Chapter 185: ¹⁸⁵: gamma derek

Chapter 185: 1??: gamma derek

"Students, all your assignments have been assessed by our staff in a remarkably short amount of time."

Our teacher’s voice filled the classroom as she addressed us, continuing to explain the assessment process. Most of us nodded along, our attention fixed on the enormous stack of papers resting on the table at the front of the room.

Those assignments represented nearly half of our curriculum’s academic work, and the results would determine how well we had performed in one of the most important assessments of the year.

And considering how difficult the brute-force portion of our education was going to be for someone like me; a wolfless girl with no wolf to rely on. I knew I couldn’t afford anything less than a perfect score.

My academic performance was one of the few things I could control here. I didn’t have the physical advantages most werewolves took for granted, and I certainly couldn’t afford to fall behind when the Academy eventually shifted its attention toward force training.

If I wanted to survive what was coming, I needed to make sure my strengths counted for something.

"Don’t you think they’re taking our courses a little too seriously this year?" Rose whispered beside me.

I glanced at her, finding her leaning toward me with her eyebrows drawn together thoughtfully.

"Maybe it’s because of Gamma Derek," she continued, lowering her voice further. "I mean, he seems really invested in his new role. He’s even come here today to speak personally to the top three students from this assessment."

My gaze shifted toward the front of the classroom. Two teachers stood beside our principal, with Gamma Derek standing among them. All three wore pleasant smiles as they looked out at the students, although there was something about Derek’s attentive expression that made it clear he wasn’t here merely to congratulate us, there was just something about gamma derek that made him stand different from the apparent persona he had.

Whatever the reason, his presence certainly made the entire occasion feel more significant than an ordinary assignment announcement.

Meanwhile, our class teacher continued explaining how the assessment process had changed this year and why the Academy had decided to accelerate our academic schedule.

I settled back in my seat, allowing her words to bring my thoughts to the events of the previous day.

We had submitted our assignments only yesterday, the very same day Louis Dreven had handed me that ridiculously important invitation to the Grand Eclipse Ball.

And after classes, I had somehow ended up in a store with Rose, shopping for an outfit despite my best efforts to avoid the entire ordeal.

My dear friend had apparently taken my reluctant agreement to attend the ball as permission to reorganize my entire wardrobe.

I had tried reasoning with her. I had tried refusing. I had even attempted to convince her that I could attend the event in something I already owned. None of it had worked.

In the end, I had been dragged from one store to another, listening to Rose’s enthusiastic opinions about dresses while silently questioning every decision that had brought me into her life.

But that was a problem for another time. Right now, I needed to focus on the assignments.

Apparently, the Academy’s staff had managed to assess the entire batch in a single night. From what our teacher had explained, every available teacher had been involved in the process, leaving no room for delays.

It was an extraordinary amount of work to complete in such a short time, but the Academy had its reasons.

According to our new head of education, Gamma Derek, we were falling behind in our curriculum.

And as werewolves, we were expected to dedicate nearly half of our academic year to force training.

That meant the Academy intended to get through the first two academic portions of our education as quickly as possible so that physical training could begin without further delay.

Which, unfortunately, brought me to the part of the curriculum I dreaded most. The mighty brute run. Just thinking about it made my stomach tighten.

I could handle written assignments. I could analyze complicated problems, construct arguments, and work through academic challenges that left other students scratching their heads.

But brute force? That was an entirely different matter. My lack of a wolf wasn’t something I could simply compensate for with a few extra hours of studying. Whatever physical advantages the other students possessed, I couldn’t magically acquire them by memorizing my textbooks.

And with the Academy determined to accelerate our training schedule, I had very little time left before I would have to face that reality head-on.

I was still lost in those thoughts when a sharp pinch on my wrist brought me back to the present.

"Athena!"

I flinched and turned toward Rose. She was staring at me with wide eyes, her fingers still wrapped around my wrist as she leaned so close that I could practically feel her excitement radiating off her.

"Girl, they’re calling you to collect your assignment!"

I blinked at her. "What?"

Rose stared at me as though I had just asked her to explain the meaning of life.

"Your assignment!" she hissed, shaking my arm slightly. "They’re calling you to the front!"

I looked toward the teachers, finally realizing that several pairs of eyes were directed at me.

Oh.

Oh, no.

Had I missed my name being called? Before I could gather my thoughts, Rose leaned closer and whispered with enough excitement to make me wonder whether she was about to explode.

"Girl, you got a perfect score! They’re looking at you with actual stars in their eyes! Get back to your senses and go to the front!"

I stared at her. A perfect score? For a moment, the words refused to register properly. Then my gaze darted toward the stack of papers on the table, and I finally began to understand why everyone seemed to be looking in my direction.

I had done it. Despite everything else going on in my life, I had managed to get a perfect score.