JUNE
IT WAS EASY TO NOTICE THE SUBTLE CHANGE in our environment as we moved away from my tiny settlement.
The first three settlements we passed had been much like mine. There still was not much civilization around those areas with yellow dirt roads, hard, unforgiving land and dilapidated houses. Sure their settlements had a little more structures that set them apart from ours but it was not that much.
Since I was asleep half way through, I only noticed the change in the last settlements. The roads were paved, the houses were made of glass with decorative, mason-worked skills and the people looked neat, beautiful.
It seemed that Warding was coming into view. From where we were, I could make out a ring-like structure and it alone was almost the size of my entire settlement. It was tall, scraping the sky with its top and the glass surface reflected the sun. it was hard not to gape at it.
"Let me guess," I said, pointing towards the structure. "That's Warding?"
Miss Fiona shook her head. "No. that is the Council court. They will be the one's overseeing the entire Selection process. Besides that, they deal with whatever disputes arises in the werewolf community and train patrolmen."
I knew patrolmen – well, a patrolman – he had been sent to our settlement but he did not last. I guess life there was too harsh for him. No one came in after. I never asked Alpha Roger why.
She pointed to another building, though not as magnificent as the Council court, it was still beautiful and glorious. "That is Warding. It is where all the Thirty-five girls who qualify for the next round will be staying. All of the tests will happen inside there."
The car came to a stop outside a gate and the driver stepped out. He crossed to a man – a patrolman judging by his blue on blue uniform – exchanging words we couldn't hear and then the driver handed some papers.
I glanced at Miss Fiona through my side eye. "What's going on?"
"Standard security checks." She answered.
The patrolman spent a few minutes examining our car and flashing a torch in our eyes before clearing us to enter. I released a long breath I did not know I was holding, feeling strangely relieved as the driver got back into the car and drove us out of the security check point.
Apparently, the gate we just went through opened up to a bridge. I had no idea what technology they used in building the bridge, but water poured from both sides of it, down more than fifty feet into the sea below. We were on the bridge for about thirty minutes and I held my heart in my mouth the entire time.
I scowled at the side of Miss Fiona's head. "You failed to mention that Warding is on an island? Do you know how much I hate height? And large bodies of water? You just put me through a traumatic experience."
"No, I have no idea. But you are wrong about one thing. Warding is not on an island. Warding is the island."
My scowl deepened. Just how did that information help me? On an island, the island what the hell was the difference? I forgot my anger as we suddenly arrived at the building. I allowed myself to get lost in the wonder of it all while pointedly ignoring the stares we were receiving.
What? Surely, I was not the last one to arrive here, right? The other woman had called me number fourteen and I guess that ranking was given according to which girl they visited first or was I wrong?
"Welcome to Warding." Miss Fiona said, getting out of the car. I offered her a smile I was not feeling. My insides was a bundle of twisted nerves. The driver got out only to hand me my bag, get into the car and speed away as if he was being chased.
I watched everyone and everything around me as inconspicuously as it was possible. From the way they interacted, to the expressions on their face. I scrutinized every detail. Most of the girls were like Miss Fiona straight, poised, perfect. A walking exemplary student of a good etiquette teacher.
No one moved hurriedly or fumbled about. Their movements were smooth and graceful. It was almost as if they were dancing. I sighed. I was going to stick out like a fat watermelon in a garden of roses.
"I will show you to the room you will be staying for the night. If you pass the second round of the process, it's the room you will be staying till the next phase which will be about two weeks."
I brushed my dress – I looked like filth compared to these perfect girls. "I already aced the first round? When was it? What was it?"
"It was at your house. You passed the health examination. About half of the girls who received an invite did not, You are lucky."
Pfft. "I wouldn't call me lucky." She glared at me. "Fine. I'm lucky all right. Lucky enough to be here of all places. Participating in a contest for a man I don't know."
"That man is the Lycan King. You will accord him the respect he demands."
I raised my brow at her. Why is she always so riled up about matters that concerns the Lycan King?
A flurry of actions happened in a single second that took me off-guard; first, a person stumbled into me, the scent of musk and citrus wafted through my nostrils rousing my wolf that had been slumbering for the past – I can't remember, she and me didn't usually get along – soft hands broke my fall and in a blink of an eyes, I was staring into the most beautiful blue eyes I had ever seen.
Actually, they were the only blue eyes I had ever seen. The people in my settlement had either brown eyes or grey. I was the odd one out with green eyes.
The man who stumbled into me gently set me back up. My face was flushed red and it definitely did not help that everyone had stopped to look at us – me. what I would give for the ground to open up and swallow me whole.
I peeked through my lashes at the man. Although his brows knitted together with concern, he was as beautiful as his eyes but his clothes made me take a step back. They were far too flashy. It was as though he was calling all the attention to himself with the bright gold attire he was wearing.
I squinted my eyes. Was it a costume?
"Are you okay?"
Before I could answer, Miss Fiona pulled me away from him, glaring at him as if her eyes would suddenly shoot lasers and melt his brain. I winced. "You should look where you are going, knight. You could have injured the Lycan King's harem."
He stood up straight at the mention of Lycan King's harem and a thang of pity hit my chest for his sake. He muttered a series of apology but Miss Fiona did not look ready to accept them.
"I mean, you should reprimand me too, right? I also was not looking where I was going."
She glared at me, then ignored me totally, turning her head to meet the man whom I now saw was with company. I could not see the other man's face well but I was sure he was just as handsome as his friend.
"What is your name, Knight? I will like to inform the Council's court that those filthy hands of yours touched something that belongs to the Lycan King."