E I G H T E E N

NOVA 🌙

I was nervous...

It was time for my last class of the day...the Coach's Class...and I couldn't help but feel a pit forming in the bottom of my stomach.

Atlas is walking quietly next to me, hands in his pocket as his muscles bulged slightly underneath the long sleeved shirt he was wearing.

The tattoo that usually teases me beneath his neckline, peaked out more than usual, piquing my curiosity so much so that I nearly caved and asked him what it was.

Instead, I chose to ask him the other question on my mind.

"Why tattoos?"

"What?" he asked, looking slightly startled at my sudden question "What do you mean?"

"Why are you the only Heir with tattoos?" I asked "In fact, why are you one of the few shifters I've seen with so many tattoos?"

He raises an eyebrow "Why the sudden interest?"

"I'm just curious" I said, shrugging "The Penta wanted me to focus all my attention about learning Shifter culture and such, and that's exactly what I'm doing."

"I think they meant more along the lines of learning about your history and culture instead of my tattoos."

"Potato-Potatoe" I smirked "Either way, I'm learning something."

His lips twitched.

"Tattoos for Shifters really depend on one of two things" he started to explain "Whether or not the tattoos themselves are significant in their individual Packs, and the shifters individual healing genes. Some members of our community take to the tattoo process really well, while others can have their new tattoo completed and healed to the point where their skin erases all traces of process. For example, my skin can take really well to the ink versus someone like Phoenix, who comes from Nordic ancestry, whose genes reject the ink and tattoo process entirely."

"Does that mean he heals better than you then?"

"Not necessarily" Atlas shrugged "There have been a few research studies done and that's where the hypothesis' of Pack significance and genetics comes into play. According to a few scientists hypotheses, the shifters from my Pack are able to withstand and maintain the Tattoo process is because my Ancestors used to preserved our pack history and traditions with special tattoos and markings on our skin."

"How is that possible though?" I questioned, genuinely curious "Because when someone dies, don't they usually shrivel up and decay? How can you pass down your history if the place your wrote it down on is no longer viable?"

"You have to remember that shifters don't age like normal humans do" he reminded me "We have longer lives, not as long as the Fae do or Vampyres do, but long enough to transcribe that history onto someone other Elder if need be. It also helps that our bodies are preserved in a way where we don't decay like a human does. When we die, our bodies are preserved in a crypt with special properties that prevent us from decaying."

I gaped at him "How is that possible?"

He shrugged "Wolf Magic I guess."

I sent him a droll look, nudging his shoulder with mine "Really?"

"What?" He smirked down at me "Don't believe in Magic?"

I shook my head "Nope."

"Really?" He said in mock surprise "The girl who was kidnapped by three very handsome Alpha shifters and brought to a magical foreign land where she's not only told that she's the last of her line but also the long lost daughter of one of the most powerful Heirs in history? AND that she's the first official female in Heir history?"

"Well...when you put it like that..."

He smirked at me, those amber eyes of his lighting up and turning into a molten gold color.

Our conversation lulled into a comfortable few minutes of silence before I decided to ask him the second question on my mind.

"Can I ask you another question?"

"It depends."

"On what?"

"It depends on whether I want to answer it or not" he said "Because as much as people try to deny it, there are indeed such things as stupid questions."

My lips quirked.

"But knowing you, you'll ask it anyways" he sighed "So go ahead. Ask away."

"Do you regret your choice?"

"Imma need you to be a little more specific than that Princess" he nudged my shoulder "What choice are you talking about?"

"Hiding your brothers away?" I said quietly "Was the childhood you had as an Heir so bad that it was easier to hide your brothers away from the world?"

"I did it for their protection."

"I don't want the polished and practiced answer you give everyone" I said, shaking my head "I want the truth."

He stopped walking and so did I, our bodies mirroring each other as I stood there and waited for an answer.

Those golden orbs darkened as his familiar amber color returned, emotions tormenting his eyes even though his face remained stoic.

"And how do you know that what I'm saying isn't the truth?"

"Because while your mouth is saying something, your eyes are saying something different."

"Careful little Wolf" He took a step closer towards me, close enough that the tips of our shoes kissed each other "Curiosity is a dangerous thing."

"Maybe I like a little danger" I whispered "I mean, my story did start off like that after all."

"If that's the case then..." He smirked at me "Why don't we wait to see how our story plays out then, shall we?"

🌙~🌙~🌙~🌙~🌙~🌙

Atlas

"I still don't see why this is necessary" I grumbled as Coach Calhoun slammed the metal gates on my face, a slight grin on his sadistic face "I'm a goddamn Heir after all and do have  composure and control over my wolf."

"Boy...I don't know if you're blind or stupid" Coach scoffed, shaking his head as he moved towards the keypad on the cage to activate the electrical fence "Move your ass before I fry it like my favorite chicken."

"You wouldn't do that to me Coach" I rolled my eyes, grinning at him "You love me too much."

"Would you bet your life on that?"

No...No I would not.

"Didn't think so Punk" he smirked at me "Now remember, your jobs is to stand here and look pretty. If I even sniff a hint of defiance, I'll be calling the Heir Guards still loyal to me to drag your ass out of my stadium."

Students began trickling in and before Coach could walk away, I called out to him.

"Just...don't let her get hurt Coach."

"I can't make you no promises boy, because they'll all be gunning for her" He said, looking back at me from over his shoulder with a serious look on his face "But if she's anything like her Pa, she'll take it in stride, dusk herself off, and fuck up anyone who tries."

More students started to join the others before I could respond to his answer, wondering just how much more Coach knew about the Lupine Heirs then he was letting on.

It was obvious Coach had some sort of relationship with Wolfe Lupine, whether it be friends or just acquaintances, because the faraway look in his eyes told me he was reminiscing about a memory in the past.

The crowd coming from the locker rooms drew my attention back the present, thinning out and becoming more sporadic as almost every person in this course walked out onto the field.

The ones that happened to lock eyes with me quickly shifted their gaze and focused on something or somewhere else.

I frowned and scanned the crowd again, my eyes instantly trying to search for the brown haired beauty amongst the throngs of shifters.

My heart settled the when I spotted her walk into the coliseum a moment later...

Only for it to drive into overtime when I saw what the hell she was wearing.

"What the Fuck?" I growled, drawing her attention to where I was locked in the cage "What the fuck are you wearing?!"

She looked down her body at the crimson gym shirt with the Academy crest and tight black itty bitty shorts that hugged her ass in a way that made my Wolf want to rip out every males eyes from their sockets.

Huh...that was a new and unexpected emotion for me.

"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

"That's not the fucking Uniform" I snarled, almost risking the fucking electrocution by touching the bars "Where did you get that?"

"It was in my locker" she said, glancing at the other girls outfits "Everyone's wearing them."

"I don't care about everyone else wearing them" I hissed "One wrong move and your ass will be hanging out."

Her ice blue eyes narrowed at me.

"Careful Lobo" she growled "Don't say something that will make me want to punch you in the throat."

Before I could say anything else, Coach barked at everyone to line up.

"Everyone listen up" Coach raised his voice, shoving Crux back into line when his friends 'accidentally' bumped him into coach's way "I'll only be explaining this once."

A uneasy, queasy feeling started to form in the pit of my stomach.

Because if he planning what I was thinking he was planning, Nova was in deep shit.

Coach pointed towards the mats laying out on the hard coliseum floor behind him as well as some upperclassmen I recognized that graduated from this course last year.

"Who's ready for a Tournament?"