Not just the Beta (Oriana and Slade) novel Chapter 67

Slade

He watched Palmer complete the exam alongside Hayden. That man knew the laws, and he pushed his paper away from him and Yuri collected it along with Hayden’s when the timer sounded to alert them that the thirty minutes were up. Yuri handed it to Slade, so that he himself could mark them.

He looked at Palmers; the man had put his name and rank on the top of the page as it was indicated to do, had even filled in his signature and dated it at the bottom as well, as were expected of all Alpha Unit exams, so they could be kept on record to say when they had been attended to.

He had sat it like a real exam, as this was for Hayden, who hadn’t filled in his name or rank, or signed and dated it. That boy didn’t think this was him sitting the real thing when, in fact, it actually was. Had just failed the exam without knowing it.

Slade, however, took the time to mark it. He scored 75% correct, though Slade didn’t say anything to Hayden, who was already working on the next one. He just put it on the table, he would wait until all 12 were done before revealing the results.

He watched Hayden get fidgety in his seat and shake out his hands a few times. Today was going to be long for him, 12 exams at 30 minutes each. Six hours they would all be in here. Yuri prowled the room as the exam monitor while Slade watched on, and marked those papers when they were handed to him.

Palmer got up and stretched a few times, when he finished an exam early, rolled his shoulders and walked away from the table, but only two or three steps just to get off his backside and stretch his legs.

He was mind-linked by his father just after 12pm ‘Slade, its lunchtime, take a break for that.’

‘No, he replied simply ‘No one will leave this room, all four of us will eat later, it’s not like I’m starving any of us.’

‘It’s not you and the boys sitting there writing constantly. His father stated flatly.

‘Palmer volunteered to take every test alongside Hayden, so it’s fair.’

There was silence for a long time and then his father stated ‘Fine.’ And severed the mind-link aggressively.

Slade sighed and found Yuri’s eyes on him, he just shook his head, and things went back to normal in the war room. It was just after 4pm when that cuff came off Hayden, and he let him leave the room. The boy didn’t even ask for his own results. Just up and walked out, saying “Tell dad.”

Slade was curious about that, that boy should have wanted to know what score he’d gotten, didn’t it seem to care at all. He was still sitting in there marking that last paper when his father and Anders walked into the war room. Palmer was standing not far away with his arms stretched up above his head, his fingers laced, leaning back a little to ease the stiffness out of his muscles.

“Well?” his stated flatly.

“He failed all of them,” Slade stated right back, and both his father and Anders muttered ‘that’s impossible.’

He tapped a finger on the test sheets and let them go through the answers “Slade, he’s passed every one.” His father frowned now.

“Did he really. I believe his name and rank, signature and date are missing from all of them. Is that not an exam requirement?” he asked simply.

“Cut him some slack, this was very impromptu.” His father sighed.

Slade looked right at him and then handed him Palmers “Why? He was told he was going to have to sit it, by you. So, he knew coming in here, it was a formal exam. Palmer can read the exam rules at the top, which clearly state, to fill in one’s name, rank, date and sign it for the pack records.” He pointed it out to the man.

“So did Hayden not think the rules applied to him, or did he just not read the exam sheet? If he was in a classroom with say 30 wolves and five of them didn’t fill that in, would you have passed those five… No, because you wouldn’t know whose papers were whose. Just check the roll for the five names missing off the exam sheets and mark them all as failed.”

“His knowledge…”

“Is lacking.” Slade interrupted him, “75% at best. He’s had a whole be able to get 90 to 100%.” He stood up and took the exam answer he wanted to show them both.

Pointed right to the question: When is Future Alpha Unit Training attended by the Future Alpha, after he has been away from the pack for over a week and has returned? Hayden had ticked the correct box: the morning after the Future Alpha returns to the pack at 5am, unless the actual reigning Alpha chooses to change it, and notifies everyone.

“He knew there was Alpha training this morning at 5am, because you father didn’t change it that I am aware of, did you?” he put right to his father. The man couldn’t say that he had because he, Plamer and Yuri had all gotten up and gone off for training.

“Fine.” His father muttered “I’ll have words with him.”

Slade now had, that final month of Alpha College. He had been made to attend two days in a row, each week of training hand to hand and wolfen training, from 8am to 4pm both those days. It was hard going and exhausted one, but it was done to show you what you were in for if there was a war, or you were off to allied assistance.

Pack wars didn’t just stop after two hours to rest and restart, no the fighting could go all day and all night, for days at a time, and one had to be able to handle it, fight without rest for hours on end.

“Which would you choose?” Hayden sighed after several minutes thinking about it.

“It’s your choice, not mine.” Slade stated right back.

“No, I mean if you were me, what punishment would you opt for?”

“I wouldn’t be so irresponsible as to not turn up for training,” Slade stated flatly. “Choose.”

“When will it start?” Hayden asked.

“The minute you choose it,” Slade answered simply, “You won’t get much sleep either way.”

“I’ll run the pack border.” Hayden muttered after a moment.

“Good,” Slade smiled “Yuri, bring the cuff.”

“What?” Hayden gasped.

“No wolf assistance is allowed.” Slade smiled at him now as Yuri handed him the cuff.

He looked at Hayden expectantly and saw him grit his teeth, then hold out his arm. “Shar, I have nothing against you. Your human was disrespectful to his position and the title you now hold and myself, the future leader of the pack. I only intend to punish him, sorry about the silver.” He apologized to Hayden’s wolf and then snapped that cuff around his wrist. “Go, two full laps, start from Zone 5 section B, that will also be your finish line. I’ve got two wolves lined up to trail you, so you don’t deviate off the path. Miso is waiting for you out there now. He’ll do the first lap with you and then Pepper will do the second. Don’t dawdle, I’ll be informed of any and all infractions, and for each one I’ll add another lap.” Slade stated and turned to walk away.