Ellie's face turned red, her flirty smile fading for a second before she quickly flipped her honey-blonde curls and tried to act cool.
"You're just jealous because no one has ever looked at you like that," she snapped.
But it was too late. The damage was already done.
This time, the laughter came from all corners of the room—loud and unkind.
"Isn't her dad just a fake Alpha?" someone whispered.
"She acts like she's some queen," another said with a snort.
"Good luck finding a mate with all that perfume and drama. You will end up getting rejected."
Alpha Cole's lips twitched like he wanted to laugh, but he covered it with a fake cough.
"That's enough," he said, trying to sound serious but clearly amused. "Ellie, take your paper and sit down."
Ellie marched to the front, grabbed her test paper roughly, and stomped back to her seat. Her cheeks were still red, and her lips were pressed like she'd just sucked on a lemon.
Alpha Kieran's eyes swept the room. "Next. Let's keep moving. Auron Storme. You're up."
A boy with jet-black hair and sharp golden eyes stood. Raine had noticed him before—he was hard to miss. He had the calm, quiet look of someone dangerous. Like a wolf waiting to strike.
" My name is Auron, I didn't choose this academy," Auron said with a deep, calm voice. "It chose me. My uncle is the Alpha Regent of the Eastern Territory, so… politics I have to be everything my father was to take over his pack." He shrugged. "But I wouldn't mind getting a blood mark and smashing my brother's face in. That's the bonus."
Some girl near the back giggled and muttered, "You've got fight, But I'd let you bite me first... down there. You're soo my type of man!."
Auron didn't even look at her. He just raised his middle finger—like, Fuck you. Not here for then he rolled his eyes and went for his paper
"Next. Selena Greaves," Kieran called out from his lost.
A tall girl with smooth brown skin and shiny black braids stood up confidently. Her school uniform looked like designer wear on her. She had the kind of energy that made people sit up straight.
"I'm here to prove a point," she said. "I'm Black. My family moved here from Africa, and this is the fancy school they picked for me. My dad thinks I'm only useful for making alliances and marrying into power. I think I will be better at war . So I love it in here" she smiled
A few boys sat straighter in their seats.
"Note to self: don't mess with her," someone whispered.
"She's already on my bad side," Ellie muttered under her breath.
"Thank you, Selena," Kieran said with a small nod. "Now\... River Lucent."
Okay, Raine didn't know about anyone else, but to her, Selena was smoking hot and different. If she ever had to pick someone to be her best friend in this messed-up place, it'd be her. Totally her type.
Then a thin boy stood up next. His eyes were a strange silver-blue, and he had this quiet, weird calm aura about him. He wasn't even wearing shoes. His shirt was wrinkled, and actual vines were growing out of his notebook. No one said anything.
Raine sighed. At least she's wasn't the only one looking crazy today.
"I'm here because the forest told me to come," River said. "And I had a vision that this place would burn down because of a weak woman. I want to see if it's true. Also, I heard some creepy stories and wanted to confirm them. I plan to write a book, and Apex Academy is perfect research. Also… maybe I'll end up killing everyone here. Sort of like a mass-murder ending. Maybe."
Raine blinked.
What the hell?
Alpha Gabriel paused. "…Right. That's different. You can try the mass murder if you survive to get the chance "
River took his paper like he didn't just say something totally insane and sat down.
More students stood and gave their reasons—some were full of pride, others sounded desperate. A girl with purple hair said she wanted revenge for her father's death. A big guy from the snowy north said his family was cursed and he needed redemption.
Killian—Raine's roommate—was only there to make his assassin family proud again. He was from a rich family and didn't care about an becoming Alpha. He just wanted to prove his bloodline was the most dangerous one around.
About twelve other students were omegas, hoping to climb the social ladder.
Then it was time to face the real challenge: the math test.
Raine stared at the paper like it was written in alien language.
Which… to her, it kind of was.
" I thought maths should be simple addition and subtraction..what the hell is Find x.? She blinked.
"Find it where?" she whispered. "Did it go missing?"
Someone beside her snorted quietly, but she didn't look up. She was still focused on the pages.
Growing up, she didn't attend any standard basic education because her mother could literally not afford it and she was barely outside— couldn't be seen mingling with other kids.
But then she was determined to figure it out. If she survived a death trap examination..what then is mathematics?
Raine gripped her pencil tight like squeezing it could help her think better. Her mom taught her how to read—But fractions?
Angles?
Algebra?
No chance.
Her pencil hovered over a question that said simplify.
She was tempted to write, "it's already simple. Leave it alone," but she knew that wouldn't get her any points.
Behind her, Ellie let out a loud, smug sigh—like she had just finished the whole thing. Raine rolled her eyes. Ellie probably had private tutors and extra lessons after class.
Raine's eyes started to blur from stress. Her hands were sweaty, and her jaw was tight. She hated this. Hated feeling small. Stupid. Weak.
She took a deep breath and forced herself to relax.
"Okay," she whispered. "If you could survive and escape Gemma Anthony's brutality… you can figure this out."
Maybe.
She stared harder at the paper.
Still nothing.
Then the bell rang.
"Drop your papers on my desk," Alpha Kieran said. "If you didn't finish, that's on you. Just pack your bags and go back to your home. We only accept smart students. Literally— the best in all fields"
Raine stood with her empty paper in hand and walked to the front like she was on a walk of shame. She dropped it on the desk without meeting Kieran's eyes and turned back to leave.
"Orange " he called out and she froze.
"Why submit an empty script? Are you dumb? Alpha Vale's son can solve mathematics? Tell me a better joke"
"I..." Raine stuttered.
Kieran scoffed, ignored her and went for the next script.
Nothing pissed Raine off so badly as someone ignoring her. vein threatened to burst out of her forehead and she glared at him with squinted eyes. " Fuck you " she muttered under her breath.
"Did you say something Rowan?"
"Thank you. That's what I said. Alpha"