"By the next morning, half the Academy whispered about me and two Alphas."

I didn't need to check the bulletin boards where official Academy announcements were posted, or tap into the complex web of gossip chains that connected every dormitory and classroom. The truth hit me the moment I stepped into the main dining hall and felt the atmosphere shift like a physical blow.

The cafeteria went unnaturally quiet when I walked through the heavy oak doors, hundreds of conversations stuttering to ...