CHAPTER 6
1910 Words
ANTONIA'S POV
“Anton!”
A small gasp escaped her lips as she jerked at the sound of her name.
Slowly, she peered one eye open.
“What exactly are you doing?”
Blinking, she opened her two eyes, staring at the boy before her.
Charles.
“Huh?” Her mouth dropped slightly at the sight of Charles staring down at her, his brows creased up and his face filled with concern.
“But..but…” she stammered as she turned her head to the left and right, searching for the boy who was approaching her earlier.
Turning around, she settled her gaze to the entrance of the dormitory.
Tilting her head to the side, she pointed at the dormitory.
“Did I…?” The question hung in her throat as confusion crept up within her.
“You were just standing here with your eyes closed,” Charles hissed as he came to stand in front of her.
“People were staring, Anton,” he chimed.“I thought the plan was to stay unnoticed,”
Shifting to the left, she took a peek at the dormitory behind Charles before turning around again, her brows furrowing deeper as she glanced at the roads.
Where was he? Where was Wilson?
“Anton, what is it?” Charles demanded, “Did you lose something?”
The rise in his tone brought her focus back to him.
“No, I…” Antonia stopped herself, not sure of how to explain what had just happened.
Or didn’t happen.
“Did you see him?” She asked.
“Who?”
“My…” the words, ‘Mate’ hung in her throat as she looked at Charles.
She couldn't say that, not even to Charles.
Gulping, she pressed her lips together as she reasoned.
One, she wasn't sure if the Wilson she saw was real or if she imagined him.
But if he was real, why didn't his wolf recognize her as his?
Why didn't her own wolf react?
“Look,” Charles started, cutting off her thoughts, “I don't know what happened, but we need to go.”
“It's uniform collection time,” Charles added as he began walking forward.
“Uniform?” His words broke her out of the haze of confusion.
“I thought we were supposed to collect them tomorrow or within the week?”
“Yeah, but some things change. I heard classes will begin tomorrow.” Charles explained, “And apparently, there's a big shot alpha coming to address us,”
“Huh…” Antonia replied as she nodded.
One last time, she glanced around as she followed him.
“Are you even listening?” Charles snapped, “Training starts tomorrow!”
Pushing her lingering worries away, she focused on Charles. “So?”
Charles looked at her, his eyes wide with surprise flashing in them.
Shaking his head, he wore a small smile, “I guess you aren't worried about that,”
“I've been preparing for this. One way or another, I'll scale through it,” she said, her voice firm.
“No matter what comes by way,” she added.
Then, they came to a stop in front of huge mass of students all sauntering into a huge hall.
There was a stand before the hall where students grabbed a random bag containing their uniforms before heading inside.
“Get into the hall, and change into your uniform,” A man wearing black with the crest bellowed as they joined the short queue.
An Instructor.
“Don't come crying to me later on that your uniform doesn't fit.”
“At Novix,” he continued, “We want you looking prim and proper while dragging you through the nastiest of trials.” he added with a grin on his lips.
“Ugh!! Why didn't they just ask for measurements instead of giving out random sizes?” Antonia muttered as she grabbed a bag.
“Um, Anton…” Charles started as they walked into the hall.
“I see it, Charles. I see it.”
In front of them were boys changing in and out of their clothes. Shouts filled the hall as some exchanged shirts and trousers while others ran around asking for uniform sizes.
But that wasn't the problem. The problem was that there was no changing stall.
Sure, they were all boys and didn't need the stall, but she wasn't a boy!
Gulping, she looked up at Charles, “Let's hope mine fits,”
“And if it doesn't?” He asked as they walked towards a corner.
“It should fit.”
It had to if she wanted to leave here quietly.
Keeping her eyes trained to the ground, her face grew heated as she struggled to ignore the naked boys around her.
They both searched for a spot that wasn't too exposed.
“This isn't looking good,” Charles glanced around as they made their way amongst the crowd.
“Why do they even care if our uniform fits or not?” She hissed, her brows furrowing as she couldn't find a hidden spot.
“Beats me, ask him.” Charles tilted his head to the side.
Standing on her tiptoe, she glanced at the side where he signalled.
Instructor Sam was seated on a podium, his legs crossed, ankle to knee as he assessd some boys dressed in their uniform.
“Yeah, no way.” she shook her head and focused on her path.
She didn't want an early grave.
“So, what are you going to do?”
“What do you mean? Change into my uniform of course,”
Charles’ eyes widened. “Here?!”
