"You may be disappointed if you fail but you are doomed if you don't try." - Beverly Sills

J o r d y n ✤ T a m e

I WAKE UP with my eyes bloodshot wide. The knock on the door caused my body to jerk up.

"You have fifteen minutes to get prepared for the educational facility." The familiar voice of Mason hit my ears.

I groaned before heading over to my dresser. The mirror that sat above it showed my reflection. My chestnut hair was all over my face, and my green eyes were dark and clouded.

I walked into the bathroom, lazily grabbing my new toothbrush and spreading toothpaste over the bristles. My movements were sluggish, but I managed to finish brushing before stepping into the shower. Five minutes was all I needed to wash up, the hot water barely registering as I rushed through my routine.

Once I was out, I threw on a pair of ripped, loose-fitting jeans and a cropped purple sweater. I slipped on my white Converse, their worn edges familiar under my fingers as I tied the laces. Standing in front of the mirror, I quickly brushed my hair and tied it up into a high ponytail, letting a few loose strands frame my face.

I checked my phone to see if I had any messages, but I had none. I only had a notification about this website I subscribed to months before. My heart sunk.

Mom and Dad hadn't texted yet.

Mason's hard hand hit the door again. "Come on, Jordyn. We have a schedule to keep up with."

I sighed in slight annoyance before putting my phone in my tote bag and slinging it to my side.

I opened the door slowly, casting a glance back at Mason. He smiled with amusement and nodded toward the other side of the hall.

━━༻❁༺━━

The human educational facility was another connected building to the pack house. Side by side Mason and I approached the building before entering the door.

As I stepped into the building, a wave of nervousness washed over me. My hands began to tremble, prompting Mason to glance at me with concern.

Inside, young adults around my age were scattered throughout the space. Some were reading, others engaged in conversations, while a few sat quietly, awaiting their instructor. The moment I entered, all eyes turned toward me.

I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and reopened them, trying to steady my nerves. Turning to Mason, I shook my head frantically, signaling my unease.

"You know Mason, I don't think this is a good idea. I-I don't think I should be here."

Mason narrowed his eyes at me before rolling them. "They're human, just like you. I don't understand your dilemma."

I slowly turned my head towards the large group of students before wincing with anxiety. This day reminded me of the first day of school. I had always gotten a tremendous amount of anxiety before beginning the day.

"I'll be here to walk you back after the session ends." Mason told me before leaving me there to handle this on my own.

I gulped before heading further into the room and finding a seat. Students' harsh and curious stares eyed me as I walked. The beating of my heart increased its frequency.

Usually, my father would be here to guide me through this. He was the only one that was the closest to understanding my anxiety.

I then remembered that I was thousands of miles away from him and I had to go throughout this day without any of his encouragement.

I found a seat at a round table toward the back. As I settled in, I sighed in relief when everyone's attention finally shifted elsewhere.

"You're sitting at the wrong table," a feminine voice remarked, prompting me to look up.

She had long, sleek blonde hair and bright blue eyes. A smug grin played on her lips as she fiddled with the strap of her backpack.

"I mean," She started off a little flustered. She sat down across from me. "You are the chosen girl. I just suspected that you would sit up in the front. My friends and I usually sit back here." She revealed.

I nodded sighing to myself once again.

They knew.

Everyone knew.

That's why they were staring. They knew I was the girl that was chosen by their Alpha. The Alpha that gave everyone curiosity.

I got up causing her to widen her eyes. "Wait, where are you going?"

I gave her a look of confusion. "Isn't this your table?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

She chuckled softly. "Yeah, but I didn't mean it that way. You should sit here." She muttered before whispering, "The people in the back always find ways to pass Mrs. Gemini's exams without getting caught."

I chuckled softly causing her to smile. "Good." She said in relief. "You have a sense of humor. You're even more welcome to sit here."

I sat down and began unpacking my books. "Were you serious about the whole cheating thing?" I asked quietly, prompting her to shake her head.

"Nah," she replied. "Cheating didn't get me into this facility. Hard work did."

I nodded in agreement. I remembered that getting placed into a supernatural sovereign's human facility was challenging. You had to be at the top of your class... unless you were chosen during the liberation.

