Lyra's POV
He couldn't know my identity, I reasoned silently. Unless someone from outside Alpha Academy was feeding him information. Nobody within these walls had any clue who I really was.
"Alright, enough chatter, you brats!" Coach's voice thundered across the training ground. "Are we here to gossip or are we here to fight?"
Enthusiastic shouts and cheers erupted from the gathered students. Meanwhile, I wanted nothing more than to disappear into the earth itself. Sparring? This was a nightmare.
"Cooper!" Coach's bark jolted me from my spiral of dread. Poppy gave my shoulder a gentle nudge, and I realized my face had twisted into an expression of pure terror. I forced what I hoped resembled a smile.
"Annnnnnd..." Coach squinted at his clipboard with theatrical suspense.
"Ironwood."
Perfect.
Absolutely perfect.
Now Ash would have the pleasure of humiliating me in front of everyone, and he'd never let me forget it. Across the sparring mat, I spotted him waiting with predatory patience. His fingers wiggled in a mocking wave, and I felt my fake smile crumble back into a scowl. I trudged toward the mat and dropped into a defensive position.
"Let's make this quick," I muttered.
Ash's grin stretched wide and dangerous. "With pleasure."
His first strike came fast, and I barely managed to throw up my forearm in time. The impact sent fire racing through my bones, forcing a sharp hiss through my teeth. While I struggled to recover, his leg swept low, and suddenly I was flat on my back, staring at the ceiling. A groan escaped as I rolled back to my feet, my ankle throbbing like someone had taken a crowbar to it.
I resumed my stance and caught his disgusted expression.
"You smell like human," he sneered. "Have you ever even encountered a real wolf before?"
"Yes," I snapped back, throwing my own punch this time. "Actually, no." I corrected myself quickly, worried about revealing too much.
"Which is it?" Ash asked with lazy amusement. He fired off two quick crosses that both connected with my forearm. I absorbed the punishment with a grunt.
"No," I ground out between gritted teeth, launching another attack. He blocked my strike to his ribs effortlessly, then used my momentum against me, landing a solid hit to my stomach. Back to the floor I went, huffing as I brushed hair from my eyes. "Humans raised me," I admitted while attempting to hook his ankle and bring him down.
He didn't even budge.
Frustration boiled over as I cried out and rolled away, scrambling back to my feet. This time his assault intensified, though his voice maintained that same maddening casual tone.
"Raised by humans?" he mused, throwing a vicious hook. I barely got my guard up. My technique was falling apart. "No surprise you show no respect for the Higher packs." Another hook whistled past my cheek. "What kind of wolf abandons their own child?" His next punch found my arm, drawing a pained cry from my lips.
"Obviously you were a complete disappointment."
Hit. Hit. Block. Miss. I stumbled backward.
"I mean, what wolf remains wolfless at your age?"
A brutal kick caught my thigh. My knee crashed to the mat.
"Just accept reality. You're worthless. Even your own parents didn't want you."
His final punch cracked across my cheek.
Something inside me erupted. Raw fury flooded my veins with an intensity I'd never experienced. I screamed as I whipped my arm toward Ash, raking my nails across his bicep. He staggered back in surprise.
I watched in fascination as blood welled up in a thin line before trickling down his inner arm. Ash stared at the wound in shock. He dragged his finger through the blood, smearing it, then gazed off into the distance with a strange expression.
I turned to find every pair of eyes in the room fixed on us in stunned silence.
Nobody had expected me to actually hurt Ash. I rose slowly and met his stare directly.
"I'm going to prove I belong here," I said with quiet determination. "And when I do, you owe me an apology."
With that declaration, I marched off the mat and into the locker room.
I showered quickly, wanting to avoid the post-training crowd.
The blonde girl from earlier intercepted me on my way out, grabbing my hand and pulling me away from the locker room entrance.
"I cannot believe you just did that!" she whisper-shouted. "Nobody has ever made Ash bleed before. Especially not someone wolfless!"
"Yeah," I laughed shakily. "I surprised myself too. Something just took over."
"I'm Poppy, by the way," she said with a warm smile. "Looks like you could use an ally around here."
"Desperately," I admitted. Being this far out of my depth was exhausting. I could feel curious stares following me everywhere, though I couldn't understand why. My stomach chose that moment to growl loudly, and I paused to look at Poppy hopefully.
"Do we get food here?"
Poppy laughed. "Of course we do. Want to check out the cafeteria?"
"Please," I replied gratefully.
Poppy guided me to the massive cafeteria adjacent to the gym, explaining that there were multiple dining options scattered across campus, including an actual steakhouse. I shook my head in amazement. I'd never set foot in a steakhouse, certainly not during my cash-strapped orphanage days.
Inside the cafeteria, I felt completely overwhelmed. Every cuisine imaginable was represented, with vibrant, fresh ingredients everywhere I looked. Poppy darted toward something called the "sushi station" while I gravitated toward familiar territory at the sandwich counter.
I assembled my usual turkey and mustard on white bread, grabbed water, and considered the sushi Poppy was collecting. My body definitely needed the extra calories after this morning's brutal training session.
Instead, I stuck with my simple meal and approached the cashier. I fumbled for cash, but he waved me off, handing me a receipt showing my account balance. My face fell when I saw the generous amount Vivienne had deposited. I could have afforded that sushi easily.
I waited for Poppy to finish paying, then we searched for an empty table.
The cafeteria doors burst open, and Ash strode in with two equally imposing companions.
The man on his right wore a permanent scowl, his dark brown hair contrasting with pale, freckled skin that seemed at odds with his intimidating presence.
I recognized the second man immediately. Killian Nightshade had frequented the castle during my time there. Vivienne had mentioned he might become my knight someday, though I'd dismissed it then. Now here he was, completely unaware of my true identity.
His hair was shaved short on the sides, the longer brown top bleached blonde and pulled into a small ponytail. Sharp jawline, facial hair framing his mouth, neutral expression until his eyes found mine. He stopped walking, watching me intently.
I held his gaze as we passed each other. Then I collided with something, sending my sandwich flying in an arc of mustard. The sandwich smacked into its target, and I cringed, squeezing my eyes shut.
When I finally opened them, Ash was glaring down at me with murderous intent, yellow mustard splattered across his white shirt.
"Oh, she's dead," someone muttered behind me.
I wanted to turn and glare at whoever said that, but Ash held my attention completely. He slowly dragged his hand down his shirt, mustard oozing to the floor and coating his palm. Those golden eyes pierced straight through me. I opened my mouth to apologize and was cut off.
"What the hell!" the freckled man exploded. I jerked my gaze toward him. His scowl had somehow deepened further.
"Watch where you're walking!" he snarled. "I've never encountered someone so utterly clueless."
Ash hummed thoughtfully, examining his mustard-covered hand. "Maybe if she wasn't busy undressing Killian with her eyes, she would have paid attention to where she was going," he said coolly, then looked back at me. "Though I should have expected this kind of behavior from a wolfless human."
That cursed word again.
"Ah, I see," the freckled man hissed. "This is the fool who dared to mark you during Basics?"
Mark? Had my scratch really been that deep? I was too busy contemplating my unexpected strength to notice the freckled man stepping closer. His towering height cast me completely in shadow, emphasizing exactly what I was.
A tiny insect among enormous predators.
Furious predators.
"Listen carefully, girl," the man growled.
"Xander," Killian warned, though his tone suggested boredom rather than genuine concern.
Xander.
I knew that name too.
Sweet heaven, were all three of these men supposed to be my potential future husbands?