"What's happening? You look off, honey." Maia snapped her fingers right on her face.
"N-no. Just a little...anyway, I missed a few of Gian's words. What's the fuzz all about?" Layla said, seeing that the high-ranking members were also in deep conversation.
"We're not hunting in wolf form." Maia filled in.
"What?"
"We're all going with this skin. Anyone who turns into either wolf or werewolf form will be disqualified."
"In these crazy terrains? How can we maneuver with this form?"
"That's why the deltas and betas are assigned for the attack while the gammas and omegas are for tracking. Looks like we'll do the hard work. Alpha said they need to conserve the energy of the attackers."
"This should be tough," Layla said and made a quick survey on the whitened mountain in a distance. "Well, may the strongest pack wins," Layla said with a smirk.
"I like that spirit. Sometimes, you act more like an Alpha. Gian is even a little worried now."
"A burden of being a leader. He just doesn't want us to get hurt."
"Yeah. Yeah. Let's go now. Time's up." Maia activated her eyes for the hunt along with Layla who removed her reading glasses and let her wolf eyes take over. Her blurry vision became clear and that's all she needs to get her job done in the pack.
Gradually, the field cleared up from any presence of the packs, and only the chief and a few of his wolves waited there for the students to finish their yearly hunting evaluation.
"It must be an accomplishment to get the kid to join the school," Yetri remarked, having his eyes directed to the disappearing packs into the deep woods. His eyes zeroed into the Black Lilies in particular.
The chief had also eyed the same pack and chuckled. "I think he can tame those wild wolves on his pack."
"He may have a hard time. Black Lilies is hard to handle." Yetri said.
"Or the other way around? That pack finally found its real Alpha." The chief said. "Let's get something to pass time."
Yetri followed the chief after he made a quick check-up on the packs with his squinting eyes. "And I heard him say something to you."
The chief chuckled in amusement once again. "Yeah. He finally found it."
"What is it?" Yetri draw closer to the chief and nodded to their fellow teachers who walked ahead of them into the tent set up for them.
The chief regarded Yetri with amusement. "The one."
*********************************************************************
Layla's POV:
Present Time:
The Start of the school year at Tazzen University isn't the thing I look forward into.
"I'm so stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Ah, ground, can you just swallow me?" I mulled over and slightly banged my head on the whiteboard.
"Hey, you gonna damaged it."
I turned to Maia with teary eyes. "Thanks for being concerned on my poor brain. You're truly my best friend."
"I'm talking about the whiteboard, though.'
"Ah, cold as ice," I said and sat down instead.
"What were you mumbling about?"
I looked at my friend with a frown this time. "I shouldn't have followed your words about confessing."
Maia's expression lightened. "Oh. I haven't heard from you about it. Did it go according to your plan? Why do you look like you swallowed three daggers? Were you rejected?"
"Can't you just shut it? I'm at lost for an escape plan as it is."
"Escape plan? Why would you need-" she stopped midway sentence and looked at me with wonder. "Have you made a mistake?"
"Oh, a grand one!" I said.
"Tell me."
"I confessed." I started while my friend nodded in anticipation. "to the wrong person."
"Wrong person? How couldn't you recognize the Vice-president, the one you have a crush on since forever?"
"I was drunk."
"Layla!"
"I didn't mean to!" I defended. " I swear I had one sip." or one glass. But I don't want to tell her this.
"Ayayay. I should have come with you in that stupid karaoke." Maia blew a breath in closed eyes, trying to massage her temple out of stress. "So, who is the person you'd wrongly profess your love? We should apologize before he misunderstood."
"That's the problem," I said, not really wanting to stress my friend more.
"What? Let's do it, I'll come with you. I'm pretty sure whoever this guy is, he'll understand."
"Well, the thing is...I-I confessed to Hunter."
"Hunter...Hunter?"
I nodded.
"H-Hunter Cross?"
"Yes."
"The Black Lilly's Alpha lord in the school?"
"The one."
"HAVE YOU GONE MAD?!"
"Ah! It was a mistake! I swear! I tried taking it back that day-ouch! Why are you hitting me! Hey! Stop it!"
"Are you out of your damn mind, Layla Harata?!" Maia screamed. "You could get mauled or worse, killed!"
"He hasn't killed anyone though." I corrected then flinched when she was about to hit my arm again.
"You're dealing with a heartless Hades. More frightening than the devil himself!"
I gasp when Maia collapsed to her seat and grab her neck. "A-are you alright?"
"You seriously expect me to be alright? You dig your own grave. Have you forgotten what we just witnessed during the belligerent hunt last time? Every Alpha got their fair share of the hunt but that hades is so hostile and aggressive that most alphas cowered before him after taking down a huge beast! By himself! In human form! I'm talking about losing your damn neck for this mistake!"
"I know. I still can't forget how he looked vicious after the hunting game." I collapsed to the adjacent seat beside my friend.
"Did you forget how you repeatedly said that you never had decent sleep after he looked at you during that hunt?" Maia recalled to me which made me groan.
"Should I transfer to a different university?"
"After all the hassle of endless sleepless nights? And passing all those crazy neck-to-neck hunting activities? You're insane." Maia said with a look of thinking. "Listen, strike a deal with him."
"What deal?"
"Look, it's impossible for him to fall in love with your drunken ass that instant. You might be anything but entertainment."
"Entertainment? I didn't wag my tails in front of him."
"Whatever. Just do what I say and if he takes the bait, you'll be free before this semester ends. Who knows, you can finally date the real alpha that you want."
"That's a pretty good idea. How should I do it?" I scooted excitedly to her. As I listened to her, my mind literally imagined Maia in heaven's lights.
*******************************************************************