Moonlit Desires: The Alpha's Awakening

~Training Ground~

Ding! Ding! Ding!

The mystic bells ringing woke Adora up. As she rose from her bed and her gaze went outside the window, a big smile erupted on her face as she realized that she’d managed to survive her first day at the academy without any mishaps. Well, aside from the whole school finding out she was friends with Bella Howl. She had made a new friend, Naya, who showed her around the academy and she had Bella by her side, so she was feeling good about how the year was going to be at Moonlit Academy.

Turning away from the window, she looked towards Bella’s side of the room, but there was no sign of the other girl. She wondered if Bella had come back to the dorm last night or if she had spent the night outside as Bella wasn’t in the room when she came back.

“I wonder where she is,” Adora commented, looking sideways again at Bella’s bed. It didn’t look like anyone had slept in it, meaning she probably didn’t return to the dorm last night. With a yawn, she rose from the bed, ready to enter the bathroom, when she heard the sound of the door opening. She stopped and turned to see who it was.

“Oh, Adora, you are awake,” Bella greeted her as she walked into the room and fell onto the sofa in their room.

“Good morning, Bella.” Adora returned the greeting with a smile, although it was a bit frayed because she was worried.

Seeming to notice this, Bella sat upright and asked, “What? Why do you look worried?”

Adora’s response didn’t come immediately. She didn’t want to appear pushy. Finally, she spoke. “I was worried about you. I kept wondering if something bad had happened to you. You didn’t come back to the room last night.”

A laugh came out from Bella. Studying Adora’s expression, she couldn’t help but find her worry cute. “What makes you think I didn’t come back to the dorm last night?”

“Well,” Adora’s gaze went to Bella’s bed, “that doesn’t look like you slept in it.”

Upon hearing that, Bella really got a good look at Adora’s bed. It was a complete contrast from hers. Shaking her head, she got to her feet and walked to the other girl’s bed with the intention of making it neat. “I should have told you, but I forgot. There is a rule in the academy. Mama believes that, as a leader, your home has to be put in order before you can put those under you in order. She says a distressed home is a distressed mind.”

Bella stood in front of the bed, inspecting the finished work, before walking back to where Adora was. Her hand came down softly on the young girl’s shoulder.

“Do you understand?”

Adora nodded.

“Good, now go take your bath. You don’t want to be late for your first day on the training ground, especially when you have that person as your mentor.” After those words, Bella took her hands off Adora’s shoulders and walked towards the door.

A pair of eyes blinked rapidly in confusion at Bella’s words. “Hold on, what person?” Before she got her question out, the door was already shutting behind Bella. “Woah.” Even more confused, Adora looked around the room. In amazement, she whispered, “She was just here. How did she disappear so quickly? Never mind, I had better go get ready.”

A few minutes later, Adora was dressed and ready to leave the dorm. Heeding Bella’s advice, she timed herself, so she wouldn’t be late for the first class. Whoever the mysterious person was, the way Bella spoke about them, Adora didn’t want to get on their bad side.

With her AirPods playing her favorite playlist, she ran through the hallway to make it to the training ground.

“Adora!”

As Adora got closer, she noticed Naya standing by the entrance and waving at her excitedly.

With a smile of her own, Adora waved back. “Naya!” It’s nice to see a familiar face, she thought as she ran to her. The way Bella had made it out, the class was only for beginners. “How come you’re in this class? You’re in your second year, aren’t you?”

“I am, but it should be the other way around.” Naya’s eyes squinted in surprise. “He only accepts a few first-years, and then the rest of us have to fight for a place in his class,” Naya explained, which only got Adora more confused.

Who was this mysterious person they were all talking about? The only thing she had gotten so far was that he was male, and his class was very much sought after. She was about to question Naya further when she noticed the change in the classroom. The girls had started to shriek. Adora knew there and then who this mysterious trainer was. As far as she knew, there was only one person that could draw such a reaction from them. Bilal.

How did that happen? How is he my mentor? Isn’t he a trainee with us as well? Lost in her mind, her eyes followed him as he made his way to the center of the room.

“Adora, back to earth.” Naya snapped her fingers against her ear.

“Huh? What did you just say?”

“You look surprised.”

“Of course, I am.” Adora couldn’t hide her surprise. “How did he end up being our mentor? He’s supposed to be a trainee like us, right? Isn’t this an Academy for people who want to enhance their strengths and abilities? Or am I missing something?”

