Chapter 9: A Wolf’s Lesson
1270 Words
Tristan’s POV
Elena was a thorn in everyone’s side. Small, weak, and awkward—she had no business being here. Yet there she was, every single day, dragging herself through the grind like she had something to prove.
I didn’t understand her; I couldn’t figure her out either, and maybe that’s why she got under my skin. She didn’t fit the mold. She didn’t fold like everyone expected her to. But she also didn’t win. She just existed, stubbornly refusing to break but not strong enough to fight back.
Most wolves would’ve crumbled under the weight of the ridicule she faced every day. But not Elena. She didn’t lash out, didn’t retreat—she simply endured and only cried in silence. That kind of endurance felt unnatural, like a fire that burned slow and steady but never went out. It made people uneasy. It made me uneasy.
“Are you coming, or are you just going to stand there brooding all day? And what exactly are you looking at? Her booty isn’t that perky, so, what?”
Carter’s voice jolted me out of my thoughts. He was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, watching me with a smirk perv that was practically begging for a fist to the face.
“Relax,” I muttered, pushing off the wall. “Not everyone’s in a rush to kiss the Alpha’s boots.”
Carter chuckled and fell into step beside me. “If you’re not careful, someone’s going to think you’re interested in Little Princess there.”
I ignored him, my eyes scanning the hallway. Elena had already slipped out of the lecture hall, head down, clutching that damn notebook like it was her lifeline. She always left first, always staying just far enough ahead to avoid getting cornered but close enough to remind you she was still here.
The lecture that morning had been a joke. Pack dynamics? Rogues? The same stale warnings recycled over and over again. It was almost insulting how little effort the instructors put into it. And yet, it was the only thing Elena seemed to take seriously.
Her answer to the lecturer’s question had been pitiful, sure, but I’d caught the flicker of determination in her eyes. She didn’t know the answer, but she wanted to. She wanted to survive here, even if it was tearing her apart piece by piece.
“Let’s head to training,” Carter said, interrupting my thoughts again. “I want to see if the Omega makes it through today.”
I frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Carter grinned, but it wasn’t friendly. “Let’s just say a little bird told me she’s got a surprise waiting for her on the training grounds.”
My stomach twisted.
“What kind of surprise?”
His grin widened, and his tone dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. “The fun kind.”
I didn’t like the way he said that, but I kept my expression neutral. Carter thrived on reactions, and I wasn’t about to give him one to glute with.
The training grounds were alive with energy. Wolves in human form sparred in the dirt, their grunts and growls filling the air. The elites were already there, forming a circle around one of the sparring pairs.
And in the center of that circle stood Elena.
She looked smaller than ever, her shoulders hunched, her uniform already smeared with dirt. Across from her was Liam, one of the senior trainees—a six-foot wall of muscle with a reputation for being a merciless wolf.
“What’s going on?” I asked, stepping up beside Carter.
“Special lesson,” he said, his voice dripping with mockery. “The Omega needs to learn her place.”
My jaw tightened as I watched Liam take a step toward her. She got surprised at seeing me, but she didn’t back away.
“Alright, Omega,” Liam sneered. “Show me what you’ve got.”
Elena didn’t move.
“What’s the matter? Too scared to fight?”
The crowd laughed, a low, cruel boo sound that made my skin crawl.
“Come on, Omega!” someone shouted. “Hit him!”
She finally raised her fists, her posture stiff and unsure if she was about to throw a punch or turn around and run. Liam smirked and lunged, but he didn’t hit her—not yet. He circled her, taunting her, feinting blows that made her flinch.
“Fight back!” He barked, his voice sharp enough to cut through the noise.
Elena swung, but it was clumsy, and Liam caught her wrist with ease. He twisted her arm, forcing her to her knees.
The crowd roared with laughter, their jeers echoing in my ears. I clenched my fists, fighting the urge to step in.
“That’s enough!” The sharp voice of the trainer cut through the noise.
The trainer stepped into the circle, his expression cold and unyielding. “Get up, Elena.”
She struggled to her feet, her face flushed with embarrassment.
“This is a lesson, not some bully game,” the trainer said, his voice firm. “Every wolf here has a role to play. Even you, Omega. But if you don’t start fighting for it, you won’t last long enough to find out what that role is.”
Elena nodded, her eyes downcast.
The trainer’s gaze swept the crowd. “And as for the rest of you—this isn’t a circus. Get back to your drills.”
The crowd dispersed reluctantly, their laughter fading as they returned to their stations. But the damage had already been done.
I stayed behind, watching as Elena limped toward the edge of the training grounds. She sank onto a log, cradling her bruised arm.
“Rough day?” I asked, stepping out of the shadows.
She looked up, her eyes wary. “What do you want, Tristan? You here to have your share of mockery? Fine, go ahead.”
I shrugged, leaning against a tree. “Just making sure you’re still alive.”
She snorted, but there was no humor in it. “Barely.”
For a moment, neither of us said anything. The sounds of training faded into the background, replaced by the rustle of leaves and the distant howl of a wolf.
“You know,” I said finally, “you don’t have to take their crap.”
She laughed bitterly; the sound was so hollow. “What am I supposed to do? Fight back? That’s a good way to end up in the infirmary—or worse.”
“Maybe,” I admitted. “But at least they’d think twice before messing with you again.”
She shook her head. “You don’t get it. They want me to fail. They want me gone. If I fight back, they win.”
I frowned. “And if you don’t fight back?”
She didn’t answer.
Her silence stuck with me long after the training session ended. As I walked back to the dorms, I couldn’t shake the image of Elena standing in that circle, fists raised, trying so hard to be something she wasn’t.
She didn’t belong here. But for some reason, I couldn’t stop wondering what would happen if she proved everyone wrong.
As sleep pulled me under that night, one thought refused to leave my mind:
What if the Omega turned out to be the strongest one of all?
What is Tristan planning? Is he starting to see Elena differently, or does he have his own agenda? And how will Elena’s struggle for survival escalate in the coming days?
- Writer
