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Chapter 1: The Wolfless Omega Addison As I approached the main gates of Blackbolt High, a highschool meant for werewolves, I could already pick up several conversations all around me. It wasn't the first time I had heard most of the chatter, but on that morning, there seemed to be more enthusiasm and I wondered why. Even as I looked around, everyone seemed so hyped. With my sense of hearing so powerful, it was difficult to focus on a particular conversation. As soon as I stepped through the front doors, the sound of chatter and lockers slamming was much louder. With my head low, I made my way down the crowded hallway so I could get to my locker. I didn't bother to look up as I was certain all I would see would be the mockery on people's faces, just because I was a wolfless Omega, or at least, that was what everyone believed. However, they were absolutely wrong about me. It had already been two years since I had transferred to Blackbolt High after moving to a small town called Raven Mist, and I was still considered a wolfless Omega. Just like outside, everyone seemed hyped and I became so curious that I had no choice but to pay attention. I instantly focused on a conversation nearby that caught my attention after two girls ran toward each other behind me. "This is so cool! A Warrior Selection Competition?" a voice said with excitement. Curious to see who had just spoken, I discreetly faced the other side and spotted two familiar girls holding some flyers. It was Phoebe and Sally. We weren't friends and I wish we were, but wolfless Omegas got treated like trash at the school. The two of them were Betas. Shutting that thought out, I decided to listen to their conversation as they leaned against a locker, which wasn't too far from mine. The flyers in their hands greatly caught my attention. Phoebe spoke with her hand moving enthusiastically. "I've been training so hard my entire life and I think this competition is my chance to finally prove myself." Sally nodded vigorously with wide eyes. "Me too! Can you imagine the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of the grand prize? No one just goes to the Academy of Warriors, and winning this competition will grant someone here that opportunity through a full scholarship." Pleasantly surprised, I raised my eyebrows as I faced my locker, just so it wouldn't be too obvious that I particularly paid attention to the two of them and their conversation. As I pretended to put my books in order inside my locker, I kept my ears perked up. "Are you ready for the brutal competition?" Phoebe asked, lowering her voice like that would make me hear her any less. "They're going to test our strength, agility, and combat skills. Only the best of the best will make it through." "That's no big deal because hey, we've definitely got what it takes," Sally declared confidently. "We've been training together for years now. I know we can do this." "You're absolutely right. This is our chance to show everyone what we've got." The two girls then high-fived each other as their flyers fell to the floor. As they walked together, I watched them for a while, my mind filled with wonder. I had no idea there was such an important competition happening. Even without the way Phoebe and Sally had spoken about it, it was definitely a big deal. After I picked up one of the flyers, I couldn't stop looking down at it. The more I thought about it, the more it got me interested. Despite the way Phoebe and Sally had described the competition and said it would be brutal, it was nothing I couldn't handle. My whole life, I had relentlessly trained by putting myself through the toughest of challenges. With each training session, my goal had always been to get stronger, which I always accomplished. And by entering the Warrior Selection Competition, I was determined to get even stronger. As I imagined myself taking part and emerging victorious, I softly chuckled to myself. "Calm down. You haven't won yet," Saga, my wolf, said to me. "I know that, but we can do this," I replied to her in my mind. She liked to mess with me, but I knew she always meant well. One of the most difficult things about having Saga as part of me was that I couldn't let her out, not after what happened two years earlier, when I was 15. She was just too powerful. When two guys walking past my locker showed off a few moves for the competition, my mind drifted back to it and I was now determined to take part in it. Just then, my enthusiasm faded when I heard familiar voices and scents from a distance. I didn't even have to turn around to know that it was Ruby speaking. She was the daughter of the richest Alpha in Raven Mist and the undisputed queen bee of Blackbolt High. At that moment, she wasn't just talking about anything, but her participation in the warrior selection competition. Even her crew were taking part and that made me clench my fist as I put the flyer in the front pocket of my denim jeans. I couldn't help but look over at them, just like everyone else around me did, but they were mostly swooning over her, their eyes only focused on her. Even as her friends added to the conversation about their participation, her annoying voice cut through the noise and I couldn't help but shake my head. She always spoke over everyone with self-importance. Even though I sighed in disbelief at the thought of competing with my bullies, I wasn't scared of going up against any of them. Considering how I was bullied by them, this was my chance to prove my worth and I wasn't about to let it slip away. Just when I finished arranging my books in my locker, I heard Ruby mention my name and her crew giggled along with her. They whispered to each other that they should approach me and I knew how it would all play out. At that point, I was over it. When I looked in her direction as I closed my locker, her blue eyes glared at me as she gave me a sinister smile. Not looking for any trouble that morning, I faced the other direction and made my way through the hallway. However, I could hear them giggle behind me as they walked faster to catch up. Their voices even overlapped as they mockingly called out my name. There were so many people in the hallway watching this and they knew what Ruby's intentions were, but no one dared to come to my aid. I was always on my own. Not once had anyone ever done anything to protect me. The only reason I had never fought back was because I had to keep Saga under control. Otherwise, Ruby and her crew would've died a long time ago. To avoid any confrontation, I dared not to look back, but just as I made it to the corner, I was pulled back and aggressively pinned against a locker. Her entire crew circled around me as she stood in the middle, pressing her hand against my shoulder with a snicker. "Oh, look, everybody, we caught wolfless Addison," she said, her tone condescending. She then took out the flyer from my pocket and scoffed. "Are you seriously planning on entering The Warrior Selection Competition? Are you out of your mind? What makes you think you have what it takes to compete with the big girls?" Not only did her crew erupt in laughter, but everyone around did, and it