Witch in wolf's clothing - Namaari

Chapter 10: Shake Things Up

I approach the dormitory attendant, a young man who looks me up and down before speaking, "We don't have a special section for women here because we've never had a woman in the dorms before. But your room is on the top floor, closest to the stairs, so if there's anything you need, you can come down easily."

I think to myself, another room where I have to climb a bunch of stairs. Too bad I can't just teleport up there. I reply aloud, "I guess I won't need yoga mats to keep fit here."

He continues, informing me that the communal bathrooms are at the end of the hallway on the second floor. I raise an eyebrow, "So I have to shower with men around?"

He shrugs indifferently, "I don't care, figure it out. Most students here sleep until at least 7 AM with all the parties at night, so I'd suggest getting up early if you want to shower in peace."

I sigh, realizing I'm not much of a morning person. Great, now I have to wake up early every day just to shower in peace. He points me toward the staircase leading upstairs and adds, "And I'd recommend not wandering the halls alone after 10 PM. Lots of parties mean there might be some drunk wolves around, and you know how that can be..."

Rolling my eyes, I head up the stairs towards my bedroom. It's a shame Willow, Ebony, and Kieko aren't staying in the dorms. They all live close to the university and choose not to sleep here. The packhouse isn't far either, especially by car. But apparently, they prefer me to be here rather than wandering around there too much. Well, it can't be worse than the attic room... Maybe it's good to have some space from the triplets and their stoic mindset.

I step into my small yet comfortable room. It's not spacious, but it feels cozy enough for now. Finally, I can unpack my bag of clothes a bit and make myself at home. There's a sink in the room, so I decide to freshen up, change into my pajamas. Sitting down at the desk, I take a moment to review my notes from today's classes, organizing my thoughts for tomorrow.

Afterwards, I settle into bed, with Zephyr nestled next to me on the pillow. This time, I set my alarm for 5:30 AM; that way, I can fit in a morning run, take a shower, and even grab breakfast in the cafeteria before classes begin. Establishing this routine gives me a sense of structure, which I find comforting in this new environment.

The next day unfolds rather calmly, if you discount Kaynim’s watchful eye during class, leading to several heated exchanges between us. In the hallways, Tazzym is a familiar sight, often caught kissing girls. Zyméo, on the other hand, seems elusive, presumably spending his free time with his girlfriend. Their fields of study — Stealth and Reconnaissance for Tazzym, and Combat Training and Defense Tactics for Zyméo — barely intersect with my courses.

With fewer classes scheduled on Tuesday, I find ample time to study, catch up with home where I paint a rosy picture of my welcome, and discreetly work on a concoction in my room. Fortunately, I brought some herbs with me, and with Zephyr's help, managed to smuggle a few pots from the dorm's communal kitchen to my quarters. The brew will be needed for tomorrow's session in the training room with the girls.

As I'm brewing the concoction, I suddenly receive a message notification. Glancing at my phone, I see it's from an unknown number. I open it and read the message, where someone is asking Nikolaj about who Ari really is and why she knows so much about pack dynamics, especially for an Omega. Questioning the purpose of her pursuing such a master's program.

Kaynim… Sneaky bastard, trying to dig into my background, I think to myself with a smirk. I decide to reply briefly to Kaynim, "Hi Kaynim, in our kingdom, Omegas play an integral role in pack business too. Ari is incredibly sharp and deserves the chance to expand her knowledge. Maybe this is an opportunity to be open to different perspectives. See ya.”

I mutter a small incantation to make the message appear as if it's coming from Nikolaj's phone number instead of my own.

Soon enough, Kaynim responds, still clearly skeptical about the whole idea. “If you see potential in Ari, I'll keep an open mind. Just not sure how much she can bring to the table. She'll need to prove herself. Let's see how this plays out.”

I can't help but laugh softly to myself, amused by the subtle challenge I've posed. "Open-minded, yeah right," I murmur, setting my phone down. "We'll see about that."

I arrive early the next day at the women's training room, carrying the concoction I brewed last night. Standing squarely in the center, I pour the mixture onto the floor while intoning an incantation I invented myself. A swirling cloud of smoke envelops the room, momentarily obscuring everything from view.

