The Alpha Trio’s Human Mate

Chapter Eleven

Sira bared her teeth at someone behind me, snarling. I knew without even looking who she was threatening. Penelope. After I was finally satisfied and the effects of the aphrodisiac had worn off, my three protectors had disappeared the following morning. They told me not to worry, but that she was going to be "dealt with". I could only imagine what that meant. It didn't appear that they'd put the fear of god in her, so my best guess was that they'd gone to Kai's mother, the Commander. I still wasn't sure what it was that Commander Jacobs wanted me for...but if it was important, I was sure that she was incredibly displeased at Penelope's attempt to give me an overdose of the drug. I'd hidden in my room for the remaining few days of the fertility rituals, and I hadn't asked what became of her.

"I'm not sure why she's even here," Sira hissed next to me. "She should have been expelled for pulling that shit." I only nodded in agreement, because our very first class as cadets was starting. Penelope was the least of my concerns, and quite honestly, didn't deserve for me to give her the time of day.

"Welcome, everyone. I'm Officer Renpho. Congratulations on passing your initiate exams, and I hope that everyone had a pleasant Solstice week." An older man, about Commander Jacobs' age, stood at the front of a small lecture hall, and his voice was loud enough to hear from nearly the back of the room, where we sat. The entire lecture hall whooped in lewd excitement, indicating that everyone had very much enjoyed the fertility rituals of the last few days.

"Okay, okay," Officer Renpho laughed, waving at everyone and gesturing for us to quiet down. "This is going to be your orientation block. We've split your class into three groups, since it is so large, and your class rotations will vary for the rest of each day based on the aptitudes and skills you showed during entrance testing. Think of this as your home base. Any questions, any help navigating the Academy during your time here, I will be your point person. Other than that, you'll report to your pod leader for non-academic questions."

"Do we like him?" I whispered to Sira, gesturing to Officer Renpho. She nodded. "Yes. He was a decorated Berserker, a real leader, but he suffered some injuries during combat that he never really recovered from. Otherwise, he'd probably have my aunt's job by now. It's an honor to have him as an advisor and a teacher." Hmmm. I wondered what injuries he suffered? I studied him as he began to pass a box around the room, each person taking something out of it. Werewolves healed fast and aggressively, so if he had been injured that badly...I couldn't imagine.

"A box is coming around the room, and everyone will take one comm device for themselves. While you are within the boundaries of this campus or any of our territories, you'll be able to contact one another. If you are in enemy territory, you'll be given an adapter. Some satellites are still accessible and operational, and we can usually find a satellite signal to communicate. Usually," Officer Renpho said.

I pulled the device out of the box when it was handed to me, and I immediately knew why Commander Jacobs needed assistance in the tech department. These were old, retrofitted cell phones. Like, decades old, from before the collapse. I wasn't even sure how the batteries were still functional, if I was being honest. But...if they worked just fine most of the time, why the sudden urgency to revamp the Berserkers' technology?

"Your login information is based on the format behind me on the board. First initial, last name..." he pointed to something barely legible scrawled on a whiteboard, and I figured it out easily enough. "You should be able to contact anyone else on this campus using that format, as well. So make sure you add frequently contacted people to your contact list, and if you need to contact someone you don't usually, you should be able to send them messages with this format." As I stared at the ancient device, plans were forming. Wheels were turning. When mass communication was so important, I could surely find a better way than this unreliable system. I set my mind to it.

"Now, this class is also going to be a mixture of current events, and history since the collapse," Renpho continued. "Let's start with what you need to know right now, today. At the Academy, everyone that makes it past the initiate exams is required to attend for two years at a minimum. Most continue specialized training, including Officer training, for another one to two years. For all years, there are five pod groups. You will find a message with relevant information on your comm device once you log in, telling you your chain of command and pod assignment. You will remain in this pod until you graduate unless it is necessary to switch you for some reason."

"What pod are you in?" Sira whispered and elbowed me excitedly. I checked my message.

"Blue," I replied. She squealed quietly. "I'm guessing you are too?" I raised my brow at her enthusiastic reaction, and she nodded. I felt relief at that. We wouldn't be split up. I read the rest of the message.

Pod Leader: Kai Jacobs--Senior Cadet Oh, for f**k's sake. I shook my head.

Band Leaders: (I) Gryphon Fincreek--Junior Cadet

(II) Queenie Wilson--Junior Cadet

Team Leaders: (A) Suzie Cinzel--Level Two Cadet

(B) Irina Argent--Level Two Cadet

(C) Seth Brink--Level Two Cadet

(D) Stella Kline--Level Two Cadet

Muster station: Danby Hall Common Area

You are Band I, Team B.

"Sira, we have to report to your cousin," I smirked at her, knowing how much she would loathe Kai being in charge. After the other night, I on the other hand, may not mind obeying Kai's orders. I blushed at the thought. Sira grabbed my comm device, and looked at it.

"If you think that's bad, your team leader is Lynx's little sister," Sira turned a bright, blotchy shade as she tried to contain her laughter from echoing through the lecture hall.

"What's wrong with her?" My skin prickled with the anticipation of her answer.

"She's going to eat you alive. Better step up your game, Cadet. She's probably going to be harder on you because of the situation with Lynx. She won't be happy with her brother's interest in a weak cadet." I groaned.

This was it. I had this one year to get through, and if I passed sufficiently, I could be turned, and life would be much, much easier as a wolf. If I passed, but not with high enough scores, I'd advance to Level Two education wise, but without being turned. I had to prove myself this year. If I didn't, I'd continue having a target on my back for being human, for being desired by the Alphas...and it would probably get a whole lot worse than having my drink spiked to make me act like a slut. The rest of the class period was simply getting acquainted with the comm devices, and where to find resources. I couldn't wait until my next period: advanced technology.

I felt a a pair of eyes on the back of my neck, but I knew they weren't Penelope's this time. I turned my head slowly, and sure enough, at the back of the lecture hall, three large men waited for me. Zeph waggled his fingers in a cheeky wave, and I looked around me to see if anyone else had noticed. My face flushed the hottest it ever had. The entire lecture hall was grabbing their things and getting ready to leave for their next class, but they had all slowed, turning their attention to the Alphas.

"Oh my god," Sira muttered, and I grabbed my bag quickly, looking at the floor as I pushed through everyone to get to the corner of the room. Embarrassment was stinging me from the inside out.

"What are you doing here?" I whined at them when I approached. "You're drawing attention to me. And I'm perfectly capable of walking to my next class on my own." I scowled at them. Their answering smirks heated my blood with fury. Before I could yell, Zeph slipped my backpack onto his own shoulder, and Kai took my jacket, even though I was perfectly capable of carrying both. Lynx slipped his arm around my shoulder and led me out the back doorway of the lecture hall.

"Commander Jacobs would like to speak with you before your next class. You're lucky to have such handsome escorts, sugarplum," he said. Maybe I was lucky...but I'd never admit it to them, lest it stroke their egos even more. I shook my head with a smile at the thought.