3. The Cadet Program

WILLOW’S POINT OF VIEW

 The Barracks are located not too far from the Pack House. They are four three-story high shipping container-style buildings, placed around an atrium. This atrium is what they call the Meeting Hall. A horde of young werewolves with smiley faces and bright eyes are in the Hall. I know there are 25 of us because that’s their yearly limit of incoming Cadets.

 I look around, taking in as many details as I can. There’s a small stage, and when four people walk into it, the Hall goes silent. I can feel their auras, and Jamie makes me bow my head.

 As a lone wolf living amongst humans, I haven’t had many chances of meeting ranked wolves, but right now, their four combined auras are overwhelming. I feel the urge to submit, to show that I am at their service. I feel the urge to obey and protect them.

 “They’re our leaders, chosen by the Goddess to guide us. It is our duty and pleasure to serve them,” Jamie says.

 I scoff. That feels like a bit of a stretch to me, but I do respect their authority.

 “Cadets!” A booming voice bellows, snapping us all to attention. I realize the other Cadets must’ve had their heads bowed, too.

 I look up and examine the four ranked wolves on the stage. They all stand proud and straight. Their confidence doesn’t just come from their ranks; you can see it in their posture that they know what they’re doing and that they are proud to be here. As much as we, ordinary wolves, feel the need to serve and submit to our ranked wolves, ranked wolves feel towards their Alpha. Those four are currently serving their pack and their Alpha, and you can tell.

 A handsome muscular young Hispanic man stands one step ahead of the others. He has shoulder-length brown hair and a full beard. A hottie. He’s wearing a tight-fitting red t-shirt that hugs his muscular arms and sweatpants. I would assume he’s the one who spoke. To his right, is a very tall and bulky white young blond man.

 Goddess, he’s so hot. Are all ranked wolves this hot?

 “He’s wearing military fatigues. Are we gonna have to wear those? I don’t like it,” I tell Jamie, who ignores me.

 And then, to fatigue blond god’s right is a beautiful dark-skinned young Black woman. Her hair is in a pineapple-style bun, and her stern face shows she means business. She has a cutesy beauty to her, she looks young.

 Is that… is she wearing a varsity jacket? Like a high school one? This is a ranked high schooler?

 “You can feel her aura. And you can feel her wolf. This is a full-grown she-wolf, and she was chosen by our Alpha and the Goddess to be here. Her age doesn’t matter, what matters is if she’s capable of fulfilling her duties,” Jamie grumbles.

 Yeah, there’s a lot I’m gonna have to get used to about pack life. It feels weird to be led by a high schooler, but Jamie’s explanation makes sense.

 Only then do I realize the fourth wolf on stage isn’t ranked at all, yet he stands as proud and confident as the other three. He’s a lean, tall young Arab man, with short dark brown hair, some stubble, and a bright smile. He’s wearing a blue button-down shirt, neatly ironed trousers, and Oxford shoes. Okay, it seems all Ghost Pack wolves are hot, even the unranked ones.

 “All werewolves are more attractive than humans,” Jamie scoffs. “If your father hadn’t kept you away from your pack and your culture, you would know that”.

 “He had his reasons,” I mumble.

 You can kinda guess how their personalities differ from the way they chose to dress.

 “Welcome to the Cadet Program,” says the Hispanic man. “Most of you have been raised in Ghost Pack, but some of you have come from other territories or human cities.”

 Some cadets begin to whisper amongst themselves, but, as werewolves, we can hear each other pretty well.

 “There are rogues here?”

 “I can’t believe they’re allowing people from other packs to be here. What if they’re spies?”

 I freeze. I guess I’m kinda both.

 "“We are neither. Thanks to your father’s stupidity, we grew up away from our Pack, but we were born into this pack, we’ve never renounced it, and we were never banished. We are a lone wolf. Rather, we were. Now we’re here. And we’re not telling your father shit,” Jamie is so pissed and adamant, it’s out of character for her.

 The man clears his throat.

 “Attention!” he shouts, and we all look at him. “Do not fret. Do you all take Alpha Holden for a fool?”