infuriated me. "Listen here, wolfless bitch. It's pretty obvious to everyone at this school that you're way out of your league. Take my advice, I'm being generous right now. Stick to your science projects and leave the real competition to the rest of us." I was so furious and could sense that Saga wasn't feeling any different, and she reached out to me in my mind. "Let me out! I'll make her regret everything she's ever done to us!" "No," I replied to her in my mind. "I don't want to get into a fight here. She'll die." "Even better!" "No." As much as I would've loved to humiliate Ruby in the presence of everyone, I chose not to do so. I had shown restraint since I had transferred to that school and I could still do it. And with that, I looked down at her hand on my shoulder, then back at her face with a blank expression and said nothing. "What are you gonna do about it? Come on, say something!" she yelled, but I remained unfazed. Just then, the bell rang and it was time for class, so everyone began heading in their intended directions, but Ruby still has me pinned against the wall. They wanted me to react, but I chose not to do it. When she realized she wouldn't get a word out of me, she dropped her hand from my shoulder and took a step back as she ripped the flyer. "Stay out of the competition, bitch," she warned me, then walked off with her crew behind her. Once I was alone, I exhaled deeply. I was only a few seconds away from roaring. Forgetting what had just happened, I headed to class and heard people whisper among themselves. Everyone was still talking about the competition. To hell with Ruby's warning. I still planned to take part. ~ My classes for the day were finally over and I could leave the school. Everywhere I went, I heard people whisper as they talked about me. Why did they even bother when they knew we all had a heightened sense of hearing? Mine actually covered a wider range but no one knew that. Just as I was about to step out into the courtyard, I spotted Ruby and her crew at a distance, bullying a girl named Gina just because she looked beautiful in her outfit that day. "Hey, Gina, what makes you think you're so special, huh?" Ruby spoke bitterly. I knew exactly what they're about to do to her, and I wasn't about to let it happen. "Are we going over there?" Saga spoke to me. She was obviously pumped. "Yes," I firmly replied to her. They began to circle around Gina like predators and upon seeing that, my eyes narrowed. Quickly sprinting into action, there was a rhythmic thud as my boots pounded the pavement, making everyone around wonder where I was headed. My vision sharpened to take in every detail and keep track of Gina, who was already cowering against one of the trees. Once I was close enough, I launched myself into the air with a graceful bound, my body arcing over Ruby and her crew in a fluid motion. I then landed right between them and Gina with a soft thud, my eyes blazing with a fierce intensity that they had never seen before. Ruby and her crew were surprised by my sudden arrival and commanding presence. They also had never seen me do anything like that. I stood tall, squaring my shoulders as I held out my arms to shield Gina. "Leave her alone," I said, my eyes glaring at each one of them. Ruby's face twisted in an ugly sneer when she balled her hands into fists with glowing eyes. "This is none of your business so get out of the way," she warned me. "No, I won't let you hurt her," I replied firmly. "She's done nothing wrong." "Wow, since when did you grow balls, huh? Just because you did a little back flip or whatever that shit was?" She took a step closer. "Stop acting so noble and get out of the way." "No, Gina, run." I looked back at her and there was a mix of fear and gratitude in her eyes. Her feet were frozen in place but I gave her a reassuring glance. It was a silent urge for her to get to safety. These girls had bullied me for as long as I could remember my first days at Blackbolt High, but I refused to let them bully anyone else. At that moment, I only hoped they wouldn't go after her. I didn't know if I would've been able to restrain myself. Surprisingly, after Gina leaped over them and ran off, they all stood in place and it was only then that I realized I had become their target. "Trying to be the hero, huh?" Ruby bared her fangs. "Now you're going to pay for that." In a sudden turn of events, one of them seemed to want to go after Gina and even faced the other direction. I focused on her just for a few seconds and just then, a hard punch from Ruby landed in my face, sending me flying in the air. When my body hit the ground, I didn't even have time to process where I had just landed. Ruby jumped on me and her crew joined in, all of them beating me up as a huge crowd watched. I shielded my face by crossing my arms, but they ended up bleeding from taking the beating. At that moment, there was a rage inside of me that had been building up for so long that Saga spoke to me. "Let me out!" She was so furious that she was about to take control of my body. I couldn't stop her no matter how hard I tried. Suddenly, everyone stopped punching and kicking me, and the next thing I knew, a manly and intimidating voice spoke. "Touch Addison again and I'll make you all regret it!" It took me a moment to collect my thoughts as I was still raging, but that voice, I knew it. When I dropped my crossed arms and my senses were back into focus, I couldn't believe who I was looking at. Chapter 2: Real Identity Addison For a moment, I couldn't believe it, but I was definitely looking at Cole, my older brother and with him, was Dylan, my other older brother, who held onto Ruby's wrist and didn't seem to let go as their eyes locked for quite some time. But my attention shifted when Cole leaned over and held out his hand for me to take. Once our fingers intertwined, he pulled me up from the ground and clenched his jaw at the sight of the scratch marks and blood along my arms. "How dare you hurt my sister?" Cole barked at Ruby, who growled as she attempted to break free from Dylan's strong grip on her wrist. "That's what she gets for not minding her own business!" Ruby snapped at Cole, her movements frantic as she still put up a fight to break free from Dylan's grip, who still hadn't said a word but was fuming. "Maybe you didn't hear me the first time." Cole snarled, baring his fangs. "Touch my sister again and you'll definitely regret it!" She sneered at him. "Like I'm just going to let that happen! You should've shown up a bit later. That would've given me enough time to break all her teeth!" She then looked up into Dylan's eyes, her speech not as smooth. "And you, get your…your hand off me." Finally letting go, Dylan aggressively pushed Ruby's wrist away, almost making her fall over but her crew held onto her. "What the hell? Watch it!" She gritted her teeth at Dylan. "That's only one of the few things you deserve for hurting my sister," Dylan finally said, his tone low but threatening. Ruby scoffed, but said nothing this time as their eyes locked. Because I could sense Dylan's emotions, I finally figured it out and my eyes widened a little. No way. I wasn't even fully able to immerse myself in the realization