The Alpha Trials

Chapter 15

To say that I hadn't gotten much sleep after my midnight adventure would be an understatement. Based on Dariya's deep circles under her eyes as we got ready for class and training the next morning, she felt the same way.

I had to give her at least some credit, she didn't ask any questions right away. In fact, she didn't ask any questions at all. Her gaze tried to avoid mine when possible, and it wasn't till the end of breakfast that she was able to look away.

Upon Zeke's request for her to pass the salt, of which she had to hand to me to get to him. In her passing the salt to me, our fingers brushed and she finally met my gaze. There were so many questions in those blue depths, swirling and uncertain. And then it was gone, replaced but nothing at all.

I closed my eyes for a moment and tried to pretend like I hadn't seen anything at all, before I passed the salt to Zeke, who of course picked up on some of the tension between the two of us.

"Are you two ladies alright this morning? We kind of have to remain in the clear with each other if we're going to stay the top team," he said, pointedly looking at me as he spoke.

I knew he wasn't trying to single me out for being weaker than the rest of them, but it seemed that the miracle of luck that had granted me their favor during the running was starting to wear out more quickly than it had come.

Dariya saved me from having to answer, as she cleared her throat and plastered the most fake smile I'd ever seen onto her pretty face. "Yes, we're just fine. We were up late discussing plans of making Brynn more suitable to the New Blood pack life is all," she said, earning a few chuckles from some of the others at the table.

"Don't let their talk discourage you," Ryker said quietly from across the table, before proceeding to stare down each and every one of our other team mates.

His words might have made me feel better, had Hogan not snorted a laugh and shook his head. "She's not a child, Ryker. You don't have to protect from the big bad bullies who are actually just her friends. We all know that if she goes down, then we go down with her. So what if she needs a little more time adjusting, who cares."

It was odd, no doubt. I could tell that Hogan wasn't trying to be cruel, but he also wasn't going out of his way to be kind either. With his background, I wasn't sure he knew how.

Raiden was sitting beside his twin, silent as ever, but staring at me with unblinking hazel eyes that seemed to hold at least some form of apology in them. Whether it was an apology for his brother, or for my situation, I wasn't yet sure.

We weren't given much more time to think it over, as the Captain walked in, a typical grin plastered across his handsome face. His eyes shone brightly, and despite the long night we'd had, there were no dark circles under his eyes or signs of weariness.

He certainly looked better than Dariya and myself, and I would be lying if I said I wasn't a mixture of horrified and jealous of that. Would I too need to find that kind of composure after what was likely just one sleepless night in a long succession of exhaustion?

"Good morning, my lovely recruits. I hope you slept well, but judging by the looks on some of your faces, that all may just be some wishful thinking," he chuckled, looking around the room, not stopping on myself as he did.

His words made me think though. It seemed like he was calling me out, but upon looking around the room I wasn't the only one with dark circles and blurry eyes. Even looking back to my own table I noticed that the twins and Zeke all seemed just as tired as myself.

What could they possibly have been doing to warrant them that ill rested? Whatever it was, it made fear worm around in my stomach. Or maybe it was just nerves. At this point I couldn't actually be certain.