CHAPTER 33: CHAPTER 33: THE PUNISHMENT

Mr. John’s voice rang sharply across the clearing after dividing the enormous rock into six smaller chunks. "Now," he said, his deep voice commanding every ear, "I want you all to carry on with your punishment. And when you are finished, do not think for a second that you’ll have time to rest. You will immediately proceed to your training. I hope this time you’ll do better than you did yesterday. If not, I promise you, this exercise will be the only thing you learn the entire semester. Now, pick up your rocks."

The order felt final, heavy, and absolute.

All Seventeen of Aiden’s classmates moved without hesitation. They strode toward the massive rocks, each of them selecting one that seemed impossibly large to Aiden’s human eyes. He stared in disbelief. If he even tried to lift one of those boulders, he was certain his bones would snap before the stone even left the ground. And if by some miracle he managed to raise it, in the very next second it would come crashing down, smashing him flat.

But the others didn’t flinch. One by one, the wolves bent and gripped their rocks, muscles flexing with supernatural strength, and lifted them as if they weighed nothing more than bags of flour. Each of them supported the stone with both hands, balancing the impossible load with grim determination.

Aiden’s mouth fell open. Now he understood what Mr. John had meant when he spoke of werewolves having super strength.

Turning back to his own portion, Aiden eyed the smaller rocks. The head instructor had divided the boulder into six uneven fragments. Even so, each looked nearly as heavy as something only a trained adult man could attempt to carry. He reminded himself grimly that this was punishment. It wasn’t meant to be easy, but necessary to harden them. Still, his heart pounded in his chest as he crouched and pressed his fingers against the rough stone.

He heaved.

Nothing.

The rock shuddered but didn’t leave the earth. He tried again, straining until his arms burned, but it slipped from his grasp, nearly rolling onto his leg. Aiden jerked back just in time, his heart racing from the narrow escape.

Laughter.

It cut through the clearing, sharp and mocking. Some of his classmates, despite holding boulders ten times their size above their heads, found the energy to chuckle at his failure.

Before humiliation could swallow him whole, Mr. John stepped forward. His broad hand reached down, and with effortless strength he scooped up the rock Aiden had struggled with. He held it in one palm, like a toy. His eyes shifted to Aiden. "Lift your hands."

Reluctantly, Aiden raised his trembling arms.

The rock dropped into them.

The moment its weight pressed into his palms, Aiden nearly collapsed. His knees buckled, and his arms quivered violently. It was as if the burdens of the entire world had suddenly been forced upon him, and he was told to hold it steady for two whole hours. He clenched his jaw, teeth grinding, and forced himself not to cry out. His mind screamed that he wouldn’t last ten minutes, let alone the full punishment.

But he knew he couldn’t drop it. Not with everyone already laughing at him.

The minutes dragged.

By the half-hour mark, Aiden’s body was drenched in sweat. He felt as if he had lived five lives and died five deaths all within that short time. Every part of him screamed for release, his arms shaking violently. He stole a glance at his classmates. Though sweat shone on their foreheads, none of their arms shook like his. Their stances were strong, unwavering, like carved statues.

"Are they even human?" he muttered under his breath.

Then he corrected himself bitterly, "What am I saying? They are not human. They’re wolves. I’m the only human here."

The comparison tore at his spirit, so he forced himself to stop looking at them.

When Mr. John’s voice cut through the clearing announcing that an hour had passed, Aiden thought he might collapse on the spot. His legs trembled like reeds in the wind, his arms ready to give at any second. Even Mr. John looked at him with concern, his eyes silently asking if Aiden wanted to give up.

Aiden hesitated. His vision swam. The thought of dropping the rock was tempting, like a siren calling him to safety. But then he remembered Carl’s words, the disdain of the others, the constant whispers that he didn’t belong here. If he gave up first, carrying just one-sixth of what the others bore, what would that prove? That they had been right all along?

He clenched his teeth and shook his head at Mr. John. No. He wasn’t quitting.

By the time one hour and twenty minutes passed, Aiden was certain he would black out. His consciousness flickered like a weak candle. To escape the pain, he forced his mind to drift, slipping into something like a half-sleep. His body trembled, but his thoughts floated away, clinging to the strange dreamlike state as if it were the only lifeline.

