Chapter 17 Uniform

SERAPHINA

“Don’t slow down!!” the Alpha instructor’s voice thundered across the training grounds.

The sun beat down mercilessly, turning sweat into a second skin bas /bbit /bdripped from my brow. My arms trembled with every push–up, but I didn’t stop. I had already shattered my own brecord/b, pushed past my limits–but there was no room for weakness here. Around me, the others panted and grunted, their bodies just as strained, but no one dared ck off under the sharp gaze of the instructors.

“Thirty more!” the drill instructor barked. “Now!”

I gritted my teeth and pushed through the burn, my breathbored, my muscles screaming. It had been bthree /bstraight days of relentless physical btraining/b–nobat trials, just raw endurance. Sprints over rocky hills, endless circuits of jumps from brutal heights, push–ups until our arms gave out

“We’re taking a two–minute break, the Alpha finally announced.

Everyone instantly copsed, and I was bno /bexception. I dropped to the ground, my body thrumming from the punishment we’d been put through. bTraining /bhere was ruthless. Worse bthan /bI ever imagined.

bAs /bI tried to catch my breath, hushed voices were carried to me from a distance.

“That little mutt isn’t bwhat /bhe looks like,” one Alpha sneered. “He’s pure cunning behind that bitch–like innocent face.”

Another growled, low and dangerous, “I swear, I’ll kill bhim /bthe first chance I get. First Jordan, now Abraham. Both expelled. because of that motherfucker, Darven. He’ll pay in bblood/b.”

I slowly opened my eyes, the weight of unspoken hostility settling over bme /blike a second wind. I had felt it bfor /bbdays /bnow, ever since Alpha Abraham was thrown out. The looks, the whispers, the hatred–they all led back to me.

Most of the Alphas looked at me like they wanted to rip me apart.

I didn’t care. Let them stay away from me out of bfear/b, resentment, or twisted respect. As long as they stayed baway/b, I didn’t give a damn. bBut /bI wasn’t stupid. I knew the peace wouldn’tst. The real threat hadn’t even begun.

I sat up slowly, my gaze drifting to Dante. He was still doing pushb–/bbups/b, bhis /bform perfect, his movements sharp and controlled like a machine. His body was monstrous, like bpain /bhad never touched him. But his eyes…

His cold, displeased blue eyes hadn’t left me.

He bhadn’t /bspoken to me since that day. Since my indirect, yet unmistakable warning: Don’t get in my way.

He’d heard it loud band /bclear. But his fury was simmering just beneath the surface. The re of his baura/b, the sharpness in his gaze–it was all there. He didn’t like being dismissed.

Not by banyone/b.

Especially not by me.

I could feel the heat of his anger even from a distance.

And then there bwas /bRonan.

“Here,” Finn’s voice cut in gently, breaking my train of thought. He tossed me a water bottle.

I caught it just in time band /blooked up to find him drenched in sweatb, /bbhis /bchest heaving slightly from the run. “bThanks/b,” I affered a breathless smile.

He bsat /bbeside me on the dry grass, brushing sweat from bhis /bbrow, “Can Lask byou /bsomething

“Sure I replied, unscrewing the cap

“Why don’t you btake /boff your shirt during training Even during bpush/bb–/bups, you keep it on.”

Chapter 17 Uniform

+8 Pearls

Anniversary Celebration

You havepleted the LETA. congrattions on receiving a prize,e and im it.

I /bbwas /ba kid, I’ve never beenfortable showing skin.”

His brows furrowed. “Were you bassaulted/b? Molested?”

I blinked, taken baback /bby the bluntness. Molested? Me?

My wolf chuckled bitterly in my bhead/b. How about we tell him how the molesters left the pack without their limbs?

1 forced a small smile. “Something like that,” I lied.

Read

Before Finn could speak again, Cassius tossed a training bag toward him with an arrogant smirk. “Carry that for me, will you?”

Reed followed up with a scoff. And grab my water while you’re at it. Be useful for once.”

