When The Moon Hides Her Crown - Chapter 35: Chapter 35

SERAPHINA
The sun hung high by the time the Academy’s training grounds were transformed into a combat arena. The trial was finally beginning.
A thick crowd of Alphas buzzing with nerves and adrenaline, formed uneven rows across the open grounds. The scent of sweat and tension clung to the air. Beyond the ring of Alphas, the hierarchy stood beneath a shaded pavilion, watching like royalty on a throne. I roamed my eyes over them to find Ronan standing there with Asher and in the completely opposite direction like usual was Dante.
Just standing there.
Not dressed to fight. Not even warming up.
Finn nudged my shoulder. “They’re not participating,” he told me.
"Of course, why would they? They already have those luxurious rooms,” I murmured, stretching my neck.
Finn nodded, “Yeah, they have nothing to fight for here. We’re the ones that are actually desperate for that room,” he chuckled.
I could not deny it and chuckled as well. But I realized there was no one more desperate than me. I was willing to do anything to get that room! Privacy!
I roamed my eyes around and found something strange, “I don’t think that all of the Alphas are here? Some of them are missing?”
Finn followed my line of sight and nodded, "I actually overheard that some of the Alphas enjoy living with their roommates and don’t desire to be separated from their friends. So they are not participating in this trial even if it affects their ranking on the leaderboard.”
I blinked in surprise, “So we can refuse to participate in the trials?!”
“No, refusing to participate in a trial means getting kicked out of the Academy. However, this trial is special as its purpose is to claim a room. That's why it is considered optional” he explained.
I nodded in understanding while my eyes subconsciously went to his swollen lips. “Are you okay?”
He knew what I was talking about and smiled awkwardly, “Yes, I am fine. It’s just my wolf is being lazy.”
He grinned. I rolled my eyes and offered him my handkerchief for his lips. “It is bleeding again. AHave you been biting your lips?”
“Oh, really? Where?” Finn exclaimed, trying to find where it was bleeding.
“Here,” I reached out to help him with my handkerchief by softly pressing it on the corner of his mouth.
Until suddenly a growl sounded across the Academy grounds, startling everyone. I almost jumped out of my skin and turned my head back to find the source of growl. It was none other than Ronan.
He had his glaring eyes fixed in my direction but his hand was grabbing the hair of an Academy cleaner who feared for his life after being grabbed by Ronan, “Don’t touch that!”
Ronan growled at the wolf but never tore his gaze from me.
My eyes went to the cleaner, placing the cup of coffee back at Ronan's side and then back to Ronan. Did he lose temper over a cup of coffee being touched by the cleaner?
A frown crossed my face. What an arrogant jerk!
I tore my eyes from him and focused ahead as the Alpha instructor stepped forward, his voice sharp and commanding as it cut through the murmurs.
“This trial will be conducted in three stages,” he announced, pacing in front of us like a wolf on patrol. “First, one-on-one combat. The opponent you face will be the one standing directly to the right of you. No switching. No complaints.”
My stomach tightened. I glanced to my right. Thankful that it was not Finn. I did not want to fight my friend. Instead it was a broad-shouldered Alpha with narrowed eyes that was already sizing me up, good.
“The winners will then face another one-on-one round. This continues until only twenty Alphas remain.”
The crowd shifted with renewed murmurs. Twenty out of nearly a hundred. Brutal odds.
“Those twenty,” the instructor continued, his eyes gleaming, “will enter the final stage: a last-man-standing match. No alliances. No rules. The Alpha who remains conscious until the end will be the victor. They will be rewarded with the highest recognition and the hierarchy room!”
My heart thudded harder. Among all of these Alphas, I had to be the last standing even if my body was worn out. It was the cost of the freedom, the privacy that was of the utmost importance for me at this Academy.
“All combatants, to your starting marks!” the instructor barked.
The arena buzzed to life as Alphas spread out across the training ground. I stepped onto the dirt-packed center and cracked my knuckles. Across from me my opponent, a cocky Alpha from the West pack, flexed his neck like he was already celebrating.
His mistake.
A loud horn blew, signaling the start of the first round.
He lunged. Slopply. Predictable.
I dodged his fist, twisted behind him, and drove my elbow into his spine. He staggered, then I swept his legs out from beneath him and pinned him to the ground in one fluid motion. A gasp rippled through the crowd.