“Of course not!” She gritted out as she pointed to a corner, “That way,”
Luckily, she had sighted a spot that could hide her just enough to change. A small part of the wall shot out, forming a barricade.
Thankfully, it could cover from her neck downwards if she stood behind it.
“You gotta block me though. I'll be quick, but you change in from of me,”
As Charles began to unbutton his shirt, she bent low on her knees, her hands shaking as she took off her shirt, revealing a black singlet.
Thank the moon she had the sense to wear the one that offered full coverage.
Quickly, she switched her shirt for the cotton, crisp white longsleeve buttoned shirt that bore the Novix academy logo.
Glancing to the side where her bag lay, she shook her head at the sight of the huge black military-styled pants before her.
Yup. It definitely wasn't going to fit.
“There he is,”
Charles’ words drew her attention, “Who?”
“The alpha that will address us tomorrow,” he answered as he buttoned his white uniform shirt.
With her curiosity peeked, she looked up, her gaze landing on the podium and she came to a stop.
Her jaw dropped at the sight before her.
A flag that bore a silver wolf's claw with a red background–The crest of the Stoneclaw pack.
It was still etched in her memory as though it was just yesterday that she was seeing it for the first time.
And the man that was shaking hands with the instructor; Edwin Friedrich. Evans’ father.
The one that had orchestrated her arranged marriage and forced her father's hand in the past.
Her jaws clenched as thoughts of the past flashed through her mind.
There was a strong probability he was behind her packs’ downfall.
Evans had always been a weakling before his father, fainting at his command. There was no way he was smart enough to commit all those atrocities without his father’s say-so.
Her hands clenched into fist as her gaze remained on the man, her heart speeding up as her muscles tensed up.
This was her real target, and he stood a few feet before her– his lips spread in a smile as though he had no care in the world.
“You didn't tell me about your talk with your roommate,” Charles started, breaking her focus. “How did it go?”
“Uhh,” she pulled her gaze from the man, focusing on the ground as she grabbed the uniform pants. “Not good.”
Glancing down at her own trousers, she furrowed her brows.
Would it be cheating if she wore the uniform over her trousers?
“Yeah? At least his uniform fits,”
“What?” Antonia perked up at his words, “Why did you say that?”
“Look…”
Again, she looked towards the podium and her gaze landed on her roommate.
“Whoa…”
He looked handsome and regal in his uniform. The academy's purple jacket enveloped him like second skin, enhancing his athletic build.
Her gaze lingered down to his muscular arms, which seemed to flex slightly as he moved. Her fingers twitched with the need to touch them– feel them without the extra layers.
Antonia swallowed, her mouth suddenly feeling too moist. She couldn't tear her eyes away from him as he walked towards the instructor.
Hotness spread throughout her chest as her breath quickened. Her muscles tightened up as her insides pushed her to take a step forward– towards him.
No!
She shook herself against the pull, forcing herself to look down so she could break whatever haze she was in.
‘Get a hold of yourself, Antonia,’ she muttered to herself.
Slowly, she raised her head again, her gaze returning towards him, just for a quick little peek.
Her mouth dropped open as she blinked continuously, doing a double take at the scene before her.
She watched as Nikolas shook hands with Edwin Friedrich. Her eyes widened as Nikolas' smile widened as he kept talking with that man.
But, it was the way they talked and smiled at each other. With some sort of familiarity, like they knew each other closely.
Was Nikolas aware of the kind of man Edwin Friedrich was?
“Well?” Charles stepped into her line of sight, blocking her view of them. “Did it fit?”
Her brain was all mushy as so many questions ran through her mind in a split second.
Blinking, she asked, “Umm…what…?”
“Your uniform, Anton,” he pressed, taking a step forward.
“Oh,” she looked down at the length of the white longsleeved shirt which stopped at just the tips of her fingers.
“It's manageable, I guess,” she muttered, her voice low, “I'll just fold it up,”
“What has you so startled?” Charles asked, his brows furrowing as he studied her.
Her gaze shifted to the ground as she turned slightly away from him. She didn't want him to see the look on her face.
“Nothing. I just…”
“You!”
A short yelp escaped her lips, her body stiffening as she snapped her head to the side.
A red-haired boy stood in front of the mini barricade wall, his head resting on the top of the wall, tilted to the side as he studied her.
Gulping, Antonia’s eyes grew wide, her heart pounding within her chest as she stared at him.
How did he get so close without any of them noticing?
The boy’s lips spread into a smile as he asked, “Why are you hiding out here?”
- Writer