I couldn't help but feel out of place. All these students had worked hard to get where they were, while I had simply caught the eye of their leader.

"Brooke," she suddenly said, extending her hand.

I took her hand and shook it gently. "Jo—"

"I know," she interrupted before I could say anything. "We all know."

Right.

"We were just informed about your qualities. I heard you were one of the best in your class," she said, sensing my discomfort.

She grabbed her books and placed them on the table.

I frowned. I was among the best, but not the top. Most of the students here were at the top. It took more than being part of the best to be placed in these human facilities. It took being the best.

"So, do you like it here?" I asked, causing her to grin thoughtfully.

"Yeah, this program is amazing. I'm learning more than I ever did back at Bufford," she told me before writing something down.

I sat there awkwardly, wondering if I should even try to make mutual friendships here. Talia and I's friendship had been inauspicious. We viewed our society differently, but I never thought she would make up something so erroneous.

I thought I could let go of what Talia had done, but I couldn't. I couldn't let her actions go. The situation would replay in my head nightly.

"What about you?" she asked, catching me off guard. "Do you enjoy it here?"

I nodded to myself. I would be lying if I said that life here wasn't quite amusing. "Yeah," I breathed out. "I just miss my family."

She nodded at me, her blue eyes darkening. "I feel you. I miss my family too. But you can't help but feel like being here is not just helping yourself but your family also."

I smiled. "Yeah, you're right."

"Brooke!" a brown-haired girl called while running toward her. Her tan skin was flawless, and her hair was messy but in a good way. When she reached the table, she was out of breath. "N-no exam t-today. I overheard some professors talking—We can all thank that girl Alpha Lexis chose at the liberation."

The people who overheard either cheered or glared at me. I sank in my chair, now overwhelmed by the unwanted attention.

"You mean her..." Brooke said, rolling her eyes at her clueless friend.

The brown-eyed, brown-haired girl eyed me with a dumbfounded expression on her face. She turned to Brooke with embarrassed eyes. "Thanks, Brooke. You really know how to introduce your friend to new people," she said sarcastically.

The girl groaned before turning to me with a shy smile. "Sorry about that. I'm Lisa. You must be Jordyn."

"It's cool. I've had my fair share of awkward experience since I got here." I said joked, causing her to chuckle softly.

Lisa turned to Brooke. "You better not leave Able hanging."

Able?

Suddenly, a brown-haired, brown-eyed boy in a maroon T-shirt walked into the room. He strode over to the table with a boyish charm, making me look in awe. His confidence was radiant, and some of the girls in class noticed that too.

"Guys, did you hear about not having an exam because of—"

"Mhm..." Lisa groaned, warning Able before he finished his sentence. Able's soft eyes fell on mine, and a smile formed on his lips. "This is Jordyn, Able."

Able extended his hand in politeness. "Able," he said while shaking my hand.

"Alright, class! Let's quiet down. The class is beginning." The voice of Mrs. Gemini exclaimed.

━━༻❁༺━━

After class, I made sure to leave before everyone else. Though Mason had offered to escort me this morning, I didn't want to risk the students seeing that. It would show privilege, and I'd learned how people react to those with privilege. I would feel even more ostracized than I already did.

"You walk quite fast, you know that?" A familiar voice reached my ears. I turned to see Able trying to catch up with me.

"Just have places to be," I muttered, maintaining my pace.

He chuckled. "You don't want people to see you walk out with a guard." He said, causing me to stop and turn to him.

"How did you know that?" I questioned him.

He smiled. "A guard was back there looking for you. I told him you had already left."

I sighed in slight embarrassment. I hoped Mason wasn't too worried about me and that he hadn't made a scene while looking for me.

"Where are you heading?" He asked, glancing over at the main building.

"Back to my place."

He nodded. "Then I'll be your escort. We wouldn't want a VIP getting hurt, now would we?" He joked, causing me to return a smug grin.

I decided to play along. "Well, since I am a VIP..."

━━༻❁༺━━

We made our way to the main building while consumed into our conversation.

"So you're into art?" Able questioned in shock. "What form?"