“Winner: Alpha Seth Darven!” the instructor shouted.
I stood and dusted off my hands, breathing evenly.
As I made my way back to the line, I felt them.
Eyes.
I didn’t need to look to know who they belonged to.
Dante.
He stood in the shade, arms crossed, his gaze burning a hole through my skull. Cold. Curious. Possessive.
Though for some reason my eyes went to another figure just behind the railing, Ronan.
His eyes weren’t cold. They were sharp. Focused.
Watching me like I was something dangerous…or something…
I swallowed hard and turned away.
“Hey!” Finn’s voice rang out as he jogged toward me, a grin splitting his face. “We won at almost at the same time.”
I laughed, bumping his shoulder. “Of course you did. You’re secretly terrifying.” I had seen the silent and shy type Finn portrayed for who he really was. He was actually incredibly strong and powerful.
“Shh. Let them keep underestimating me,” he winked. I laughed only to feel a pair of cold eyes drilling a hole in the side of my face. I followed that feeling and found Ronan glaring at me.
“What’s his deal?” I said in my mind. “Is he crazy?”
Phina frowned as well, “Yeah, what crazy mood swings this Alpha is having as if we have done him wrong in some way?!”
Ignoring him, I stood side by side with Finn on the winner’s side, sharing a moment of quiet pride before the second round was called. Finn said, “I’m gonna hit the men’s room before the next match.”
“Be quick,” I said.
He quickly jogged off.
I stood alone for a while, watching others still locked in combat. Time passed. My nerves began to settle again. I did notice as the second round contestants were being called…Finn didn’t return.
I glanced toward the dorm building. There was no sign of him.
“Alpha Seth Darven,” soon my name was called.
I stepped forward and my opponent was a crazy Alpha with insane physical strength and height! He was close to seven feet tall. When facing that kind of opponent, I needed a brain to defeat them as it was not a real life and death fight. So I finished it by catching him off guard and slamming his head against the ground. He was knocked out and I won.
I stepped out of the ring catching my breath when…
“Alpha Finn Hart, to the arena!” the instructor called.
Heads turned.
My pulse stuttered. He still hasn’t returned.
I scanned the crowd. Nothing.
Five seconds passed. Ten. Still no Finn.
A quiet warning crept into my thoughts. Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
The second round was already underway.
More and more victors were returning to the winners’ side, bloodied and breathless, while Finn’s name still echoed unanswered across the combat ground.
The Alpha instructor’s jaw ticked as he crossed his arms, scanning the group. His patience was unraveling fast.
“Alpha Finn Hart,” he called again, louder this time, voice sharp with authority. “Final warning.”
My chest tightened.
Where the hell was he?
I didn’t even think. I sprinted forward, pushing through the crowd and toward the instructor before logic could stop me.
“Alpha!” I called, breathless as I reached him.
His eyes narrowed on me, expression unreadable. “Yes?”
I forced calm into my voice. “Finn…he’s not skipping. His stomach, he’s got a stomach ache. Something he ate earlier. He’ll be back. He just needs a moment.”
The instructor raised a skeptical brow, “Convenient.”
“I swear it’s not an excuse. He’s not the type to back out. He’s probably doubled over in pain somewhere.”
A beat passed.
Then, with a reluctant grunt, he nodded. “Fine, but listen closely.”
I stilled.
“From this moment on, he’ll face whoever is left standing. That means the stronger the opponents, the worse it’ll be for him. If he delays too long, he’ll be up against the best.”
I nodded quickly. “Understood. Thank you.”
He waved me off without another word, turning his attention to the next bout.
I backed away and returned to the winners’ line, anxiety buzzing in my bloodstream. I scanned the area, still no sign of Finn.
Where did you go?
I tried not to fidget. Not to pace. But time was slipping away, and so were his chances.
Then it happened.
Someone brushed past me.
Fast. Intentional.
I looked up, but the person was already gone, swallowed into the crowd.
A folded scrap of paper now sat in my hand.
I secretly unfolded it .
One sentence. Scrawled in sharp, uneven ink.
"You sent your friend to die here in your place? I thought so highly of you, Seth Darven. Now he is here and ready to die for you. I have to admit that’s true friendship.”
My heart plummeted to my feet.
It seemed someone had laid a trap for me but Finn…he went in my place.