One

      “Come on sweetheart, let’s go” my mother shouted through the painted white door.

      I let out a large sigh, realising it was now time to admit defeat. I walked across the pale grey carpet reaching the other side of my room and sat before my lit up vanity mirror. My hands reached for the pink tangle teaser resting on my white IKEA desk and brushed it through the ends of my long, creamy blonde locks. 

      I looked up at myself in the mirror and noticed my usual olive skin had paled. I frowned upon witnessing my appearance, realising my ocean blue eyes had started to cloud. 

      I could not believe I was really leaving, half of me genuinely believed my parents were bluffing the whole time. However, seeing most of my belongings boxed up and placed in the boot of my fathers car proved otherwise. With one final look in the mirror, I put some clear gloss on my natural plump lips and cast a final look of approval over my outfit. We were travelling for 2 hours to reach the academy so I needed to be comfy, deciding on wearing light grey joggers which singed in at the waist and my ankles with a white square neck ribbed crop top. I pulled my joggers up slightly as I liked my ankles to be showing and slid on my grey yeezy’s. 

      I stood up and turned to the door. 

      “Goodbye room, I’ll miss you. Wish me luck in hell”.

      I huffed and walked out my now old bedroom to my parents in the car. Within moments, we were on our way.

      

      It has been an hour and 40 minutes since we set off to the academy, with only a few miles left until we were there.

      “I can’t believe you are doing this to me. Do you not love me?” I huffed in the backseat.

      “Of course we love you, that’s why we are doing this. It’s time to grow up Serena, you are 19 in a month and yet to outgrow your rebellious ways or even access your wolf”. My mother exclaimed from the front seat, whilst looking over her shoulder at me. 

      I rolled my eyes, I never understood why she was so frustrated that I hadn’t shifted yet. She was human so it’s not like it effected her.

      “We’ll be back to see you before you know it” my father promised. “We will be here for your birthday and the time will fly by”.

      “Do you both not realise the irony of sending me to the King’s academy to train me to be a warrior, when we don’t even know if I have a wolf” I laughed at the disbelief.

      “You do!” My fathers smile dropped off his face in irritation.

      “Ah yes, I forgot you could predict the future Dad” I rolled eyes.

      I looked out the window, seeing nothing but enormous trees that blocked the view which was beyond them. The road was narrow and quiet. It seemed as though there was nothing else around other than the trees.

      “I love you both but I hate you both”. 

      My mother laughed, “you’ll be fine Serena, just don’t do anything stupid whilst you are here please. I don’t want you getting in trouble with the King”. As my mother mentioned the King, my stomach flipped and an aspect of excitement jolted in me.

      How bizarre.

      Moments later, we arrived at an estate. We were greeted with large black metal gates which were adjoined to 10 ft red brick walls established around the land, ensuring no one passing by would be able to peek onto the grounds. Overprotective much?

      Standing by the gate were 3 young males, all who looked to be in their early twenties however with the way werewolves aged, I couldn’t be certain.

      One of the men stepped forward to the drivers side of the car. His slicked back, shoulder length, dark blonde hair was slightly blowing in the wind. As he approached the car, his jawline relaxed and his chocolate eyes focused on my father.

      “Can I help you?” The unnamed male asked, with a smile on his face.

      “We’re dropping off our daughter. She’s a new student” my father replied whilst turning his head back to me. “Her name is Serena Blackmore”.

      The unnamed male looked at me and nodded his head. “Welcome Serena” he smiled “I’m sure you’re going to love it here”.

      He turned around and nodded to the other males guarding the gate. I heard a loud buzz and before us, the tall gates begun to open.

      Ahead was a long narrow drive, covered in sandy gravel, in between acres and acres of greenery. To my left were around 30 students practicing combat training. The students looked to be in their late teens. They were being led by a woman who didn’t seem much older. Her brown hair was tied in a low ponytail, whilst she demonstrated the correct stance for the move the students were learning.

      To my right, students were running laps round the field. They all seemed to be taking the running seriously, with determination in all of their faces, whilst a man with jet black hair supervised in the middle of the field. He held a whistle in his mouth and appeared to be giving the students instructions on the pace they should be running at.

      Oh god help me, I am many things but a runner isn’t one of them.

      “Mother, you know I can’t run. Do you see the torture you are leading me too?” I asked, in my usual dramatic tone.

      My mother laughed and shook her head, choosing to ignore my ridiculous whims.

      In front of me stood a beige building which reached 4 stories. The central entrance was complimented with a tall archway and a double black steel door. The building expanded around 100 metres on both sides of the door, with the ends of both wings extending forward.

      What the fuck is this place?

      As we reached the end of the drive, I took in a deep breath. I didn’t know whether to be amazed at the size of the school or irritated at the thought of running laps. 

      My father opened my door and began to remove my belongings from the boot of the car. 

      Shortly, a woman who appeared to be in her late 20’s approached us with a welcoming smile. Her auburn locks were neatly brushed into a low ponytail and her black suit dress hugged all of her curves. She was holding several leaflets and a key, which I presumed was going to be the key to my room. 

      “Hi, I’m Miss White. I’m the King’s personal assistant and I’ve come to help you get settled in. You must be Serena?” She smiled.

      “That’s me”. I pouted, looking at my parents with one final slither of hope. They shook their heads and my mother stepped forward to the redhead.

      “I’m Claire, Serena’s mother and this is my husband, Tom”.

      “Lovely to meet you all. Serena, I get the sense that you aren’t pleased to be here but I promise that will soon change. Let’s get you settled in and take your things to your room. You’ll be dorming with Maddie and she will be your mentor whilst you find your footing. I know you haven’t accessed your wolf yet and that’s no problem, each student has their own timetable which accurately suits their needs” the redhead paused from her speech to pass me my timetable and the academy grounds map. “You’ll be taking combat training for now so you can learn to fight in human form. Once you have accessed your wolf and we learn your abilities, we can then place you in the appropriate class to continue your development. Your mother also informed me you love boxing, so we placed you there too”. 

      I let out a huge sigh, realising this really is my life now.

      “I know it can be overwhelming, but I promise you will fit right in and the King will meet with you this afternoon to give you a proper welcome.” Miss Wise or whatever her name is said. I don’t want to meet the King, I don’t want to be here and I want to go home.

      “Please follow me and we will get you set up in your room”.

      Miss White turned on her heels and began to lead us into the academy. My father grabbed my suitcase and my mother was holding a box of my accessories.

      I followed the redhead and entered the academy. In front of me was a grand staircase, with marble flooring which had continued from the ground floor. The stairs had white wooden bannisters, which students were using to assist them up and down the stairs. However, on the right hand side of the staircase was a glass lift. We waited patiently for the lift to arrive, before the woman pressed the number 4 on the silver display. We were only in the lift for 30 seconds, but it felt like minutes as I continued to sulk about my life.

      Miss White turned right upon entering the hall way and took us down a ridiculously long corridor or at least, it felt ridiculously long. On the walls hung certificates and photos of alumni, some of who I recognised and others not so much. 

      Miss White halted outside a grey door and passed me a golden key. “Why don’t you open it?” She smiled at me.

      I sighed and took the key. Upon unlocking the door, I walked into possibly the largest room I have ever seen.