Caught by the Alphas: The Hidden Beauty of Alpha Academy

ALEXANDRIA  

"Causing trouble so early in the morning, Damon?" he asked, raising a brow at the Alpha who held me.  

I looked at him closely, and it seemed he didn't recognize me-which was a relief. However, the scent I had detected from him at the bar was still lingering, strong enough that I could smell it even from this distance.  

I wondered if he had layered cologne over his natural scent.  

To my surprise, this sleazy Alpha actually released my collar. Even without knowing him personally, I felt Damon had a pride that towered higher than the buildings of the Academy, so I had expected him to punch me. This meant that whoever this guy I kissed was, he clearly had some influence in the school.  

That realization only annoyed me more-he was an entitled jerk who assumed I should know exactly who he was.  

Damon looked me dead in the eye and smirked. "This isn't the end. I'll see you very soon, Alex."  

With that, he strolled away, flanked by his two lackeys. The moment he was gone, I finally let out a deep breath.  

"Are you going to stand there all day, or do you want me to run you over?"  

The annoying Alpha's words snapped me out of my thoughts. I bit my lip as I took in his smug, indifferent expression. He raised a brow, maintaining eye contact, as if daring me to make a move.  

"Don't act so entitled-"  

Before I could finish my sentence, Ryland yanked me away from the scene. He bowed slightly to the pompous Alpha and even offered an apology.  

"Sorry, Alpha Wyatt. My friend is just having a bad day. We'd best be on our way."  

With that, Mandy and Ryland dragged me to a more open space, away from the parking lot.  

"Let go," I said, trying to pull my arms free from their grip. "Why'd you stop me from saying something to that jerk?"  

"That jerk?" Mandy exclaimed, her eyes wide. "That jerk is Wyatt Frost of the Enigma Pack."  

I tilted my head to the side. I had definitely heard their pack name before, but I couldn't be bothered to learn more about them.  

"And so? Do they own the world?"  

"They might as well," Ryland said, his voice shaky, which only made me frown. "The Enigma Pack is extremely influential. You know about the powers that arise from the different packs, right?"  

"Yes...," I trailed off. The two of them looked at me suspiciously. Truth be told, I wasn't very interested in pack politics. I always thought that while great achievements earn respect, the smaller packs without inherent power deserve recognition too.  

"She doesn't have a clue," Mandy said, shaking her head. "She even butted heads with Alpha Damon." 

I raised an eyebrow. "Is he important, too?" 

Ryland rubbed the bridge of his nose. "We'll give you a background as we lead you to your dorm room." 

I sighed and nodded, realizing I should have asked these questions sooner. We walked toward the dorm building while Mandy filled the air with talk of the "important" Alphas. 

"The first Alpha you met was Damon Corvus, the Alpha of the Carnage Pack." 

I paused for a moment, glancing at Mandy. It was the pack she was from. 

"The Carnage Pack is powerful because they're the first to weaponize their pack synergy," she continued. "The newly crowned Alpha is referred to as the Carnage Alpha, and when he finds himself in a difficult predicament, he can channel the abilities of other pack members, creating a singular consciousness in battle." 

I frowned. "That means you're not just fighting one individual." 

"Yes," she confirmed. "That's why the Carnage Alphas are the most abundant in numbers. They capitalize on their collective strength to amplify the Carnage Alpha's power." 

I let out a low laugh. "No wonder he acts like that." 

Ryland sighed. "Alex, you really need to be careful with your words. You don't want to get on these guys' bad sides." 

Without responding, I turned my attention back to Mandy. 

"Another famous Alpha is Alpha James Knight from the Cipher Pack. His family owns this Academy," she said, continuing her rundown. 

"Really?" I muttered in surprise. 

"Yes," she replied. "Well, the government technically owns it, but it was built by his family. The Knight family is incredibly wealthy. They essentially wrote the Academy's first laws. I bet he has a significant role here, too." 

"Hmm," I hummed, already memorizing their names. If I wanted to get to the bottom of Alexei's death, I needed to keep an eye on them. 

Just then, my mind drifted to the annoying man who had stolen my first kiss. 

"There are lots of prominent Alphas, but I'm afraid we can't cover them all," Mandy sighed. "We really should have had this conversation sooner. I forgot you had no clue about Alpha stuff." 

I cleared my throat. "How about... Wyatt?" I asked, hesitant to say his name. 

She paused, and I noticed her physically shiver at the mention of him. 

"What?" I asked, intrigued. 

She gestured for me to come closer. "He's really hot, right?" 

"Mandy, I can hear you," Ryland said, frowning slightly. 

Mandy giggled and moved away. "Sorry. He's someone I've never seen before, but it seems the rumors are true. He's quite handsome." 

"Mandy," Ryland warned again, a note of seriousness in his voice. 

"Okay, okay," she said, conceding. "Anyway, he's from a relatively new pack. Their pack is older than ours, but compared to the Carnage and Cipher packs, the Enigma Pack was only established thirty years ago." 

"However, in that time, they've risen through the ranks. They're also rumored to possess a unique and very powerful ability." 

"Which is?" I couldn't contain my curiosity any longer. 

She built up the suspense, but in the end, she merely shrugged, fueling my annoyance. 

"My knowledge doesn't extend that far. I left my old pack before I had a chance to learn more about the Enigma Pack. However, judging by Damon's reaction earlier, it seems the rumors must be true. Damon doesn't back down from anyone." 

So those three were the ones I had to watch out for the most. I already dreaded it since the two were established as entitled assholes. 

"We're here," Ryland announced, halting our conversation. 

I stared at the room number-606. I let out a deep breath. "I'm here," I muttered under my breath. 

Mandy and Ryland stood behind me as I opened the door. I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn't a six-foot man with blonde hair, surfer abs, and a towel wrapped around his waist, drying his hair. 

He turned toward us the moment I opened the door, frowning as he examined my face. 

This must be my roommate. 

Just as I was about to greet him, he let out a heavy and disappointed sigh. 

"So, you really are alive?" 

"It would honestly have been better if you were dead. I was enjoying the room by myself."