that Dylan and Ruby were fated mates, as everyone standing around looked at me with surprise. "Did Cole and Dylan just refer to Addison as their little sister?" one of the onlookers whispered. "How did you know their names?" another voice whispered. "I saw them last year. They're brothers, which means Addison is the daughter to the Alpha of the Moon Frost Pack." "What? No way! If she's part of that family, then she's not an Omega." The onlookers went on to speculate and as I glanced around at them, their faces turned to shock as my wounds healed quickly. Werewolves didn't heal that fast, at least not ordinary ones. As I stood there, I was still breathing a little too hard since it took a while for Saga to calm down. "What the hell?" Ruby said in a low tone as she looked at my arms. It was as if it took her a moment to process what she had just seen. Just then, one of her friends held onto her arm so they could leave, but Ruby pushed her to the ground. "Don't touch me!" "Hey, I'm just trying to help," her friend said. "I don't need your help and I get to decide when we leave!" She kicked the air with a high pitched scream, storming off as her crew followed behind her. But even as Ruby walked away, she glanced at Dylan a few times. He was still in the same spot ever since he had let her wrist go, but he couldn't relax his clenched jaw. I approached him first and when I wrapped my arms around him, his expression softened and he ruffled my hair since I was shorter. "Hey, little sis." His voice was gentle and affectionate. "Is she your-" "Yeah, but not for long. No one hurts my sister." "Exactly," Cole chimed in. "Let me see your face." He affectionately examined it. "Cole, I'm not a baby. I already h-" "Shut up. I'm trying to focus here." I let him examine my face and despite how furious he was, I could see his concern. "Looks like you're fine." He nodded. "I already healed, just like I told you." Since I was wearing black clothes, I only needed to wash my arms to get rid of the blood, so I led the way to the nearest tap which wasn't too far from where we stood. Once I was all cleaned up, I stood right between the two of them and wrapped my arms around their waists, ignoring the crowd still watching. "What are you two doing here?" I asked, looking up at both of them. "We came here because of mom," Dylan said. "She misses you and actually, she's not the only one." They both smiled at me and I couldn't help but giggle. I had the best brothers anyone could ask for. They were always there for me when I needed them. "Wait here. I'll be right back," Dylan said to us and I could sense his rage as he faced a certain direction. When I looked over, he was actually staring at Ruby, who couldn't seem to disappear at the corner while she spoke to her friends with a strong irritation. "What's her name?" Dylan asked. "Ruby." "I'll make this quick." He clenched his fists. As he walked off and headed in her direction, the girls watching swooned over both of my brothers. "Oh gosh! They're so tall and handsome!" one girl said. "And look at those strong arms!" another girl added. I couldn't help but roll my eyes. "Ugh!" "Jealous?" Cole mocked me. "What do you think?" He threw his arm over my shoulder. "Let's just enjoy the show," he said, referring to Dylan and Ruby. "It's about to be good." It seemed that Ruby was filled with hope as she pushed her crew away and started approaching Dylan. She even twirled her blond hair and flirtatiously smiled at him. Despite their heated confrontation a few minutes earlier, she had an ego boost, believing that she was just too hot to resist. Cole and I didn't even have to get closer to hear their conversation. As soon as Dylan towered over her, he wasted no time and got straight to the point. "I, Dylan Hunter, future Alpha of the Moon Frost Pack, reject you, Ruby, as my mate and future Luna." Because everyone could actually hear that, they gasped at how she had just been publicly rejected. Her eyes widened in shock as her face twisted in disbelief. "What? Hell no. You can't reject me!" Dylan scoffed. "I just did. I'll never accept someone like you as my mate. You're actually the complete opposite of what I want." "No, no, no! This isn't happening!" Her voice rose to a deafening scream as her eyes blazed with fury. "No one would dare reject me because I'm the most popular girl at Blackbolt high and I always gets what I want!" "I don't give a damn about how popular you are. I've already rejected you and that's final, so stop wasting time." As her face turned red, she uttered her next words with a sneer, but her voice trembled. "I…I, Ruby Hawkins, accept your rejection." Everyone watching and listening, spoke among themselves as they poked fun at her. "I never thought I'd see the day someone would reject Ruby, especially someone so hot and is her mate!" one person said. Since Dylan had already rejected her, I expected him to come back to me and Cole, but it seemed he had more to say to her. "Now that we have that out of the way, don't ever hurt my sister again or just like Cole, I'll also make you regret it. Is that clear?" "Whatever!" She avoided his gaze as she crossed her arms. Witnessing such a moment was so satisfying for me and I smirked. After his warning, he turned around so he could return to Cole and I, but Ruby kicked the air with a loud grunt and gritted her teeth at him as she yelled. "Asshole! Wait until my father hears about this!" Dylan only sighed as he continued making his way back to us. The girls all around gushed over him so much that I couldn't help but roll my eyes. "Did you hear that?" Dylan said to us once he was close enough. "Every single word." I gave him a nod. "No one hurts my sister and expects me to just let it slide." Dylan ruffled my hair again. And with that, they took me out to lunch so we could catch up. They had traveled very far to come and see me. ~ Max As I sat high up in one of the tallest trees at Blackbolt High, I watched Addison walk away with her brothers. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't take my eyes off her. She was bold enough to stand up for Gina but ended up as the punching bag instead. In my entire nineteen years alive, I had never seen someone so brave that they put themselves on the line like that. "Hey, there's so much to look at, you know?" Tyler, my younger brother said to me, squatting on a thick tree branch. "Shut up." I shifted my boots while on my own thick tree branch. "Still thinking about that Addison girl?" "You know the answer to that." "Well, I'm still thinking about that babe who just got rejected. Imagine finding your mate and getting rejected in public. That would suck. Luckily for us, we haven't been rejected yet." "You're thinking too far ahead." I scoffed at him. "You need to find a mate before you can even be rejected." I sighed with frustration. "For how much longer will we keep searching for our mates?" "I see you're getting impatient, big brother, but don't forget that this is exactly why you and I have set up The Warrior Selection competition." Chapter 3: Interested Max Tyler and I had barely been back home at the palace since we had been traveling all around the world in search of our mates, but all our efforts