Without a word, Finn bstood /band did as they asked. I watched, silently. I had noticed how they treated him, like a damn errand boy.

“Do you always let them treat you like bthat/b?” I muttered when he returned.

He shrugged with one shoulder, his expression calm. “I don’t mind. I’m not here to make enemies. If doing a few favors keeps the peace, Fd rather do that.”

I studied him quietly. There bwas /bno bitterness in his voice. Just quiet eptance.

Over the past few days, we’d grown closer. I hade to learn more about him–how he came from a prestigious, wealthy pack. How he was the second son of his Alpha father, soft–spoken and gentle because he hated violence. A rare trait in a ce

like this.

Yet, here he was–sent to this brutal Academy because his father believed even second sons needed to be hardened.

The final whistle blew across the field. Training was done for the day.

Under the evening’s cold breeze, I stood and tugged at my sweat–drenched shirt, which clung to my skin blike /bba /bbsecond /byer.

“You really need to get a new uniform.” Finn said beside me, concerncing his voice. “You’re going to overheat wearing that much bin /bthis weather. Why not ask your bpack /bor family–the one I mentioned before?”

I forced a smallugh. “I would… if I could. But I’m not exactly on speaking terms with my family right now. Personal reasons. So, I can’t really ask them for help.”

Finn frowned, then reached into his training bag and pulled out a neatly folded uniform. “Here,” he offered.

I blinked. “Oh, no. I can’t take byour /buniform”

“I bhave /bthreeb, /band I’ve only worn this one twice,” he said gently. “What’s one less? You need it more than I do. And it’s clean”

I hesitated. For the past few bdays/b, I’d been washing and re–wearing the bsame /buniform. Sometimes it didn’t even dry properly. I needed a new one, but this was bFinn’s/b. His offer felt too generous. Too sudden. But was I really in a position to refuse?

“What are you waiting for? Take it–my arm is hurting.” he chuckled.

I pursed my lips and slowly epted it. “Thanks,” Imurmured, ba /bbsmile /bbreaking through the exhaustion on my bface/b. “I’ll repay this kindness one day.”

He smiled bback/bb, /bbmodest /bband /bbsheepish/b. “Really? bJust /bdon’t beat me up, okay?”

I giggled despite myself. He bughed /bwith me..

Neither of us bnoticed /bthe bpair /bof intense violet eyes bwatching /bfrom the distance.

Up on the ridge near bthe /bweapons shed, bRonan /bstood silently, arms crossed. His gaze was locked on me, on the way I smiled

Chapter 17 Uniform

Anniversary

Celebration

You havepleted the task congrattions on receiving a prize,e and im t

+B Pearls

bRead /b

A blur of movement caught my eye. A massive ck Alpha wolf charged toward me–too fast to dodge. Too close to defend. Finn barely backed away in time as the wolf barreled past, knocking the neatly folded uniform from my hands.

“No!” I gasped as it flew through the air,nding over the edge of the cliff. My jaw dropped. My eyes widened.

Cone. bJust /blike bthat/b. The only spare uniform I could’ve had… lost to a ce I’d never breach/b.

Slowly, I turned.

The bck /bwolf bhad /bshifted into his human form. Ronan stood there, bnaked /band unapologeticb. /b

“What the hell was that?!” I snapped, barely holding back my fury.

He strode toward me. “bWhat’s /ball the bfuss /bover a dirty uniform?”

Dirty? He dared call bthat /bclean, folded outfit dirty?

“You were in my way. This is the training field–not a ce tough and chat,” he said coldly.

Something binside /bme cracked. Laugh and chat?

“What the hell does that bmean/b?” I shot back. “bYou /bknocked baway /bthe only extra uniform bFinn /bcould give me! What am I supposed to wear now?”

At Finn’s name, something flickered in Ronan’s gaze. His jaw tightened. He stepped closer, eyes sharper.

“Is Finn the only one with a uniform in bthis /bentire academy?” he asked tly

“What?” I stared, confused.

He towered over me, voice heavy and unwavering. “I’ll take responsibility for your loss. Take my uniform.”

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