The entrance examination

The Apex Trials Academy was built into the side of a mountain in Iserenth, a town at the southern part of Valdoria.

Fires burned from stone sconces, casting thick shadows along the walls.

The entrance of the school was two massive iron gates, and it was fucking lined with skulls.

Raine's breath hitched as she caught her first glimpse of it.

They were real dead people's skulls.

Her stomach twisted.

"Welcome to hell," Tobe muttered.

A group of new recruits had already gathered outside the gates. Most of them were huge and looked strong, while the others looked confident. No one was as petite, shy, and insecure as Raine.

"Step forward," the guard of the academy stopped in front of her.

Tobe nudged her with a smirk. "This is where I leave you. Don't even for a second forget you are male now. Any mistake from your side could get you killed. And your mother won't want that."

Matteo had instructed him to make sure she arrived safely at the academy, and now his job was done.

Raine turned to him, unsure why her chest tightened at the words. "That's it?"

He nodded. "From here, you either make it inside as a candidate or you die while trying. It's up to you, Rowan Vale."

She nodded, swallowed her fear, and stepped forward.

"Name?" the hefty man asked, holding a pen over a paper and without sparing her a glance.

"Ra... Rowan Vale. My name is Rowan Vale," she answered, twisting her legs on the concrete floor. She was only trying not to make it obvious how much she struggled to speak.

"Vale?" The man looked up, his eyebrows rising in surprise.

"You can't be the son of Alpha Vale, are you?"

Confused, she rolled her eyes on the ground, avoiding the gaze of the man before her. She had no idea who the hell Alpha Vale was, not to talk of Rowan.

"Yeah..." she stuttered. It was best to admit; she was stealing his life, after all.

"Seems the gods are going to gift another amazing talent. I'm sure you wouldn't disappoint your late father. But you are such a pretty boy. I won't deny it."

She nodded with a faint smile.

Surviving the entrance exam was supposed to be her only concern, but now she had to live up to some name.

Even worse, they would probably think she's naturally gifted like the so-called Alpha Vale.

The man made a sharp mark on the paper and stepped aside. "You can go in."

Raine forced her feet forward, slipping past the towering iron gates, which groaned as they shut behind her. A shiver ran down her spine at the loud sound of the gate.

She was inside now. There was no turning back alive.

It's either she passed the entrance examination or she died while trying.

The courtyard stretched wide before her, illuminated by the glow of the flames. New recruits clustered in uneasy groups, their eyes scanning their surroundings with suspicion. Some exchanged hushed whispers, others stood alone, sizing up their competition.

"Form a line!" a voice boomed through the air.

Raine turned toward the source. An imposing figure stood on the raised stone platform ahead. Dressed in black armor with a fur-lined cloak draped over his shoulders, his presence alone demanded obedience. His face wasn't visible enough since it was almost nightfall in Iserenth, but his silver eyes gleamed like a predator in the dark.

"Alpha Gabriel," someone murmured behind her. "The Alpha of Black Hollow pack."

Her stomach twisted. She was at the very front of the man who had bought her at the auction less than twenty-four hours ago.

"Tonight marks the beginning of your trials. It's no coincidence that you are here. You must have been chosen for a greater purpose by the gods," Alpha Gabriel announced, his deep voice echoing across the courtyard.

"Only those worthy will remain within these walls by dawn. If you fail the test, you die. It's unfortunate but try not to be unfortunate."

Murmurs spread through the recruits, but no one dared to voice their fear.

"I'm afraid, recruits, that I can't ask if any of you has a change of thought. You stepping into that gate means you are in. You will enter the Gauntlet Hall," Gabriel continued.

He pointed toward a massive set of doors at the far end of the courtyard.

"Inside, you will face challenges designed to separate the strong from the weak. Should you survive, you will earn your place among us and become a student here."

The doors groaned open, revealing nothing but darkness.

"Step forward, all of you."

One by one, recruits marched toward the darkness.

Raine swallowed hard as she moved with them. She had no training, no power to call her own, only the stolen name of a probably dead boy.

And yet, she had no choice but to walk through that door.

A hand suddenly gripped her wrist.

She turned, finding herself face-to-face with a tall dude. He had jet-black hair, dark eyes, and a sharp, unreadable expression.

"You're really Rowan Vale?" he said, his voice low enough that only she could hear.

Before she could speak, he smirked.

"I see you are. Try not to die too soon, princeling. It would be a waste of legacy. Besides, watch your back because my only aim is to kill you."

Then he released her and intentionally bumped his shoulder against hers.

This is hell!

Raine clenched her fists and followed, swallowing the fear that threatened to drown her.

Flames came to life along the walls, revealing a long corridor with jagged stone edges.

She forced her feet to keep moving.

The corridor opened into a vast chamber. At its center stood a massive stone archway with symbols glowing along its surface.

"The first trial," a deep, harsh, and rough growl echoed in the vast chamber.

The voice rang out from unseen speakers embedded in the walls. "Is the Hunt. You all played hide and seek while growing up. It's nothing different here except that there won't be giggles when you are caught. It's a maze. The goal is to not get killed until you hear the dumbbell!"

A heavy clang sounded behind Raine as the entrance sealed shut.

She had no time to process. The moment the doors locked, the ground trembled, and a monstrous howl split the air.

Then came the sound of claws scraping against stone.

Raine spun, catching sight of the others breaking into sprints, some darting into different paths of the maze ahead.

Growing up, she was mostly left alone by her mother, locked in the basement with food. She had definitely heard about the games but had never been lucky enough to play with anyone. Although she hoped her first would be with her father.

Suddenly something lunged behind her. Someone's scream was cut off abruptly, followed by the sickening crunch of bone.

Her stomach lurched. There was no freaking time to freeze or think. It could have been her.

She ran.

But she tripped. She pivoted just in time to see something massive lunge at her; a beast unlike anything she'd ever seen, twisted and half-wolf, with a monstrous head. Its glowing red eyes locked onto hers as it walked toward her with a smirk.

Raine barely dodged, slamming against the stone wall as the creature's claws scraped inches from her face.

She wasn't strong. But at least she was fast.

Spinning on her heel, she sprinted down the next hidden spot, forcing herself not to look back as the snarl grew distant.

She wasn't going to survive this by brute strength.

She had to be smart.

Ahead, she spotted the same dark-haired dude who had threatened her death earlier. He moved very quickly and without much struggling.

He reached the next turn and, instead of taking it, pressed his hand against the wall. A section of stone shifted open, revealing a hidden passage.

Without thinking, Raine followed him inside and the wall sealed shut behind them.