Apparently, your ancestors, my inner voice said.
You are the least helpful in these situations, I replied. You know that right? I could’ve sworn my inner voice shrugged.
“And here I was thinking you’d finally come to apologize,” Kairo said. “Apologize?!” My voice cracked with anger. “You almost beat me half to death! You have half the school running around like feral animals trying to kill me. What the fuck should I apologize for?”
“That’s the future king you’re talking to,” Peytr chimed in. “If the princess chooses him,” I threw back. I turned to glare at Kairos. “I doubt she’d want someone this pathetic.”
Peytr and the other wolf “ooh” ‘d then stopped when Kairos turned to glare at them. Slowly, Kairos stood up from his seat. He spat his gum off to the side. It narrowly missed another young wolf. He stood above me and glared down at me with those deep, gold eyes. I tried to not let my fear work it’s way up my throat. I stood strong and glared back.
“I want this to end,” I said sternly. “If I need to kick your ass to do so, I will.”
“Kick my ass?” Kairos snorted a laugh. “Good luck, pup.”
I cocked my head to the side. “So you don’t accept my challenge?”
“It will be anything but a ‘challenge’,” Maximus mocked from behind Kairos. “You’re wolfless. Kairos is a High Alpha. You’re an idiot to fight him.”
“Well I’m doing it,” I snapped. I looked back at Kairos. “I challenge you to a sparring match. Best two out of three. First round is in two weeks. If I win, you call off this stupid hunting game and you do one thing for me.”
“And when I win?” Kairos said, cocky as ever. “You finally stop being a bitch, and take the knee to the rightful king.”
A growl worked it’s way up my throat. There was no way that was happening. I grit my teeth together and forced out the word. “Fine.”
Kairos smirked and took his seat back between Thorne and Maximus. “See you there, pup.”
I turned and stomped back down to where Loren was sitting. Her eyes were wide in fear. I took the seat next to her just as the Professor was walking in the door.
“What did you just agree to?” she whispered.
“Probably my death,” I whispered back, honestly. “But at least I’ll go out with a bang.”
That night, after classes, I snuck off to the gym. Valentin had sent me a note with the code to the lock outside. It was in case I wanted to practice while he was busy. I stayed in the gym for three hours. I tried, and failed, the run again. But this time, I was closer to the fifteen laps than I was before. Then, exhausted yet burning with anger, I spent the next hour throwing punch after punch at a boxing dummy. The last thirty minutes, I worked on strengthening my core to be able to absorb the punches better. I had to be quick and sturdy on my feet. I knew if Kairos punched me in my current shape, I’d fly across the room.
In the end, I locked up the gym around eleven thirty. I pulled my hoodie over my head and quickly walked back to my dorm. My eyes kept scanning the area for the blonde wolf with the vendetta against me. Several times, a stray howl sent me into a half sprint. I finally got back to the dorm just as someone else was. They also had a hoodie up and pulled it down when they got to the door. The cropped black hair was all I needed to see to know it was Maximus. He leaned against the outside of the dorm, foot propped in the door and waiting for me.
I rolled my eyes when I finally reached him. “I have my own key, you know.”
“I know,” he replied. “Just wanted to make sure you didn’t pass out on my steps again.”
I blinked twice. “You were there for that?”
“I was the one who caught you and stopped your head from bouncing off the concrete,” he snorted. “You’re welcome, by the way.”
My breath caught in my throat. I thought Valentin had caught me. I looked back up at Maximus. This certainly made things interesting.
“And why would I believe you helped me?” I snapped. I crossed my arms over my chest. Maximus’s foot was still caught in the door. I couldn’t push past his massive frame and ignore him. So, I decided to piss him off. Maybe then he’d storm off in a rage again and I could go the fuck to sleep.
“I didn’t want a dead idiot on my porch,” Maximus sneered cold as ever.
“Well I didn’t die,” I snapped. “And I’m not dead so if you could please, move – “
I wrenched the door open but it didn’t move. I looked up and saw Maximus’s hand holding it half open. His body was smack in the middle. I narrowed my eyes at him.
“You’re going to get yourself killed,” he leered.
I tried the door again. “I will if I don’t get home – ” I grunted and tried to shove myself past him. My arm was about to hit his when he flinched out of the way. His hand dropped the door and I scurried past him.
“Don’t fight Kairos,” he called as I ran up the stairs. I stopped and turned around to look at him. For once, he genuinely looked sincere as he said it. I figured it was just a rouse to get me to submit to the almighty douchebags of Alpha Academy. I narrowed my eyes again, glaring down at him.
“Why not?” I challenged.
“It’s impossible,” Maximus said. “No wolfless has ever beaten him. Those that try and sent to the infirmary for months.”
I stood up straight. “Nothing is impossible,” I said, voice barely above a whisper. But Maximus seemed to hear it. He set his lips in a thin, angry line and all but punched the door open, going back into the night.
I rolled my eyes at his dramatics then walked the way up to my room. As I went into my room, quietly as I was sure that Loren had passed out by then, I noticed a note wedged in the frame. I slipped it into may hand as I walked into the darkness of my room.
Luckily my desk lamp was still on. I pushed the note into the light and marveled at the elegant script written across it.
Tomorrow. Same time. Same place.
I smiled. It was from Valentin. I tucked it deep within my desk before I went to get ready for bed. I would truly show Maximus that nothing was impossible. The next morning, I walked into the gym just shy of six in the morning. Valentin was there, hair swooped back into a bun off his face. He was wearing a similar get up to my previous training session, though this one was a navy blue. It made his eyes stick out even more in the hazy morning glow.
“Good morning,” I smiled at him. He didn’t return it and my face fell. “What?”
“How much clearer did I need to be about Kairos?” he hissed. “I told you he was unbeatable at your current strength and you still challenge him?”
I scowled back at him. “Who’s your little spy on campus, telling you all this then? Is it Loren?”
“Miss Moonbeam would do it if I asked but, no,” Valentin shook his head. He took a step closer to me. His eyes pinned mine. “I am the Headmaster of this institution, Princess. I know everything that happens on my campus.”
His words set a shiver down my spine. I tried to not fidget and show him how affected I was by him. But I felt my hand twitch slightly. My heartbeat sounded in my ears. There was that gentle hum behind it. Valentin took a step back. It disappeared.
“You’re not fighting Kairos,” Valentin had an air of finality in his voice. “I am,” I threw back.
“Your mother would be livid!” Valentin said, his voice raising slightly. “Have you even thought of how you’re going to deal with the aftermath? Kairos will break every bone you have, Zora.”
It was the first time he’d said my name. Usually he referred to me by my human last name or “Princess.” Something about my real name on his tongue made me feel butterflies in my chest. I ignored it and kept scowling at him.
“I have you to train me, don’t I?” I retorted. “You do,” he said. “But two weeks isn’t enough time.”
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