Chapter 3 SKINNY DIPPING IN THE CURSED POOL

STORM HAYES

My breath caught in my throat as the knife pressed closer, cutting my skin until blood seeped through. Instinct clawed at me, begging me to kneel, begging him to let me go as I wouldn’t bother him. But I knew I couldn’t do that. I was no longer Storm. I had become Andrew Walton. I was meant to be brave, strong, the dangerous son of an Alpha. I couldn’t be caught being weak and pathetic.

“You wouldn’t dare,” I growled. My voice broke, giving away the fright I felt.

I tried to steady myself, to even out my breathing and stop my body from shaking, but it was no use. My fear could be smelled from a mile away.

My mate laughed, his eyes lighting up with amusement. He was clearly basking in my intimidation.

This angered me so much that I snapped. “Who do you think you are? Fuck off me!” I screamed and pushed him away.

The knife slipped from his hands, slashed mine, and in his struggle to steady himself, he got injured too. I gasped at the deep gash on his arm, blood dripping to the floor.

“I am so sorry. I didn’t mean it. It was—”

“Shut the fuck up,” he growled. “You just made the worst enemy. I’ll make sure you don’t leave here alive.”

I was beyond terrified and would have fallen on my knees to plead, but just then our level coordinator barged in, rolling his eyes when he saw the mess on the floor from our tussle.

“Lucian Vale! How many times have I told you not to try killing your roommate on the first night? I thought we’d been over this countless times?”

After throwing me a glare, Lucian rolled his eyes and walked into the bathroom, leaving me and the coordinator in a silence so thick, a knife could slice through it.

I was still shaking, sweat dripping down my face.

“Can I speak to you, Andrew?” the coordinator asked.

I nodded and followed him until we reached a dark storage room.

“I’m sure you’ve heard about the legendary Lucian Vale. If I were you, I’d stay away from him. We don’t want him doing to you what he did to his last four roommates.”

A new wave of fear surged through my chest. I didn’t know if I should ask about what happened to Lucian’s old roommates, or about him. I’d never even heard his name before.

“What… who is he? I’ve never heard—”

“You don’t know Lucian Vale? The guy who killed his parents in cold blood. The one responsible for the genocide of his pack? I’m sure you’ve heard of him.”

My legs shook, and I nearly wet myself, but I managed to hold it together. “I’ve never… This is the first time I’m hearing about him. What happened to his old roommates? How many did he have? Why was I paired with someone so dangerous?”

The coordinator chuckled, waving me off. “Oh, come on, Andrew. You’re not much better than he is. Just be careful. We don’t want another murder case here.” With that, he walked out of the storage room, whistling.

I stood frozen, realizing I had run from the devil only to fall into the hands of a greater evil. Maybe I should have just stayed back. Maybe marrying Alpha Darius wouldn’t have been so bad. I was thinking of running back when an alarm went off.

All the students were asked to meet at the field for training. Mustering up courage, I ran to join the others.

A tall woman was addressing us. “Welcome to the correctional center for Alpha delinquents, everyone. I am your principal, Mrs. Jones. This is a four-month training program to mold your uncanny behaviors so that you can return to your packs. Never forget that the only reason you are here is because your parents or relatives had enough money and influence to bypass the sentences given to you by the werewolf court for your crimes. If you pass, you’ll be given a certificate of completion and you can leave. Fail, and you’ll be beheaded the same day your peers graduate. We have strict rules here, and breaking any of them can lead to your execution. If you are found impersonating anyone, you’ll be killed on the spot. Don’t try running away, you won’t make it far before your corpse is dragged back. If you have any issues or concerns, you know where to find me. Thank you.”

My eyes widened as I realized I was stuck here. I was grateful I hadn’t broken earlier and told them I wasn’t one of them. Heaven knows what would have happened if I did.

Before training, our teacher, who had graduated from this school last year, imposed something on us. He called it a tradition. Everyone was asked to strip and skinny dip in a pool called the “cursed pool.” The pool got its name from its strange appearance and the fact that every year, someone died in it. The teacher said skinny dipping was a ritual to prove courage, but I wasn’t about to take off my clothes.

Everyone else stripped without hesitation and jumped in, while I stood frozen, thinking of ways to get out of it. If I undressed, everyone would see I wasn’t a boy, and I’d be killed.

“What’s wrong, Walton? Afraid of a little cursed pool?” one of the boys mocked, and laughter erupted.

Lucian and I were the only ones who hadn’t jumped in yet, but no one dared mock him. They couldn’t even meet his eyes.

Lucian must have sensed I was hiding something. My hands were gripping my clothes tight, and I kept glancing around like a trapped animal.

He walked up to me, eyes narrowing in suspicion. “What are you hiding, Walton?”

“No… noth… nothing. I’m just coming down with a cold. I also have a phobia for… water,” I stuttered.

Lucian cornered me, gripping my flimsy, torn shirt. His stance showed he was ready to rip it off and expose whatever I was hiding.