had been in vain. I needed to find my mate before taking over from my father, the Lycan king. I believed that through the competition, which already had a lot of participants from other schools, I'd surely find my mate. While all participants were under the impression that the grand prize was a full scholarship to the Academy of Warriors, which had some truth to it, that was not my intended purpose for the competition. I wished to see the strongest girls take each other on so I could choose my mate among them. It also needed to be someone that Koa, my wolf, would approve of. Considering what I had just witnessed when Addison had shown her bravery, she was the type fit for the competition, but apart from that, I liked her. Having spent too much time in the tree, it was time for a change of scenery. When I stuck a firm landing after jumping off the tree branch, there was a slight crack on the ground. I needed to be careful. No one could know just how powerful Tyler and I were. As I got up, the girls swooned over me and I huffed. That reaction had gotten old quickly. It had happened at every werewolf school my brother and I had been to just for the Warrior Selection Competition. "Who is he?" one girl said. "I don't know but he's so tall and sexy! Look at those muscles!" another one chimed in. "And look at that luscious black hair and jawline! His eyebrows are so dark and naturally thick. How unfair but gosh! He's gorgeous!" It was all something I had heard so many times that I had grown tired of it. I wished not to have someone like that as my mate. She would only ever swoon over my looks. I needed someone strong and worthy to rule by my side, not just someone who would brag that she had a handsome Lycan king. That was why I was certain I would find her through the competition, and I didn't want Addison to miss out on it, but how would I find her? I needed to speak to her. Since it was our first day coming to Blackbolt High and spreading those flyers, I made the decision to return early the following morning and speak to her then. For the rest of our time there on that day, I wanted us to go around the school, so I looked up at my brother, who was still high up in the tree. "Tyler." "What?" he responded from his branch. "Let's go." "Where?" "Around the school." "To do what?" "To check it out." "No, thanks. We did that early this morning before anyone arrived." "Exactly, but this time, there'll be people everywhere. You'll have lots of pretty girls swooning over you." As soon as I said that, he landed on the ground and some girls giggled as they swooned over him. "See? I told you?" I said to him. He confidently fixed his leather jacket and led the way as he said, "Let's go." As the two of us strolled around the school, everyone swooned over us but it was Tyler who embraced it and flirted with the girls. I wasn't interested. My eyes and ears were focused on those showing skill as they talked about the Warrior Selection Competition. Just like every other school, the interest was quite high. While I continued to listen, I picked up a conversation that completely caught my attention because it was about Addison. "I still can't believe Addison's an alpha's daughter," one guy said. "And to think she's endured so much bullying at this school because she was a wolfless Omega," another one added. "You saw what happened. She healed so fast. What wolfless Omega has such an ability? Even I don't heal that quickly yet I'm a Beta!" "Same here! I wonder what the deal is with her." Even after the two guys stopped talking about her, I couldn't help but furrow my eyebrows as I replayed their conversation. How could she be a wolfless Omega when she healed just as fast as Tyler and I could? And why couldn't she actually shift? I also kept wondering why she never let anyone truly know who she was. Why did she endure all that bullying? With all those questions, my interest in her had just peaked. I needed to learn more about her and The Moon Frost Pack. I was royalty, yet I had never heard of them. As we continued strolling around the school, Tyler continued to busk in the glory of all the girls falling for him. Though he loved the attention, he wasn't just looking for a pretty girl, but someone with excellent skills in various aspects, just like me. ~ Addison After Cole and Dylan took me to have lunch, we came to my home, Aunt Nora's house. Despite only spending a few minutes there, I already wanted to bang my head on the outdoor table, hoping that the three of them would stop talking about what had happened to me at school. I was already over it, but they just wouldn't let it go. "Addy, why didn't you ever tell me you were being bullied?" Aunt Nora gently held my hand. "It was nothing I couldn't handle. You know how fast I can heal so everything was fine. Besides, it's only today that I had the worst attack." "And you think that makes it acceptable?" Cole chimed in. "You know what? I'll be right back." When he stormed off and swung the front door open, Dylan went after him. I couldn't help but wonder what was going on. "Addie," Aunt Nora gently called my name and I looked back at her. "You've lived with me for two years because your parents entrusted me with your safety. How could you hide this from me? I feel like I failed you and them." I held onto both her hands. "Please don't say that. You've been so good to me. Saga and I just wanted to handle things on our own." She pursed her lips at me, her expression showing disapproval. "I can't believe you were about to let Saga take control." "I just got so angry that I couldn't contain her." "You know how badly hurt your friend was the last time Saga was allowed to take control." I sighed. "I promise you that I'll be careful next time and not let myself get so angry." "Good." She leaned forward and rested her elbows on the table. "Now, tell me about this Warrior Selection Competition." "Well, I had plans to participate, but not anymore." "Why not?" "I'm not looking for any trouble." "Sweetie, no one will ever dare bully you again and they know it. You should do it. Besides, we're not rich and that scholarship is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity." "I really wanted to participate, but I know it's not over with Ruby, especially after how she was humiliated. I know Dylan warned her, but she's not the type to just do nothing." Just then, Cole returned with hurried footsteps, then slammed a piece of paper and pen on the table. "Give me the names of everyone who's ever bullied you. I just want to know how many of them I need to talk to." He stretched his neck a few times with clenched fists. I knew he was lying about just wanting to talk to them, and when I glanced at Aunt Nora and Dylan, they seemed to feel the same way. Just then, we all burst into laughter, except Cole. "I'm being serious," he said to us. I got out of my seat and wrapped my arms around him. He gently ruffled my hair and finally chuckled. ~ Bright and early the next morning, I arrived at the gates of Blackbolt High and everyone kept staring at me. On that day, something was different. No one dared to give me the usual condescending attitude. All that just because of who I actually was? I wished they would