"Sculpting, painting, drawing, and conceptual art. Basically, all the ones I can do and understand well." I answered while walking ahead of him.

He took my hand bringing me back. "Hey," He said. "aren't escorts the ones that lead?"

I chuckled at his humor. Hanging with Able made me wish that Lexis would interact with me like this. Though dinner with the Alpha was somewhat enjoyable, this banter with Able was easy and didn't feel like pulling teeth.

"You're doing too much." I retorted playfully.

Able and I continued laughing causing us to capture the stares of pack members nearby.

"Jordyn?" A low voice called for me. My body felt chills at the baritone.

Only one person I knew held that kind of odd effect on me.

Lexis.

Both Able and I turned our heads towards the voice. There he was. Alpha Lexis was eyeing the both of us. His jaw ticked; His blue eyes were dark and concentrated. It was a staring contest, and he was winning.

"May I see you for a sec?" Lexis asked but it was more like an order. There was a hint of anger in his voice.

I nodded at him before turning to Able and offering a smile. He returned the gesture, though with a hint of hesitation, before walking away. I approached Lexis with a slight sense of apprehension, trying to anticipate what might have triggered his reaction.

"How was school?" He asked me softly taking me by surprise.

I shrugged. "It went pretty well."

"I was informed by Mason that you were nervous."

As he spoke, his sharp jawline moved so naturally, and I found myself struggling to keep up with the conversation.

"I was at first, but I met some pretty cool people," I replied.

Lexis clicked his tongue, his eyes now masked with no emotion. "Like that boy?" He muttered.

I furrowed my brows at him in worry. "Yeah," I started off. "He's really kind."

Lexis' eyes glazed over, a contrast of his natural pigment and a darker hue overtaking them. "I don't want you hanging out with him," he said, making me scoff.

I narrowed my eyes at him hoping he was joking but after a few seconds I realized that he was not. He barely knew me but he is trying to dictate who I associated myself with?

"You're unbelievable." I retorted, rolling my eyes. "Didn't you hear what I just said? I said he was kind to me."

His emotionless face frightened me a little. How was he so good at keeping his body language in check? No ounce of his displeasure was able to be witnessed by the human eye.

"I know. But from what I saw, he's pushing his boundaries. I don't want you around him."

I scoffed in frustration before chuckling at his reasoning. He may be an Alpha but he had no right. He can't pick and choose who he wanted me around.

"Alpha Lexis, I think you're the one who's pushing the boundaries." I snapped before walking off.

A part of me wondered if he would call after me but that never happened. He just did what I expected him to do.

He stayed silent and watched me go.

━━༻❁༺━━

"Okay, so I took the time to copy all the notes for the next exam on Friday." Brooke said passing a copy to me and Lisa. "Now where's Able? Class is about to start in a few and he hasn't even dropped off his stuff."

As on cue, Able walked into the classroom. I gave him a small smile as he approached the table but he didn't return it. In fact, he walked passed the table and sat up in the front.

Lisa rolled her eyes. "Brooke, what the hell did you say to him this time?"

Brooke shook her head, clearly clueless about the reason behind his behavior.

I couldn't help but clench my jaw in anger. I knew why Able was acting this way. It wasn't because of Brooke.

It was because of Alpha Lexis Blade.

━━༻❁༺━━

My fist banged on Lexis' door with impatience. I would count down to three, and then I would bang again.

Lexis opened the door and stared down at me clearly unimpressed. His presence oddly affected my anger causing me to soften my clenched jaw.

"May I help you?" He questioned me.

"What the hell did you say to Able?" I gritted out.

His expression doesn't change—still cold, still unbothered, as if my words were nothing more than a faint breeze passing by.

The tension in the room thickened as I crossed my arms, the frustration bubbling up inside me threatening to spill over.

"Hello?" I said, my tone even sharper this time. "Earth to Alpha. Are you planning on saying something, or do I need to schedule an appointment for your attention?"

Lexis sighed and moved to the side, allowing me to step inside. As I entered the dimly lit room, my body tensed, my thoughts pulling me back to the last time we were here.

His piercing glare followed me as he stood by the door. He opened his mouth as if to speak but hesitated, closing it again.

