The "Boy" Mated to Five

Chapter 6

Taking the potion was almost as excruciating as being rejected by my mate.

The burning, searing pain shook me to my core, starting in my chest and radiating outward like liquid fire through every nerve. Although the Wolftress had said my essence would remain intact, as agony tore through my body, I wasn't sure if any of that was true.

Ethan watched me doubled over on the inn's wooden floor, his hands hovering uselessly as I writhed in pain. His face contorted with helpless anguish as he watched me suffer.

"You can stop," he reminded me desperately. "You don't need to go through with this."

I ignored him, gritting my teeth and waiting for the pain to ease.

Nothing would get in my way.

Once the pain subsided, I knew immediately that something had changed with my wolf.

“Are you okay,” Ethan asked and I nodded slowly, my head still throbbing from the aftereffects.

Still, I was curious to see just how much stronger and faster I had become in my wolf form.

But before I got too ahead of myself, I needed to finish the transformation.

"Could I borrow some shears?" I asked Ethan.

He handed me a pair of scissors.

With shaking hands, I cut the silky tresses I had treasured so long as part of me, until my hair barely brushed my ears, then mussed it up the way I'd watched Ethan do countless times.

Then I took the appearance tonic.

It tasted like copper and made nausea roll within me. I watched in a mirror as my dark brown eyes shifted to gray, my brunette hair lightening to sandy blonde. The change was jarring and I felt strange staring at my new reflection.

When I spoke, my voice carried a masculine edge that sounded foreign to my own ears.

But that's where the tonic's help ended. I would have to start binding my chest to hide my other feminine features.

"You'll need new clothes," Ethan said, studying my transformed appearance with worried eyes.

We found our way to a bustling market near the inn where I picked up simple shirts and dark slacks. All practical clothing that would help complete my disguise.

With my transformation complete, we could move to the next phase of our plan: getting the recommendation I needed to enter the academy.

~0~

Ethan was going to plead on my behalf for the Crescent Moon Pack to accept me and send me to the academy as a way to contribute to pack protection.

I didn't know why they would care about a rejected wolf protecting their pack, but he seemed confident enough in his explanation.

Their Alpha was also a commander at the academy.

Commander Dominic Greyfall.

He was practically the right hand of the Lycan King and Alpha of one of the largest and most powerful packs in the kingdom.

Ethan explained that if anyone could easily get me into the academy, it would be him.

“I've trained with Commander Greyfall for years and earned his respect,” he said. “He might be willing to hear me out about this…" he said, though his confidence faltered slightly.

We didn’t know if it would work.

Still, it was our best chance…maybe our only chance.

As we approached the pack borders, Ethan asked. "Have you decided on your new name?"

He'd already sent the Crescent Moon pack leaders details of my fabricated story where I was his cousin from a distant pack in need of help. He'd left out any specific names in case they decided to do some digging before we showed up.

It would be a small delay at most if they did decide to investigate

But every small mercy helped.

I tapped my chin. "How about Elliott Greenwood?” I said. “But I'll go by Eli.” I smiled up at him, my eyes twinkling mischievously.

"Funny Elara,” Ethan said, giving me a look. “That’s way too close to your real name and you know it. Someone will figure it out."

I shrugged. "Maybe, but imagine I change it to something like Theo Greythorne and when my name gets called, I never respond. Wouldn’t that be more suspicious?" I gave him a look. "At least this name is close enough to help me remember."

"One," Ethan held up a finger, "you know that Theo Greythorne is my best friend at the academy, so you can't use that name."

I smiled teasingly at him. "Oh, is that where I got that from?"

He ignored me. "Two, if you can't even keep track of a new name without revealing yourself, how are you going to pull this off?"

I sighed, looking away. "It doesn't matter,” I said. “I'm not changing my mind, Ethan, so you can just drop it."

~0~

The Crescent Moon Pack house was an impressive mansion that sprawled through the forest.

The guards patrolled the grounds in formation, weapons gleaming at every checkpoint.Banners bearing the pack's silver crescent symbol snapped in the wind from towering flagpoles.

At the massive oak doors, two heavily armed guards blocked our path.

"State your business," one demanded, his hand resting casually on his sword hilt.

"We're here to speak with Beta Tristan," Ethan said. "He's expecting us."

The guards exchanged glances, before one looked away, seemingly communicating through pack link. After a tense moment of scrutiny, he nodded.

"You can go in."

As we stepped in, I was taken aback by what I saw. If I thought the pack house for my old pack had been grand, this one made it look like it belonged to a pauper.

From the polished marble floors reflecting light from the crystal chandeliers, the expensive furnishings, and the floor to ceiling oil paintings of famous pack leaders lining the walls.

Everything spoke of wealth and power carefully displayed.

Beta Tristan met us in a grand study lined with military maps of the kingdom. He was a striking man with jet black hair and sharp green eyes that seemed to catalog every detail about us within seconds.

I quickly introduced myself to him with my new name, hiding the fact that I was actually shaking inside.

