you fail, expect trouble. Ellie, you're next. Why did you choose this academy?"
Ellie stood confidently. "To find a mate that fits my level—someone hot, strong, and smart. We'll take down packs together and have cute babies that look like us."
Raine raised an eyebrow. "So basically, you're here for a sex partner?"
The room exploded with laughter—this time at Ellie.