Defy The Alpha(s)

TwocenturiesaftertheGreatWar,peacebetweenhumansandwerewolveswasfinallyachieved,orsoeveryonebelieves.Werewolvesreignlikegods,andhumansremainblissfullyunawareoftheirtrueplaceinthenewworldorder.Tomaintainthisfragilebalance,eachyear,ahandfulof“lucky”humansareselectedfromvariousdistrictstoattendLunarisAcademy,aprestigiousinstitutionthatpromisesglory,status,andachancetominglewiththeelite.Thosechosenarehailedastheluckyfew,destinedtomarrypowerfulalphasandriseasluna.Thisyear,VioletPurpleisamongthechosen,muchtoeveryone'ssurprise.Foranorphanedgirladoptedbyadisgracedprostitute,thisisagoldentickettoabetterlifeorsoshe'stold.ButLunarisAcademyisn’ttheparadiseit’spaintedtobe.EverythingVioletandherfellowhumanshavebeentaughtisalie.Humansarefarfromequal;they'repawnsinamuchlargergame.Theacademyisnothingbutagildedcage,andthestudentsarelambsledtoslaughter,playthingsforthealphastotoywithintheirruthlessgames.Tomakemattersworse,Violetcatchestheattentionofthemostdangerousplayersinthisgame,theTerrorFour:theAlphaoftheNorth,AlphaoftheSouth,AlphaoftheEast,andAlphaoftheWest.Eachoneismoredangerous,moretwisted,andmorepowerfulthanthelast.Butevenamongthemselves,thealphasaredivided,eachwiththeirowndeadlyambitions.Yet,theyallhavetheireyesonher.TheyexpectViolettoplayalong,tofallinlineliketheotherswhoworshipattheirfeet,tobreakundertheirgames.ButVioletisn’tliketheothers.Sherefusestobow.She’lldefythemall.*Withagrinthatmadeheruneasy,hehandedtheapplicationtoher.“Approvethisone.”PrincipalJameson’scuriositygotthebetterofherasshetookthepaperfromhim,hereyesscanningthetext.Almostimmediately,herbreathcaughtinherthroat,hereyeswideningindisbelief.“Whatthe...?”“It’sperfect,isn’tit?”Asher’svoicewasalmostgleeful.Fuckingpsychopath!Jamesoncouldhardlybelievewhatshewasreading.“Mr.Nightshade,withallduerespect,thisapplicant….thisgirljustadmittedto—”Shecouldn’tevenfinishthesentence,stillhorrifiedattheexplicitnatureoftheapplication.Takingadeepbreath,shecontinued,“I’msorry,butIcannotapprovethis.”“She’sissuedmeachallenge,”Archersaid,adarkgleaminhiseyes.“What?”“‘Waittillyouseemeinbed,’”herepeatedtheboldlinefromtheapplication,hisgrinwidening.“AndIcan’twaittofindout.”“Mr.Nightshade—”Hestoodup,cuttingoffherprotestashefixedherwithanintensestare.“Approvetheapplication.Iwon’taskagain.”Withoutwaitingforherresponse,Asherstrodeoutoftheoffice,confidentshewouldfollowhisorders.Healwaysgotwhathewanted.ArcherNightshadewalkeddownthehall,aspringinhisstep.Forthefirsttimeinalongwhile,hefeltalive,hisbloodpulsingwithexcitement.TheotherCardinalAlphashadnoideawhathewasupto,butitwouldsoonhitthem.He’djustsetthegameinmotion.AndthetargetwasVioletPurple.Itwasgameon.