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s's
for morning d
with arrogance. I didn't bother turning aroun
late," I
e you planning to stare at
nd met the eyes of the boy blocking the doorway. Broad shoulders, messy blond hair, cocky
e to the bait. "What, no threat to
brush past him. His scent flared in irritation as he caught the underlying wa
hythmic thud of boots and the distant sound of drills starting on tthose born to dominate survive. Whe
very inch of me was trained to mimic Alpha poise. I had perfected this performanc
ng breath could
orning. Then twice. Now three times a day, and the effects still faded too fast. My pulse t
ri
ard the training fields. No one stopped me. No one questioned me. Ran
and closed the door with a soft click.
night's injection. The skin there was sensitive, still healing. I
stbite under my skin. I exhaled t
Two.
mula, reject it, demand more. But I didn't have the luxury of stopping. The academy's mandatory health s
for me,
lways trembling when she stitched my fake ID patches into my uniforms. She hadn't smiled in y
the needl
econds. Then
ing the fabric down. The pain dulled q
nd joined the stream of
the sparring fields, some dripping with sweat, others barking orders at their team
y breath
! Over
ombat wing. His eyes flicked briefly to my expres
yard without b
s, some intimidated, some res
's hi
. Ran
y stronger than Vesper
dy's stronger
n Ve
name was
a storm front. Alphas unconsciously straightened when he walked by. Instructors moderated their tone. Betas avo
by forc
by simple
at me like he was wait
he grass like shattered glass. My reflection flickered briefly in the w
oors open and
once. Training weapons lined the walls. Mats stretchede air s
across the hal
ura came first; dense, cold, layered with somet
urn
ng. His dark hair fell messily across his brow, and his sleeves were rolled to his elbows, exposing
dn't
dn't
dn't
uniform collar, my wrist, my throat. His e
ne corner of h
a sm
a hunter'
something I c
onds. No longer. No shorter. Jus
gaze first and
me like a hand p
re failing and Ro
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