The Alpha Weredragon's Favorite
CHAPTER 76

Lyra

The girls rushed out of the test room like a pack of puppies let out to play. Some were huddled together, crying and sniffling. Others were practically skipping, with huge smiles on their faces. The noise was like a beehive that had been kicked

over, a happy buzzing mixed with worried whimpers.

"I don't think I did well at all," one girl said to her friend.

"I know, right? I couldn't answer half of the questions," replied a petite blonde. "Even in the easy section. I mean, what is his favorite color do you think? Green or gold?"

"Considering his party had a blue theme, what do you think?" snarked another girl.

"I'm just glad it's over," sighed a pretty girl with dark skin and big brown eyes.

I met up with Sally in the Quad. "How'd it go, Lyra? Was it as hard for you as everyone was saying?" she asked.

I wasn't sure how to answer her. Should I tell her that in the beginning I nearly choked with panic? Or about Brittany wishing for my death and destruction? Or the loud noise that scared some of the participants half to death? In the end, I gave her a smile and said, "I think it went okay."

I didn't want to worry her. I was worried enough for the both of us.

Three days later, the list of participants for the Luna Trials was posted as promised. I walked through the crowd of girls on wobbly legs, their conversations making my stomach roll and pitch like a ship in a storm.

"I didn't make it!" A beautiful girl with bright red hair wailed, clutching her friend like a life raft. "Did you?"

Her friend shook her head and then burst into tears.

Brittany stood to the side, her admirers and lackeys circled around her. "Of course I passed. It was way too easy. Those who failed... well," she tapped her head. "Who wants a Luna who can't think?" Murmurs of agreement rose in the air.

As I got closer to the list, my breath went shallow. I rubbed at my chest, hoping for more air as I trudged past some girls with shocked expressions, others with smug looks, and even more with tears streaming down their faces. Each step I took brought me closer to the truth, and I could feel my palms growing sweaty with nerves.

Finally, I made it to the list. I scanned the names quickly, searching for my own. I started at the top, reading each name carefully, hoping to replace my own. But as I neared the bottom of the list, my heart sank. Forty-nine names stared back at me, but mine wasn't one of them. Confused and disappointed, a lump formed in my throat. I blinked back the tears that threatened to fall, not wanting to show my weakness.

But then, I noticed a small note at the very bottom of the page. It said: "Lyra Evergreen, come to the Luna Council chambers tonight at eight o'clock."

My eyes went wide. What did this mean? Was I in trouble, or was something else going on?

***

I walked into the large office alone, my heart racing. As my Second, Sally had promised to come with me, to support me through this meeting with the Luna Council. I waited to the last minute, pacing outside the office until I could wait no more. With slumped shoulders, I entered the room.

I wasn't greeted by a 'Hi', 'Hello', or 'How are you?' Instead, I was ordered by a gruff male voice to, "Sit... there."

The cavernous office had no other lighting than the one shining directly in my eyes. It made it hard to see the four council members sitting on an elevated stage in front of me. They were just silhouettes, looming over me as I sat on a hard, uncomfortable stool.

I shifted in my seat, trying to replace a position that didn't make my back ache. But it was impossible. The stool was too low, and the light was too bright. I felt like I was being interrogated.

And that's exactly what it turned out to be.

"So, Lyra Evergreen," one of them said, their voice cold and detached. "You scored a perfect 100 on the Luna Trials test. Impressive, to say the least."

"Thank you," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.

"But how did you manage it?" another council member asked, their voice dripping with suspicion. "We've never seen anyone score so high before. It's almost as if you had inside information."

I felt a knot forming in my stomach. "I don't know what you're talking about," I said, trying to sound innocent because I was. "I studied hard and did my best."

The council members exchanged skeptical glances. "We'll be the judge of that," one of them said. "Tell us, Lyra, what's your strategy for winning the Luna Trials?"

I hesitated for a moment before answering. "I don't have a strategy," I said. "I-I just want to do my best. That's it."

The council members snorted in disbelief. "Save it, Lyra," one of them said. "We know you're not that innocent. You're either a cheater or a liar. Which one is it?"

It seemed like they grilled me for hours, but it was really only minutes. On and on they went about my perfect score. Questioning me about my ties to Wolfsong and how I, a girl without a wolf, seemed to have ensnared one of the most powerful Alpha's in the land.

Ten minutes in and the armpits of my dress were soaked and I could feel the sweat running down my back. They had the power to disqualify me and there was nothing Ryan could do about it.

Over and over I tried to explain that I had been kicked out of Wolfsong, that I no longer had ties to them. That I had remembered the teachings from my classes.

The only lie I told was that I had been preparing for the test for weeks, when in reality I decided to sign up for the trials only after they were officially announced. I lied because I needed them to believe I was studying the whole time and not just spur of the moment, giving them an excuse to ax me right away.

No matter what I said, they didn't seem to believe me. They kept pushing, asking me how I could have possibly gotten every answer right.

I felt my face getting hot as I didn't know what else to say. I knew I hadn't cheated, but how could I prove it to them?

Just when I thought I couldn't take it anymore, there was a knock at the door. I turned my head, trying to see who it was, but the light in my eyes made it impossible.

Was it a friend, coming to rescue me from this interrogation? Or was it a foe, someone who would only make things worse? I held my breath, waiting to see what would happen next.