 Holden? I thought the Alpha’s name was Michael III?

 “The only people who are allowed to apply for the Cadet Program are either Ghost Pack members, mated into Ghost Pack, or a child of at least one parent who is or has been a member of Ghost Pack. The few lone wolves currently in the Program chose to live amongst humans, but they still have to be in one of the categories.”

 “Since Alpha Michael I’s time, we have had a rogue rehabilitation program, but the former rogues are also not allowed to apply. You are all here because you could prove that you are a member, a child of a member, or a mate of a member, no matter where you used to live. There are no rogues and no spies here. Besides, tonight, at the welcoming dinner, you will once again pledge your allegiance to Ghost Pack, Alpha Michael III, Alpha Holden, and the other ranked members of this pack.”

 “You will also pledge allegiance to the Cadet Program, you will vow to uphold the terms of your contract, and your rank will change to Cadet. Your wolves’ eyes will turn grey, to reflect that. You will then not only be under Alpha command but you will also be bonded to the Cadet Program. There is no way any of you can lie or omit the truth under those circumstances.”

 Well, shit.

 “Now, if I’ve calmed your worries, I will proceed with the speech I had prepared,” he scoffs, and a few of the Cadets chuckle.

 “As some of you didn’t grow up here, I will introduce us. I am Nick de Magalhães.” Okay, I guess he’s not Hispanic, he’s Portuguese or Brazilian. I’m so proud to call Canada my home. We are a true melting pot.

 “Son of Beta Ricardo,” he says. Well, shit again.

 Beta Ricardo is the man Alpha Michael chose to be his Beta. Ricardo is a Brazilian immigrant who comes from a small pack, and his family had never held any rank before he was sworn in.

 Alpha Michael chose him over Dad, whose family had served as Betas to the Temple family even before Ghost Pack was a thing when the Temples ruled Waterloo, Cambridge, Kitchener, and Guelph as one single pack.

 This handsome, rugged, muscular piece of eye candy is Beta Ricardo’s son. His father is the one whom Dad despises and resents with all his heart. His father is the reason why I didn’t have a normal werewolf childhood. And I will serve under him.

 “I am not yet Beta,” he says. “But Alpha Holden, our future Alpha, has chosen me as his future Beta – in fact, he has chosen all of us here to aid him. Alpha Holden has decided to wait to take the role of Alpha, but performing some Alpha duties is part of his training and part of the process of transition. And so, this Program is under Alpha Holden’s supervision, not Alpha Michael’s.”

 “You don’t need to address me as Beta. You don’t need to address any of us by our future titles. This is Rhys Jackson, your future Gamma. He will be responsible for overseeing your physical training. This is Sally Walker, your future Delta. Sally is currently attending boarding school at Our Lady of the Moon Academy, in Toronto, but she returns to the pack on weekends. During the weekends, she will participate in training and lessons with us.”

 Beta. Gamma. Delta. I’m even more intrigued and confused as I analyze the fourth wolf standing on stage. He holds himself with such authority that I assumed he was also a ranked member. Wait. None of them actually hold a rank or title. How do they have such strong auras?

 “Well, you know what they say, ‘power resides where people believe it resides.’ It seems our Alpha Michael has delegated duties and power to his son and those up there. For all intents and purposes, they are our superiors. I just don’t understand the fourth one. He does have an aura of authority, it’s faint, but it’s there,” Jamie says.

 I’m so glad to have Jamie by my side. As a wolf, she knows some stuff instinctively.

 “It’s nice to be appreciated,” she says in a joking tone.

 “Shush,” I say.

 “And last, but not least, Olivier Ibrahim, who is one of Alpha Holden’s close friends, supervises and leads all educational matters at the Cadet Program. This Program is his and Alpha Holden’s pet. You will respect him as much as you respect the three of us. He is your superior, future rank or not.”

 “We will address them by their titles, Willow,” Jamie says. “I feel their auras, and this is what I want. This is what my wolf instinct says.” Oddly, I agree. I feel it in my bones.

 “Those are the ones we will serve with,” Jamie says, cryptic as ever.