The Luna Academy

The Choosing

I didn't sleep.

How could I, knowing that in a few hours, I'd stand before the most powerful Alpha heirs in the werewolf world and be judged, assessed, and almost certainly dismissed? Rowan's words echoed in my mind: *The Choosing Ceremony is intense.*

At dawn, a sharp knock jolted me from my anxious thoughts.

"First-year students report to the preparation hall in thirty minutes," a voice called through the door. "Formal attire required."

I found the dress hanging in my closet—a floor-length silver gown that probably cost more than my family's monthly income. Simple but elegant, designed to showcase without overwhelming. I slipped it on, my hands trembling slightly as I fastened the delicate clasps.

When I looked in the mirror, I barely recognized myself. The girl staring back looked like she belonged here—poised, elegant, worthy.

If only the reflection was the truth.

The preparation hall buzzed with nervous energy when I arrived. Twenty first-year students clustered in groups, helping each other with hair and makeup, their excitement palpable. Rowan appeared at my side with a makeup kit.

"Here," she said, already dabbing powder on my cheeks. "You need to look your absolute best. First impressions matter."

"Rowan, we both know no Alpha worth having will choose me." I kept my voice low. "I'm fine being chosen last by whoever's left."

"Don't say that." She applied lipstick with expert precision. "You never know what might happen."

Across the room, Vivienne held court surrounded by the Elite Circle. Her gown was midnight black, custom-designed to hug every curve, with crystals that caught the light like stars. She looked like a goddess. When she noticed me watching, she smirked and whispered something to her friends. They all turned to look at me, laughing.

My face burned.

"Ignore them," Rowan muttered. "Today is about showing the Alphas who you are, not about impressing those witches."

A bell chimed, clear and commanding.

"Ladies," Headmistress Corvina appeared in the doorway, "it's time. Form a line by rank—Alpha daughters first, descending to pack standing."

My stomach dropped. Of course. Even the order we'd be presented reflected the hierarchy.

Vivienne led the line, followed by the Elite Circle, then the other Alpha daughters. I ended up dead last, naturally. The scholarship student. The lowest rank in the room.

We processed through marble corridors to the Grand Hall—a massive space with vaulted ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking pristine gardens. At one end, a raised platform held ornate chairs for the headmistress and instructors. At the other end, the Alpha heirs waited.

Thirty of them. All male, all powerful, all watching us enter with varying degrees of interest or indifference.

My wolf stirred inside me for the first time since arriving—a nervous flutter of awareness. She could sense the raw power in the room, the dominance radiating from these future pack leaders.

*Stay calm*, I told her silently. *We just need to survive this.*

We lined up along the side of the hall, standing at attention while Headmistress Corvina explained the ceremony's rules. The highest-ranking Alpha would choose first, then the next, and so on down the line. Once chosen, the Luna student would step forward and stand beside her selected Alpha until all pairings were complete.

"We begin," Headmistress Corvina announced, "with Lucian Ashford, heir to the Silvercrest Pack and son of Alpha King Theron."

Every head turned toward the Alphas.

He stepped forward from the group, and my breath caught despite myself.

Lucian Ashford was devastatingly handsome—tall and broad-shouldered, with dark hair that fell slightly over intense blue eyes that seemed to see everything. Power radiated from him like heat from a flame. He moved with the lethal grace of a predator, commanding attention without trying.

This was the Alpha everyone expected to choose Vivienne. The alliance between Silvercrest and Blackthorn Packs would create the most powerful dynasty in werewolf history.

Vivienne stood straighter, a confident smile playing at her lips.

Lucian's gaze swept the line of Luna students, his expression unreadable. When his eyes passed over me, I felt the weight of his assessment like a physical touch. My wolf perked up, alert and confused by the strange flutter in my chest.

Then he started walking.

Toward us.

Vivienne's smile widened. The Elite Circle looked smug. Even the instructors nodded approvingly.

But Lucian walked past Vivienne without a glance.

Past Celeste, Seraphina, Isabelle, Lydia.

Past every single Alpha daughter, every elite student, every girl who expected his attention.

He stopped directly in front of me.

The room went completely silent.

"You," Lucian said, his voice deep and commanding. His blue eyes locked onto mine with an intensity that made my knees weak. "What's your name?"

"E-Ember." My voice came out barely above a whisper. "Ember Thorne."

"Ember Thorne." He said it like he was tasting the words, committing them to memory. "From Pinewood Pack."