"Elliott," he said, extending his hand with measured warmth. "When Ethan reached out about his cousin’s situation, I must say I was surprised. But your desire to serve and protect is admirable."

I nodded. “I’d like to earn my place here and I’m willing to defend this pack with my life,” I said, the lie rolling off my tongue more easily than I had expected.

Beta Tristan gave me an appreciative look. “That’s the kind of spirit we like.”

I gave a small smile and waited with bated breath for his next words.

I silently sent another prayer to the Moon Goddess asking for her help even though it seemed she ignored me most days.

"You will have to speak with our Alpha yourself Elliott," Beta Tristan said, "but I have already reached out to him and explained everything. He's curious about the person Ethan Greene would vouch so strongly for,” He gave Ethan a look before his gaze settled on me. “Because of that, he has granted you preliminary permission to enter the academy."

I gasped in relief.

Thank the Goddess.

Maybe she hadn’t given up on me yet.

“Thank you, Beta Tristan,” I said, shaking his hands again. Ethan thanked him as well in kind.

"I would love to officially welcome you into the Crescent Moon Pack," he added, "but as you know, it is our Alpha who must formally accept you first."

I nodded understandingly. But I had gotten permission to enter the academy and that was the most important thing.

As we left the pack house, I smiled gratefully at my brother.

I knew I was lucky to have him, to have someone who would go to such great lengths to help me…I could never thank him enough.

Even if this was all for a suicide mission.

~0~

Later, as we walked through the pack's land heading back to the border, I voiced my deepest fear.

"Do you think if I join the pack officially, the Alpha would be able to tell who I really am?”

That I'm not actually a boy…

"If the potion works well, then he shouldn't," Ethan responded. “But he is a very powerful Alpha,” he admitted.

He looked at me again, his eyes filling with worry, as he silently pleaded once more for me to change course. “Elara,” he said.

I shifted my gaze to the ground and kept walking.

~0~

On our journey to the academy, we stopped by a stream to rest and refill our water supplies. The forest around us was peaceful, birds singing in the trees overhead as sunlight filtered through the leaves.

Ethan munched thoughtfully on an apple as he began explaining how the Military Academy worked.

"The training is five years," he said.

I nodded. I knew that Ethan had been training to be a commander and that this would be his final year.

"And the Academy is actually made of four separate academies," he continued as he took another bite of his apple.

I took a swig of water. I hadn’t known that part.

"The Commander Academy trains the future leaders of pack warriors. We’re highly skilled in combat and have advanced weapon training, but specialize in strategy and making split second battle decisions,” he said and I blinked in awe.

“The Assassin Academy focuses on stealth training and espionage. They're incredible trackers who know how to eliminate threats with quick precision," he continued explaining.

I thought of how helpful that would be for me to hunt down those rogue wolves.

Ethan paused to gulp down a drink of water. "Then there’s the Medical Academy, which, as you can imagine,” he said wiping a sleeve across his mouth, “helps keep everyone alive.”

“And the Warrior Academy focuses on brute force combat skills in both human and wolf form," he finished.

“As a first year,” he continued, “you'll start by taking classes in every school.”

He then explained that after three months, I would then decide which of the four academies I'd want to enter.

Only then would I face the entrance trials for that specific academy.

His expression grew grave. "If you fail those trials, you'll be expelled immediately.”

There were no second chances.

And being expelled meant bringing great shame to your pack.

In some packs, it was as good as being dead.

The weight of that settled over me like a stone. Even though I technically still didn’t have a pack, the pain of being rejected by your pack was something I knew all too well.

I felt the memories surging within me, but I quickly pushed them away before they could consume me.

I would need to make sure I passed those trials. Expulsion meant that my time would be cut short at the academy and I would have to leave before I was ready.

I couldn’t let that happen.

"Please don't make me regret this, Ellie," he said softly, using my childhood nickname. "Tell me as soon as you want to leave, and we'll go."

I gave him a tight hug, thanking him for everything he was risking for me.

I didn't tell him I had no interest in waiting long for revenge. I would learn what I needed as quickly as possible and go after those rogues myself.

~0~

It took another two days of running at full speed in my wolf form to finally reach the academy.

The potion made me feel more powerful than ever before.

Yet even with all that strength flowing through my veins, I still felt lighter and could move even faster.

It was incredible.

I just hoped beyond anything that this lasted longer than the two weeks the Wolftress had mentioned.

The academy rose before us like a mountain of gray stone, its towers reaching toward the sky. Massive walls surrounded the complex, broken by gates that looked like they could withstand a siege.

Banners representing all four academies flew from different sections.

Silver for Commanders, black for Assassins, white for Medical, and red for Warriors.

I watched as students moved across the courtyards with purpose, all radiating the confidence that came from elite training.

I took a deep breath of the mountain air as anticipation thrummed through me.

This was where I would forge myself into a weapon worthy of my Luna’s memory.

This was where my real journey would begin.