have treated me right even without knowing about my family. A few of them even greeted me but I awkwardly responded. It was because I didn't expect it at all. Suddenly, a guy landed right in front of me to block my way and I actually saw the ground crack a little. As he remained in his landing position for a few seconds, I couldn't stop looking down at him with wide eyes as I wondered how he had done that. No one had ever made the ground crack with just a landing. When he finally got up and towered over me, I tightened the grip on the straps of my bag as my heart started racing. I had never seen someone so attractive. And his black edgy outfit only matched his black hair and thick eyebrows, which made his green eyes pop more. "Hey," he said, his voice deep as he fixed his black denim jacket. Flustered, I looked around and even behind me, just to make sure such an attractive guy was actually talking to me. "I'm definitely talking to you, Addison." I raised my eyebrows. "How do you know my name?" "I heard it a thousand times yesterday." I scoffed, looking up at him. "Do I know you?" "No, I'm Max and I'm new here. I saw what you did yesterday for that girl named Gina." His gaze was so intense and intimidating that I had to look away, but my eyes landed on his white shirt underneath his denim jacket, which clung to his torso and outlined the shape of his toned muscles. Composing myself, I cleared my throat. "I wasn't going to let those girls hurt Gina. I've dealt with them enough." "I even heard them making fun of your interest in the competition. It's great that brave ones like you will participate." "I've had time to think about it and I've decided not to take part." "Why?" He shook his head at me, like he was extremely bothered by my decision. "I just want peace." "No, you need to take part." His tone sounded authoritative. "Uhm...I don't even know why I'm standing here and telling you all this. I should go." I stepped to the side and started walking away from him, my heart still racing. He was the sexiest guy I had ever seen in my life, but I felt weird finding myself just talking to him the way I did. Just then, he blocked the way again and towered over me. "Please move out of the way." I sighed. "Only after you listen to what I have to say." Stealing a glance at his intense gaze, I stepped to the side so I could get away. But just when I took my first step forward, he spoke to me. "You don't even know what you'll be missing out on if you choose not to participate." Curious, I spun back around, narrowing my eyes. "What do you mean?" He approached me, his presence dominating. "All I can tell you is that the grand prize is worth more than you could ever imagine, and I don't want to see you miss out." Just like that, he leaped off the ground and into a tree, leaving me to question who he was and how he seemed to have more information about the competition. Because he sounded so convincing when he said there was more to the prize, I couldn't help but wonder what awaited me if I decided to participate. Chapter 4: Friends Addison As I approached the front doors of Blackbolt High, students continued to greet me and I was even more awkward. It wasn't even because I was still overwhelmed, I just couldn't stop thinking about Max. It wasn't just because of his looks, but everything he did. What was the actual grand prize if not the scholarship? Why was he so authoritative by nature? How did the ground crack just from that landing he made? It all made me so curious. I might've wanted to stay out of the competition just so I don't butt heads with Ruby, but the competition sounded so challenging that I wanted to forget Ruby existed and still take part. It's exactly what I need to grow stronger, so screw everything else. I'm taking part. With my head high, I walked through the hallway and heard several people whispering among themselves. "Addison was so cool yesterday." "I know! No one could believe how fast she healed!" Minding my own business, I headed straight to my locker. I opened it so I could take out a few books and just then, a soft and feminine voice spoke from behind me. And I recognized the scent before even seeing her. "Hey, Addison," Gina said cheerfully but with a slight tremble in her voice. "Hey," I said with enthusiasm as I closed my locker. "Uhm...how are you?" She awkwardly smiled while carrying a lunch bag in one hand. "I'm good, and you?" "Me? Oh, I'm great." She chuckled nervously. "Cool." I nodded. Gina and I had never spoken before, so this was also awkward for me. "So...I just want to thank you for what you did for me yesterday." "You're welcome. It's nothing." "Are you kidding? I don't know what would've happened to me had you not stepped in to protect me. Damn, I sound like a coward right now. I wish I could be like you - strong and brave." "You can." "I don't have the balls. To show my appreciation, I made this for you." She extended her hand toward me to hand me the lunch bag. "Thanks, but you didn't have to." "Please accept it. I worked really hard to make this for you. They might not be tasty, but I did my best." I sighed, taking the lunch bag from her. "Thank you." "Can we be friends?" She smiled, nervously touching her hair while facing the floor. "Sure." I firmly nodded. "Really?" Her eyes beamed as she looked up at me. "Of course." "We still have a few minutes before class begins, so tell me all about you! All I know is you plan to take part in the Warrior Selection Competition." "Yup." Talking to Gina went better than I expected as we both shared common interests. I only told her general stuff about me and was careful not to reveal any sensitive information. When it was only two minutes before class would be in session, Ruby and her crew walked through the front doors and the hallway went completely silent, something that had never happened before. Holding her head high, she egotistically smiled while looking around, but something was different. People didn't usually swoon over her the way they usually did. Before she had arrived, everyone had been talking about how she was publicly rejected by Dylan and how humiliating it was. I could sense Gina's heart race as they approached. "Calm down. I won't let her hurt you," I assured her, standing in front of her. When Ruby spotted me, she quickened her pace and approached me, her crew following right behind her. "Well, well, well, if it isn't the two losers," Ruby snorted as she stopped in front of me. "What do you want?" I sighed. "Don't think that being the daughter of an Alpha makes you special. You're still a nobody." She sneered. As soon as she said it, her crew murmured behind her in agreement, but there was a lack of confidence in their voices. Her eyes narrowed as she crossed her arms. "Yesterday's gone and now, You're all alone and unprotected. Who's going to save you now?" Smirking at her, I said, "No one, not even my brother, who rejected you." The hallway erupted in hushed giggles, making Ruby shoot glares at everyone as she yelled. "Shut the hell up before I have you all expelled!" Ignoring her, I turned around to close my locker, but she grabbed my shoulder and forcibly attempted to turn me around so I could face her again. However, I stood