River's POV
The bell hadn't even rung yet when I opened my eyes.
For a moment, I thought it was still night — the room was so quiet, the only sound was the faint hum of the air unit above my bed. But then I saw the strip of pale light pushing through the blinds and realized it was already morning.
Cassian was still asleep which was strange. He wasn't the type to sleep in, always muttering something about punctuality being the Alpha's first virtue even though he wasn't one.
His breathing was steady now, his blanket half-slipped off his shoulder, one arm hanging lazily from the side of his bunk.
So much for the portrayer of the Alpha's first virtue, I scoffed inwardly. Probably doesn't have a morning class.
I stared at him for a few seconds, considering going back to sleep myself. But I knew better. No matter how much my body begged for five more minutes, I couldn't afford to be late on the first day of general classes.
The promise I made to my mother echoed in my head — I'll make it through Stormridge. And the threat my father made followed it like a shadow.
So I got up, rubbed the sleep from my eyes, and reached for the slim metal band on my wrist. It glowed faintly blue when I tapped it. The holographic display flickered to life, showing my schedule: General Class – Biology and Medicine. Hall B4. 7:30 a.m. sharp.
After a quick shower and the day's first suppressant injection, I threw on the standard black academy uniform, strapped the band more securely, and slipped out of the dormitory.
The hallway was still dim, lined with cold steel walls and faintly glowing panels that reacted to movement. My band projected a faint arrow on the floor, guiding me through turns and corridors until I reached the wide, circular building for general studies.
I was the third student to arrive.
The classroom smelled faintly of metal polish like every surface had been cleaned with military precision. Rows of white desks curved toward a central platform where a large holo-board flickered in standby mode.
A girl with dyed blue streaks in her hair sat near the back, tapping her nails against her desk while watching the hologram shift through the academy's crest. A boy with round glasses and a nervous energy sat two seats from her, scrolling rapidly through his notes. Neither looked up when I entered.
I took a seat near the middle row. Not too close to the front to draw attention, not too far back to seem like I was hiding, even though, technically, that was exactly what I was doing.
More students trickled in. Some in groups, already whispering about the new Alpha candidates. A few looked like they hadn't slept at all. The air buzzed strongly with Alpha pheromones so hard that it felt like the Alphas were competing.
By the time the bell rang, the room was almost full.
The door hissed open, and the teacher stepped in. He was a tall man with sharp features and dark eyes that missed nothing. His lab coat bore the academy insignia stitched in silver. He looked young — maybe in his early thirties — but his tone carried the kind of authority that made everyone sit straighter.
"Good morning, class," he said, his voice smooth but firm. "I am Master Kael. I'll be instructing you in Biology and Medicine this session."
A few students murmured a greeting. Most stayed silent.
Kael turned toward the board. With a swipe of his hand, bright text appeared, projected in pale blue letters:
"WEREWOLF PHYSIOLOGY: DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ALPHA, BETA AND OMEGA."
My stomach tightened at the topic staring at me. Gods. It felt like every letter of it was aimed straight at me.
I forced my breathing steady, eyes glued to the board. My suppressant was still working. It had to be.
Master Kael tapped the board once. "This, young trainees, is the foundation of everything you think you know about yourselves." His gaze swept across the room, lingering on faces that looked too confident. "You're not just learning how to fight. You're learning what you are — and how easily that can be used against you."
"This class will separate the students who rely on instinct from those who understand their own bodies. Instinct keeps you alive. Knowledge keeps you from losing control."
He began pacing slowly, hands clasped behind his back, "Most of you think you know what you are because you've shifted once or twice without killing anyone. But instincts are not infallible. They misfire. And when they do—"
The door hissed again.
A boy stumbled in, panting, clutching his datapad. "S-sorry, Master. I got lost—"
Kael didn't even blink. "Name."
"Leon Farris, sir."
"Mr. Farris," Kael said evenly, "if you can't find your way to class on time, I suggest you start memorizing the medical wing, because you'll end up there often."
A few quiet snickers rippled through the room. Kael didn't smile. "Since you're late, you'll demonstrate the first point."
Leon froze. "S-sir?"
Kael gestured toward the holo-board. "Define the hormonal difference between Alpha and Beta during transformation."
The boy hesitated, glancing down at his notes. "Uh… the Alpha's adrenal surge is… higher?"
Kael's tone sharpened. "How much higher?"
Leon stuttered. "I—I'm not sure—"
"Five times," Kael said flatly. "An Alpha's body can withstand five times the hormonal pressure of a Beta before entering shock. Which is why—" His steps echoed as he walked between the rows. "—an Omega would never survive an Alpha-level surge."
A few students chuckled. My fingers twitched against the edge of the desk but I kept my face still.
"You can find yourself a seat." Master Kael waved his hand dismissively at Leon who did as commanded.
Then he continued, "Omegas produce pheromones twenty times stronger than Betas. That makes them unpredictable. Vulnerable. That's why most academies forbid them here." His gaze swept the room, sharp as a blade. "Stormridge included."
My heart thudded once, painfully.
Kael tapped the side of the screen again, pulling up a 3D diagram of a shifting body. "The nervous system reacts first. Everything you are, every instinct, runs through here—" he pointed to the glowing spine. "If it breaks, you don't recover."
I was barely breathing now. My palms felt damp against the desk. My scent control chip pulsed faintly against my wrist, regulating output. But I could still feel the faint tremor of heat in my neck, the dangerous sign of a suppressed Omega reacting.
Then Kael spoke again, his voice calm but carrying easily: "Of course, this would be easier to explain if we had an Omega among us. A real one. Then we could compare pheromone activity in real time."
My entire body went cold. For a split second, I forgot to breathe. The words blurred in my head. If we had an Omega among us…
The teacher continued his lecture, moving between rows, explaining transformation cycles and organ stress responses. His footsteps were slow, deliberate, echoing too loudly in my ears.
I felt like everyone could smell me. Like the air itself would betray me.
And then as if the universe had been waiting for the worst possible moment, Kael stopped not far from me, scanning the room until his gaze stopped on me. For a heartbeat, our eyes locked.
Then he said, evenly—
"You," he said, pointing at me.
Every head turned in my direction.
I froze, the sound of my own name cutting through the quiet like a blade.