Claimed By Four Alpha Heirs

Chapter One. Vera’s POV. The moment I stepped through the gilded gates of Thornwood Academy, I knew I had made a terrible mistake. The marble floors gleamed like mirrors beneath my boots, and the chandeliers hanging from the ceiling looked like they cost more than everything I’d owned my entire life combined. Even the air was different, nothing like the damp, musty scent of the underground district I’d left behind. I kept my head down and clutched the strap of my bag, trying to remember how to breathe normally. My chest felt tight—mostly because of the layers of linen I’d wrapped around my chest that morning to flatten out my breasts. For Nessa, I reminded myself. You’re doing this for Nessa. My younger sister’s pale face flashed through my mind. The way her hand had gripped mine so tightly when I told her I was leaving and the medical bills that kept piling up like snow in winter. The White Wolf family, a full blooded Alpha family, had offered me a deal I couldn’t refuse. Apparently, there was some resemblance between me and their only, fragile heir. So in exchange for enough silver for Nessa’s treatment, all I had to do was pretend to be their son, attend this ridiculous noble academy, and participate in some trials. It sounded simple except nothing about this was simple. “This is the east wing,” the staff member with the name, Selene, written boldly on her name tag, said flatly as she led me through the halls, gesturing vaguely at the corridor around us. “Your classes will be held here. The dormitories are in the north building. Try not to get lost.” She didn’t look at me when she spoke, she hadn’t even bothered to ask for my name—or rather, the name I was using now. I studied her from behind. She was strikingly beautiful in a way that demanded attention. Her blonde hair cascaded in waves down her back. Her red dress clung so tight to every curve of her body like a second skin, enough to turn the heads of most of the students that walked past us. Her eyes skimmed over my small frame, the uniform that hung loose on my shoulders. “The academy was established over three hundred years ago,” Selene continued, her tone suggesting she’d given this speech a thousand times before. “Only those who pass the Alpha, Beta and Gamma trials may inherit their ranks. Many heirs from smaller packs enroll here to prove themselves worthy of succession.” I nodded, trying to absorb the information. Back in the rogue district where I grew up with my sister, Nessa, we didn’t have schools like this. We barely had roofs over our heads. The world of ranked wolves and noble packs had always been something that existed on the other side of a wall I could never climb. Because in this world, rank determines everything. Alphas, Betas and Gammas lived their best lives in stunning mansions and enjoyed numerous privileges while lowlifes like me were left to scavenge for scraps. I’d spent my whole life hungry, cold and invisible. “The trials can be…” she paused, her lips curling into something that wasn’t quite a smile. “…unpredictable. Some students don’t make it through. Especially the weaker ones.” The way her eyes swept over me with indifference made what was on her mind obvious. I was probably just another weakling, another rich heir that won’t even last the week. Maybe she was right. We’ve all heard the rumors about Thornwood and the trials. A brutal and barbaric trial that students from smaller packs often returned broken—if they came back at all. I remembered the whispers of stronger Alphas losing control during the trials, and of weaker heirs who were accidentally injured so badly they’d never walk again. My stomach churned. And beneath the fear of the trials, something colder clawed at my chest causing sweat to break out on my forehead. What if they find out who I am? A rogue girl disguised as a boy, pretending to be an Alpha heir in an all-male academy. If anyone discovered the truth, the punishment won’t just be expulsion. It would be death. Or worse. But if I died here, what would happen to Nessa? She was alone, sick and her life was dependent on the money from this deal. If I failed, if I was caught, the White Wolf Family would withdraw their support. The treatment would stop. And my sister… I squeezed my eyes shut, forcing the image away. There was no choice. There never had been. It was either this—risking everything on a desperate gamble—or watching the illness slowly claim Nessa’s life while I stood by helpless. Watching her fade away, day by day, because we couldn’t afford the medicine she needed. I’d rather die trying to save her than live with the guilt of doing nothing. So I swallowed hard and shifted my shoulders, wincing at the sharp pain of the linen digging into my ribs but I kept walking. The White Wolf family only told me their son was too frail to participate in such trials and they couldn’t afford to have him absent. But the way the Alpha’s eyes flickered when he spoke of the academy made something cold settle in my gut. Like they were hiding something. Like there was more to this arrangement than they were letting on. But I’d been too desperate to ask questions. “However,” she continued, “students who do succeed are rewarded with the highest honors. And of course, the heirs of the four great packs attend this prestigious academy along with…” She trailed off, her eyes suddenly shining with admiration. I knew exactly who they were. Everyone did, their faces were on posters all over the packs, even in the rogue district. They were powerful, untouchable and I hoped I never had to cross paths with them. A loud shriek suddenly cut through the air accompanied by loud voices as students scrambled out of the way like prey sensing a predator. Selene's entire demeanor shifted. Her bored expression vanished, replaced by something almost like reverence. She straightened her spine, smoothed her dress and tossed her blonde waves over her shoulder with practiced elegance. “Move aside,” she snapped at me, pushing me toward the wall. “Don’t make eye contact. Don’t speak. Just stay out of the way.” She didn’t wait for my response. Her attention was already fixed on the corridor ahead, her body angled to catch the eye of whoever was coming. I pressed myself against the cold marble, my heart hammering as I glanced around in panic. What the hell was going on? Through the crowd of students who had parted dramatically, I caught my first glimpse of them. Four figures walked through the corridor like they owned it.