with my feet firmly glued to the floor, refusing to budge. The more she struggled with it, the more everyone spoke among themselves, poking fun at her. "Is Ruby so weak that she can't make Addison turn around?" "Who the hell said that? Show yourself!" she yelled. I glanced over at Gina, who seemed more relaxed and pressed her lips together so she wouldn't burst into laughter. "You think you're so tough?" She scoffed. "I'm gonna get you for this. Watch your back. The same goes for your new friend." Finally turning around to face her, I said, "Lay a finger on Gina and I'll make sure you regret it. And I mean all of you." I narrowed my eyes at her entire crew. It looked like they didn't take my warning lightly as they exchanged nervous glances. They obviously didn't want to mess with me by backing up Ruby, but for her, she refused to back down. It seemed she was ready for a fight right there as she clenched her fists, but her entire crew stepped away from her. She looked back at them while shaking her head. "You're all a bunch of cowards!" At that moment, the bell rang and everyone began to head to their classes, laughing and talking about what had just happened. I stood in place, staring Ruby right in the face as she gritted her teeth at me with a growl. She attempted to push me against the locker, but I grabbed her wrist and pushed it away, making her face twist in anger. "This isn't over." She then stormed off while pushing past the other students. "Out of my way!" Once it was just me and Gina, I looked over at her as she sighed with relief. "I think it's pretty obvious now that you're getting under Ruby's skin." "She asked for it." Just then, I heard overlapping voices of girls giggling and whispering in excitement, so Gina and I rushed over until we turned at the corner. My heart instantly skipped a beat when I saw Max, making his way through the hallway with confident strides. It seemed that the others could feel just how dominant his aura was, as they seemed to not push past him or anything and I wondered why. Since I stood on the other side and he was coming toward me, I tried to tear my gaze away, but it was easier said than done. He didn't even look at me. His gaze was glued to his phone. But as he walked past me, he glanced at me with those intense green eyes and I spotted a subtle smirk, making my heart race even more. Who the hell was he? I was so lost in thought that Gina had to nudge my shoulder so we could get to class. "Do you know him?" Gina asked, fanning herself while looking in the direction he went. "I only met him outside earlier when I arrived." "Now it makes sense that you're the only one he looked at. Is that why your heart's racing?" "What? No. Let's just go." ~ Attending my classes wasn't as smooth as usual, as I kept thinking back to Max and that smirk he gave me. What was he thinking by doing that to me? And why was I affected by it? "You can't seem to forget about Max." Saga teased me. "That's not true," I replied to her, scribbling down a few notes. She chuckled. "You know you can't lie to me. I'm part of you and feel what you feel." "I'm trying to focus on the lesson here." "No, you're not. You're still thinking about him." Suddenly, a different voice echoed in my mind. "Addison, we need to talk." I knew what Saga sounded like, and this definitely wasn't her. I tried to shake off the feeling and told myself it was just my imagination, but the voice echoed in my mind again and the presence was too strong. "Addison, it's Madge." I furrowed my eyebrows and lowered my head to face my desk. Madge? She's the witch who sealed Saga away. Why was she in my mind? "Can you hear me?" she asked. "Yes, I can hear you," I said to her in my mind. "It's urgent that I speak to you in person and this can't wait. It's about Saga." Though I was surprised that I was able to communicate with Madge, I panicked when I couldn't sense Saga. Where was she? "What have you done to Saga?" "Calm down. She's still with you. My presence is just stronger. I really need to speak to you." I sighed with relief. "Then I'll meet you after this last lesson for the day." "There are things you need to know about Saga. Meet me as soon as you leave this classroom. Until then, I won't let you two communicate." I felt a shiver run down my spine at the thought of not having Saga with me. She had been with me for so long that this sudden change made me feel incomplete. Even when I tried to reach out to her, there was only silence and emptiness. I kept looking at the clock, anticipating the bell so the lesson would come to an end. Even when I tried to focus on the rest of the lesson, my mind raced with questions and fears. I didn't want to lose her. As soon as the lesson was over, I rushed out to our agreed meeting place with Madge, my heart pounding in anticipation of what she had to say about Saga. Chapter 5: Madge Addison Quickly, I came to the park to find Madge, following her guidance in my mind. I was supposed to locate a woman in a purple suit standing by a tree. The park was empty and that made it easy to spot As I approached her while her back was facing me, I thought I was going to the wrong person. It had only been two years since I had seen her, and this person didn't seem like her. Madge had black hair. "Is that you over there with brown hair?" I asked her in my mind. "Yes, it's me. I had to take on a different form so no one knows my identity. It's important that it stays hidden." After I reached her spot, I stood on the other side and was looking at a young woman, who seemed to be in her thirties. Madge was in her fifties. She seemed to not want to speak right away, but that only made me more impatient because I needed to know about Saga. No longer using my mind, I said, "Can you please tell me what's going on so I can-" "Hush, I'm waiting for the sound barrier to be complete," she cut me off, holding up a finger with her eyes closed. "Now that no one can hear us, we can talk." She finally looked at me. "But there's no one else around." "Don't be fooled. There are eyes and ears everywhere." "So, tell me what's going on." "I'm the one who should be asking you that, young lady. What do you think you're doing?" She narrowed her eyes at me and crossed her arms. "I don't understand." "Yesterday, I felt Saga surging within you like never before. I sensed it from where I live and you know how far that is." "What? You really sensed her?" "What were you thinking by allowing that to happen?" "She was just so angry that I couldn't control her." "Do you know the amount of damage you could've done had she fully taken over? And how was she allowed to even surge when I completely sealed her away?" "Uhh..." I trailed off, knowing pretty well that what I would say would upset Madge. "I've been training vigorously in secret." "What? Why didn't I know about this?" "It's because I've been careful." "Who else knows that you've been doing this?" "No one." She shook her head disapprovingly, making me worried. "Oh, Addison." "What's wrong?" "You really need to be careful. Because Saga is your wolf, you're not just someone ordinary." "What are you talking about?" "You inherited something special from your mother's side of the family. You have the