Chapter 241. Not Your Usual Combat Training II

Chapter 241: 241. Not Your Usual Combat Training II

Maisie

"There will be rankings. The strongest among you will receive advanced instruction under the Queen herself and priority protection for your families," Warren added, and this sparked a new wave of excitement.

Being in the Queen’s employ was still an honour to most. If only they knew what she was truly like.

"And the weakest will be placed on the most grueling rotations until they improve. There is no neutrality here. You either become capable or you become a weak link."

He folded his arms behind him. "You are expected to move through each phase without complaint. You are not allowed to sit out or ask for special consideration, regardless of your race. Human. Wolf. Half-breed. Hybrid. Lycan. You are entitled to nothing but what you earn. Your parents and guardians have been notified of these changes. If you cannot keep up, feel free to hand in your withdrawal notice and your student ID to the Head Mistress by the end of the day."

Grumbling spread across the yard.

"What a dick," a first year whispered not too far from me, and Warren’s head jerked in my direction. "You’ve got something to say to the class, Adams?"

Hundreds of eyes turned to me, students, teachers, the suited men and women who stood off to the side, everyone. Even the birds had stopped screeching.

"It wasn’t me–" I started to explain, but I should have known Warren wasn’t exactly looking for an explanation.

He was looking for a scapegoat, and who better than the criminal with a collar who apparently had no access to her strength?

"Get in the ring," he ordered. "We’re in time for the first lesson of the day and you’ve clearly volunteered."

A ripple went through the crowd, the low whispers rising into thrilled murmurs. Across the yard, the members of both Councils leaned forward, their stony expressions shifting with renewed interest.

They had come to observe, and they were instead being given a show.

My hands tightened into fists as I made my way out of the crowd, the rows parting to give way to the raised platform at the fore centre of the grounds.

The ring itself was the size of a small infield elevated high temperature nough that every person in the yard could see the packed earth. There were no ropes to soften our falls like before. It was basic, like a pit created for animal fights.

I grabbed the rum and pulled myself up easily, landing lightly.

The noise grew even more frantic then. Expectant. It almost reminded me of my first combat class here with Lana. The blood thirst. Only this was a thousand times worse. I glanced over the crowd, watching every face clamouring for actual blood, and faced with the weight of the hate directed at me, I flinched.

The back of my neck tingled with awareness and I glanced back, at the members of both Councils.

Soren stood slightly apart from them, also dressed in a suit. His jacket was missing, but a dark waist coat closed over his crisp blue shirt. The top button was popped and his tie hung askew, and I could almost imagine just how he’d tugged it down from his neck.

There were dark circles around his eyes and he seemed... exhausted.

He was half turned towards Alden, nodding at something the older man was saying, but his eyes were steady on me. Violet. Blue. Intense, like harsh prickles to my skin.

Warren’s voice drew my attention away from him. "Anyone bold enough to volunteer for this lesson’s demonstration?"

The noise dwindled.

I lifted my chin, ignoring my erratically pounding pulse. I couldn’t tell if it was excitement or anxiety, but I sucked in a deep breath and steadied myself.

No one stepped forward. Maybe they were that scared of me.

Cole looked like he was actually considering it. He eyed me like he was assessing me and my collar, and for a moment, I half expecting him to step forward just to prove a point.

But his gaze flicked ahead and fear flashed across his face. He looked away so fast, I followed the direction of his stare to what the hell had possibly scared him like that.

Quinlan’s icy gaze was on Cole.

My stomach tightened at the scary expression on his face.

And then when Quinlan caught me staring at him, he crinkled his perfect nose, his ears turning red, right before he stalked away to Goddess knew where, hulking frame scaring everyone away from in his path.

I blinked. He didn’t just... protect me, did he?

Not that I needed it but I couldn’t help the blush that ran up my neck.

"No one?" Warren echoed, when no one spoke, he continued, "Does the knowledge that she is stronger and faster than you frighten you? Because she is a Lycan? It should scare you," he said. "Your first response under pressure will be the same response you give when you are prey to an even bigger predator. Fear. Cowardice. That is how you die. And that is exactly what we are here to burn out of you."

His head jerked to the side. "Graham."

Tessa pulled apart from the crowd like this had been previously discussed.

Dressed in the new combat uniform that fitted around her like a body suit, she looked like a predator, and I, in the spare clothes Juliette had handed me–a pair of shorts that came down to my knees since she was taller than me, and a sleeved pink shirt that I rolled up my arms–I looked like dinner.

"Oh God," I thought I heard Regina whisper, and maybe there was a tinge of worry there, but my focus was entirely on the silver haired witch.

My blood rushed and pounded too fast.

My tongue felt heavier in my mouth as the thought of ripping her throat open, the thought of her hot blood spilling across the packed dirt brought me to near salivation.

I started to breathe too hard, too fast, felt my claws begin to tear into my skin, felt the collar begin to strain against my neck as I fought for control over myself.

Tessa smirked as she climbed in and stood across from me, cracking her knuckles. "This does feel a little nostalgic, doesn’t it?"

Let. Me. Out.

Those words repeated over and over in my head in violent shrieks that threatened to deafen me.

Tessa’s eyes narrowed on me as I hunched over, feeling the first rip of clothing behind me. My body trembled from the restraint it took to hold my Lycan back.

Not now, I said to her in a pleading tone. There’ll be a better time to do this, but not now.

Tessa rolled up her hair into a ponytail. "I’ll make it quick." She widened her stance and whispered around red lips. "Quicker than your lover’s was, I promise."

I lunged for her before Warren’s whistle split the air. Her laughter dragged up my spine as she side stepped easily, hooking her foot under mine. I stumbled, catching myself at the last second before I slammed into the dirt.

"You’re practically salivating for it," she whispered behind me, and I twisted, barely missing her fist catching my face. "Rabid. Frothing at the mouth for a taste of my blood, are you?"

I lunged for her again, my thoughts completely owned by my rather pissed off Lycan who didn’t think much when she was in this state. Kill, kill, kill, was all she could process right now and while it might have worked before with Tessa, she knew how I worked, how I moved.

I needed to gain control of my thoughts.

"I should’ve killed you at the duel." The words left my lips in a guttural hiss, my Lycan speaking through me. "Why don’t you come a little closer, so we finish our little dance we started?"

Tessa circled me. "Do you know why the Council is here?" She cocked her head in Soren’s direction. "This is a demonstration. An experiment, in fact. If you lose, it’ll show how effective that little collar around your neck is in subduing Lycans, and the Council of Wolves leave here pleased knowing that the wolves are safe from our kind. But in the event that you still beat me, you’ll have proved Soren wrong before the Council, and revealed that you really are a monster who should be put to death immediately."

She glanced over at them and tsked. "Looks like you’ve already started off the wrong foot, mutt."

I risked a glance at the Council.

Their expressions were tight and displeased. A large bearded man shook his head as he spoke to another blonde woman who bore the Queen’s crest over his robe.

Disapproval.

I was acting like a rabid animal, and that was all they needed to see to conclude that I should die.

Rigged. It felt like every system was always rigged against me. To make sure I failed at something, suffered at everything else.

What was the way out of this? Let her beat me to fucking pulp to prove I was powerless? I couldn’t do it. I wouldn’t do it.

My eyes found Soren’s across the crowd. And the haze cleared from my head at the first real emotion I found in his eyes.

It was... pride.

Like whatever happened, whatever came of this didn’t matter. He’d been fighting for me all this time. He would always be there.

And that was more than enough to clear my head of the red, bloody haze of violence, and when Tessa came at me this time, I was prepared.