When the smoke dissipates, a transformation has taken place. What was once a bare practice area is now adorned with the finest combat and training equipment imaginable. Targets for precision strikes hang on the walls, mats for grappling and sparring are neatly laid out, and racks of weapons gleam under the bright lights.

"Way to shake things up, Namaari!" Zephyr says from his perch on my head, injecting a playful twist into the seriousness of the moment. I can't help but grin at the success of my spellwork.

Zephyr crawls down from my shoulder to the floor, disappearing from sight. "What are you up to, Zephyr?" I ask, just as the three girls walk in. Willow inquires if anyone else is here because she heard me talking to someone.

"No, just talking to myself," I say with a smirk. Then Willow notices the transformed room. The other two girls are equally amazed.

"How did you manage this?" Ebony asks. Kieko adds, "Even my dad couldn't get us proper equipment, and he works here."

"I have my ways," I reply with a playful wink.

I begin teaching the girls the basics of combat techniques. We practice for three hours straight. By the end, Ebony and Kieko are sprawled on the floor, panting heavily. Willow is still standing, but sweat is pouring off her. I, on the other hand, am still full of energy.

"From now on, every session will be like this, ladies," I announce with enthusiasm. "And once you have mastered these techniques, I'll request that we join the men in their training sessions."

Ebony groans from her position on the floor, "Every session? You're going to kill us, Ari."

Kieko, still catching her breath, adds, "Yeah, and how do you expect us to keep up with the guys? They’ve been doing this for years!"

Willow, wiping sweat from her forehead, gives me a determined look. "I'm in. If this is what it takes to prove ourselves, then let's do it. Just... maybe give us a day to recover first?" She finishes with a weak smile.

I smile at the girls, my determination unwavering. "I know it's tough, but if we want to be taken seriously, we have to be relentless. One day to recover, and then we’re back at it. We’ll prove we belong in those classes with the guys. Trust me, it’ll be worth it."

Willow nods, wiping sweat from her brow. "I'm in. We can do this."

Ebony groans but gives a thumbs up from the floor. "Fine, but I'm not looking forward to the soreness tomorrow.";

Kieko, still catching her breath, manages a grin. "If we survive this, we can survive anything. Let's do it."

The girls leave the training room, chatting and laughing about their progress and how sore they'll be tomorrow. I stay behind, feeling the adrenaline still coursing through me. I grab the Bo staff and start running through some exercises, focusing on my form and precision.

Suddenly, I hear a cough behind me. Startled, I spin around and drop the staff. Ezekiel stands there, a grin on his face.

"I can explain," I blurt out, a bit embarrassed.

Ezekiel chuckles. "Explain what? That you’ve got beauty, brains, and some impressive combat skills?"

I relax a little, picking up the Bo staff. "Well, I just didn’t expect anyone to be here."

"Clearly," he says, leaning casually against the wall. "But I'm glad I was. You’re really good."

"Thanks," I say, feeling a blush creep up my cheeks. "I’ve had a lot of practice."

"I can see that. What’s your story, Ari? You seem to have a lot of layers."

I shrug, trying to play it cool. "Just a girl with a lot of interests and a knack for getting into trouble."

Ezekiel laughs softly. "Trouble, huh? Somehow, I can’t picture you as the troublemaking type."

"Oh, you’d be surprised," I reply, twirling the Bo staff absentmindedly. "So, what brings you here?"

"I was actually looking for you," he admits. "And I didn’t know you had such a nice training space."

"I didn’t either," I murmur, glancing around the room.

Ezekiel smiles. "How about we spar together?"

I feel a surge of excitement. "You wouldn’t mind sparring with a woman and an Omega?"

He shakes his head. "Ari, I stopped seeing you as just an Omega or a woman since that first class. It would be an honor to spar with you."

We start sparring, moving in sync with each other. Ezekiel shows me some new defensive tricks, but I end up teaching him more than he expected. His calm demeanor and genuine interest make the session enjoyable and challenging. We finally stop when we’re both exhausted. We laugh, catching our breath.

"This was great," Ezekiel says, still smiling. "We should do this more often. But I have to leave now; I have a theory class, and I hope I can keep my focus after this workout."

I laugh too. "I need to get to class soon as well, but we’ll definitely do this again!"