potential to handle great magical power." I couldn't help but scoff as I looked around at the green scenery. "That's not true." "It is. Because I sealed Saga away, your powers were suppressed and couldn't be manifested." "Wait, you're serious?" My eyes widened a little. "I had to urgently talk to you, young lady. Do you think I have the time to joke when so much is at stake?" "My bad." I lowered my head, a little embarrassed. "Unlike the usual traditional werewolf abilities, yours are more elemental in nature and mystical. It's all thanks to Saga. Earth, water, air and fire, you're able to manipulate these elements but only to a certain extent." "Really?" "Yes, and as you grow, your powers will continue to develop. Yesterday, when I sensed Saga surge, I realized it'll only be more difficult to keep your powers suppressed." "Are you saying that someday, she'll have total control?" "That's likely to happen if you continue like this and it'll wreck havoc. You'll need guidance so you can learn all about your powers and reach your full potential. However, my seal made your powers unpredictable and dangerous. Without proper guidance, you risk harming those around you." Her tone and seriousness greatly worried me. "So what do I do now?" I asked, taking a step closer. She sighed. "I know you decided to participate in the Warrior Selection Competition." My jaw dropped. "Who told you that?" "I was in your head. How could I not know?" "Do you just go around invading people's thoughts?" I pressed my lips together. "Not really. I only had access to your thoughts because I have access to Saga. Though I know about your interest in the competition, that's all I could pick up. Tell me why." "I want to do it because the more I train myself, the more I feel I can advance to greater and more demanding challenges." "In any situation, I'd be advising you against taking part in this competition, but it seems to be the perfect way to help you understand and control part of your powers. It's also futile for me to seal Saga away again. It's clear that she'll only keep surging. That's how powerful she is. The important thing to do is to find a balance between the two of you." "So...you really have no objections about this?" "Not at all, but I'll have to speak to your family. It's important that they know about my plans for you." "Did they know about my powers?" "Yes, but it was agreed upon that it should be kept from you. When you begin learning about your powers, I won't be here to guide you through the journey, but my daughter, Lyra, will be assigned that task. You'll meet her soon." "Does that mean I won't see you again?" "When the time is right, you will. For now, just be careful with what you do and say to those around you. I saw more bits of information in your mind, but I'm not supposed to talk about it." "What?" "Have a great afternoon." And with that, Madge broke the sound barrier and vanished, leaving a trail of black smoke behind. It took me a few seconds to process what had just happened, including her warning. Then, my heart started racing as I closed my eyes. I even held my breath in anticipation. "Saga?" I reached out to her, crossing my fingers. "Saga? Are you there?" "I'm right here. I took a long nap." "Saga!" I chuckled with relief, glad to connect with her again. "Calm down. Did you miss me or something?" "We have a lot to do." I stretched my neck as I made my way out of the park. "Is this about the competition?" she asked. "Yup." ~ Max School had ended about an hour ago, yet the girls were all lined up in the hallway, watching me and Tyler as we stood by the principal's office. They whispered among themselves about our looks, and Tyler gave them the attention they craved a few times. Within the crowd, I spotted Gina, who seemed to be gushing over us as well, but I couldn't see Addison. I couldn't even pick up her scent and it made me wonder if she had already left? I only hoped that she had decided to participate. I needed her to be there. "Do you think this old man will be coming back to his office soon?" Tyler asked me through the mind link. "I hope he does. It's getting annoying standing here and just watching all these girls swoon." "Uh oh, look who it is." Tyler chuckled. Ruby pushed through the crowd, tucking her hair behind her ear flirtatiously as she darted her eyes between us. "Hey, boys." She poked out her hip after stopping in front of us. "Are you also going into the principal's office?" I asked with a blank stare. "Not at all." She flashed a smile. "Then do you need something?" I asked. She cleared her throat. "I'm Ruby." "We know who you are," Tyler chimed in. "You do?" She looked at him with amazement. "We saw what happened yesterday." Looking away, she forced a chuckle, then changed the topic. "I know that you two are new at this school, so why do you want to see Principal Murphy? Except for me, everyone fears going to his office because he's so mean and unfriendly." "We don't mind." I looked over at Tyler as we shared a knowing look. Just then, everyone began whispering among themselves in panic, saying that the principal was coming. They all rushed off in different directions, except Ruby. "I'll see you around, boys." She then walked away, swaying her hips with a little exaggeration and it made me shake my head at her. From the end of the hallway, the students stepped aside as their mean principal made his way to us. When he stopped before us, I clenched my jaw at him and could already spot the beads of sweat on his forehead. As soon as he unlocked the door, Tyler and I went inside his office without waiting for him to tell us to come in, shocking everyone. After Tyler closed the door, Murphy instantly got on his knees and bowed to us. "Your Majesties." "How dare you keep us waiting like we exist to serve you?" I growled at him. "I apologize. Please forgive me." He trembled, bringing his hands together. "Next time, you'll be severely punished," Tyler warned him. "Is everything ready?" "Yes, just as you both wanted it to be." Tyler and I smirked at each other, ready to find our mates through the competition. "In that case," I paused, thinking about the mysteries that came with Addison. "Let the games begin." Chapter 6: Waiting for Her Max The registration process was to run only on Saturday and on that morning, Tyler and I arrived early, taking note of everyone who made their way to the hall. "Hey, don't you think everyone will start to wonder why we're just standing here in a corner?" Tyler said to me, stroking his chin as he checked out one of the girls passing by. "If anyone asks, we'll just say we'll register later. This process is open until 6 PM so there's still time," I said to him, constantly looking around. Everytime the doors swung open, I looked in that direction even though I could tell from a far distance by scent that it wasn't who I was looking for. "I have a question." Tyler crossed his arms, lightly shaking his head at me. "What is it?" "If I walk out of that door and then come back in, will you still look over?" "What are you talking about?" I furrowed my eyebrows at him. "Come on." He playfully smacked my shoulder. "Do you think I haven't noticed? You keep looking over in the hopes that