I flipped through every candidate’s file, my eyes scanning the pages. Five in total, from across the Umbra realm: Moonclaw pack, Duskhowl pack, Frostclaw pack, Darkmoon, and then the drop from there was worth noting—the pack ranked 13th and lowest on the Concord, Hollowfang. The pack right by the torn Veil itself. The pack with the least amount of shifters due to the leaching of Lunar flux into the Terra realm.
Interesting...
The door to my office opened, and a burly man with tawny hair cropped short with the sides in fades stepped in. His uniform glead with the moonstone gem that hung on it, signifying his rank as my fourth in command after the beta and the high gamma of the Wintercrest military.
"Good afternoon, Alpha." He bowed low, like he always did, though I’d asked him countless tis that a simple nod would suffice. He was my head guard, after all.
"Afternoon, Arlo." My eyes fell back on the paper, still reading. "Update?"
"The beta candidates are here."
I flipped another page, and my eyes narrowed. "Did you conduct thorough background checks on each of them?"
He nodded. "Yes, their files have been verified. Everything checked out—mostly standard backgrounds, nothing imdiately concerning."
"Mostly?"
Arlo shifted slightly. "One of them has... gaps in their history. But nothing that disqualified them from the trials."
I closed the file, eting his gaze. "I’ll be the judge of that." I stood, straightening my jacket. "Have them brought to the main hall. I want to see them myself."
"Yes, Alpha." He bowed again and turned to leave.
"Arlo."
He paused at the door.
"Make sure Lilith is inford. She’ll be observing."
A flicker of surprise crossed his face, quickly suppressed. "Of course, Alpha."
As the door closed behind him, I gathered the files and made my way toward the hall.
Five candidates.
One position.
Let’s see which one of them was worth my ti.
They were all lined up, each with their hands folded behind their backs. All facing forward with expressions carved in stone. I did not need to glance over at Lilith, who sat in a chair in the corner to know she would have preferred to be anywhere else.
I needed a beta that wouldn’t choke her out next ti, so in a way, here she would have a say. Maybe not in the most literal way, but close enough to matter above everything else.
I looked them over once again before clearing my throat and addressing them. "In an orderly fashion, introduce yourself."
Instantly, the tallest man stepped forward, the gel in his hair shining brighter than Arlo’s moonstone. His sharp eyes t mine. "My na is Konstantin Orlov of Moonclaw pack." His voice carried—not too loud, not too firm. He had the correct cadence.
I looked over his result from the exam he took to qualify as a candidate before my eyes flickered back up to him. "It says here that your score was 71."
His lips twitched up into a smile he could not hide.
"It was the fifth overall."
His grin widened.
"And the lowest score among everyone here."
I watched his lip twitch down, sothing wild and hot flaring in his gaze even as he looked right at .
It was neither embarrassnt nor disappointnt.
His con was his pride, his ego.
I did not need to look too hard to see the arrogance in the way he puffed his chest or the fact that he was triggered by the simple fact that so others scored above him in the test and that I announced it.
It was a bad sign.
If he saw his fellow candidates as inferior, Lilith would not be too safe under his watch.
"Your physical assessnt scores, however, are exemplary." I tapped the file. "Top marks in combat trials, endurance testing, and tactical formations. Three military comndations. Seven years of active service in border defence."
The pride returned to his posture imdiately. His shoulders squared.
"You’ve clearly earned your place here through strength and discipline," I continued, watching his reaction carefully. "That will serve you well in the trials ahead."
"Thank you, High Alpha." His tone had regained its confidence, the montary sting of the test scores already forgotten.
Too easily forgotten.
I set his file aside and looked at the line. "Next."
A woman stepped forward with the kind of grace that ca from years of practice. Tall, blonde, striking green eyes that swept the room before settling on with calculated interest.
"Sylvanna Korvin of Duskhowl pack, High Alpha." She inclined her head—not quite a bow, more of an acknowledgent between equals.
Interesting choice.
"Your examination score was 87," I stated, watching her expression remain perfectly neutral. "Second highest overall. Your file notes extensive experience in diplomatic relations and intelligence gathering."
"I’ve served my pack in various capacities," she said smoothly. "Whatever was required of ."
"And what do you believe is required of a beta?"
Her smile was asured, professional. "Loyalty above all else. The ability to anticipate the Alpha’s needs and execute their will without question." A pause. "And the discretion to handle matters that require a... delicate touch." Her lashes fluttered rather delicately for a selection process for position of beta
From the corner of my eye, I caught the slightest shift in Lilith’s posture. Uncomfortable.
"Discretion is valuable," I acknowledged. "Though I prefer transparency to subtlety when it cos to matters of pack security."
Sothing flickered across Sylvanna’s face, too quick to read, before she inclined her head again. "Of course, High Alpha. I simply ant that a beta should be adaptable to any situation."
"Noted." I gestured for her to step back. "Next."
The next man who stepped forward was less a man and more a mountain. Easily the largest wolf I’d seen in years, his fra barely contained by the formal attire he’d been instructed to wear.
"Ragnar Thornson. Frostclaw." His voice rumbled like distant thunder.
"82 on the examination. Combat scores..." I scanned the page, "...exceptional. You’ve broken every strength record in your pack’s recent history."
He grunted. Not quite agreent, not quite acknowledgent. Just... sound.
"And your understanding of pack hierarchy?"
"Strong leads. Weak follows." He crossed his arms. "Simple."
Too simple. But I noted it and moved on. "Step back."
The fourth candidate moved forward before I could call for him—quiet, almost unnervingly so. Shadows seed to cling to him despite the morning light streaming through the windows.
"Silas Vane. Darkmoon pack." His voice was soft, but it carried an edge that made even Konstantin shift slightly.
"Score of 82 as well," I observed. "Though your file is... notably sparse on details."
"My pack values discretion, High Alpha."
"And I value transparency."
His lips curved—not quite a smile. "Then perhaps we’ll find common ground during the trials."
I held his gaze for a mont longer than necessary. There was sothing there—sothing that set my instincts on edge. But nothing concrete enough to disqualify him.
"Step back."
That left one.
The smallest of the group stepped forward, and I heard it imdiately—the sharp intake of breath from Konstantin. The barely concealed snort from Ragnar.
"Dmitri Kozlov. Hollowfang pack." His voice was quiet, steady, but lacking the bravado of the others.
I looked at his file, then back at him. Young. Unremarkable features. Ordinary in every physical sense. Compared to a human, he could be more but not in this realm. With his almost too-slight fra, skin inching towards a sickly pallor and darkness that seed to be the type of cling permanently beneath his eyes.
He looked the least prepared.
Except for the score.
"99," I stated. "Highest examination score by a significant margin."
Konstantin’s jaw tightened visibly.
"And yet," I continued, scanning the page, "your physical assessnt scores are... average at best. No military comndations. No notable pack positions." I looked up, still caught off guard even as I read it for the first ti. "And you’re wolfless."
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