The Royal Alpha

Chapter 6: Meeting the Familiar Stranger.

The blaring alarm jolts me awake, tearing me out of a restless sleep. I groan softly and reach out to silence it, my head already pounding.

I barely slept at all.

The entire night was plagued by the same dream—over and over again. A massive black wolf with dark blue eyes watched me from the shadows. The eyes followed me wherever I went, sharp and knowing, burning into me with unsettling familiarity. I'm certain I've never seen that wolf before, and yet... the feeling it left behind clung to me even after I woke.

That's why I kept waking up in the middle of the night.

If I ever come across that werewolf, I swear I'll have his head on a platter for ruining my beauty sleep. Because of him, I'm sure I look terrible—on the first day of my training, no less.

I sit up and look around.

I'm in my bed, in the room I now share with my roommate. She isn't here, which means she must already be up and training. Typical. She's... strange. Last night, every time I tried to spend a moment alone with Aztec, she and her brother conveniently appeared, interrupting us under one excuse or another.

I desperately needed that time with him.

I'll deal with her later.

Right now, my priority is looking at least somewhat presentable.

I take a quick shower, letting the cool water wash away the remnants of my restless sleep. Then I pull on the uniform issued to all trainees: knee-length black shorts and a long-sleeved black shirt. Simple. Functional. Unforgiving.

I tie my hair into a high ponytail to keep it out of my way and apply just enough makeup to hide the dark circles beneath my eyes. Training shoes on, shoulders squared, I step out and head toward the meeting hall.

Aztec told me last night that our introduction to the elders and their apprentices would take place there before the evaluation training begins in the clearing behind the building.

When I enter the hall, all five elders are already present, standing at the center with their respective apprentices. Caleb, Kaden, Joshua, and another girl I don't recognize are here as well. Alexandria, unsurprisingly, is not.

I suppress an eye roll. Typical.

I take a moment to observe the elders.

The one on the far left stands tall, his hair streaked with gray, his expression carved from stone as he speaks quietly to the elder beside him. That elder, in contrast, has a relaxed demeanor—a warm, grandfatherly presence that immediately puts me at ease.

The elder in the center has white hair and a slight bend in his posture, yet he radiates wisdom and authority effortlessly. The two elders beside him appear calm but alert, their presence commanding without being overwhelming.

As I move toward the group of trainees, a sudden awareness prickles along my skin.

Someone is watching me.

I glance around—and my gaze collides with his.

The same man from yesterday.

He's staring at me with an intensity that makes my spine tingle. There's curiosity there, familiarity... and something sharper. Anger?

Why would he be angry with me?

He doesn't look like a bad person. If anything, he looks composed, powerful. I offer him a small smile, dismissing the uneasy feeling. He must be mentally evaluating the new trainees.