The gates of Ironclaw Academy loomed ahead, massive and imposing, like the jaws of some ancient beast waiting to swallow me whole. The stone walls were weathered and covered in ivy, but they still radiated strength and authority. My stomach churned as I stared up at them, my heart pounding in my chest.

“You ready for this?” Kael asked, his voice low.

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to nod. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

He clapped me on the shoulder, his usual smirk in place. “Good. Because there’s no turning back now.”

I took a deep breath, squaring my shoulders. This was it. The moment I’d been preparing for.

We stepped through the gates, the courtyard bustling with activity. Dozens of boys—young men, really—milled about, their voices loud and boisterous. They were all shapes and sizes, but they all had one thing in common: confidence. It radiated off them like heat from a fire.

I felt small in comparison, but I forced myself to stand tall. I was Aiden now. I couldn’t afford to show weakness.

“New recruits!” a voice boomed, cutting through the noise.

I turned to see a man striding toward us, his presence commanding. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with a face that looked like it had been carved from stone. His eyes were sharp, scanning the crowd with a critical gaze.

“I’m Headmaster Thorn,” he said, his voice carrying easily over the noise. “Welcome to Ironclaw Academy. This is where you’ll either prove yourselves worthy of being Alphas… or you’ll fail.”

The crowd fell silent, the weight of his words settling over us. I could feel the tension in the air, thick and heavy.

“You’ll be divided into groups,” Thorn continued. “Your performance here will determine your future. Understood?”

A chorus of “Yes, sir!” rang out, and I joined in, my voice low and steady.

Thorn’s gaze swept over us, lingering for a moment on me. I held my breath, but he moved on without comment.

“Dorm assignments will be posted on the board,” he said, gesturing to a large noticeboard near the entrance. “Get settled in. Training starts tomorrow.”

The crowd began to disperse, and Kael and I made our way to the board. My heart was still racing, but I forced myself to focus.

“Looks like we’re in different dorms,” Kael said, scanning the list.

I frowned, my stomach sinking. “What?”

He pointed to the list, and I saw my name—Aiden—listed under Dorm 3. Kael was in Dorm 5.

“Guess we’ll have to make new friends,” Kael said, his tone light but with an edge of concern.

I nodded, my mind racing. This wasn’t part of the plan. I’d been counting on Kael to have my back.

“You’ll be fine,” Kael said, as if reading my thoughts. “Just keep your head down and don’t draw attention to yourself.”

“Easy for you to say,” I muttered, but I knew he was right.

We parted ways, and I made my way to Dorm 3, my bag slung over my shoulder. The dorm was a large, stone building with a heavy wooden door. I pushed it open, stepping inside.

The room was sparse but functional, with bunk beds lining the walls and a few wooden chests for storage. A few boys were already inside, unpacking their things. They glanced up as I entered, their expressions curious.

“New roommate,” one of them said, his tone friendly. “I’m Finn.”

He was shorter than the others, with messy brown hair and a nervous smile. He looked out of place, like he didn’t quite belong here.

“Aiden,” I said, my voice low and steady.

“This is Jaxon,” Finn said, gesturing to the boy next to him.

Jaxon was tall and muscular, with a cocky grin that immediately set me on edge. He looked me up and down, his expression unimpressed.

“Aiden, huh?” he said, his tone mocking. “You sure you’re in the right place? You look a little… small.”

I clenched my fists but forced myself to stay calm. “I’m where I need to be.”

Jaxon smirked, clearly enjoying himself. “We’ll see about that.”

Finn shot me an apologetic look, but I ignored it, focusing on unpacking my things. I couldn’t afford to let Jaxon get under my skin.

The rest of the evening passed in a blur. I kept to myself, avoiding conversation as much as possible. The other boys seemed content to ignore me, which was fine by me.

But as I lay in bed that night, staring up at the ceiling, I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease. This was going to be harder than I thought.

---

The next morning, we were woken early by the sound of a bell ringing through the courtyard. I dressed quickly, my movements stiff and awkward. The binding around my chest felt tighter than usual, and I had to remind myself to breathe.

We gathered in the courtyard, the air crisp and cool. Headmaster Thorn stood at the front, his expression stern.

“Today, you’ll begin your training,” he said, his voice carrying easily over the crowd. “You’ll be tested in combat, strategy, and endurance. Only the strongest will survive.”

The words sent a chill down my spine, but I forced myself to stand tall. I couldn’t afford to show weakness.

“First up,” Thorn said, “combat training. Pair up.”

The crowd began to shift, boys pairing off with their friends or roommates. I hesitated, unsure of what to do.

“You,” Jaxon said, stepping in front of me. “You’re with me.”

I swallowed hard but nodded. This wasn’t going to be easy.

We moved to an open area, the other boys forming a loose circle around us. Jaxon cracked his knuckles, his grin widening.

“Ready to lose?” he asked, his tone mocking.

I didn’t respond, focusing on my breathing. I couldn’t afford to let him get to me.

Thorn gave the signal, and Jaxon lunged at me, his movements quick and aggressive. I dodged, my instincts kicking in.

The fight was a blur of movement, Jaxon’s attacks coming fast and hard. I focused on defense, waiting for an opening.

And then I saw it.

I ducked under his arm, sweeping his legs out from under him. He hit the ground with a grunt, the crowd erupting into cheers.

I stood over him, my chest heaving. “Still think I’m too small?”

Jaxon glared up at me, but there was a hint of respect in his eyes. “Lucky shot.”

I didn’t respond, turning away before he could see the relief on my face.

As I walked back to the group, I caught Headmaster Thorn’s eye. He gave me a slight nod, and for a moment, I felt a flicker of pride.

This was just the beginning. And I was ready.