"You must answer my question," I said, my voice low but firm, refusing to break eye contact.

"I don't answer to you." He suddenly said. "In fact, you answer to me. I am your Alpha."

So now he finally wanted to play that card.

I let out a shocked breath. "Very well then," I said, forcing my voice to remain calm as I turned on my heel and headed toward the door.

"I warned him," his voice entered my ears stopping me in my tracks.

I turned around running a hand through my hair in frustration before locking eyes with him again. "And thanks to you, he's not talking to me anymore," I snapped.

Lexis narrowed his eyes at me, his lips twitching as if biting back a retort. Then, just loud enough for me to hear, he muttered, "I don't know why you enjoyed hanging out with that boy anyway."

"Because I enjoyed his company!" I shouted, the words bursting out before I could stop them. For the first time, Lexis' emotionless mask cracked. His sharp blue eyes dropped to the floor, and I caught a flicker of vulnerability.

"You don't enjoy mine?" he asked quietly, his tone uncharacteristically uncertain.

There was something in his voice, something raw, that only pushed me to say more.

"Able's company is different from yours," I said, my voice steady. "It's less cold. He cares about what I'm into. He's not afraid to be himself. He treated me like I was just... normal."

Lexis sank down onto his bed, threading his fingers through his hair in frustration. I could see I was getting under his skin, and instead of stopping, I felt a fire ignite within me—a bitter satisfaction.

"So, yeah," I continued with my tone sharp. "I do enjoy his company more than yours."

Lexis froze for a moment, his hand stilling in his hair. Then, slowly, he lifted his head to look at me. There was no anger in his gaze—just a quiet pain that took me by surprise. For once, his cold facade had completely crumbled.

"Stop," he growled, his voice tight with restraint. Something in the way he said it made my stomach twist, but I didn't back down.

"No," I say firmly, stepping closer. "I need you to tell me what you're holding back."

Lexis shut his eyes and when they opened back up, I gasped, my breath catching in my throat. His eyes—those sharp blue orbs—are no longer blue. They glow an eerie, bright orange, like embers ready to ignite.

Before I could fully process what I'm seeing, his body started to tremble, his movements jerky and unnatural. The air around him feels electric, charged with something I couldn't understand. Instinctively, I stepped back with my heart hammering in my chest.

"Would you please shut the hell up!" he hollered, his voice reverberating through the room like a thunderclap.

I went too far. I did this to him. I pushed him too hard and now something was rising in him.

"W-What's the matter?" I questioned. "D-Do you want me to get a doctor?"

Lexis stood up from his bed with his fists clenched tightly. I backed away a little bit more in fear. I watched as he took deep breaths as if trying to contain himself but it did not look to be working.

"You need to leave." He growled. "Please. I don't want him to hurt you."

Him?

Him as in his wolf...or what Lexis has described as worse.

I was petrified. I couldn't move. The voice in my head was screaming at me to move, but I just stood there watching the beast within Lexis come out of the dark.

"You have to listen to me," he said, his voice tight and desperate as he tried to get my attention. "I know you're scared, but you can't just stand there. You have to leave," he gritted out through clenched teeth.

I nodded, my movements hesitant as I backed away slowly. My anxiety churned in my chest, fogging my thoughts and making every motion feel sluggish like I was moving through water.

Lexis's nails grew longer, sharp and claw-like. He lashed out, striking the walls, his movements wild and erratic. The sharp sound of splintering wood filled the room, making me flinch.

With trembling fingers, I reached for the doorknob and twisted it, forcing myself not to look back. I stepped through the doorway, pulling the door shut behind me and pressing my back firmly against it. My breath came in shallow gasps, my heart pounding as I braced myself, terrified he might try to break through.

A guttural growl rumbled from behind the door, followed by the sound of crashing furniture.

I stood frozen against the door, my mind racing and flashing back to the past. I had heard that specific growl before—that same, bone-chilling sound.

In the forest across from The Courtesy Inn. The beast that I witnissed kill a man in less than a second.

To be continued...

━━༻❁༺━━

Xoxo

-V

© All Rights Reserved(victoriapinkglitter)

Edited.