My Alphas' Dark Desires novel Chapter 193

Chapter 193: The Assessments

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Chapter 193

~Valerie’s POV~

The sun was already high when we gathered at the academy’s largest training field. The air buzzed with tension, competition, and the weight of what was ahead—Assessment Test One.

Students from every senior-year guild were spread across the field like a shifting sea of uniforms and nerves. The instructors paced at the front of the line, their clipboards out, expressions unreadable.

Today wasn’t just a regular test.

It was our first formal assessment in preparation for the Alpha Games. A test of strength, control, tactics, and teamwork.

And even though the announcement said "team-based," everyone knew only individual excellence mattered in the end. Four students would be awarded top placement—two from each side during team matches.

"All students to the great hall for theory testing. You have one hour," Professor Lyndal announced, her voice amplified across the grounds.

Chairs scraped. Feet shuffled, and we moved.

Theory was... brutal. Questions on runic combat, magical suppression tactics, wolf-hybrid shifts, Fae combat forms, energy regeneration under duress—if you could name it, it was in the packet.

I flew through most of it, but my mind kept drifting.

Because something felt off, my body had been acting strangely lately. Not in the usual ’I just had six guys claim me’ way, but something internal.

My chest was warm, my fingertips tingled, and every now and then, the edges of my vision blurred just enough to make me blink twice.

Still, I pushed through.

After exactly sixty minutes, we were called outside again.

Guild banners flapped along the sides of the field, and faculty members lined the perimeter with solemn expressions.

The combat arena had been expanded, clearly customised for this specific event. Stone markers, elemental barriers, and even a few summoned terrain obstacles dotted the field.

"Today’s assessment is based on capture-and-hold style combat," Professor Lyndal announced. "You will be placed in mixed-guild squads of four. Your objective: capture your opponent’s flag and maintain possession. Coordination and individual prowess will both be evaluated. This is not a simulation."

That last part landed hard. Real terrain. Real hits. Real consequences.

Our names were called.

My team: Me from Guild 1, Brielle from Guild 3, Titania Sage from Guild 4, and Emerald Drake from Guild 2.

I groaned internally. Of course.

Opposing us were Isla from Guild 1, Sirius Jade from Guild 2, Astraea from Guild 3, and Marcus from Guild 4.

Great.

I moved to stand with my team, mentally preparing for the worst. Brielle gave me a fake smile. Titania didn’t even bother. Emerald nodded at me, at least.

"I assume I’m not the only one interested in actually passing this," I said, adjusting the straps of my combat gear. "Let’s try not to fail."

"No one made you team leader," Brielle snapped.

"We’re literally assigned teams. Someone has to coordinate. Unless you prefer losing?"

Titania scoffed. "Oh, I’m sorry. Are we supposed to work together so you can shine and win? What’s next? You’ll ask for applause after taking the flag?"

I sighed. "Look. You don’t have to like me. But if you mess this up, we all lose."

"I’d rather lose than hand you another spotlight," Brielle muttered.

"Good," I bit out. "Then try not to get hit in the face, because I won’t be catching you."

"Can you guys just put aside your differences for thirty minutes and let’s win. No rule says if the other team do poorly, we all four won’t be selected," Emerald cautioned them.

"Tsk, you’re just like her, trying to boss us," Brielle snickered.

We barely had time for more snacky comments when the whistle blew.

Game on.

Our flag was placed behind a layered stone wall. Their flag, across the opposite end, behind a summoned barrier of shifting wind. We’d have to fight to reach it—and fight to keep ours.

We moved forward in formation—or tried to.

Titania broke off to the left immediately. Brielle lagged behind, pretending to adjust her blade. Emerald groaned and kept by my side.

"Idiots," she muttered under her breath.

"Don’t waste your breath. Just watch the flank."

We didn’t even make it halfway across the field before the enemy launched.

Sirius came at us first, charging ahead with the speed and confidence of someone who thought he’d already won.

His fists clenched, knuckles white, and I swore for a second I saw a spark an illusion, maybe—just muscle memory from years of training with energy.

However, no one was using their powers today. That was the rule. That was the test—strength, reflex, strategy. Nothing supernatural allowed.

Still, he moved like lightning, and I was the wall he crashed into.

That warmth.

He grunted as I spun and knocked his stance off-balance, sweeping his leg and sending him crashing onto the dirt with a thud. That should’ve been enough to send a clear message to the rest of my team. Focus up, or fall.

I turned, fuming. "Are you both seriously doing this right now?"

Brielle huffed, not even looking at me. "I was about to engage."

"Enough," I growled. "If you two had spent half the energy training that you do playing petty dress-up and sabotage, maybe we’d actually function like a team."

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