“Hold up,” Naya’s hand went up, “do you think Bilal and the rest of the elites are only called the elites because of how powerful their families are and how gorgeous they are?”

Adora nodded. That was precisely what she thought.

“Oh, honey, you have a lot to learn.” Naya laughed quietly, shaking her head.

Adora’s face fell. “If you’re not going to tell me the reason behind it, you should not have mentioned it to me.”

Sensing that Adora wasn’t joking, Naya was quick to apologize. “Okay, I’m sorry, I’ll tell you.” Naya pulled Adora to her, close enough that she could whisper. “Bilal and Bella were the first trainees of Moonlit Academy. Alpha Devara created it because she wanted to train them to be the best heirs that have ever existed in our world. Yes, we had academies for young alphas, but nothing like Moonlit Academy. It has the finest of everything. Advanced facilities and training grounds. The trainers are the best in their field. From the Raven Hawks to the strongest Betas, and Gammas and the most powerful high priestess and priest clan, which is Alpha Ariel’s family. Bilal and Bella have always been different from the rest of us. Their senses are more sensitive than the rest of us. If you think werewolves are fast, then calculate that ten times more. That’s the level of their sensitivity. While the rest of us were learning our history and lying in our cozy beds, being treated like kings and queens, Bilal and Bella were training every single day of their lives with the best instructors while facing life-and-death situations. I think the only thing Bilal and Bella don’t have is the power of a high priestess or priest.”

It was a long speech, but Adora was listening very attentively and found herself wanting to know more. “Wow, so what changed? Why did the Moonlit Academy start taking in trainees?” Although she had a close relationship with the Howl family, she wasn’t aware of all this.

“It was because of Elio and Ares. They were taken in as trainees, but that didn’t sit well with the elders. They felt threatened and insisted that the three families were trying to form an elite pack with their kids as the leaders that were going to take over our world. It became an issue. So, to allow peace to reign, Alpha Devara decided to change it into an academy for every young Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and high priestess who was willing to attend, but we had to pass the strenuous test she had created. And trust me, no one could pass up such an opportunity like this. Everyone wanted to be in this academy. This was how the Moonlit Academy was founded, and now we have the best of the best in here, training every single day to become like the Elites or something close enough to them.”

“Wow.” Adora was in awe, especially at Alpha Devara. She only knew her as her sweet godmother, so finding out this side of her was a pleasant surprise.

At that very moment, she felt an urge to learn more about Alpha Devara and Leander, and the rest of the werewolf clans. Before now, she had lived in the human world, away from all that had to do with the supernatural. She knew her godmother was a werewolf, but that was just it. She didn’t know she wielded such authority. As Adora thought inwardly, fascinated by the things she had heard, she didn’t hear when Bill called her name.

“Adora Efe Palmer!” Bilal’s voice boomed through the room. “Is there somewhere else you would like to be other than here?”

As she realized herself, Adora looked around in shock. All eyes, including one angry pair that belonged to Bilal, were on her. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were speaking to me,” she stuttered.

Bilal’s glare didn’t let down. He crooked his finger at her, and Adora quickly ran to where he was. Her head bowed to avoid meeting his eyes, she prayed under her breath. The truth was, she’d had a crush on him for as long as she could remember, but that didn’t change the fact that he also intimidated her.

He scoffed. “You aren’t supposed to be in this class. You are not worthy of being trained by me, but Mama insisted, and what Mama wants, she gets. But if you think that means you’re safe, you’ve got another thing coming to you. I won’t hesitate to throw you out the moment you mess up. Innumerable trainees will die to take your place, so while you wallow in your pearly dream, I see it as a justification to throw you out. This is not the human world, and I will not,” his voice went louder at not, “put up with your complacency. I will not tolerate you being absent-minded in my class nor will I treat you differently just because you are favored by my Mama. Remember, a mistake from you is a justification for me to get rid of you.” He finished with a stern gaze before moving away from her.

Tears formed in Adora’s eyes as she turned around and made her way back to where she had been standing. Stupid, stupid. It was only her first day, but she’d already made Bilal think she wasn’t worth being in his class. She met Naya’s sympathetic gaze before looking back at Bilal.

Just as she was about to force a smile like she was okay, she saw the contempt in his eyes. Somehow, that made her want to do better. She wanted to see a proud look directed towards her, and that meant she needed to do something that would alter Bilal’s impression of her. Whatever it took, she was going to make sure he saw her worthy of being his trainee. She swore inwardly.