The wolf without a howl

Aurelia Vale's POV Everyone knew my name. That was the issue. If I had been born to ordinary parents, maybe no one would have noticed that I was different. That I was strange. But I was not born to ordinary parents. I was the daughter of Seraphina Vale. My mother was one of the most powerful werewolves in the supernatural world. People respected her, feared her. Even obeyed her. Which is why everyone expected me to be like her. Powerful. Fear-inspiring. Exceptional. But I was not. At least, not like they wanted me to be. I was just another disappointment of Seraphina Vale. Eighteen years old and my wolf had never awakened. For werewolves, the awakening was sacred. It was the day when we finally touched the wolf inside of us for the first time. Some awoke early. Some late. But eventually, we all found our wolf. All of us except for me. I still remembered the day I had stood in the awakening chamber as a child, eyes closed, waiting for a voice to call out to me. Waiting for something. Anything. But there had been nothing. Just silence. At first, they told me not to worry. "She is still young." Then more time passed. "Some wolves take longer to awaken." Then more time passed. And the whispers started. "Seraphina Vale's daughter has no wolf." "The human blood tainted her." "Imagine being born into the Vale family and failing to even awaken!" I tried not to let their words affect me. But they did. They always did. --- The morning of my departure for Blackthorn Academy, I stood in front of the mirror in my bedroom, staring at my reflection. The uniform for Blackthorn Academy was already laid out on the bed. It looked beautiful. Elegant. Powerful. Black and silver, the colors of one of the most prestigious supernatural academies in the world. I looked good in it. In fact, I looked like I belonged there. But I didn't. Not really. A knock sounded at the door. "Come in," I said. My mother stepped inside the room. Seraphina Vale did not need to announce her presence. The air around her shifted when she entered a room, making it feel colder somehow. She looked at me for a long moment before speaking. "Your car is waiting." I nodded. We stood in silence for a moment before I finally asked the question that had been burning in my mind for weeks. "What if nothing happens?" My mother did not seem surprised by my question at all. "What if I arrive at Blackthorn Academy and my wolf still does not awaken?" Her gaze was calm, unreadable. "Then you will learn the truth about yourself." I looked down at my hands. I wanted her to say something else. I wanted her to reassure me that no matter what happened, I would still be her daughter. But Seraphina Vale was not the type to waste words. "You will learn the truth about yourself," she repeated. "Blackthorn Academy will allow you to awaken your wolf," I said quietly. "Do not waste it." I picked up my bag. "I won't." --- The black SUV drove away from the city, leaving the Vale residence behind. I watched the world pass by the window: buildings, cars, and people. It was all very normal. Ordinary, even. But it wasn't really. Hidden among the normal humans were werewolves, gifted individuals, and ancient supernatural families. Blackthorn Academy was the place where many of them trained. Where they learned to control their powers. Where they fought each other. And where the strong survived while the weak were forgotten. I looked down at my hands again. What category did I fall under? --- When the car finally came to a stop, I looked up at the sight before me. Blackthorn Academy was enormous. It was not a castle or an ancient fortress, as I had expected. It was a modern academy, fit for the most powerful supernatural beings in the world. Dark buildings of glass towered over the campus. Massive arenas were scattered around the grounds. Groups of students walked up and down the street, carrying bags and talking to each other. Luxurious cars were parked all over the parking lot. Powerful families had sent their children to Blackthorn Academy from all across the world. I stepped out of the car and immediately felt dozens of pairs of eyes on me. Whispers followed as I walked up the steps of the academy. "Is that Aurelia Vale?" "The daughter of Seraphina Vale?" "I heard her wolf has not awakened yet!" I ignored them. I had spent my entire life being judged by people like them. I was not going to let them ruin my first day at Blackthorn Academy. I headed to the administration block where I was registered and assigned to my room --- Inside the building, I was led to my room. My roommate was waiting for me when I got there. A girl with brown hair and a bright smile looked up from her things. "You must be Aurelia," she said. I stopped in my tracks. "Yes," I said. The girl smiled. "I'm Maya Brooks. Looks like we're roommates." Unlike the people outside, Maya did not seem surprised to see me. She did not stare at me like I was some kind of monster. She did not mention my mother or my wolf. She just smiled. "Nice to meet you." I found myself smiling back. "Nice to meet you too." Maybe this place would not be as bad as I thought. --- After I had settled in, Maya offered to take me round the academy. "Trust me," she said, "you will need a tour guide. This place is confusing." She showed me around, pointing out various places such as the classrooms, training halls, dorms, and dining hall. Then she gestured toward the large building in front of us. "That is where the Student Council is," she said. I looked at the building. "Student Council?" I asked. Maya nodded. "But don't think it is anything like the student council back home." She lowered her voice. "The President controls everything." "The President?" I asked. "Xavi Blackwood," Maya replied. The name was familiar to me. Everyone knew who Xavi Blackwood was. "He is the strongest student in Blackthorn," Maya said. "No one has ever defeated him." I listened in silence as Maya continued to explain. "After the President, the next strongest students are the Highborn. There are three of them, and they serve as the President's assistants." "Then what?" I asked. "Iron Fang. Silver Fang. New Blood." She looked at me. "And Omega," she said. The lowest rank. The students who had not awakened their wolves. My stomach twisted. Because deep down, I knew where I would be ranked. --- That evening, a deep bell sounded throughout the academy. All conversations were silenced. The students fell silent as well, falling into line as the bell tolled. Maya grabbed my arm. "The opening ceremony is about to start," she said. We joined the other new students as they walked into the grand hall. The doors opened to reveal hundreds of us standing in the chamber. The lights dimmed, and the room fell silent as everyone waited. Tomorrow, we would begin our training. Tomorrow, we would b e ranked. But tonight... we would face the moment we had all been waiting for. The Awakening Ceremony. I placed my hand over my heart. For eighteen years, I had waited for this moment. Maybe tonight, something would finally happen. Maybe tonight... I would finally hear my wolf.