"Yes." I couldn't look away from his eyes. Couldn't breathe properly. Couldn't understand what was happening.

The entire hall held its breath.

Lucian extended his hand. "You'll be my training partner this year."

The room exploded.

Shocked gasps. Furious whispers. Someone—probably Vivienne—made a strangled sound of outrage.

I stared at Lucian's outstretched hand like it was a venomous snake. This couldn't be real. The most powerful Alpha heir in the werewolf world did not just choose the scholarship student over literal royalty.

"I—" Words failed me.

"Take his hand," Rowan hissed from somewhere behind me.

My hand trembled as I placed it in Lucian's. His fingers closed around mine, warm and strong, and electricity shot up my arm. My wolf howled in my mind—not in fear, but in recognition of something I didn't understand.

Lucian led me across the hall to stand beside him, facing the line of shocked Luna students. From this vantage point, I could see every face clearly.

Vivienne looked like she'd been slapped. Her perfect composure cracked, revealing pure fury in her eyes. The Elite Circle whispered frantically to each other. The other students ranged from shocked to pitying—pitying me, I realized, for whatever hell this choice would bring down on my head.

Headmistress Corvina recovered first, though her smile looked strained. "An... interesting choice, Mr. Ashford. Unconventional, but within your rights. Congratulations to you both."

Lucian's hand remained on my lower back, a possessive gesture that every wolf in the room understood. I was his training partner now. Under his protection—and his authority.

"Next," Headmistress Corvina called, clearly eager to move past the disruption, "we have Sebastian Wolfe, heir to Nightshade Pack."

The ceremony continued, but I barely registered it. My mind spun. Why would Lucian choose me? It made no political sense. No strategic sense. It was social suicide to pick a scholarship student over Vivienne Blackthorn.

"Breathe," Lucian murmured, so quietly only I could hear. "You look like you're going to faint."

"I don't understand," I whispered back.

"You don't need to. Not yet." His hand pressed slightly firmer against my back. "Just stand there and look like you deserve to be here."

But I didn't deserve to be here. Not beside him. Not chosen first by the most powerful Alpha in the room.

As other pairings formed—Sebastian chose Celeste, Marcus selected Seraphina—I watched Vivienne's face grow colder and harder. When a mid-tier Alpha finally chose her (far lower in rank than she deserved), the humiliation in her eyes promised violence.

And that violence would be directed at me.

When the ceremony finally ended and we were dismissed to meet with our partners privately, Lucian guided me out of the Grand Hall with a firm hand. Students parted before us like he was royalty—which he essentially was.

"Conference room three," he said, leading me down a corridor. "We need to talk."

"About why you just destroyed your political future?" The words escaped before I could stop them.

He glanced down at me, and for the first time, something like amusement flickered in those intense eyes. "Among other things."

We entered a small, elegant room with a table and chairs. The door closed behind us with a soft click, and suddenly we were alone.

Lucian leaned against the table, studying me with an intensity that made me want to squirm. "Do you know why I chose you, Ember Thorne?"

"Because you've lost your mind?"

His lips twitched—almost a smile. "An understandable assumption. But no." He crossed his arms, his posture relaxed but his gaze sharp. "I chose you because you're exactly what I need."

"I'm a scholarship student from a nobody pack. How could I possibly be what you need?"

"That," Lucian said quietly, "is precisely why."

Before I could demand clarification, a sharp knock interrupted us.

The door opened to reveal Vivienne, her expression murderous despite her composed smile.

"Lucian," she said sweetly, ignoring me completely. "I believe there's been a mistake. Surely you meant to choose—"

"There was no mistake." Lucian's voice went cold, all traces of amusement vanishing. "Ember is my chosen partner. That's final."

Vivienne's eyes flicked to me, and the hatred there made my blood freeze.

"Of course," she said softly. "How silly of me." She looked back at Lucian. "I'm sure you have your reasons. Though I can't imagine what they could possibly be."

She left, closing the door with deliberate gentleness that was somehow more threatening than slamming it.

I turned to Lucian. "She's going to make my life hell."

"She's going to try." He pushed off the table, moving closer. "But you have something Vivienne doesn't, Ember. Something that makes you far more valuable than any Alpha daughter in that hall."

"What?"

He studied me for a long moment, as if deciding how much to reveal.

"You're underestimated," he finally said. "And that makes you dangerous."