Undercover At The Alpha Academy

Wake up, Alice

I wandered through the garden behind our house, the one where Stephan and I used to play when we were kids. The blooms swayed gently in the breeze, sunlight filtering through the leaves above. Everything felt warm, safe, and familiar.

And then, I heard it.

That laugh.

Stephan.

I turned toward the sound, my heart racing. My feet moved before I could think, running past flowerbeds and hedges until I reached the old oak tree. Our tree. Our secret place.

And there he was.

My brother.

I didn’t slow down. I launched myself into his arms, burying my face in his shoulder as the dam inside me broke. I sobbed like a child who had lost her favorite toy, though it was so much more than that. It was grief, relief, and longing crashing over me all at once.

“Thank goodness… you’re safe,” I whispered, the words tangled in my breath. "It was all just a bad dream. I’m so glad…”

He chuckled softly, the sound like home. His hand rested on my head, comforting and steady.

“I wish it were, Alice,” he murmured. “But it’s not. I don’t have much time. I just came to tell you that I’m proud of you. And you have to get through the trials. I know you can.”

I pulled back, blinking at him through tears. “What are you talking about? What trials?”

His expression turned serious, almost urgent. “You have to wake up now,” he said. “And Alice, stay away from water.”

“What do you mean? Stephan, wait!”

But everything started to blur. His voice echoed and faded, and I reached for him, desperate to hold on.

“No! No! Stephan!”

My eyes snapped open.

Pain flared down my side like fire. I gasped, disoriented, blinking hard, and met a pair of piercing, steely eyes hovering just inches from my face.

Adrien.

The same eyes that always looked at me like I was prey now held something else. Not anger. Not hate. Something quieter. Concern, maybe?

But it vanished just as quickly.

“Pathetic,” he muttered. He turned on his heel and walked out, the door slamming shut behind him.

The sound made me jump.

I reached up and touched my cheeks. Wet. Of course. That’s what he saw. That’s why he said it.

I sat there in the silence, my chest tight. The dream had felt so real. His voice, his warmth, his hug. But it was gone now. Just a cruel reminder of everything I had lost.

Tears spilled again. Quiet sobs slipped out before I could stop them.

Then came a knock.

My breath caught. Was it Adrien again, back to mock me some more? He didn’t seem like the type to knock.

I wiped my face quickly, forcing my voice to sound steady.

“Come in.”

The door creaked open, and Milo stepped in, smiling like he hadn’t just interrupted a breakdown.

“You ready for the first task?” he asked, rocking back on his heels. He wore the standard uniform with lightweight armor strapped over it. His tone was light, but there was a spark in his eye. Something told me this wasn’t going to be a simple test.

I stared at him, trying to reassemble myself from the mess I still felt like inside.

“First task?” I repeated. The words barely made it out. They didn’t even sound like a question, just a fragile echo.

He blinked. “You seriously didn’t get the announcement?” He stepped in fully, letting the door swing shut behind him. “They blew the horn like fifteen minutes ago.”

I stared at him, still processing. “No. I- I didn’t hear anything.”

He frowned and studied me for a second. “You okay? You look like you’ve been crying.”

I turned away, brushing nonexistent lint off my sleeve. “Just a bad dream.”

He didn’t press further, thank god.

“Well, bad dreams or not, you might wanna shake it off. This isn’t something you wanna be late for.” He grinned. “Unless you like punishment drills.”

“What’s the task?” I asked, already standing and moving to gather my boots.

“Standard combat evaluation,” he said. “First years only. They say it’s just to assess our ‘starting level,’ but last year, three people dropped out because of it.”

“Great.” I sighed, tugging my laces tight. “Exactly the kind of start I needed.”

Milo chuckled. “Come on, you’ll be fine. Just don’t puke. Or cry.”

I shot him a look.

He raised his hands in surrender. “Kidding! Kidding. Mostly.”

As I followed him out into the hallway, my eyes briefly flicked to the door across the room- Adrien’s side. The bed was made. Empty.

Of course, he’s already gone.

The hallways buzzed with tension. Students in various states of readiness were rushing in the same direction—toward the training grounds. The air smelled like steel, sweat, and the faint tang of anticipation.

Milo glanced at me sideways. “You nervous?”

“Terrified.”

“Good,” he said, grinning. “Means you’ll be sharp.”

I didn’t answer. My thoughts were still tangled in Stephan’s words.

You have to get through the trials. Stay away from water.

Was this what he meant? Or was this just the beginning?

We passed through the double doors of the main building and stepped onto the training field. A large banner hung from the wall across the field: Dawnwood Alpha Academy - The First Trial.

Students were already gathering in rows. Instructors stood at attention like statues, arms folded, eyes sharp.

My stomach twisted as I spotted Adrien near the front of one row. He stood like a king among peasants - calm, bored, dangerous. He glanced over his shoulder, and for one awful second, our eyes met.

No emotion. Not even mockery. Just cold calculation.

Then he turned away.

I exhaled shakily.

Milo nudged me. “Let’s show them what we’ve got.”

I wasn’t ready. I wasn’t strong. I was a girl pretending to be someone else.

But I tightened my jaw and nodded.

“Yeah. Let’s go.”

We stood in the center of the stadium, surrounded by rows of stone seats and the buzz of restless candidates. The morning sun cast long shadows across the field, and tension hung in the air like a storm waiting to break.

Then, Headmaster Wulfric stepped onto the podium.

His presence silenced the crowd.

“Good morning, students,” he announced, his deep voice echoing across the arena. “Welcome to the first trial. As you know, every year, we hold these trials to test your worth. Those who fall below the standard will be expelled from the academy. The rest will move forward.”

He paused, eyes scanning the sea of faces with practiced indifference.

“This year,” he continued, “we’ve decided to change the trials.”

A ripple of murmurs swept through the stadium like a breeze before a hurricane.

I leaned toward Milo and whispered, “I don’t think I like where this is going.”

He smirked without looking at me. “It’s only the beginning.”

Headmaster Wulfric raised a hand, silencing the whispers. “Your first trial will test your survival instincts.”

The iron gates lining the edge of the stadium began to groan open.

“You will be released into the Witherwilds, the forest surrounding the academy. You are to survive for four days, or until only one candidate remains. The choice is yours.”

My stomach dropped.

Gasps and shocked muttering spread like wildfire. I wasn’t the only one unnerved.

“As you all know,” the Headmaster continued, “the Witherwilds are home to creatures that will not hesitate to hunt you down. If you wish to quit, you may return to the stadium or the academy grounds. But doing so forfeits your chance to stay.”

I swallowed hard. My heart was racing.

"On your way out, you’ll find supply bags near each gate. They contain tools that may assist you in your survival… but there are fewer bags than there are students.”

The murmuring turned to shouting. Panic rose in the crowd. Some students were already eyeing the gates like predators.

Beside me, Milo didn’t flinch. He rolled his shoulders back like he’d been waiting for this.

“Now,” Wulfric said, his voice booming, “begin the trial. And good luck.”

The stadium horn blared, a sharp, haunting sound that cut through the air.

"Follow me," Milo shouted, already sprinting toward the farthest gate, away from the densest pack of students.

Without thinking, I chased after him, adrenaline already pounding in my ears.