Chapter 11
Becoming a Scholar
Sage didn’t just conduct a search–she executed a full–cavity inspection. It felt as though her eyes missed nothing, her hands hovered near every scar, and her questions pierced deeper than I thought possible. Every inch of me was under scrutiny, her gaze hunting for any signs, marks, or brands that might link me to the Rebellion.
But as her search came to an end, I could sense her disappointment. She found nothing–no proof to justify her distrust of me, no reason to label me a threat outright. The disdain lingered in her voice when she finally dismissed me to the guest house, a modest but well–maintained structure just down the road from the Alpha’s castle.
I wasn’t allowed to leave the premises, though they made sure to bring me dinner. As I sat down with the meal–a steaming bowl of stew with a hunk of bread–I realized I couldn’t complain much. At least they were feeding me. The real luxury, though, was the bed. After days of traveling and sleeping on the forest floor, the soft mattress, complete with pillows, felt like heaven.
It didn’t take long for exhaustion to claim me. For the first time in what felt like forever, I slept
soundly.
At the c***k of dawn, a sharp knock at the door jolted me awake. I barely had time to collect
myself before Sage stormed in, a bundle of neatly folded clothes in her hands.
“Here you are, rogue.” She tossed the clothes onto the bed without ceremony. “Get dressed.
The Alpha is waiting.”
There was no warmth in her voice, no sign of easing up on her suspicion.
Still groggy, I picked up the clothes and nodded. Sage didn’t leave the room, so I had to change under her watchful eye. It was as if she didn’t trust me to be alone for even a second. The garments fit well–a pair of sturdy black pants and a loose grey shirt–but they felt foreign compared to what I was used to.
With a tight grip on my arm, Sage led me back to the castle. The towering structure loomed above us, its stone walls and intricate carvings glowing faintly in the early morning light. As we entered the Alpha’s office, I was struck again by its almost haunting beauty.
The room was grand yet imposing. The dark wooden shelves were lined with old, leather–bound books, their spines worn and faded from years of use. The large oak desk in the
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center was stacked with papers and notebooks, while a faint smell of amberwood and coffee
hung in the air.
Alpha Matthew sat behind the desk, his head bent as he scribbled something in a notebook.
He looked up briefly when we entered, and my heart stuttered in my chest.
He was wearing glasses. Thick, black–rimmed glasses that gave him a sharp, intellectual
edge. If I wasn’t already terrified of him, I might have swooned.
Sage didn’t wait for an invitation to make herself comfortable. She sauntered over to the
leather couch in the corner, sprawling out as if she owned the place. I, on the other hand,
stood frozen in the middle of the room, unsure of where to look or how to act.
“Give me a moment,” Alpha Matthew said, his voice low and commanding.
I nodded but found it hard to stay still. My eyes were drawn to the bookshelves, their sheer
volume and variety mesmerizing. I couldn’t resist stepping closer, letting my fingers trail along
the spines.
“May I?” I asked, glancing at him hesitantly.
He looked up from his notes, his gaze meeting mine through the rim of his glasses. My breath
hitched. It wasn’t fair how effortlessly attractive he was, even while doing something as
mundane as reviewing paperwork.
He nodded once, and I took it as permission to browse.
The books were incredible. Many of them were old and delicate, their covers faded but full of
untold stories. One shelf, in particular, caught my eye. It was encased in glass with a lock,
clearly protecting something rare or forbidden. My fingers itched to open it, but I didn’t dare.
I finally pulled a book from one of the lower shelves, its weight solid in my hands. The title
was embossed in gold lettering: *The Balance of Power and Magic*.
Magic.
My heart skipped a beat as I flipped through the pages. In Sparta, magic was a forbidden
subject. The elders believed it was too dangerous, too unpredictable, to be taught or even
discussed. And yet, here it was, sitting openly in the Alpha’s office.
“Mia.”
Alpha Matthew’s voice snapped me out of my trance. I quickly closed the book and held it against my chest, turning to face him.
“Take a seat,” he said, motioning to the chair across from his desk.
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I obeyed, clutching the book tightly as I sat down. He pulled out the paperwork I had handed him yesterday and placed it on the desk between us. His glasses were gone now, tucked away somewhere out of sight. I missed them already.
“Sage,” he said, his tone firm. “I need you to step out for a moment.”
The Beta hesitated, her sharp gaze darting between us. “Are you sure?”
“Yes,” he replied.
With a reluctant sigh, Sage stood and left the room, though not without throwing one last
glare in my direction.
Now it was just the two of us.
Alpha Matthew leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing as he studied me. The weight of
his gaze was suffocating, but I refused to look away.
“I need you to be completely honest with me,” he said finally. “No lies. No half–truths. Do you
understand?”
“Yes,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
He nodded, seemingly satisfied. “I read over your documents. You were top of your class in
Sparta. So why did your mate reject you?”
The question hit me like a punch to the gut.
I looked down, my hands tightening around the book in my lap. “I… I lost a battle during my
initiation. Alpha Bren said I was weak.”
“Do you believe that?” he asked, his tone curious rather than judgmental.
“No,” I said firmly, lifting my head to meet his gaze. “I know I’m not weak.”
Alpha Matthew’s expression remained unreadable, but there was a flicker of something in his
eyes–respect, maybe?
