The Alpha Weredragon's Favorite
CHAPTER 74

Lyra

I stepped into the huge auditorium at Harbinger University. The first thing I noticed was the empty podium right away. Phew, what a relief.

My body still ached from yesterday's training session with Killian and Sally. Strangely, I had overslept since my alarm failed to go off. I must have been more exhausted than I realized.

The speaker, a stern-looking woman, stepped onto the stage, cleared her thin throat and boomed, "The lore test consists of three sections," she stated firmly, her eyes scanning the crowd. "First, Harbinger history." I had no worries there. While I battled it out with my exercises, Killian quizzed me relentlessly on the very subject.

"Next is Fact versus Fiction." She paused, and I felt my heart race with uncertainty. Fact versus Fiction- what did that mean?

"And finally," the woman went on, "What it means to be a Luna." Her gaze seemed to linger on me as she said those last words.

Why? I had no clue, but her sour expression made it clear she wasn't offering me any good wishes.

She continued, "The test results will be available in three days. The fifty participants with the highest marks will replace their names listed, in order of their scores, on a sheet posted outside this auditorium at 6 PM."

With a flinty stare around the room, she sat on a chair as two helpers, starting at the front of the room, began to hand out the tests face down.

Around me, I could hear the other participants discussing the test. A tall, dark-haired girl boasted about her knowledge of Harbinger history, her voice echoing through the auditorium. "I've been studying this since I was a pup," she said, her arms crossed over her chest in confidence.

A group of girls nearby were laughing, one of them saying, "Fact versus Fiction? That's going to be a piece of cake. I've heard all the legends a thousand times." They high-fived each other, their grins wide and sure.

Another girl, petite and blonde, was whispering to her friend, "I'm not worried about the Luna section. I've been training for this my whole life." Her friend nodded in agreement, her eyes shining with confidence.

A girl with auburn hair turned to me, squirming in her seat. "I'm more worried about the Fact versus Fiction section," she admitted, her voice a whisper. "There are so many stories, it's hard to know what's true and what's not." I nodded in agreement, feeling a small sense of relief that I wasn't the only one feeling uncertain. "Goddess," the girl said with awe, "there are a lot of she-wolves in here. Must be over a hundred at least."

I knew the auditorium could hold one hundred and fifty students, and every seat was taken by a she-male who desired Ryan as their mate.

Did I have my work cut out for me or what?

I sat in the back of the auditorium, tapping my pen on the test I was handed, when the hairs on the back of my neck stood at attention.

Glancing up, I saw Brittany, sitting in the front row, turned all the way around. She was staring right at me. With a slim finger she made a slicing motion across her throat.

Before I could react, the stern woman was back at the podium. "You have three hours. Flip your tests over and... you may begin."

I tried to push the image of Brittany's threat out of my mind, but it kept creeping back in. My palms started to sweat and I gripped my pen tighter. Swallowing hard, I turned over my test, bowels rolling in protest. 'Uh, oh.'

The test questions swam before my eyes, making it impossible to focus. Three times I reread the same sentence: "Explain the significance of the White Wolf in Harbinger history."

Given that I was the White Wolf...soon to be officially recognized, I should know this. I mean, it should've been tattooed on my brain.

All I drew was a blank. White noise. I had zero, zilch, nada...

Panic choked me. Why couldn't I remember anything? The question was similar to one on Killian's test. The one I took weeks ago. The same one I'd breezed through...

Try as I might to make sense of the words, my mind refused to form coherent sentences.

I took a deep breath in an effort to calm my racing thoughts, hoping to recall the information buried deep in my brain.

The old gray matter continued to shoot blanks.

My gaze flicked up to the clock on the wall as I nibbled the end of my pen. Time was ticking away, and I hadn't even started on the first question and there were four more in this section to go. I couldn't move on until I had at least attempted to answer it.

I glanced around the room, my eyes landing on the other participants. They all seemed so confident, so sure of themselves. I felt a pang of envy, wishing I could be like them.

I shook my head, trying to push the negative thoughts away. I couldn't afford to doubt myself now. I had to focus. I took another deep breath, my eyes scanning the question once more...

The stillness was ripped apart by a sharp POP, a sound that carried with the heavy force of a cannonball. Chatter erupted in the auditorium, until the stern-faced woman said, "Silence!" When I looked down at my paper, the words finally began to make sense.

The White Wolf was a symbol of unity. It represented the coming together of different packs, the forming of alliances. It was a symbol of hope, of a better future.

I began to write again, my hand moving more confidently across the page. I wrote about the significance of the White Wolf in Harbinger history, about how it had brought different packs together and helped to form the university. I wrote about the legends surrounding the White Wolf, about how it was said to have the power to heal and protect. And as I wrote, I felt a sense of calm wash over me. I could do this.