Chapter 3: The Academy of Deception
1097 Words
The Lunar Crest Academy was nothing like Selene had imagined.
Hidden within the dense, frostbitten forests of the northern territories, the academy’s towering stone walls loomed under the pale glow of the moon. Guarded gates, intricate silver engravings, and banners bearing the academy's crest—a snarling black wolf against a crescent moon—stretched across the entrance.
"Finally!" Selene heaved on her breath.
She had barely caught her strength when she stepped through the gates, her disguise held tightly in place.
She was no longer Selene Valdir.
She was Silas Thorne.
The admissions hall was a chaotic mix of new recruits, some excited, others anxious. They came from different packs, rogues, and even those with unknown origins, all gathered for one purpose—to prove their worth.
Selene stood in line, her hood pulled low, fists clenched inside the sleeves of her tunic. The cut of her hair felt foreign, her bound chest a constant pressure, and the boots that were slightly too big made her steps feel heavier.
Her turn came.
The registry attendant, an older man with thinning gray hair and keen hawk-like eyes, barely glanced up. “Name?”
Selene deepened her voice the best she could. “Silas Thorne.”
The man paused, his quill hovering over the parchment. His eyebrows furrowed slightly, and he lifted his gaze.
“Hmm… a slim figure for a young male.”
Selene’s heart pounded.
She squared her shoulders, doing her best to appear more masculine, suppressing the urge to fidget. She forced a slight scoff.
“I’ve been through a lot, old man. Not all of us are built like bears.”
The attendant stared at her for a long moment. Then, with a noncommittal shrug, he scribbled down her name.
"Silas Valdir. Accepted into Lunar Crest Academy." He handed her a rolled parchment. "Welcome to hell, boy."
Selene exhaled as she stepped away. She had made it.
But this was only the beginning.
A senior student led the new recruits through the academy’s grounds. Towering stone buildings stretched across the landscape, training fields lay in the distance, and students—mostly males—moved through the shadows, some sparring, some shifting into their wolves, their instincts honed for battle.
Selene’s stomach churned. I’m living among them. No turning back.
She was assigned a dormitory in the North Wing.
Room 26.
The moment she stepped in, the overwhelming scent of males hit her. The room was dimly lit, lined with five beds, each already occupied.
Four pairs of eyes snapped toward her.
"Well, well," a deep, smug voice came. "A new recruit."
Selene quickly assessed the occupants.
Ronan Bran– The tallest, with raven-black hair and piercing golden eyes. His wolf aura was powerful, dominant, but his smirk held an air of mischief rather than threat.
Randolph Magnus – A broad, muscular warrior with bronzed skin and a scar running down his cheek. He looked like he could snap a person in half with one arm.
Raiche Lowell– Lean, sharp-featured, with silver eyes that gave him an unsettling, calculating look. He watched her with mild curiosity.
Kenzie Hunter– The youngest-looking, with unruly blond hair and freckles, his blue eyes holding a playful glint.
Ronan crossed his arms, his amusement evident. “Didn’t expect a runt.”
Selene’s jaw clenched. She forced herself to step forward, keeping her stance firm. “Size doesn’t define strength.”
Randolph scoffed. "Says the weakling."
Selene had to act. She slammed her satchel onto the empty bed near Ronan, meeting his gaze head-on.
"I'm here to train, not stroke your egos. So either get used to it, or stay out of my way."
Silence stretched in the room.
Then—laughter.
Ronan grinned. “I like him.”
Raiche smirked but said nothing. Randolph gave an unimpressed grunt and returned to sharpening his dagger.
Kenzie, meanwhile, grinned widely. "You’re ballsy for a little guy. I like it."
Selene released a slow breath. She was in.
Long after the room fell silent, Selene lay awake.
Her fingers trembled as she reached beneath her thin pillow, pulling out a small, hidden Hamlet.
Inside, tucked carefully between its pages, was a tiny family photograph.
Her parents, standing tall with pride.
Ylva, barely twelve, her arms wrapped around Selene’s waist, smiling so brightly it made Selene’s chest ache.
Selene bit her lip to suppress the sting in her eyes.
She had left them.
Her mother, who had spent years trying to shield her.
Her father, who had always believed in her strength.
And Ylva… her little sister who had looked up to her.
Did they hate her now?
A lump formed in her throat, but she forced herself to swallow it.
No. She couldn’t afford to regret this.
She was born to fight.
Born to be a warrior.
Not a prisoner in her own fate.
One day, they would understand.
One day, she would return.
Stronger.
Freer.
Ready to carve her own path.
Back at Home, the Valdir’s estate was in chaos.
“She’s gone?” Ralphina’s voice trembled, her face pale with shock.
Roseline, a maid who worked at the Valdir's estate only during weekends, knelt before her, hands shaking. “Yes, my lady. I… I found this in her room.”
She held out the admission parchment—the one for Lunar Crest Academy.
Ralphina snatched it, her eyes widening with horror.
“No… No, no, no!” She clutched her chest, gasping for breath.
Ylva burst into tears. “She wouldn’t leave us! She wouldn’t just go!”
But she had.
Nikolas sat at the head of the table, hands clasped together. His expression was unreadable, but his knuckles were white, his shoulders rigid.
He had seen this coming.
Felt it.
Selene was never going to submit to fate.
Not without a fight.
He closed his eyes, inhaling deeply.
“No one speaks of this.”
Ralphina whipped her head toward him. “What?”
Nikolas' gaze was hard. “If Alpha Xander discovers she’s gone, he’ll hunt her.”
Silence filled the room.
Ralphina covered her mouth, tears spilling down her cheeks. “What do we do?”
Nikolas exhaled slowly.
“We wait.”
Wait.
And pray she returns before it’s too late.
As Selene made her way toward the training grounds, she heard whispers among the students.
Something big had happened.
A messenger from the vampire kingdom had arrived at the Academy.
And he had one message.
“Alpha Xander Vaughn has declared war.”
And Lunar Crest Academy is now caught in the middle.
- Writer