At first, he still felt the unbearable weight pressing down. But then something shifted. His arms steadied. His legs stopped quivering. The stone, impossibly, felt lighter, almost bearable. His mind sank deeper into that sleep-like haze, his breathing evening out.

And just like that, the last thirty minutes passed without struggle.

When Mr. John finally barked, "You may drop your rocks," Aiden’s eyes fluttered open. For a fleeting moment, his golden eyes glowed brighter, almost burning with an inner fire. But in the blink of an eye, they dimmed back to their normal shade. No one noticed—not even Aiden himself.

He blinked in surprise. The rock tumbled from his hands with a dull thud. He stared down at it, confused. The last thing he remembered was Mr. John announcing that they had carried their punishment for one hour and twenty minutes. How could it be over already?

"Mr. John," Aiden asked aloud, "is two hours really over already?"

Every eye turned to him, their expressions bewildered. Mr. John’s was the strangest of all. "Aiden," he said slowly, almost in disbelief, "how in the world did you manage to fall asleep while carrying such a heavy rock? No wonder you didn’t realize time had passed. I have never in my entire life heard of someone sleeping while standing, let alone sleeping while standing and holding a punishment stone. You are the first. Quite the skill you’ve got there—sleeping through discipline."

Aiden’s mouth fell open. "Are you saying I slept off?"

Mr. John nodded, his lips twitching with suppressed amusement.

The rest of the class stared at Aiden as though he had sprouted wings. Their eyes were filled with something between shock and ridicule, as if trying to decide whether to mock him or admire the absurdity of what had happened. Aiden felt his cheeks burn but forced himself to accept it. Apparently, he had slept through his punishment. A bizarre skill, but at least it had carried him through.

Mr. John clapped his hands, calling everyone back to order. "Enough gawking. Now that your punishment is finished, I hope it motivates you for today’s training. You will once again search for the blood-stained chicken bandages. And let me warn you, if you think the six you found yesterday will still be in the same places, you are mistaken. I’ve hidden them elsewhere."

A chorus of groans erupted from the class.

Mr. John only laughed, a deep booming laugh that shook his broad shoulders. "Good. Let your pain be your teacher."

He raised his voice. "You have two hours to find as many as you can. And mark my words, if today’s results are just as pitiful as yesterday’s, then tomorrow’s punishment will not be two hours. You’ll be carrying rocks for two hours and thirty minutes."

The groans grew louder. Mr. John laughed again, clearly enjoying their misery. "Now go. Your time starts now."

And then, like before, the wolves were gone in a blur of speed. Aiden blinked, and they had already vanished deeper into the forest classroom.

"I wonder when I’ll have super speed like that too," Aiden muttered.

"I heard that," Mr. John said. His sharp eyes glinted with amusement. "You will have it when you finally connect with your wolf."

Aiden’s head snapped toward him. "You heard me?"

"Of course." Mr. John’s grin widened. "Everything about us is heightened, remember? That includes our hearing."

The realization hit Aiden like a stone. "Wait—does that mean they all heard me earlier too? When I said... are they even human? And then corrected myself?"

Mr. John chuckled. "Yes. We all heard you."

Aiden groaned and rubbed his face. "Why does everything about you people have to be heightened? That is so unfair."

Mr. John reached out and ruffled Aiden’s sweat-soaked hair, surprising him with the sudden, intimate gesture. "Do not worry. When you feel your wolf, you won’t think it is unfair anymore."

Aiden blinked at the touch, startled. Teachers weren’t supposed to be so affectionate. But maybe Mr. John did this with all his juniors. He shook his head, trying to ignore it.

Mr. John drew back his hand. "So, are you up for the training? If you are too tired, you don’t have to push yourself."

Aiden shook his head firmly. "No. I said I’d do it, and I will. I’m not the type to back out once I’ve agreed. Besides, I can still walk. I thought I wouldn’t be able to move after the punishment, but... maybe because I slept, I’m fine. Just sore muscles, that’s all."

Mr. John gave him a long look, then nodded. "If you insist. Just make sure you don’t scratch your pretty face."

Aiden couldn’t help but grin. "I treasure my face more than anyone. I’ll protect it."

With that, he turned and started deeper into the forest, leaving the clearing.