Chapter4
1178 Words
Chapter 4
Chris froze mid-swing, the smirk on his face faltering for just a second. His friends exchanged glances.
“Did you just stop me, Roy?” Chris asked, his tone dripping with disbelief.
“Yes,” Roy said calmly, stepping between us. “And I suggest you walk away before you make yourself look worse.”
Chris laughed. “You think I’m scared of you?”
Roy said nothing, just staring at him.
Chris’s jaw tightened. Finally, he scoffed, catching the ball mid-spin.
“Tch. Whatever.” His gaze slid to me, burning with disdain. “Watch yourself, Rank Five. You are lucky today, doesn't mean you will be tomorrow.”
He tossed the ball once, then strode off with his friends.
I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. “Thanks,” I muttered, my tone half cautious, half annoyed.
Roy turned, smiling again. “Don’t mention it. You were about two seconds away from losing a tooth.”
I frowned. “What’s with all this rank nonsense?”
He chuckled. “I almost forgot you were new.”
We started walking across the courtyard as he explained.
“Moonlight High isn’t like normal schools,” he began. “This place trains future Alphas, Betas, and warriors. Everyone here’s from a pack, some from royal bloodlines. The numbers on our uniforms show our ranking. The lower the number, the higher the status.”
“So a Rank One is…”
“Top of the chain,” he finished. “Usually an Alpha,”
I frowned, glancing at the golden 5 on my sleeve. “And Rank Five means…?”
“That you’re an unranked wolf, or worse—no recognized bloodline.” He gave me a sympathetic smile. “Which means guys like Chris will think you’re an easy target.”
I scoffed. “Let them try.”
That made him laugh. “Careful, Elliott. Those boys are not good news, just run whenever you come across them.”
I didn’t answer. My mind was elsewhere, the letter in my father’s pocket, and the faint smell of his blood that still haunted my memory.
“Who exactly is he?”
“Chris Rivera?” Roy said, “Rank Two. Son of Alpha Hugo Rivera—the one who runs the Eastern territory. The family’s notorious for being power-hungry.”
I leaned against the wall, processing the name. Rivera.
“And Rank One?” I asked.
Roy’s grin faded slightly. “That would be Lucian Blackwood. He’s… different.”
“Different how?”
“You’ll see,” he said, shutting off the device. “Let’s just say, everyone here either fears him or worships him. He’s the top Alpha heir in training, and rumor has it, he’s already stronger than most full-blooded wolves.”
My heart stilled for a second.
The name Blackwood was really unfamiliar to me.
Before I could ask more, the sharp clang of a bell echoed through the campus.
Roy’s head snapped up. “That’s the general assembly! Come on.”
Before I could react, he grabbed my hand and pulled me through the bustling hallway. Students assembled at the hall from every direction.
The assembly hall was massive, chandeliers glittered above like frozen stars, and the Moonlight High crest gleamed proudly on the stage backdrop.
A tall man stood at the center of the stage, his voice carrying effortlessly across the hall.
“To all new students,” he began, “welcome to Moonlight High. Congratulations on the beginning of a new session.”
I leaned closer to Roy, whispering, “Who’s that?”
“That’s the principal,” he murmured back. “Elder Gideon.”
My stomach twisted, Elder Gideon.
Finally,
My fingers curled into a fist before I could stop myself. There he was, the man who troubled my father and my first suspect in his case.
“There will be a fresher’s party tonight,” Elder Gideon continued, his smile widening. “The girls from neighboring academies will be joining us. Consider it your first test, to learn unity beyond ranks. Have fun, and once again, welcome to Moonlight High.”
The crowd erupted into cheers and whistles.
“Girls from other schools? This is going to be wild!”
“Finally, a proper party this year!”
Students around me said excitedly.
I barely heard them. My focus was fixed on Elder Gideon, standing tall under the lights — the calm expression, the neatly combed silver hair, the faint gleam in his eyes that never quite reached his smile.
For a moment, I imagined walking up there, grabbing him by the collar, and making him spill the truth.
Beside me, Roy crossed his arms, unimpressed by the announcement.
“Not interested in the party?” I asked.
He shrugged. “Not really.”
“Do you… not like girls?” I teased lightly.
He looked up, surprised, then smirked. “Do you?”
My breath caught. “Me?”
He chuckled softly. “You don’t look like someone who can even talk to one.”
I froze, blinking at him in disbelief. Was he mocking me?
If only he knew. I was the kind of girl who turned heads when I walked into a room — and now here I was, being told I couldn’t even approach one.
I forced a grin. “You’d be surprised.”
“So you won’t be going?” I asked.
Roy shook his head. “No. Elder Gideon and the staff will be there at first, but they’ll leave after a while.”
My pulse quickened. “Really?”
He nodded, unaware of the ideas spinning in my head.
“In that case,” I said, feigning casual interest, “I should attend. It would be rude not to, right?”
“Elliott…” He hesitated. “Students ranked Five aren’t allowed inside the hall.”
I stared at him, frowning. “Why not?”
He looked down, his voice low. “It’s the rule. Only ranks Four and above are considered ‘representatives.’ Lower ranks aren’t invited to official events.”
The words stung more than I expected.
I gave a small scoff, forcing a smirk. “Everything just works against low rankers.”
Before he could respond, I turned and walked off, leaving him watching after me, a worried look clouding his gentle face.
******
Back in our dorm room, I locked the door behind me.
Slowly, I peeled away the tape binding my chest. A deep sigh escaped my lips as the tightness eased, like exhaling after holding my breath too long.
I let my hair tumble down, slipped off the glasses, set them gently on the table, and pulled one of my gowns from my bag, a soft midnight-blue dress. The only female clothes I brought with me.
“The party starts in an hour,” I whispered, a smirk tugging at my lips.
If ranks were the walls, then tonight I’d walk straight through them.
Let them think I was just another visiting girl.
- Writer