she's finally arrived." "Who?" "Don't even make me say it. You know exactly who I'm talking about." He chuckled, raising his eyebrows. I looked away, crossing my arms with a poker face. "I don't know what you're talking about." "I know you don't want to say it, but I can read your thoughts. Did you forget that part?" Realizing that was the case, I quickly shut him out and that made him snicker before he spoke. "I see what you did there but you know what? It doesn't matter because I already know. Just give it time and she'll be here. It's only 9 in the morning." I clenched my jaw, hating how I was so impatient for Addison's arrival. I couldn't understand this feeling, so I tried to distract myself. "Do you know what would've made this registration better?" I said to Tyler using the mind link. "What?" "If all the girls coming in were actually going over to that table to register." "You're right about that. Almost all of them are only coming into this hall to stare at us. Like yeah, I know I look good and I'm handsome, but geez!" I scoffed. It seemed that as these girls decided to stick around, more of them showed up as they informed each other that Tyler and I were present. It made me wonder who was the center of attention before we arrived, and we had only been at Blackbolt High for three days. As I looked down at my wristwatch, I noticed that it was already 11 AM and at that moment, the doors loudly swung open. I jerked my head in that direction and was instantly disappointed, it was just Murphy. Clenching my jaw with a sigh of frustration, I looked away, Tyler speaking to me using the mind link. "It's not Addison." "I know." "Why are you even doing this? You should be able to tell when she'll arrive before she even gets close to the school. I guess you just can't help it, hmm?" "Piss off." If I had a way to communicate with Addison, I would have already done it, but I didn't have her phone number. At that moment, I realized all I had to do was find Gina. Though I couldn't detect her scent, I was certain it was just because I wasn't familiar with it. Facing different directions only for the girls, I zoomed in on each of their faces, and they seemed to love that as they whispered to each other in excitement. "Max just looked at me!" "Me too!" "Oh, wow!" To my disappointment, Gina wasn't even part of them and that only made me more impatient. There was still so much time and yet I couldn't bring myself to keep an open mind. It wasn't just because I wanted her to register. I wanted to see her. At 1 PM, the doors dramatically swung open and I looked over despite not detecting Addison's scent and it was just as I thought. She wasn't the one who had just walked in. It was Ruby and her crew. In her sexy short skirt, she led the way to the table, waving at Tyler and I with a flirtatious smirk as she swayed her hips. Tyler and I looked behind us, as if wondering who she was waving at. We then looked back at each other and shrugged, then continued with our small talk without looking back at her. It was something that made the others giggle silently. "You know, if she wasn't trying too hard, maybe I'd give it a shot," Tyler said to me using the mind link. "I wouldn't." "I know. She's not the one on your mind." No matter what, he wouldn't stop teasing me about Addison and at that moment, I had accepted it because who was I kidding? She was the only reason I had come to the registration process. But where was she? ~ Addison The air was thick with tension as we all gathered around the living room with my brothers, my mother, Madge and finally, my father. Madge, who was now in her real form, had just finished explaining what her plans were for me and how Saga couldn't be contained. I was certain it had been over a minute of silence while we waited for him to speak. He kept his head high, staring at Madge as he seemed to be deep in thought about all of it. I only hoped he wouldn't go against it. The thought of it had my heart pounding so hard that I just wanted to tightly hold my mother's hand. "Addison," he said to me, his tone authoritative. "Yes, dad?" I replied quietly. "How could you train in secret without anyone ever finding out?" he asked. Fiddling with my fingers, I said, "I just-" "That was impressive." "It was?" We all said in unison except Madge. My father chuckled with a nod. "The fact that you've been doing this for so long and we still wouldn't have known if you hadn't told Madge is commendable." I sighed with relief, my mother rubbing my shoulder. I was certain he would lash out at me or something. "Is this something you really want to do?" he asked, his expression inquisitive as he looked at the flyer for the Warrior Selection Competition. "Yes, I really want to do this." "Don't worry about anything," Madge chimed in. "Lyra will do a great job. She takes after me and will see to it that Addison's training helps her strike the balance she needs to contain her powers." He sighed. "In that case, I approve." Madge instantly bowed, then vanished. Excited, I rose to my feet with a little clap, my brothers coming closer for a high five. "This really made you happy, huh?" My father chuckled in amusement. "Thank you!" I ran to him and hugged him. My mother's lips curved into a smile, wrapping her arms around me as soon as I stepped away from my father. "You still have a few hours before registration closes. You better leave now if you want to make it back on time. Raven Mist is far away from where we live." I brightly looked up at her. "I'm glad I came home. It's been a while. I missed you." "We better take you back now," Cole chimed in, clapping once to get my attention. As my father hugged me one last time, he said, "I'm proud of you for standing up to those bullies." "Dylan actually found his mate among them and rejected her on the spot," I said to him. "Really? Why?" He raised his eyebrows, looking over at Dylan. "She wasn't my type and I couldn't stand how she treated my sister." "You did the right thing. As future Alphas, I expect nothing less from both of you, my sons. Who's this girl?" "Her name is Ruby Hawkins," I said. "What? Ruby Hawkins?" "Do you know her or something?" I narrowed my eyes. "If she's the one I'm thinking of, I know her father. He and I go way back." "How?" I got curious. Looking over at my mother with a sigh, he said, "That's a story for another day. I'll tell you the next time you visit." I pouted. "Well, okay. Will you come and watch me participate?" "No, not even your mother." My heart sank. "Why not?" "You know why. This competition will be held in the kingdom. It would be the first time we'd be stepping foot there after so many years. I don't want that for us." My parents had never explained to me why that was the case. Not even Dylan and Cole knew their reason. By the time I returned to Raven Mist, I only had an hour left before the close of the registration. It was for this reason that I headed straight to Blackbolt High without going home to Aunt Nora. Just as I made it past the front gates, I strongly sensed Max's presence and right at that moment, he rushed down the stairs, approaching me with wide steps. He was just as gorgeous as the previous day but at the same time, he seemed... furious.