Chapter 2: The Yankee Academy
1146 Words
After inspecting the mansion, my uncle finally took me to his own house. That was where I met Alina. Just as he had said, we resembled each other, though there were still several distinctions that set us apart.
Alina was undeniably a strikingly beautiful she-wolf, and even I, a girl, could admit that. However, her aura didn’t match her physical beauty. It was dark, much darker than her father’s.
"Is this my long-lost cousin you told me about, Papa?" she asked, her voice high and chirping like a bird.
I had never heard someone sound like that in my life. She must have been privileged enough never to worry about day-to-day survival.
"Yes, Alina, my dear. Doesn’t she look just like you?" Uncle asked mischievously.
Alina frowned. "That orphanage girl? Me? Are you kidding, Papa?"
"Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean it like that... I mean... ah. Don’t worry. Madam Eli will create a shifting spell. No one will be able to tell the difference," my uncle reassured her, while I stood there, insulted.
What did she mean by that?
"Well... thanks, Papa, nonetheless. This really helps," she whispered, though I could sense the manipulation behind her words. "I’m so sorry. I really wish I could attend the school on my own."
"Don’t worry, my child. You will recover soon and show the world who you truly are," my uncle said, brushing Alina’s hair with warmth. He genuinely loved his daughter. However, Alina didn’t seem fond of her family at all.
From a young age, I had always been able to sense how people felt toward me. Their emotions hit me like lightning, passing straight through me.
I believed it was because of my wolf.
Mrs. Mayers once told me my wolf was different, that it was what made me special. But I never delved deeper.
I didn’t want to become a victim of someone else’s instability, which is why I kept myself distant from everyone.
"I will, Papa! I will make our family proud."
Moments later, an old lady escorted me upstairs to my chamber. She was supposed to be Madam Eli, but she didn’t speak much.
The chamber was old and abandoned, more like a storage room than a bedroom. Madam Eli cut my hair short so I would resemble Alina more closely and planted the shifting spell within me.
I coughed. The spell was far stronger than I had imagined, seeping into my skin.
"We’re done. You’ll rise tomorrow morning at six and get ready for school."
"So early?"
"What did you expect?"
"I mean... hello... don’t we have any briefing… meeting, or…?"
"You’ll learn from the driver tomorrow. He’ll hand you everything."
I inhaled sharply. Everything? Like a thick book? A bible? Alina’s bible that I needed to memorize overnight?
"Get some sleep."
And with that, the door shut. I couldn’t even protest or ask.
"Oh, Lila... what am I supposed to do now?"
My wolf stirred inside me, howling in frustration, just like I was.
"We’ll survive, dear."
I only agreed.
Yes.
We'll survive.
***
The next morning, we were practically heading to the school my uncle had told me about.
Just as Madam Eli had said, the driver handed me a mountain of books related to the Russel family, especially Alina.
We’re close enough to royalty, I guessed.
"What’s the school name?" I asked during the drive.
My uncle coughed beside me.
"It’s Yankee Academy."
"Wait… that Yankee Academy?" I echoed.
"Uh-huh," he smirked. "Did you expect a lowly school rather than that?"
I shook my head. Of course, we were going to Yankee Academy.
This was the most elite school across the country.
I repeat… across the country.
"The Yankee Academy only accepts the most powerful werewolf families. The school is known for its exclusive and great resources to hone students’ abilities and secure their power…"
"I know… I know. I watched it on TV. The prime minister and our beloved general are alumni."
"Smart. Never thought an orphan would notice that."
That’s literally insulting. However, I had no energy to protest.
"Don’t frown. My Alina would never look like that," he warned.
I clicked my tongue, but Uncle elbowed me. "Don’t click your tongue too! Watch your behavior."
I growled. Lila did, but I mirrored her.
"You need to read the manuals at your dorm! Don’t be lazy and don’t ever… I mean, never… ever… get caught!"
I bit my lip. He was super serious now.
"The shifting spell will be broken every full moon. You need to get to our mansion before that. I don't care about the method, but you need to excuse yourself from the dorm. Got it?"
"Yes, Uncle."
"Atta girl."
***
The drive felt like forever, and we finally managed to arrive at Yankee Academy. The sheer magnitude of the place hit me like a punch to the gut.
Stone walls towered above me, while ancient trees whispered secrets from centuries past.
I was nothing like them.
I didn’t belong here.
"Remember, Cally… ah, Alina," my uncle cleared his throat. "Don’t ever get caught!"
I nodded. I was Alina now. Not Callista.
My true self vanished the day my uncle took me away.
I had to play this role for a year to earn my freedom. With my family’s mansion inheritance, I believed I could finally live on my own.
"I’m going."
"Take care, my child," he said after putting everything before me. The big pink suitcase. The mountain of books, Alina’s bible, and a rose bouquet, like I was cherished and loved by my own father.
"Bye, Papa." I replied, dragging everything with me.
I'm going to live here from this moment.
That's… suffocating.
I saw my uncle waving as if he were truly my parent while everyone watched.
I stepped into the grand courtyard, magical energy resonating everywhere.
Still, something felt off. Uneasy.
I could feel the weight of their gazes. Sharp, judgmental.
I could hear their whispered thoughts, curiosity mixed with skepticism.
"Is that really Russell?" one student thought.
"She doesn’t seem like she’s from an elite family," another echoed, disbelief prickling against my skin.
I walked on, head held high, though I could feel their eyes dissecting every imperfection.
I wasn’t Alina. I would never be her. But I had no choice.
Before I could even walk farther… a sleek black car approached, and everyone started to murmur.
Moments later, a tall, broad-shouldered student appeared. He walked like a storm incarnate, commanding attention with a single glance. His dark hair looked wind-tousled, effortlessly striking. His sharp jaw and rugged features radiated an untamed authority that demanded respect.
"Isn’t that Viper Jackson?" one shouted, and I immediately choked, hopelessly gasping for air.
So… so… this is the fiancée. Alina’s fiancée.
His dominating dark aura practically struck me. And from that moment, I truly knew my place.
"I'm doomed. He despises me."
- Writer
