He couldn't help but smirk behind his mask as he stared at the small boy, the shortest amongst them all.
Alpha Atlas couldn't deny being impressed with what he saw - the volunteers looked huge and determined.
"From Paro's family, George..." the soldier began, but Atlas raised his hand, signaling him to stop.
"I don't care if all families are present here. I seek determined men," the Alpha's cold voice said, sending a shiver down their spines and making them stand straight.
"He doesn't care. I could have stayed back home. Is it too late for me to go back?" Eloise thought, feeling her heart racing.
"Are you all determined?" Atlas questioned, his voice sending a chill down Eloise's skin despite the warmth of the morning breeze.
"Yes, Alpha," they chorused in unison.
Atlas's gaze lingered on Eloise, his eyes steady and unnerving. She felt his gaze on her, even with her head bowed. As Alpha Atlas began walking closer to the volunteers, Eloise's anxiety spiked.
Beads of sweat appeared on her forehead as he stopped a few meters away. People began to notice his intense gaze on her, and Eloise's confusion grew.
"Was her face that recalling? Even if it was, so what? What's the big deal?" She couldn't fathom what his gaze was about.
Atlas enjoyed the boy's visible fear and doubted the possibility of his having superpowers. He looked like a vulnerable baby wolf, and oddly, Atlas still couldn't track his scent.
After a minute of silence, he sternly ordered, "Wolves, shift!"
Immediately the Alpha gave the other, the volunteers transformed into their wolf forms, growling and baring their teeth.
Grimsby furrowed on seeing that there was someone who hadn't shifted. He approached Eloise, grasping her arm and making her wince in pain. "Didn't you hear the Alpha?" he asked, his voice firm. "Shift!" Grimsby ordered, but Eloise remained still.
Atlas recalled his mother's words, and they began to make sense. If it were true, he wouldn't bother with a trial; he'd end him right there.
Without warning, the soldier's hand landed harshly on Eloise's cheek, making her cry out in fear. It was just the day of arrival and she could already see her end. She thought she was going to die.
The Alpha signaled Grimsby to pause, and he obeyed, causing everyone to fall silent. The only sound on the field was the growling of the wolves.
"What's the problem?" Alpha Atlas asked, his voice laced with amusement. He deeply enjoyed finding himself a prey, and his love for drinking blood was a dark habit.
"Do you have a death wish?" Grimsby questioned Eloise when she didn't respond to the Alpha.
"M...y wolf g...got severely injured..." Eloise stuttered, her voice trembling.
"Your wolf got injured?" Alpha Atlas asked, his eyes narrowing, and Eloise nodded.
"But I don't see any marks on your body from the 'severe injuring'," the Alpha shot back, his tone dripping with skepticism.
Eloise swallowed hard. "It's an injury that only affects my shifting," Eloise explained, her head still bowed.
Alpha Atlas could tell it was a lie, but he'd let it pass. He wanted to see how long the boy could keep up the act. He nodded in understanding and then walked closer to hover over Eloise's little form.
"Mhmm... So, do you think you're fit for the forthcoming war?" he questioned, his voice stern.
Eloise's heart thumped wildly in her chest, unable to believe the Alpha was referring to her before all these men.
"Look at me, wolf," he ordered, his voice firm.
Eloise raised her head to stare at him, She strongly believed she would melt into the ground anytime from now.
"How long will it take for your wolf to heal?" Alpha Atlas asked.
Eloise's mind spun. "Just a few days," she responded, trying to sound convincing.
The Alpha scoffed before turning around and exiting the field, with everyone silently watching him.
As the wolves shifted back, they hurried to grab a change of clothes, and Eloise had her head facing the ground, she didn't dare to look.
"A witch... He's a witch, because I couldn't sense his wolf or anything," Atlas thought to himself as he returned to his study.
A sinister grin spread across his face. "Be calm, Atlas. If he's a witch, he'll surely die. He'll die by my hands, with all his blood drained." He removed his mask, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.
*
It had been two grueling days of training, and Eloise knew she was struggling miserably. She was convinced that on the third day, she'd be the first one to be sent home.
If that happened, she'd be eternally grateful. The past few days had been a living nightmare for her. She'd had to wait until the room was deserted or everyone had fallen asleep before she could take a bath, and it was really terrifying bathing alone in the dark of night.
Her appetite had also suffered, as the other volunteers would bully her and steal her food whenever they weren't satisfied with their portions.
Meanwhile, as the third day dawned, Grimsby called out the names of the volunteers who would be sent home, pending the Alpha's confirmation.
Alpha Atlas scanned the list, his eyes lingering on the names. His interest was piqued by one particular individual, and he wasn't about to let him go without a fight.
"Is the lad with the injured wolf on this list?" Atlas asked, his voice firm.
Grimsby hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Yes, Alpha."
Atlas's gaze narrowed. "Don't send him away. If you have no use for him, send him to me," he ordered, his tone brooking no argument.
The soldier's eyes widened slightly at the Alpha's words, but he knew better than to question the Alpha's decisions. Not just any Alpha, but the darkest wolf to have ever lived.
"Yes, Alpha," he bowed, hastily exiting the room.
*
Eloise was perplexed when two other volunteers, who were more skilled than she, were asked to leave while she remained.
"Why?" she wondered, feeling tears prick at the corners of her eyes.
"You," Grimsby pointed to her, and she turned to him with a mix of hope and trepidation.
She thought he might have forgotten to mention her name earlier, and a spark of gladness ignited within her.
"Follow me," he said, his voice firm, and Eloise's brow furrowed in confusion.
Was he going to escort her out? She quickened her pace to catch up with the soldier, who led her to a majestic, high-ceilinged room with a stunning view.
The large window offered a panoramic view of the surroundings, and the neat, elegant chairs seemed to gleam in the light.
Grimsby didn't say a word to her, he just turned around and left, leaving her behind. She managed to understand that she was supposed to wait here. "But why?" She was so confused.
Eloise stood frozen, hesitant to sit, as she waited for what felt like an eternity.
The Alpha finally entered the room, dressed in an all-black ensemble, his long coat billowing behind him. His black mask, adorned with gold accents, seemed to gleam with an air of danger.
The black animal perched on his hand added to his intimidating aura, making him appear like an ancient statue or a god. His piercing green eyes seemed to bore into Eloise's very soul.
"Good day, Alpha," she bowed, showing her respect.
"How's your shifting injury?" he asked, his voice direct, as he focused on petting the animal.
Eloise hesitated, knowing that admitting to her not having a wolf would bring disaster upon herself and her family.
"Uhmm... just a few more days," she replied, trying to sound convincing.
The Alpha's gaze turned icy, and he glared at her. Eloise wished the ground would swallow her whole.
"Are you joking around with me?" he asked, his voice low and menacing.
Eloise shook her head vigorously, knowing that revealing her true nature would only make things worse.
He took steady steps towards her, his eyes blazing with intensity. "Little witch," he whispered, his voice sending shivers down her spine.
Eloise flinched, her eyes meeting his. "I'm not a witch," she defended, her voice barely above a whisper.
"What are you, then?" he asked, his gaze piercing.
Eloise's mind went blank.
"You can see me, can't you?" he asked, his question catching her off guard. Of course, she could see him.
She just noticed that they were alone in the swanky room, without a single soldier in sight. She wondered what he was going to do to her at the moment.
"You don't have a wolf, and you're not a witch. What are you, then? Human?" he asked, his voice dripping with danger.
Eloise's tongue felt tied, and she struggled to form words.
"You don't want to know what I do to intruders, especially those of your kind," he warned, his voice sending a chill down her spine, freezing her in place.