"Why are we doing this again...?" Blaze grumbled, his ear length blonde hair whipping about in the wind which seemed to enjoy battering them about as they raced across the flat plains. "The Alpha Trials are coming up soon... Shouldn't we be preparing for them instead?"

"Blythe said this'd be good team training." The infamous Alpha Prince shouted over the wailing wind. "And that's supposed to be a big part of the Trials..."

"We might as well just roll with it." Hunter, the brunette Alpha-in-training, said, cycling past the exhausted blonde, taking his place at the front of the smaller team they'd broken off into. "There's no arguing with that man—even Arrow can't, and he's probably the closest to him."

"Besides, it's a good way for us to show our skills to the public." The red-eyed blonde spoke, smiling faintly as he stared at the road ahead, taking note of the sign informing them that they were in the last twenty kilometres.

"I suppose..." Blaze shrugged. "It all depends on whether someone catches up to us or not..."

Hunter glanced back at the other blonde. "Is there anyone behind us, Thorn?"

"N—Wait..." Red eyes narrowed on the six approaching figures in the distance. "Seems like the other two have caught up... along with that group of women competing..." He said, watching as slowly, but surely, two other Alphas-in-training joined the line with the rest of Genesis's supposed teammates in tow.

"Ladies." Blaze nodded at them, peering back at the other two of his companions who'd joined the lead pack. "Couldn't keep them back, huh?"

"Shut up." Purple eyes glared pointedly at him. "They aren't too terrible... They're just horribly obsessed with winning."

"We're tired too, idiot." The third blonde scowled. "Don't forget that massive hill we just pulled you up."

"Meh. Anyone could've done that." Blaze smirked.

"Blaze, I don't care if you're my best friend..." The brunette hissed. "After we get off these bikes, I will hit you."

"Hit me?" He grinned. "You're such a girl, Blaine."

A loud snap cut their conversation, all eyes falling on the lead woman's pedal which was now in two pieces. Curses filled the air, the sound of painful grunts and bikes slamming into the ground making the trainee Alphas wince as they glanced back at the pile up.

Their luck had run out.

"That didn't sound fun..." Thorn mumbled.

"No kidding."

"Guess it won't be much of a competition after all." Blaze sighed, blinking as the sound of voices reached him, eyes swivelling to lock on the source of the commotion behind him.

"Out of the way, git."

"Move."

"Make me!"

Heads bashed together, helmets clashing as two more riders came into view over the small hill. Spade grinned, eyes darting forward, having caught sight of the lead pack no more than twenty metres ahead of them.

"I'll make you stare at my back this time."

Genesis snorted. "Good luck with that."

"You're going down this time around!"

"You say that every time."

"Umm..." Blaine blinked, watching as the two passed him on the outside. "Thorn! Rylan!"

"Looks like we'd better start getting serious..." The Alpha Prince trailed off, glancing at the red-eyed blonde behind him. "Thorn, let's go."

"We won't let them reach you." Blaze said, grinning as he moved to block their path. "Go."

"Tch, Spade, just shut up and ride." Genesis smiled, albeit a bit sadly. "This is the last time we'll race against each other."

Spade's shoulders sunk. "I know."

"First and second place?"

"Of course. Do you really think these muppets can stop us?"

Blaze scowled. "Might these muppets remind you that they're going to be your Alphas in a few years' time?!"

"Yep, and I'm sure you'll all remember that time you got beaten by two awesome girls..." Spade winked, overtaking him in an instant. "Come on, damned demon. We've got two more idiots to overtake."

"Demon?"

"My pal over there." Spade said, pointing at Genesis's figure up ahead. "It's what everyone calls her when she's on the road."

"I'll leave you behind at this rate, Spade." Her friend called. "Stop flirting and get your game face on!"

"Flirting?" One eye twitched, three playing cards appearing between her fingers in a flash of light, sailing straight towards their opponents in seconds. "Have fun." She smiled as the three she'd used her Gift on slowed down rather suddenly. Another set of three cards appeared, though that time they were used on her own body, her feet turning her pedals even faster as she used her ability on herself.

Genesis smiled, watching as Spade sped past her, closing her eyes as she activated her own ability. Her hair, once a deep inky black turned a burnished shade of crimson, glowing with red light. Eyes snapped back open, the bloody colour carefully concealed behind tinted frames. Blood pounded deep in her veins, her lips clamped shut over the two fangs that had popped down, and then she was gone in a flash of red, leaving four exhausted and rather confused Alpha trainees in her wake.

They caught up to the other two in no time at all, startling the pair as they rode towards their goal.

"Thorn." Rylan barked.

The red-eyed blonde nodded, his hair turning an unnatural shade of white, lightning sparking around him as he overtook the Alpha Prince in seconds, not bothering to watch as he took care of the pair and their Gifts with a single word.

"Counter." Pale blue eyes narrowed, a small smile spreading across his face as Spade returned to her normal speed.

Genesis, on the other hand, was completely unaffected much to his surprise.

"What?" He could only stare as the girl raced after his friend.

"Pft... As if your puny Gift could stop that monster." Spade laughed, cycling alongside the Alpha Prince.

"But—"

"She's called the Red-Haired Demon Flash for a reason, you know..."

***

It'd been a closer call than Genesis would've liked to admit, and she'd used her ability as much as she could with a sharp-eyed Alpha trainee at her side... who was no doubt going to blab to the Alphas about her later.

Still, she'd won—and that was the main thing.

"That was a good race." Thorn stuck out his hand, watching as various people came and took their bikes off their hands.

Genesis nodded as her hair returned to its usual black, shaking his proffered hand quickly, hands trembling as she reached for her bottle... only to find out it was empty.

Not good.

"Here." He offered out one of his own. "It's a fresh one."

"It's fine." She shook her head, biting down on her lip as she stared at the pulsating veins in his neck. "I'll get some in my tent."

"It's not that much of a big deal." He held it out, staring at her determinedly. "Go on. I insist." Curiosity lined his gaze, watching as she stumbled away from him, clutching at her throat. "Are you alright?"

"Thirsty."

"So drink."

"Here." An opaque bottle appeared in front of her, a set of warm brown eyes staring down at her knowingly. "Sorry about that. She's fussy about what she drinks."

"Father." Her nodded at the priest whilst Genesis proceeded to down the contents of the bottle. "What brings you to a cycling race?"

"I came to see the little lost lamb who's under my care." He said, adjusting his white tab collar with one hand, the other being busy ruffling Genesis's hair. "This was her first Tour de Lupus..."

"And she won the thing..." Thorn muttered, blinking as he felt himself lifted off his feet. "Oy! Finar, I can walk!"

"Shut up and go and sit down in your tent, idiot."

"Um..." Thorn stared at him. "If you put me down, I might go and do that."

"Tch." Alpha Finar sighed, his eyes narrowing at Genesis, his nose twitching ever so slightly.

"I've got her, Alpha. Don't worry." The priest said, carefully throwing one arm around his shoulder. "You should get your protegee back to his tent. From the looks of things, he could use a nice long rest too." And with that said, the priest turned his back on the pair, all but carrying Genesis away from the commotion.

Alpha senses were sharp, after all.

Sharp enough to catch the scent of the single droplet of blood rolling down from the corner of Genesis's mouth.

Blood that wasn't hers.

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ILLENIS HERE

Sorry this book is a bit of a slow starter. I hope you'll stick with it, though, because things will get more interesting, I promise.

This chapter has now been edited.

Until next time, I suppose...

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